I've neither the inclination nor the equipment to maiden-ize, thanks, Noroc says with a grin, bolting down a sweetmeat and washing it down with a cup of tea.
I've been thinking, too, he says. Perhaps at sundown tonight we should be at Gauntlight, to see if we can cut the effect off at its source. Whatcha think?
"A different approach. I think that's clever. It seems that darkness is significant," Elena says, pondering it for a moment. She shrugs. "I am open to it, but will go with the majority vote."
I have never liked the darkness, but if I am with my friends, I will be fine. I can go along with your plan.”
The party waits until the evening. The journey to the Gauntlight is less hurried, but no less serious. Indeed, the night does seem to heighten the tension.
What's worse, is that upon arrival at the base of the tower, Bibi looks in, and the pool of blood seems to have reappeared...
Huh. Maybe we should have come back during the day with a mop.
Talborel regards Peldur with wry amusement.
If I am correct, these sorts of things reset, like a sort of... Spiritual device, a mouse trap made of ghosts. I wonder if there is a way to permanently disarm it? I'd guess we'd need to sanctify the area. Consecrate it somehow.
Talborel will Recall Knowledge, from his long life.
I do know the crab thing in the graveyard was not of our world, and was called or summoned here. The Gauntlight might be some kind of gate or key, or perhaps just an enormous magical device.
Talborel is actually quite sure that hauntings such as this will actually go away if you defeat it in combat enough times.
"I do know the crab thing in the graveyard was not of our world, and was called or summoned here. The Gauntlight might be some kind of gate or key, or perhaps just an enormous magical device."
"What makes you think that it is a gate? If creature keep arriving through this gate, our work will never be done. Perhaps we need to shut the gate down so that everyone here will always be safe."
Carrufikus tries to recall knowledge as he figures out how to clear the lighthouse permanently.
Carrufikus knows that Talborel could not be more wrong. Whoever that ghostly woman is...was. It will take granting her peace, or cutting off whatever negative energy is resetting it.
"I do know the crab thing in the graveyard was not of our world, and was called or summoned here. The Gauntlight might be some kind of gate or key, or perhaps just an enormous magical device.""What makes you think that it is a gate? If creature keep arriving through this gate, our work will never be done. Perhaps we need to shut the gate down so that everyone here will always be safe."
Carrufikus tries to recall knowledge as he figures out how to clear the lighthouse permanently.
[dice=Religion] 1d20+8
I don't know if it's a gate. I just know that the Crab Thing was summoned, and it emerged from the light of the beacon. But that's a separate issue from the Blood Haunting. We'll have to beat that into submission. Post guards here with torches, in shifts, at night. If we banish it with fire enough times, it will dissipate into harmless spiritual energy.
Wait, the solution to banishing the tortured spirit of this blood ghost woman is... punch it enough?
Peldur looks confused for a moment as he processes that metaphysical rubik's cube.
If punching a ghost is our solution for that, why aren't we punching the beacon too?
"Well, Talborel could be right, but I also think that granting her peace and cutting off any necromatic ties to this place would also succeed. Maybe we should try that first."
While the grown-ups talk, Bibi strolls closer to the water, to have a look around, keeping an eye out first for trouble, second for boats.
Knowing that a tie-breaker is in order, Elena ponders the two opinions from Talborel and Carrufikus.
Tal stops short at Peldur's comments.
Now that I hear it out loud, that does feel wrong. I am less... Perhaps Carrufikus is right. How do we go about that, Carrufikus? Elena? Do you have any ideas?
Elena seems quite confident in her conclusion. Talborel is incorrect, and Carrufikus is only partially so. A haunting like this won't come with rest, the psycromantic energy just isn't right. Someone needs to find peace, but not the woman in the haunting. Sadly, there's indication of the source - not here anyway.
Elena breathes out a sigh. "This is not a simple problem. Fighting it is not the way forward, but Carrufikus is at least partially right. Someone needs to find peace, but it is not the woman in the haunting. That, as far as I can tell, is merely a manifestation. It's the consequence of this haunting."
"The source is, as I see it, unknown. We have to keep searching this place, and I think we should be quick about it. Maybe we check the other set of stairs that lead down?"
"I agree." Carrufikus humbly replies.
After coming up empty on looking for boats, Bibi rejoins the group just as Elena is talking about checking the stairs down.
Roit! I'm on it...
the thief heads right to the erstwhile secret door, checking the immediate area for nasty surprises before letting the tougher members start down.
Seeing no one else object, Elena says, "Alright, let's get to it then."
As they make to descend the stairs, the group resumes a more typical marching order. Peldur takes the front, with Bibi carefully watching for traps. We may be an odd bunch, Elena thinks to herself. But we're getting good at working together. And that's something we're going to need to stay alive.
Bibi leads the party down the other stairs, which end in a door on the floor below. Giving the okay, Peldur opens it. Three plain wooden chairs sit along the east wall of this otherwise empty room. Nearly everyone immediately spots that the middle chair is on a pivoting section of the floor with a poorly concealed secret door behind it.
Initiative assumes Talborel is Scouting
Avoid Notice (T)
Detect Magic (A: +1 (U), N: +8 (T), O: +1 (U) , R: +8 (T))
Investigate (A: +8 (T), C: +8 (T) M: +1 (U) N: +5 (T), O: +7 (T) , R: +5 (T), S: +8 (T))
Search (E)
Avoid Notice (E)
Scout
Everyone notices the chair and the door, yes?
"I would not want to be the one who has to sit in that middle chair." Carrufikus remarks dryly.
Pushed by an ancient instinct, Talborel motions to the secret door. The party's scout takes the "all clear" from Bibi and inches open the door.
This long, ten-foot-wide hallway has a vaulted ceiling arching to a dozen feet high. Three broken metal brackets hang from the ceiling; one to the south, one to the north, and one in the middle, although what the frames once held is unclear. The floor is strewn with pieces of rotten wood and twisted metal. To the north, pale green light shimmers around a closed door’s frame.
Stepping out into the hallway, he sees that the secret door would be fantastically difficult to find. He's not sure anyone would be able to find it if it shuts...
The light beckons, but so to do the branching paths of the Gauntlight's underbelly.
Initiative assumes Talborel is Scouting
Avoid Notice (T)
Detect Magic (A: +1 (U), N: +8 (T), O: +1 (U) , R: +8 (T))
Investigate (A: +8 (T), C: +8 (T) M: +1 (U) N: +5 (T), O: +7 (T) , R: +5 (T), S: +8 (T))
Search (E)
Avoid Notice (E)
Scout
Elena moves forward, stepping out into hallway with Talborel. She sees the green light glowing from the door to the north. "Well now. That's interesting," she says. Truly an understatement if there ever was one.
Unable to resist being the moth in the proverbial saying, the mage says, "As much as I'd like to be thorough, I think that glow needs to be inspected immediately. Bibi, can you and Talborel lead the way? This will most assuredly lead to danger."
Tal smiles in approval at Elena, and scouts forward, motioning with his head for Bibi to come along.
Danger is my middle name!! Well, it was going to be, but my parents went with "Bodacious"...
She checks the door for traps.
Bibi declares the door safe, and steps aside for Peldur to open it. This ten-foot-square washroom features an iron bathing tub to the north and a commode to the southwest. The northern wall glows and shimmers with ribbons of eerie green light.
The ribbons slither into letters! “I was Otari... save me from below!” A moment later, the words slide off the wall and form a green ribbon of light that slithers across the floor like a serpent! It slithers out of the room at walking speed and turns down the hall! It passes underneath the western door...
Talborel hustles after the light, and examines the door. He impatiently motions for Bibi to join him.
What's this door like?
Elena too keeps pace. "Follow that if you can, but be ready!"
Bibi doesn't need to be told twice; in fact, she doesn't need to be told once. She gasps "Otari?!?! THE Otari??? Shee-ite!!!"
Bibi follows after, and quickly decides that the door is safe. Without missing a beat the party hustles through into a hallway. The light goes under another door!
Bibi quickly follows and repeats the process. This door leads to a room. A ruined table and several destroyed chairs lie in a heap in the middle of this room, along with several large bones. The line of energy squiggles and swirls about the bones before heading under a door on the far side.
The bones begin to shake and move as if they're about to pull themselves together!
Bibi, remembering the small ghosts she was able to cow into submission, decides to give that another go. Drawing in a deep breath, she bellows out sternly
You STAY DEAD!!
Tal rushes forward and smashes the bones with his morningstar
With seconds to spare, Elena conjures and throws a ball of flame at bones!
"Bibi, keep after it!"
Bibi's words seem to have no effect, but Tal and Elena back her up with metal and magic.
The pile of bones fly together , rising up to take on a monstrous shape. Its long, bony fingers grasp a wicked looking glaive. Two wicked-looking horns fuse to its bovine skull. It's a minotaur!
Elena's fire strikes true, but the fire only slightly scorches the bones.
Round 1:
Carrufikus: Go
Bibi: Go
Talborel: Go (2 Actions remaining after closing)
Elena: Fire!
Noroc: Go
Peldur: Go
Round 2:
Carrufikus: Go
Bibi: Go
Talborel: Go
Elena: Go
Skeletal Minotaur: TBD
Noroc: TBD
Peldur: TBD
Initiative assumes Talborel is Scouting
Perception
Detect Magic (A: +1 (U), N: +8 (T), O: +1 (U) , R: +8 (T))
Investigate (A: +8 (T), C: +8 (T) M: +1 (U) N: +5 (T), O: +7 (T) , R: +5 (T), S: +8 (T))
Search (E)
Avoid Notice (E)
Scout
Minotaur: 3
Tal marks this undead horror as his prey, and brings his morningstar to bear.
Morningstar +1:, damage on hit:
Talborel's swing is just shy of a perfect blow. Still, one of the horns snaps off, taking a chunk of skull with it!
Round 1:
Carrufikus: Go
Bibi: Go
Talborel: Hit
Elena: Fire!
Noroc: Go
Peldur: Go
Round 2:
Carrufikus: Go
Bibi: Go
Talborel: Go
Elena: Go
Skeletal Minotaur: TBD
Noroc: TBD
Peldur: TBD
Minotaur: 8
Bibi tries once again to intimidate the haunt into submission.
Peldur wastes no time, dropping down into a familiar crouch and rolling into the room past Talborel and under the minotaur's guard. He then opens with a series of quick strikes at the things hip bones.
Bibi tries once again to intimidate the haunt into submission.
[dice=intimidate]d20+7
Bibi takes in a breath to shout a second time, and imagines that THIS time, it worked...that the skeleton just looks at her in utter terror, then falls apart back into a heap. Her friends give her congratulations for boldness & cleverness...
...but after a second she realizes that this is a THING, not a GHOST. She glances at her weapons, and curses herself for never picking up a sap. Instead she draws her rapier, takes a deep breath, and trusts to her skills and to luck that she can make it into a flanking position to help her friends a bit.
Move to flank creature. Yes, i'll eat the AoO, but AC should be 20 against it. Gulp.
"Be careful Bibi!"
Carrufikus steps in front of Elena.
"Excuse me, Elena. I don't want to block your view, but I think I am useful here."
The priest of Desna moves his hands quickly and with his lucky die nearby, he casts Disrupt Undead on the minotaur of bones (bonvine).
Bibi bounds past the skeleton and gets into place. It gives Peldur the opening he needs and he breaks a handful of bones on his opening blow.
Carrufikus also jumps into the fray with a quick spell , but the skeleton rebuffs the spell!
Round 1:
Carrufikus: DU
Bibi: Move
Talborel: Hit
Elena: Fire!
Noroc: Go
Peldur: Hit
Round 2:
Carrufikus: Go
Bibi: Go
Talborel: Go
Elena: Go
Skeletal Minotaur: TBD
Noroc: TBD
Peldur: TBD
Minotaur: 14
Noroc hastens into the chamber, horrified by the bones knitting themselves together and forming a massive Bulmahn!
He witnesses Carrufikus' spell do nothing and concludes that this cannot be an undead creature! What it is, he can't say, but it's clear it must be defeated.
Talborel Recalls knowledge about this new foe, some kind of undead?
Religion is only a 3 with my Outwit bonus, but could another skill work? Roll is:
Tal works with Bibi, flanking the bulky bone bull and attacks again with his morningstar. , Damage on Hit:, but the swing has no chance to hit. He redoubles his efforts:, Damage on Hit:
Action 1: Recall Knowledge
Scrambling to think after the minimal impact of her fire magic, Elena takes a moment to study the the skeletal monster.
Not deterred by its resistance, Carrufikus once again casts Disrupt Undead on the skeletal minotaur!
Noroc wracks his brain for something useful, but draws a blank in the chaos. Thankfully his sword arm is more effectual, blasting a few ribs with his weapon.
Even with his training and experience, Taloborel struggles to have any kind of effect in the fight. Sometimes Desna laughes.
Elena wishes she spent more time checking sources. She knows that the horns on this creature are actually a weakness or that they're a source of strength, and it can skewer a man and revel in it to demoralize its foes.
Carrufikus levels another spell, the skeleton seems to resist it, but this time it doesn't ignore it.
Round 2:
Carrufikus: DUx2
Bibi: Go
Talborel: Miss
Elena: 2 actions
Skeletal Minotaur: TBD
Noroc: TBD
Peldur: TBD
Minotaur: 28
Action 2-3: Electric Arc
Elena curses like an Ulfen sailor, then launches into a spell that sends electricity arcing toward the minotaur!