Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
Wolfgang whistles tunelessly as he joins Sicaria and looks at the rubble blocking off half of the second floor, really noticing it for the first time.
"That is going to be a lot of work. Not how I had planned to spend my morning, but..." He reaches down, picks up part of a shattered beam, and throws it onto the piles of detritus in the room to the north. "May as well get started."
Marcianus Jeggare |
Marcianus eyes the rubble, then glances toward the library. "Well, we should at least ask Razelago what he knows."
Opening the library door, he steps in and calls out "Razelago, are you here? Wolfgang heard some splashing during the night and we are worried that the house has other occupants. Do you know anything about a splashing noise?"
"Zeke" Zizekhez the Scented |
Zeke looks at the rubble and laughs ironically as he mutters "Phenomenal cosmic powers and I am reduced to manual labor"
Picking up large pieces of rubble, he starts tossing them toward the opposite wall.
GM Hawthwile |
Marcinaus opens the library door, revealing toppled bookshelves, a table, and some chairs half-covered in ivy that suggest this room's original purpose. A set of folding paper screens divides the room. The ashes and pulp of burned, waterlogged books lay heaped amid fallen furniture, creating a large nest of sorts against one wall. A panther-like creature looks up from a nap, growling and baring its teeth at the nobleman. Razelago is nowhere to be seen.
Sicaria, Wolfgang, and Zeke move fallen rubble and broken timbers, occasionally pausing to listen as the Ash House groans and settles slightly before continuing with their work. After an hour or so, the trio clears a path to a closed door.
What do you do?
Marcianus Jeggare |
Quickly closing the door, Marcianus darts to the side. "Does Razelago keep a big cat as a pet? If not, I think we have an unexpected guest, though one that probably doesn't take baths."
Sicaria Rubei |
Quickly closing the door, Marcianus darts to the side. "Does Razelago keep a big cat as a pet? If not, I think we have an unexpected guest, though one that probably doesn't take baths."
”Hm? Oh yeah, that’s normal. Just don’t try to stab it and we should be fine.”
Turning her attention away from Marcianus, Sicaria puts one hand on the hilt of one of her swords as she moves to open the newly-uncovered door.
Marcianus Jeggare |
"Nobody thought to mention the giant cat living upstairs?"
Sighing, he turns his attention to the rubnle. Using Mage Hand, he begins moving small pieces of rubnle.
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
"It's not likely to have been using the tub, is it?" Wolfgang draws his rapier and steps back to give Sicaria room to open the door.
Marcianus Jeggare |
"If I had been expecting it, it wouldn't have been a problem. You just can't trust cats, is all"
Catching up to the others, He eyes the door cautiously.
Zeke hefts his hammer and cracks his neck, nodding that he is ready.
GM Hawthwile |
The door is slightly stuck in its frame, but Sicaria pulls it open without too much effort. Ivy invades the musty room on the other side. Old ash streaks the tiled walls of what was once a lavish bath chamber, while broken mosaic chips and fallen timbers cover the floor with sharp scree. Opposite the door, a porcelain tub filled with stagnant water and mud hunches beneath a crescent-shaped mirror distorted by intense heat.
Perception DC 10]
What do you do?
"Zeke" Zizekhez the Scented |
"Interesting place to take a bath! I wonder what bathes in mud?"
Zeke strides forward and looks into the tub bit sees nothing of interest and turns to leave.
Perxeption: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Sicaria Rubei |
"What the...?"
Heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Sicaria desperately tries to keep the apples and cheese in her stomach from coming up as she looks into the tub and is forcefully accosted by the stench. She turns heel and exits the room quickly, bracing herself against the wall of rubble as she tries to calm her stomach.
"There's...a box at the...bottom of the tub...but I'm not sticking my hands in that!"
Marcianus Jeggare |
Marcianus comes in and looks at the tub. "Just looks like mud. Didn't think that you were squeamish about getting dirty."
Sending the Mage Hand into the tub, Marcianus attempts to lift the box out.
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
Heal: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Ignoring the stench, Wolfgang leans over the tub to examine the results of Marcianus's spellcasting with interest.
Spellcraft DC 15 to identify spell as it is cast: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
"Of course she is not worried about just getting dirty," he says, distractedly. "That isn't mud -- Are you casting mage hand? I think you do it differently than I do. -- anyway, right, not mud. This stuff is the half-liquified remains of a rotted corpse. Human, I would guess, or something close. That really is interesting. Why do you bother with that finger wave at the end? Does that add anything to the spell?"
GM Hawthwile |
As Marcianus lifts the box out of the muck, the miscreants notice too late a pair of silvery hands clutching it that trail down into the sludge like sheets of wet cloth. A slimy, twisting mass rises from the bathtub, vaguely in the shape of a human woman. An unearthly shriek fills the room as the woman wails in agony and rage.
Sicaria: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Wolfgang: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Red: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
The spirit - or whatever it is - flails in a blind rage at those who have disturbed its slumber...
Who (1 = Marcianus, 2 = Wolfgang): 1d2 ⇒ 1
Red Slam vs Marcianus FF AC 10: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
...and Marcianus reels from the blow, silvery slime mixing with splatter of brown sludge on his shirt.
@Marcianus, make a DC 13 Will save at the start of your next post or be shaken for a number of rounds.
This creature seems to be an ectoplasmic human, a type of undead formed by a soul still bound to the Material plane, but too weak to manifest as a ghost and without a body to reanimate as a zombie or skeleton. The slimy ropey substance that gives them their form is tougher and stronger than mortal flesh, but can be cut through with a knife or similar slashing weapon. (DR ?/slashing) Additionally, the mere touch of this spirit can cause fear to creep into even the stoutest of hearts, which might be why many adventurers hesitate to enter places where the telltale patches of silvery mucus on the walls indicate that one of these creatures is nearby and could pass through a wall at any time. (Slam attack can cause struck opponent to become shaken, and they can pass through walls and other inanimate material obstacles)
Splish Splash
Round 1! Bold may act!
Red
Sicaria
Marcianus (-7, Will save needed)
Zeke
Wolfgang
Environmental Effects:
- Rubble is very difficult terrain (costing 4 squares of movement speed to move through 1 square)
What do you do?
Marcianus Jeggare |
Distracted by Wolfgang's questions, Marcianus doesn't immediately register his description of the contents of the tub.
"Mage Hand? Is that what people call it? The power just... works... I don't know how. The motions just feel right.
Wait! Human remains?!?" He doesn't even have time to start retching before filth is splattered all over him.
Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Withdrawing, he moves out of the room. "Oh, Hells! This is never going to come out! I suppose you all knew the damn house was Haunted as well?"
"Zeke" Zizekhez the Scented |
Pulling out his hammer, Zeke attempts to hit the spirit. "Begone, mortal! Stop clinging to this meaningless existence."
L.Hammer: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Damage?: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Laughing as he swings, he glances toward Sicaria. "Plenty of room up here."
Sicaria Rubei |
Ectoplasm...
Seeing Zeke hit the creature assuming he did, Sicaria scoffs and shakes her head.
”That’s not going to do much! You gotta slice it...”
The human rushes in front of Zeke as she pulls out a pair of jagged-edged swords. She assumes a light-footed battle stance as she constantly shifts her center of gravity.
”...Like this!”
Primary; MW sabre: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
”Okay...maybe not quite like that...”
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
"Aaah! What the f#@@ is that?!?"
Acting from reflex, Wolfgang lunges forward with his rapier with no real expectation that he will hit the creature -- if it's even real.
Mwk Rapier: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 121d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Knowledge check? Arcana, dungeoneering, local, all +7; planes, +8.
Knowledge (?): 1d20 ⇒ 4
"Zeke" Zizekhez the Scented |
Zeke laughs heartily at Sicaria's comments. "I find that most creatures succumb to the injuries if you hit them hard enough, but maybe I'll find a slashing weapon in case we encounter one of these in the future."
GM Hawthwile |
Knowledge check?
Religion, which only Sicaria is trained in.
Zeke's hammer strikes the spirit with a dull thwack, the slimy tissue making up its body absorbing some of the blow. Taken by surprise, neither Sicaria nor Wolfgang manage to land a blow as the creature howls again in rage and pain. With squishy steps (as if it were walking in a bog), the spirit walks upward to hover over the assassin's head. An unearthly scream fills the room again as it swings an arm at the eidolon...
Red Slam, Higher Ground vs Zeke AC 15: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 = 26
Bludgeoning damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Crit Confirmation: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 = 23
Crit damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
...that interrupts Zeke's laughter, catching him squarely in the jaw and almost knocking him to the floor!
@Zeke, make a DC 13 Will save at the start of your next post or be shaken for a number of rounds.
Splish Splash
Round 2! Bold may act!
Red (-4, 5 ft above floor)
Sicaria
Marcianus (-7)
Zeke (-14, Will save needed)
Wolfgang
Environmental Effects:
- Rubble is very difficult terrain (costing 4 squares of movement speed to move through 1 square)
What do you do?
Marcianus Jeggare |
Marcianus retrieves a wand and taps Zeke with it, causing an aura of magical energy to surround the eidolon. Shield
"Zeke" Zizekhez the Scented |
"For a mass of slime, that thing sure packs a punch!"
Stepping back through the doorway, Zeke swings his hammer in an upward arc attempting to flatten the creature against the ceiling.
Hammer: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Hammer Damage?: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Not sure if I can make a reach attack from the other side of the doorway. If not, I'll change the order of move and use a slam attack instead (holding the hammer in the off hand)
Slam Damage?: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
Assuming the thing is still in arm's reach:
"Abadar's shriveled... can this thing even be killed? Sicaria, what in the Hells is it?"
Wolfgang stabs up and over Sicaria's head at the slime-coated thing.
Mwk Rapier: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 141d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Sicaria Rubei |
I actually did the wrong bonus for my attack last round, but I rolled so low that it really didn’t matter.
”Some kind of weird ectoplasmic undead; its touch instills fear. That’s all I know!”
Sicaria looks up at the creature floating above her and scowls. She rubs the flats of her blades together—a metallic scring echoing through the room. With both blades she slashed at the undead!
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Primary “off-hand”: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
*
Primary Confirmation: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 2 = 7
Bonus Crit Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
GM Hawthwile |
Zeke's hammer slams the creature upward, but the genie can feel the spirit reform around his weapon on the rebound. Wolfgang pokes timidly at the creature, not wanting to get too close in case it turns its attention on him. Marcianus gingerly taps Zeke with a wand from the corridor, also not wanting to get too close.
Sicaria, on the other hand, masterfully weaves her sabres through the air above her, carving straight through where the undead creature's heart would be if it were still alive. The spirit shrieks again, but this time it is more of a pitiful wail as its form quivers, struggling to hold itself together. With a final cry of pain, the ectoplasm bursts like an overripe melon - covering the assassin and thief in silvery slime.
Out of combat! Damage report:
Marcianus (-7)
Zeke (-14)
With a clatter, the box the spirit was clutching falls to the floor next to Sicaria. The impact dislodges the lid, and several heavily-tarnished medals covered in brown sludge slip out.
"What're y'all doing up there?" Cimri calls faintly from the parlor below.
What do you do?
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
knowledge (local): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Well, darn.
"Just ahhh ... clearing out some old junk," Wolfgang hollers. "Hey Cimri, who used to live in this place?"
Wolfgang casts detect magic and checks for auras on the medals, then scans the rest of the room.
Sicaria Rubei |
Sicaria sighs as she places her swords on the ground and wipes the silvery mucous off her face.
”Well, that was different...”
The woman picks up her swords and walks away from the room with the bathtub.
”If you need me, I’m going to be getting ghost goop outta my clothes...”
Marcianus Jeggare |
Putting his wand away and wincing in pain as he realizes the extent of the injuries he received, Marcianis calls down to Cimri. "Do you leave out undead traps as some kind of indoctrination? Because there was one up here guarding a bunch of medals. Maybe you should come take a look."
Assessing how injured Zeke is as well, he grows concerned. "We could really use some healing before tonight, if you expect us to provide any valye to this excursion. I don't suppose anyone has a wand of infernal healing laying about?"
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
Putting his wand away and wincing in pain as he realizes the extent of the injuries he received, Marcianis calls down to Cimri. "Do you leave out undead traps as some kind of indoctrination? Because there was one up here guarding a bunch of medals. Maybe you should come take a look."
Wolfgang winces -- gods, are all nobles so damn trusting? -- then wipes at the ectoplasmic residue covering his head and shirt, but does little more than smear it over a wider area. He eyes Marcianus's wand and reflexively notes where the aristocrat puts it when the combat is over.
Assessing how injured Zeke is as well, he grows concerned. "We could really use some healing before tonight, if you expect us to provide any value to this excursion. I don't suppose anyone has a wand of infernal healing laying about?"
"Wand? No. I've got a couple of scrolls, but no good way to replace them yet. Not too many places around Longacre to find a good selection of wands or other magical aids, though I was planning to pay a visit to one or two of them this morning. I hope I still have time."
Cimri said Miss Wilmore may not have anything to offer other than cats, but she must have had some reason to suggest I talk to her. At least this Odmer sounds like a promising apothecary.
The tiefling looks down for a moment and shakes a glob of congealed ectoplasm off of his hand. Turning back to Marcianus, Wolfgang thinks for a moment, then sighs and asks, "Do you want to come along?"
NPC Hawthwile |
"What's all this about old junk and undead?"
Light footsteps on the stairs announce the scoundrel's arrival on the second floor. Cimri arches an eyebrow as she sees the various goops covering the miscreants. "What, you decide to draw this ghost out by taking a mudbath or something?" Her eye is quickly caught by the broken box on the ground, and she furrows her brow in thought.
"Those are old military medals," she finally concludes. "I bet I know someone who'd be interested in these." Grabbing the box, she heads back down the stairs. "Once I have some recompense to distribute, where can I find you in, hmm, let's say around lunch?"
Since it sounds like there's shopping to be done, and we have some time still before tonight's performance at the tavern.
What do you do?
Marcianus Jeggare |
"Mudbath... I wish. I need some type of spell what will allow me to clean my clothes if I'm going to continue with the rest of you, it appears."
Flicking off the worst of the goop, he looks toward Wolfgang. "Well, I can't very well try to get information about Kels while I look like this and I'm not going into that tavern by myself unless I get some healing, so I guess coming with you is as good of an introduction to town as I am likely to get."
He glances between Wolfgang and the departing Cimri, and leans in. "Can we trust her to sell those medals and give us an honest share?"
Marcianus Jeggare |
Returning to the main level, Marcianus strips off his fancy coat and soiled shirt. He retrieves a plain, but still clearly well made, travelling coat and a clean shirt.
Folding the soiled items, he stows them near the top of his pack, hoping to find a laundry during the day's excursion.
"If we don't have any healing items, the prospects of this party will be short lived. Perhaps we can inquire with the archbaron to see if he has contacts that we can call upon to deliver wands.
First, though, we need to save up the funds required to buy a wand. We may all be rugged individuals here, but we also need to come together as a team to help each other toward our common goals. None of us should be expected to give up our own personal goals, but that doesn't mean that we can't work together.
I don't know how you have been doing things to this point, but I believe we can all agree that a measure of our incoming funds should be set aside to buy things that will benefit the party as a whole, with healing being the first item on that list.
Agreed?"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
Wolfgang shrugs, and murmurs, "I have not caught her shorting us, but I am concerned that she is not completely reliable. She has her own interests, of course, and I worry that her ties to some of the people in town could cause her to pull her punches."
The tiefling tells Marcianus about Cimri's hasty departure from the Sheriff's office.
"Anyway, yes, I agree to kick in some of my share of our gains for healing and other shared resources while we're all working together. I still have some coin from our last jobs, and will contribute some of that. And," he sighs, "I suppose it's in my interest not to go into what will probably be a fight with an ally who is already wounded."
Wolfgang pulls a scroll of infernal healing from his pack and offers it to Marcianus.
Marcianus Jeggare |
If someone can point out what page the Sheriff's enounter occurred on, I'd appreciate it.
"Thank you, Wolfgang.", he counts out 25gp and hands it to Wolfgang, "Here. Hopefully we are able to find replacement scrolls in town."
Casting a spell to decipher the magical writing, and then reading the scroll, Marcianus' wounds slowly start to heal. As they do, he concentrates and some of Zeke's wounds start to heal as well. Soulbound Life Link. Essentially 7hp for me, 3 for Zeke
After hearing the others' response to his suggestion of pooling resources, he addresses Cimri.
"Cimri, after you sell those medals, I imagine we will be ready for lunch. Perhaps you would like to choose the destination?"
NPC Hawthwile |
"Well that depends on where y'all are spending the rest of the morning, hmm?" Cimri replies with an arched eyebrow as Marcianus, Zeke, and Wolfgang join her, Eradessa, and Sicaria in the parlor. "Or were you planning to take your meals with the Archbaron, your Lordship?" The scoundrel swishes the medals around in the bucket, now full of water, that usually serves as a chamberpot overnight, then frowns.
"I think the best bet is to try passing these off to the Historical Society," Cimri finally says, thinking out loud. "Mrs. Unero let slip that she had some sort of fund for curiosities of note. Hopefully she hasn't spent it all on more of those boring books you can't read without gloves." She looks up. "But that's on the far side of town. Where will you all be?"
Marcianus Jeggare |
Eyeing the attempted cleaning of the medals with some skepticism, "If the Archbaron invited me to lunch, I would attend gladly. Unless an invitation has arrived since we went upstairs, I'll simply have to find some place around town." He looks around with little hope for a reprieve from the current situation, finding no reassurances.
"Wolfgang mentioned that he has some ideas where magical supplies might be procured. Zeke needs further healing after the battle upstairs, so I am hoping to procure a couple of scrolls. We'll need him as close to full strength as possible before tonight."
Sicaria Rubei |
Sicaria stands in the corner as she wrings silver goop out of her cloak.
”I’ll probably go see Ingoe and see if he has anything within my price range. Where do we plan on meeting back up?”
Wolfgang von Erzteufel |
"You suggested Miss Widmore and Odmer for magical aids and certain ahhh alchemical items. You were also going to ask Ingoe yesterday whether he had any better quality lockpicks available - what did he say?"
Eradessa Spritz |
"Oh, wow. Yup, those are gross. Why're the medals so dirty?" Eradessa asks, poking at them. After a moment she takes pity on Cimri and casts a spell, cleaning the medals and filthy water until they shine. While everyone else chats and complains, she wiggles her fingers at them, cleaning everyone before her spell expires.
"Healing? Yeeeeeeah, I can offer healing in certain exceptional circumstances. Not just willy-nilly though, I'm afraid." She points at Sicaria. "She can heal folks, though. Why? Are you dying?" Eradessa eyes Wolfgang, Zeke, and Marcanius, apparently intrigued at the concept...
"Zeke" Zizekhez the Scented |
"Dying? Hardly! Though, that slimy thing packed a heck of a punch.
If another fight start, I'll be able to take one more good hit before I have to bow out."
NPC Hawthwile |
Cimri grins and leaves the bucket with Eradessa, pulling out a small wrapped bundle from her pouch. "Gotcha covered," she says, tossing it to Wolfgang. "Now pay up."
"And you're probably too late for Miss Widmore - she's an eeeeeeaaaaarrly riser. " The scoundrel shrugs. "Like, really early. Anyway, Odmer's a difficult sight to miss. Don't drink the 'secret tonic', no matter what he tells you." She dusts off her hands and helps Eradessa wrap up the now-cleaned medals. "Meet you all by the church at noon?"
Marcianus Jeggare |
Holding up his now clean jacket, Marcianus stares at it in wonder. "Amazing! What is that spell, Eradessa?"
Packing it away again, he nods to Cimri, "The church it is." he then looks to Wolfgang as the tiefling settles his account.
GM Hawthwile |
The miscreants spilt up to run their errands.
What do you do? Don't forget to use a spoiler!
"Step right up folks, step on up and partake in a wonder! But wait! Why stop there? See what the Nine Wonders Conglomerate can do for you!" He notices the three men and turns to address them. "You lot - what ails your souls? Shortness of breath? A certain..." He glances down at Marcianus's waist."...lack of stamina?"
What do you do? Don't forget to use a spoiler!
What do you do? Don't forget to use a spoiler!
Marcianus Jeggare |
Turning his attention to the boisterous man, he inquires, "Odmer, I presume? We have heard that you might sell healing potions, but perhaps we were mistaken. It appears that you specialize in... homeopathic concoctions."
Sicaria Rubei |
”Not unless there’s a serious discount coming with it. I came by to check your wares and see if there’s anything more...affordable.”
GM Hawthwile |
Craft (alchemy) or Knowledge (arcana) DC 12
You can find any alchemical item costing less than 75 gp here.
What do you do? Don't forget to use a spoiler!
Once he has his mirth back under control, the rogue crosses his arms to match the assassin. "I keep all the... interesting things that end up abandoned here off-site," he explains, pausing slightly after each word. "If you need something in particular, I can look and see what I might have available, but you'd have to come back tomorrow. It's not like I can just abandon my post here, you know. I have an official job, and the workload to go with it."
What do you do? Don't forget to use a spoiler!
Marcianus Jeggare |