"I guess there was no other way." Caelius frowns, saddened that he couldn't help the cultists. Silently he grabs a shovel and works on digging the grave for the dead.
I disagree. We failed those cultists. We promised them safety if they surrendered. As soon as we'd subdued the cultists down in the basement, we should have had the rest join us downstairs in safety, instead of dithering around looking for treasure. I mean, we should have done that too, but after we'd secured all of our prisoners.
"I know Alisanne." Caelius wipes his sweat as hi sticks the shovel in the muddy ground. "I was trying to make the situation better in my mind after what the Baron had done. I did not wish for them to die. Belwick had them executed and he must live with that for the rest of his life." Caelius mind reels. "What would you have me do? Arrest him? Toss him in jail?" He looks around at their secluded location unsure what he should do. "We can report what happened and figure out the best course when we get back. Let the Captain decide our fate."
I like to keep my word, is all. I wish we had done better by them. I'm not here to judge anyone, though. I've been witness to enough cruelty to no longer have that right. Ogmund was a hostile captive. He had not surrendered. The Baron did what he felt was the best option in the moment. I'd take issue if he decided that same fate for the others, but I don't believe that's something Belwick would do anyway.
Alisanne plays a few tentative notes on her flute.
Water under the bridge. We'll try to do right by the captives we have and hopefully we'll all leave this rock a little happier and wealthier.
Baghotir does not feel badly. Well, maybe a little, but he thinks his companions are taking it too far.
"Sure, we could have brought them inside with us, but that was risky too - or do you forget the battles we've had? It wasn't even a judgement call really. They were not keen on us to begin with and forcing them to join us might have resulted in their injury or death anyway."
"I certainly don't think we 'had them executed'." he kicks the big man's foot, "Other than this guy, and he left us with little choice."
"I don't mean to be rude about this, I just think we're wringing our hands over something we did not do."
"We certainly did not. Without our involvement, their fates would have been ever worse. I will sleep soundly."
I moved the party to the door into what I understand the default formation to be. Change it if you like.
The Party proceeds back into the secret area, behind the door with the Black Geometric Design--the same one on the amulet.
The remains of the bodak and the skeletal minotaurs seem to be undisturbed.
Baghotir opens the door. A passage opens before you, and just ahead is a four-way intersection. A glowing, ghastly spectre hovers there! It sees you and then it flies away, to the north.
What do you do?
"Do we give chase, or wait and see what happens next?"
"We do not linger here! Let's go!" Venn motions to go after it, but he clearly doesn't hasten to the point of recklessness.
"Very well. Lead on, Master Ranger."
Venn leads the party to the north at a cautious, but deliberate pace. The passage turns to the west and Venn just catches sight of the spectre as it passes through a closed door, leaving behind a smear of ecto-plasm.
Suddenly... ... Venn holds up a hand, indicating that the party should stop.
Baghotir follows the front closely, but stops when Venn does.
Caelius seems scared. "Who chases a ghost!?" He follows along behind not wanting anyone else to get hurt but is absolutely terrified of an actual ghost.
"They aren't all like the tales told by farmers to their children," Belwick says, attempting to reassure Caelius. He watches as Embers works to disarm the trap. "Some are far worse, or so I understand."
Roberts uses her toolkit and, deciding the best course of action is to gently snip the tripwire without putting pressure on it. She succeeds, and disarms the trap.
Each adventurer earns 250 Experience Points!
Not reacting to the question about ghost chasing, Venn stays slowed down a bit longer, "Embers, there's a door around the corner. I don't trust it. Can you check it out?"
"Nicely done with that there trap."
Baghotir waits to see what if anything is found on the door before proceeding through it.
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To be clear... Tripwire is SOUTH. Embers found it passively because she was just next to it.
To the north... Venn has noticed that the floor is shimmering.
And Embers finds the next trap! There's a wire, nearly invisible, linking the door to... Something.
It's not hard to disarm... But if you fail, you'll set it off.
"Good work Captain Roberts. That said, you may be able to fly to any door but the rest of us cannot. And given that the floor appears to be more than it seems, I think we will want to address it before we proceed. When you are done over there come back. It might be magic, but I'd need some time to confirm that. But if we're in a hurry I have a test of two that I can try. "
Belwick waits for Embers, beginning the process of casting a divination spell. The process itself will take ten minutes but, once done, will allow the nobleman to detect magic.
Assuming that he's allowed to complete his spell, Belwick will hold that spell in his mind for the next ten minutes.
If Embers will attempt the disarm, Belwick certainly has time.
Belwick sees a slight aura to the floor. It is radiating Illusion magic.
"Aha! An illusion," Belwick smiles as his suspicions are confirmed. "This place is heavily warded against means both magical and mundane. Alas, I do not have a spell available to dismiss the illusion, but perhaps we can find a clever way to determine what it hides and bridge the distance."
He picks up a rock from off the ground, ready to throw it when everyone has moved back to safety.
"Aha! An illusion," Belwick smiles as his suspicions are confirmed. "This place is heavily warded against means both magical and mundane. Alas, I do not have a spell available to dismiss the illusion, but perhaps we can find a clever way to determine what it hides and bridge the distance."
He picks up a rock from off the ground, ready to throw it when everyone has moved back to safety.
The aura is square, approximately 6 Foot x 6 Foot. Occupies the four grid squares in the corner. Half-speed move through the squares (like difficult terrain) and you can avoid it.
Baghotir is impressed by the skills of his cohorts, "That's well done!" He carefully moves past the illusion, and to the door. When everyone is ready, he'll open it - hammer in hand, ready for battle!
Then he pulls back a second. "Is this door safe?"
Caelius tiptoes through the area. "Will it still hurt us if we know it is an illusion?" He shakes his head thinking this entire tomb is trapped.
SUCCESS EMBERS! The trap is disarmed. Embers gives the all clear. Baghotir opens the door revealing... A wall?!
This appears to be a fake door
Each adventurer earns 250 XP.
Baghotir nearly brings his hammer down on the wall, but he controls himself. "All these traps, and now nothing to do!"
He'll head the other way, mindful to let Roberts lead. He stays close in support however.
Belwick points to the west as the others return to the intersection. "I've noticed that Venn likes to veer left whenever we explore a place, so it fits that we should go that way."
The party reforms, and proceeds forward and left (north). Ahead, you see an intersection turning left and right, and at the intersection is a spectre, softly glowing in the dim light.
Behind you, the passage continues south. You see two doors in the corner.
What do you do?
Belwick maintains his concentration on the spell that lets him detect magic. He studies the spectre, trying to understand its nature and demeanor.
You sense only the inherent magic of Anti-Life. There is a faint aura of necromancy, but there's no spell in place that you can see. Just a creature clinging to the last vestiges of existence on Oerth, unwilling or unable to pass on to whatever comes next.
An insight check is needed to read anything of it's demeanor, but it is difficult... Incorporeal Undead are difficult to read, their, "minds", alien to you.
Belwick, who believes he has a keen ability to read body language, makes his own assessment of the creature.
Belwick, who believes he has a keen ability to read body language, makes his own assessment of the creature.
[dice=Insight]1d20+0
You think... By the Gods! It's coming on to you! This is unexpected to say the least!
Belwick is surprised by this turn of events. "Spirit, you were quite lovely in life I'm sure. And I'm flattered by the attention. But I am spoken for, and would be a terrible man were I to stray from my heart's current course."
He absently touches the spot in his backpack where the magic shell sits.
The spirit exits, flying east.
What do you do?
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Belwick is surprised by this turn of events. "Spirit, you were quite lovely in life I'm sure. And I'm flattered by the attention. But I am spoken for, and would be a terrible man were I to stray from my heart's current course."
He absently touches the spot in his backpack where the magic shell sits.
+5 Comedy Points
"Venn and Captain Roberts, if you would be so kind as to lead the way? With care, of course. The spirit seems friendly, so let's follow it and see where we end up."
The party moves forward, Venn and Roberts taking point. They both stop at the intersection at a tripwire.
The same problem here, as before for Roberts. It looks easy enough to disarm, but failing will bring an enormous stone slab overhead down upon you.
*snikt*
Trap disarmed. 250 XP
"Seems the spirit is leading us somewhere." Caeliusbegins to feel a little better about not being outright assaulted by the ghost. "Maybe it is trying to help? Or a trap, but hopefully help."
Embers disarms the tripwire and just a few paces on finds another. Yet again... Disarm looks simple enough, but failure will set it off.
Venn notices and points out that just beyond this tripwire, the floor looks odd. It's not shimmering like the other area, this just looks... Well it looks fake. Like it's... Painted wood?
The party CAN make their way around it. There is a narrow strip of true stone on either side. [Difficult Terrain]
Far ahead in the dim light, the Spectre beckons.
Tripwire disarmed. Remember Venn's warning.
+250 Experience Points!