Knowledge Religion
The obscure iconography was on the tip of Jageym’s tongue but he just couldn’t put it together. He shakes his head but then brightens up when he sees the divine wand and scroll. ”Any objections to me holding on to these? This wand should make it easier to patch you lot up.” he says.
”You sure you want to enter the lighthouse proper right now? Seems like there are a couple more locales available before we get dug in there maybe without an easy exit.”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Good job all in that fight. Thanks cuz for the spell. It helped a lot, they were tough. I think the wand of heal and scroll of restore senses go to Grym obviously. Jon, you should take the lesser darkvision elixir."
Mac assists his brother on Religion check since he is trained.
Penflower spends 10 minutes to repair his broken shield to full hps.
"Let's check out the lighthouse since we appear to have the key now. If it gets hectic, we strategically retreat back."
With Mac's assistance in jogging his memory, Hagrym identifies the room with the altar and stain-glassed windows as a shrine to an obscure and very reclusive Outer God who is said to hunt along the shores of the River of Souls and is known as Nhimbaloth. She is CE and is said to be revered by will-o-wisps.
Pen's shield is completely repaired after 10 minutes, though it has some dents and markings.
To Hagrym he says, "What do we know about swamp dragons? They sound frightening. I thought perhaps it would be wise to check out the lighthouse now and come back to tackle the dragon when we are freshly rested."
Mac identifies the amulet as a Channel Protection Amulet.
As you head toward the lighthouse door, Mac spots a secret door that opens into a small hidden alcove 5' wide to the northwest. The alcove beyond the door has several grooves in the stone, caused by what looks like determined scraping of arcane sigils that used to be written on the walls.
Pen advises the party that it appears this room was once used for teleportation but now that the arcane sigils have been scraped off, this room is inoperable.
You reach the door to the lighthouse base and while it does not have a keyhole, it is stuck. Eventually, with enough pressure and an Athletics check, you manage to push the door open, as it collapses into pieces.
The smooth walls of this circular room are painted a light gray with no indication of seams between the blocks of stone. A door with a small barred window leading outside is visible to the east. A set of iron stairs, notably in far better condition than would be expected, winds upward along the curved walls before terminating at a trap door in the ceiling nearly a hundred feet above. A red bloodstain glistens on the floor at the room’s center, as though a human‑sized creature bled to death on the floor very recently, despite there being no body in sight.
”Not going to lie to you all. I’m not a fan of traversing stairs that go nearly 100’ up. Dwarves aren’t supposed to be that far off the ground, in my opinion,” the cleric grumbles as he looks up at the stairs.
”Lets investigate down here before all that,” Hagrym mentions as he moves to investigate the area of the blood stain.
Mac grabs Grym's shoulder. "Whoa, whoa, cuz. Let's not be suicidal either. I do not like going up that high either. Let's go check out the boathouse. Besides, it's midday. I doubt the lighthouse is gleaming right now. We can check it out later."
The southern portion of this stonewalled building has collapsed into rubble, exposing what remains of a boathouse to the elements. The shelves and boats within have decayed into heaps of rot and moss. The remains of a relatively fresh campfire smolder faintly.
You search but find nothing else of interest in the boathouse, except that it leads outside to a pier.
Much of this wooden pier has collapsed into the swamp, leaving about ten feet of moldy, soggy boards slumped against ancient wood pilings. A rowboat tied to a piling looks much more recently built.
As you investigate, you determine that the rowboat is in good condition. On the rowboat, you rind a stash of pastries, smoked salmon in a fish-shaped doughy exterior. You also find a carving of a flying bird decorating the inside of the boat near the bow. However, you find no passengers.
"Looks like we're not the only recent visitors to the Gauntlight ruins", noting the rowboat and recent campfire. "Remember, when Boss Scrawng said: One of my scouts mentioned that a boat full of 4 big and sneaky-looking people went into the swamp dragon's cave while the dragon was out hunting most likely. Have not seen them since, so most likely, the dragon must have come back and eaten them, right? Lots of similarities to this boat. So there were 4 others who came here. Wonder where they are."
Pen tells the rest of the group that he remembers eating the smoked salmon in a fish-shaped doughy exterior, which are called "fishcakes", at the Crook's Nook in Otari.
You head to the island.
A low wooden bridge spans a watery gap between the larger island and a smaller one. A single-story building sits amid the thick reeds growing on the smaller island.
You reach the door to the building and it is stuck, but a simple Athletics check, you force the door open.
This study features several bookshelves, a desk, and two chairs. The books and objects here lie in disarray with torn pages strewn haphazardly across the room.
You see a glowing ball of light rise and speak to you in a deep voice: "I am a dangerous wispy-ghost named Spookywisp and I need a favor from you or I will kill you where you stand."
H:
J:
M:
P:
Hagrym and Jon look around the room and see a tiny blonde-haired blonde creature with pupil-less eyes, dressed in a grass skirt hiding under one of the tables in the room casting magic and seemingly directing "Spookywisp" to talk.
"Ah yes, er, very frightening. Well, we don't take kindly to threats, but perhaps you think that is the only way you will get a hearing. But we're pretty reasonable. Perhaps if you stop casting your light magic, come out from under the table, and ask nicely, we'll consider doing you the favor," Jon says.
If no one objected, the cleric picks up one of the pastries and begins eating it. ”Not bad. Wonder if that group would be upset if we took these? Hard tack gets pretty boring out here. At least these have flavor?”
Once the group entered the room, Hagrym noticed the same as the gunslinger. ”Like Jon said, the effort is fine but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Come out and talk to us and we’d be willing to see about helping you out.”
The blonde pupilless creature seems embarrassed that the party saw through its tricks, as the ball of light pretending to be Spookywisp disappears and the tiny creature comes out from under the table. "You're all too smart to fall for my tricks, I guess. It was all harmless fun, I was not going to actually kill you where you stood. My real name is Tangletop and yours? So will you help me get the shiny?"
Tangletop smiles and a child-like voice, speaks "Pretty name, I like flowers. The shiny is the...how shall I say it?....the shiny! It is in the room around the corner, past the paintings on the wall. You will know it when you see it. If you bring it to me, I will promise to tell you three secrets that I know about this area. However, it will not be easy. There is a mean, beak-faced doll who will try to stop you from getting the “shiny”. When I tried to get it, he attacked me so I ran away. Please help me."
Know. Nature
Hagrym knew almost immediately that this creature was a brownie. ”Hey there, Tangletop. I’m Hagrym. This over here is Jon. And the other dwarf is my cousin, Macklin. You say a doll is threatening you and keeping you from your possession? I’m sure it won’t be that difficult to get it back for you, will it boys?”
Mac nods at the tiny fey. "I've never fought a doll before, but I'm down to try. Just let us check these rooms to the south first to make sure we're not missing anything valuable."
Tangletop claps his hands in glee and patiently awaits for your return with the "shiny".
You proceed to check the rooms to the south. In the first room:
Shelves laden with tools, lumber, and planks line the walls of this ten-foot-square room.
You search this room and discover a large silver key.
You open the next door to the south and discover:
Moss and fungus coats these tightly spiraling stairs heading down into the darkness.
You open the door to the west to reveal:
A series of four paintings hang on the northwestern wall of this hallway, although layers of mold and decay have severely damaged them.
The paintings along the wall have sustained irrevocable damage over time and due to moisture dripping down from leaks in the roof.
The first painting is enormous, nearly 7 feet tall and almost as wide. It’s a landscape painting that depicts the city of Absalom in flames with ghosts rising from the city streets between the burning buildings. The picture’s lower frame bears a bronze plaque that reads, “So Shall the Fools Suffer.”
The second painting is nearly as large as the Absalom painting and is in the same style, though its subject is different. This second painting depicts Gauntlight Keep as it appeared before its upper floors collapsed. The lighthouse rises above the stately keep into the night sky, with its beacon emitting a pale blue light in which ghostly faces sneer and grimace. Its bronze plaque reads, “Let the Light Shine Forever.”
The third painting is now totally shredded. Its plaque reads, “The Artist at Work.”
The fourth and final portrait is smaller and circular. It depicts a smirking woman dressed in a purplish-red gown with a high collar. Its plaque reads, “The Lady of the Light.” There is some writing scratched in stone next to this painting.
There is a door to the south.
”Well personally, I’m not much of an art guy. But, part of me thinks all these may be some kind of clue. Can anyone tell us anything about this Lady of the Light?”
Mac looks at the painting of the woman. "I remember Wrin saying: More than 500 years ago, the evil sorceress Belcorra raised the Gauntlight, a lighthouse, for nefarious purposes. While she did not specify if she was human or not and I forgot to ask what she looked like, do you think this could be her? I have not seen paintings of any other women around here. Will have to confirm that when we go back to town."
Penflower searches the paintings and finds nothing than what has been revealed. The party takes note of the woman in the painting and moves on. You open the southern door to reveal:
This once elegant workshop has fallen into shambles. Soggy strings of dripping moss hang through cracks in the wooden domed roof above. Below it, a carpet of broken glass glitters dangerously. Workbenches and shelves, armatures and displays—all formerly used in crafting or repairing immense lenses for a lighthouse—lie in ruins. Only a bejeweled spyglass sitting on a display rack near the southern wall has survived the devastation.
The layer of broken glass and shattered materials covering the floor makes it uneven ground. Uneven Ground
As you open the doors, a raven-winged doll stands up from the slumped mound in the room's center and asks in a warbling voice, "Is Master Azrinae coming back?"
Jon tries his friendly approach again. "I'm not sure about that, but we're looking for something shiny in this room. Can you help us out?"
Aid another diplomacy
”I don’t know your Master. But, I’d like to have that spyglass if you wouldn’t mind there, little fella. Then we would be out of your hair and you could wait on that Azrinae person…”
Pen has never heard of Master Azrinae.
Despite the party's attempts to negotiate and parlay with the winged doll, it screams out in response, "If you're just coming to steal the Master's possessions, then you must die!"
Round 1: Mac
Seeing the glass on the floor, Mac hopes the winged doll did not have ranged attacks. He readied an attack if it came within range of his halberd.
"Confident little bugger this one, thinking he can take all of us on at once."
Hagrym raises his shield, readying a defense if the little bugger had some sort of special attack.
Round 1: Doll
Stride and then Cast Spell
The doll's wings start flapping and it actually flies 20' closer to the party and then, surprisingly, points at Jon, intoning occult magic at him! "You don't mess with me! I not scared!"
Illusory pain wracks Jon's body, but then the spell ends immediately.
Jon takes mental damage.
Pen, your +1 morningstar gives you +1 item bonus to attack rolls only, not damage rolls. You missed your strike as the doll is tiny and fast and agile and hard to hit.
Jon draws◇ his pistol and whip.
Jon grimaces as the mental damage courses through his body, then takes a steadying breath. Seeing he has line of sight from outside, he doesn't bother moving in and fires◆ his pistol at the doll.
Cursing the pain for spoiling his aim, he flicks his whip at the doll in a reloading strike.◆
He winds back his arm again and flicks his whip in a strike, not expecting it to hit.◆
"Those were, uh, warning shots!" Jon says with false bravado, muttering curses under his breath.
Knowing it was unlikely to succeed, Hagrym still trusted Torag to guide his magic. He whispers a request for assistance and casts Divine Lance.
Attack
Damage
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hagrym casts a bolt of divine energy at the doll, which misses the agile doll!
Round 2: Winged Doll
◆Step ◆Strike ◆Strike
In its warbly voice, the doll scolds the elf. "You tried to hit me! No one hits Mr. Beak! You made me angry." The doll swoops in close to the elf and tries to punch him in the face but misses. It then times its punch perfectly and strikes Penflower in the throat, breaking his shield, and still nearly killing him!
Since the doll does not have reach, it takes a step to move into Pen's square. It then tries to punch the elf twice.
Seeing the elf getting thrown about willy nilly by the doll, Hagrym again decided to use one of his heal spells. He concentrates (2 actions) with all his might, and a font of healing energy washed over Pen.
Healing
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Round 3: Mac
Mac winces at the hit that Pen takes. "You messed up, Mister Beak. You entered my danger zone!"
Jon takes careful aim so as not to hit Penflower and fires.◆
(This result is doubled.)
(This is added to the total crit damage but not doubled.)
noting how close the doll has to get to attack, Jon swaps◆ his whip and his shortsword then uses a reloading strike◆.