Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Yeah, I really didn't want to roleplay that either.
Ulruant looks through the notes. Interesting he says. I've heard legends about this place but never have seen a map. But still, I think maybe we could do a little more research on it so we know what we're sending people into. I'll assign a couple scribes to begin searching out more information. You on the other hand should probably get out in the world. Would you be able to cooperate with Stanizlaus on his expedition?
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Stanizlaus stab lands solidly killing the last of the creatures. Their goey remains begin to fade.
Grumman walks up to Stanizlaus. This place has every form of magical protection imaginable, but it can't keep those things from dribbling through the rock. They're dead spirits attracted to the artifacts below, and a gods dammed nuisance. Grumman looks more closely at Stanizlaus. Are you okay then?
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
My bad too, I should have remembered that flanking gave you sneak attack too.
Stanizlaus stabs hard into the center of the ectoplasmic humanoid missing its arm and shoulder, tearing a huge hole from it. The creature loses all form as the chunk is torn from it and collapses into a pile of goo that almost immediately begins to dissolve.
As he completes the attack, Stanizlaus sees the only remaining monster trying to attack him. As he tries to dodge, Stanizlaus' foot slips in some of the goo remaining from the last monster, which causes him to fall. The sudden fall causes the attack to completely miss, and Stanizlaus turns the momentum of the fall into a roll and ends up son his feet directly behind the creature.
This gives Grumman a clear shot at the remaining monster and he blasts it with another bolt of pinkish energy, removing the entire bottom half of the ill-formed creature. Although everything from its waste down is gone it still moves forward aggressively moaning and clawing at the ground with its not-quite arms.
Just an FYI the fall/roll/dodge was just for color since I don't think it really affects gameplay mechanically at all. The monster's attack would have missed and I wanted a more colorful description than "you dodge, again." I think if you wanted to deliberately move past someone like that you'd need a acrobatics check.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
I would say diplomacy is mostly necessary when you are trying to influence the person's opinion of you positively. If they already have a high opinion of you (Ulruant is pretty favorable towards her) it doesn't take much. After the recent show of demureness he was particularly well disposed towards Yuki. Some conversations won't require it at all, but once a conversation might be enough for other conversations. It really depends on the conversation. If you are saying offensive things or trying to talk about something the subject doesn't want to talk about then you may have to make extra rolls to keep the person talking. The conversation was private.
Well I do think that we've been keeping you cooped up in here a little long, and that it might be time to let you roam a while. he says frowning just a bit at her flirtation as if confused by it. Just half an hour ago I assigned you to an expedition lead by Stanizlaus. Tell me about what you've found and I'll consider letting you lead a excursion after you return from your trip with Stanizlaus and his team.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Theo your social skill check rolls are amazing.
Ulruant completely disarmed by the humility and sincerity Yuki is displaying says Yes of course you can tell me about your findings, but I heard you took some notes from the research room? he says mildly.
Of course, papers and books should remain in the research room at all times. he says with a false tone of severity. He winks as well.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Stanizlaus is able to move into a position to flank one of the monsters, and is able to slice a deep gash across the chest of the one nearest to him. However, the goo monster is hardly even marked by the attack.
Upon seeing Stanizlaus' attack Grumman seems to snap to a little better attention. Stab them, don't slash at them! he yells. You'd have to make a pretty big cut to do much damage, better to just run them through.
The monster Stanizlaus attacked now clubs at him with a ferocious sideways sweep, but Stanizlaus nimbly leaps up so the swipe passes beneath him harmlessly.
Grumman continues as he ducks below a similar flailing attack And try not to let them touch you, the ectoplasm tends to leech away at your strength, leaves you a little fuzzy headed. They're not hard too dangerous so just keep your head.
Grumman backs rapidly away from the monsters. I'm not a front liner. I can blast them to pieces, but I can't cast with them hammering on me.
The monsters flail at him as he tries to move away, but Grumman moves away quickly enough to avoid their blows. When he's 20 feet back he casts a spell shooting a pinkish blast of energy from his hand. It strikes the creature closest to Stanizlaus blasting a large chunk of it off. It still on its feet and moving, but it's missing an arm, shoulder and a chunk of its torso.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Yuki rushes and uses everything she knows of Candlekeep's passageways to get to her room and back to Ulruant's office as fast as she can. She gets there in 1d10 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 minutes.
Reynolds is already there waiting, and he doesn't notice that Yuki is out of breath. He smiles a little uncomfortably at her and says You can go in.
As she enters his office, Yuki sees the grizzled old bear-like Keeper at his desk. He gives Yuki a fatherly smile and says slightly sternly Yuki, I hear we have some things to talk about.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
I'll do a separate post for Theo so that his stuff doesn't get bogged down in the combat stuff. I was listening to the LOTR soundtrack while writing this. Makes this seen feel more epic.
Stanizlaus' shuriken zips by the closest amorphous creature, barely missing it.
The creatures advance on Grumman before he has a chance to respond to Stanizlaus. The first and second attack awkwardly flailing at Grumman with their ill-formed limbs. He ducks and dodges the blows, but as he does so he fails to notice the third as it clubs him hard in the side. It leaves globs of its gooey body on Grumman. The liquid glows brightly on his skin and Grumman winces, but seems otherwise unaffected.
Stanizlaus hears him begin to speak the words of a spell, and the monsters continue to flail at him. Stanizlaus again avoids the attacks of the first two, but as he moves away from them he steps closer to the third allowing it to land a blow against him. Again, bluish goop is left by the blow and it glows evilly in the dim corridor casting a visible blue light around the room. This time Grumman's pain is more visible on his face.
However, he finishes his spell, which causes a nimbus of grey light to surround his fist. He strikes at the blob that has hit him, easily striking it in the body with his glowing fist. Although the blow itself is not very hard, there's an audible bang of concussive force pulverizing the creature, and its remains fly backwards into the wall splattering against it.
The blow dealt, Grumman looks a little unfocused and shaken. The ectoplasm covering him continues to glow brightly.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
In response to Stanizlaus, Grumman says good naturedly Well if any craftsman could make steel windows it'd be a dwarf.
Grumman and Stanizlaus spend about an hour straitening up the room, before wandering back through the labyrinthine passageway back to the room with the pit.
As they near the pit, Stanizlaus and Grumman hear a moaning like that of the creature Gresh ate, coming from around a corner about ten feet in front of them.
Dammit! Grumman said. Ectoplasmic freaking nuisances always try to sneak in whenever they can. I knew we shouldn't have stayed down there so long. Be ready.
Three goopy, pearly blue messes shamble around the corner with horrifying, twitchy, unnatural movements.
Stanizlaus attempts to conceal himself, but the ten foot wide hallway has nothing to hide behind but Grumman, and the shambling things seem to already be moving with a purpose towards them both.
Stanizlaus' lighting reflexes allow him to make the opening move.
No surprise round for anyone, but the warning from Grumman would have given Stanizlaus time to have drawn a weapon before combat if he chose to. I'm still assuming that Stanizlaus will "auto-stealth" whenever there's a combat or questionable situation. If you wouldn't have had him hide then you can correct it, but I like to give you the option. In this case, the stealth roll for Stanizlaus was unsuccessful by a lot (see above). If you attack describe what you attempt to do.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
The bottle shatters on impact, and explodes with a massive blast of wind knocking both Grumman and Stanizlaus down. Stanizlaus is able to land in a roll and avoid the scatter of magical items knocked around by the blast. Grumman is not so lucky and a shelf is knocked onto him.
Stanizlaus frowns as he extracts himself from the clutter of small debris. Grumman groans and scoots out from under the shelf.
Are all magic items around here this fragile? Every magic item Dolgrun made for us was forged from steel and just as sturdy. I do miss that Dwarf and his equipment sometimes.
Grumman looks a little peeved at the perceived insult to the items in his care. Dolgrun must have been a wonder to forge glass bottles from steel. he says in his grumpy drawl. He looks around the clutter of the room and sighs. Well at least nothing else seems to be broken. Dammit this will take hours to clean up. Can you find your way back on your own?
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Grumman looks at Stanizlaus curiously. Didn't Ulruant tell you? He authorized a loan of three bottles of air for you - and this. It's called the amulet of the silver minnow. It is enchanted to help the wearer avoid drowning. Whoever wears it will be able to swim much better.
Wearer gains +5 to swim.
As Stanizlaus looks at the tiny detailed fish it thrashes weakly once, like a fish out of water.
Grumman turns to a wall with several shelves filled with bottles that have faded white paintings of a swirl of wind on them.
Grumman picks one up to hand it to Stanizlaus, but Grumman bobbles and drops the bottle. Stanizlaus is close enough to try to catch it if he chooses with reflex .
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Sorry for the delay. I've been trying to get a hold of Theo so that he can post, unsuccessfully. We're nearing the end of what I can do with just with you.
Grumman shrugs at the comments and leads Stanizlaus down a hallway that is almost suspiciously non-descript after the opulence and spectacular rooms that have preceded it. There are doors in the hallway, all strangely plain and nearly identical. There are a number of turns in the hallway. Grumman leads Stanizlaus first right, then left, then left, then right, then down a middle passage. By the end of this maze of identical passages Stanizlaus feels mildly disoriented, and he's not sure whether he and Grumman have gone far, or nowhere at all.
After a while, Grumman says simply: Don't get lost down here. The normal laws of distance and time don't apply quite right when you go down the wrong paths. Once a hundred years ago a scribe was fetching an item here and he took a wrong turn, not to be seen until fifty years later. He swore he'd only been lost a few minutes...
Eventually Grumman opens a door that looks identical to all the others they've passed. Inside is a room crowded and disorganized, bursting with odd artifacts.
Grumman looks around the room and makes an "aha" sound and walks to one of the shelves. He first picks up a little amulet with a very detailed little fish hanging from it. He hands it to Stanizlaus.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
The arms all respond at once moving to open a passage forward. The image of dozens of disembodied arms all moving on their own is slightly disturbing - the movement reminds Stanizlaus of long grass being whipped erratically around in the wind. He walks through the passage and the arms close behind him. Standing behind the wall is Grumman, looking surly as ever.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Gresh nods as Stanizlaus passes him and then disappears into the darkness below the bridge.
The path leads to one a massive open circular vault door. Along the wall there are other similar vault doors in the wall, some at different heights. All have nothing in front of them except a sheer drop to the obsidian spikes below, and are made of a glittering silvery metal.
As Stanizlaus approaches he sees that the doors locking mechanism is incredibly complex, and is made of the same glittering metal as the rest of the door.
As he enters the vault door instead of seeing Grumman waiting for him he sees a wall of humanoid arms made from stone forming a barrier across the tunnel. Although the wall of arms is so dense that Stanizlaus can't see what is past it, there is a little bit of light visible from beyond the wall.
There is no text or any other clue to explain the wall. Stanizlaus recalls that there are enchanted sculptures that restrict access to some passages in the library. He knows the statues will not stop anyone who is supposed to have access to an area.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Gresh shifts his jaw - since he has no skin his teeth are always showing - but for some reason Stanizlaus seems to feel like Gresh is trying to smile at him. Spectrals! says Gresh enthusiastically. Dead, mindless spirits drawn here by the magic artifacts - dripping from the ceiling like fat from the seared haunch of a boar - delicious!
Gresh floats up bobbing around again in the air and he sounds curious now. Why did you hide from it? Are you a food-o-phobe? Do you also hide from pies and cupcakes? Are your teeth too rotten too chew up such a marshmellowy good creature?
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
The blob, apparently pretty stupid, fails to notice the rock or Stanizlaus' call.
Stanizlaus crouches still hidden and waits. As he does, Gresh bobs up from the center of the room.
He sees the blob thing and yelps with delight. As Stanizlaus watches Gresh attacks the blob, valiantly attempting to eat it while laughing maniacally. At first the blob tries to fight back, hammering at the floating skull ferociously with its amorphous limbs. However, Gresh fails to notice the things blows and eventually manages to tear increasingly large chunks from the thing. Gresh then begins to eat the blue goopy chunks only to have them to spill out the back of his skull. Shortly after they drip out of Gresh they dissolve into nothingness, as if they had never been. Soon the chunks are dissolving before Gresh even has a chance to eat them.
Gresh continues by trying to lick the last chunks of the spectral thing from the light bridge, only to realize he no longer has a tongue. He then sighs and lays contentedly down on the bridge and begins to sing softly to himself.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Stanizlaus tosses the marble far across the pit it drops of plinking audibly off the obsidian spikes. The writhing spectral mass fails to notice the sound.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
I hope Matt enjoyed that seen more than Stanizlaus did. :) It was fun to write - I didn't really plan Gresh - he just kind of happened.
Stanizlaus waits patiently and starts across the light bridge. He feels a bit odd about walking over a pit of razor sharp obsidian on a semi-transparent bridge that appears to be made of light. However, the bridge is surprisingly solid and although it appears perfectly smooth it actually has a very nice texture to prevent slipping. As Stanizlaus nears the middle of the bridge there is an unexpected drip that splatters on his face. Surprised by the wetness he inadvertently wipes it from his face - as he looks down he sees it is a thick pearly-blue goo. Even as he looks at it the goo fades from existence as if it had never been.
Alert now, Stanizlaus looks around on his toes and he backs up from the spot of the drip a few paces and looks up. He spots the source of the strange drip immediately: emerging from the ceiling high above is a strange writhing mass of the same pearly blue. With each pulse the blob gets larger, and it is soon the size of a person. As it reaches full size it drips from the ceiling and splatters on the bridge in front of Stanizlaus. It writhes for a second and becomes a more distinct shape - a vaguely human shape.
The blob wriggles and becomes more humanoid - but it still looks more like a human made from melted wax than the real thing.
Still shuddering through its transformation it is very distracted. 15 feet from the thing on a bridge about a meter wide, Stanizlaus crouches down silently in the shadows. The thing is completely unaware of him.
Although he has time to think about the throbbing failure of a thing sitting in front of him, Stanizlaus has no idea what it is.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Theo:
Don't worry about not posting. This is a game and is supposed to be fun. Post as much as you want. :) The small bio update is sufficient for me. If you want to write more go for it, but again, this is a game etc.
Okay, let's assume he called it a knife not a sword. It is big for a knife.
Oh he's a serious one isn't he? Gresh says to Grumman.
Maybe he's just not sure how to react. Most people don't have that much experience talking to obnoxious demiliches. Grumman replied.
Gresh's jaw drops (literally he lets his jawbone drop to the floor and then swoops down and bites at rocks trying comically to get the jawbone stuck back the skull). Fool! The plural of lich is lichens. he laughs manically at the comment and his jawbone nearly becomes unhinged again. You'd be obnoxious too if you had to spend eternity guarding a pile of dangerous magical toys. I used to be feared! I was a terror, scourge of the earth, master of fowl magics so black...
Grumman interupts So black even death feared your wrath, etcetera etcetera. I've heard this before.
Gresh looks to Stanizlaus But he hasn't! He should know of mighty Gresh! Gresh the Terrible. Gresh the Conqueror. said Gresh his glowing emerald eyes flaring at his words.
You never conquered anything! You were a bookish little wizard who hid in his tower for eighty years and died alone. Grumman interrupted.
Gresh makes an insulted sound and says I'm not talking to you any more. Hmph!
That'd be a nice change drolled Grumman sardonically. Just go get the bridge.
Yes, the bridge Gresh says enthusiastically completely forgetting the insult, and begins floating and bobbing through the air singing tavern songs as he goes. He disappears into the spikes in the center of the room and a beam of green light emanates up from the floor. Unexpectedly it bends in the air and extends towards where Grumman and Stanizlaus wait. It spreads out and forms into a semi solid looking platform about a meter wide stretching out across the large room, beyond where Stanizlaus can see.
We'll have to go one at a time said Grumman. And I should go first so I can get the vault doors open. Wait five minutes and then walk across.
Grumman then steps out onto the solid light bridge and walks across it as if it were nothing. He disappears into the distant darkness of the room.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Grumman stands up grumbling. He'd been reading a book as Stanizlaus entered and he bookmarks it casually with a scrap of parchment and set it down. He then turns sharply and walks through the wall.
Feeling odd, Stanizlaus follows. However, the wall, like many of the contents of the museum, is illusional. He feels nothing as he passes through the image of the wall. He follows Grumman through to a large broad hallway with elaborate tapestries hanging from the wall and a rug with fascinating geometric patterns stretching from wall to wall on the floor, to a chamber behind the mirror museum. They pass through an ornate door with a surprisingly simple lock that Grumman opens with a fairly typical key he has on a chain around his neck. The room beyond has locked display wooden cases with glass fronts lining the walls filled with wands, potions and spellcasting rods. Stanizlaus knows that both the alchemy labs and artificer's workshops manufacture items like these and have large stores of them for use, so these must be unusually powerful, rare, or historic items.
If Stanizlaus has any actions along this walk we can RP them, and assume that they happened before Stanizlaus follows along
At the end of the long hallway with the potion and wand cases, Grumman stops. Stanizlaus hears him quietly cast a spell. Stanizlaus knows that there are invisible magic barriers to physically repel people spread throughout the library. There is a simple cantrip that temporarily allows people to pass through a barrier, but the spell is specifically designed to work with Candlekeep's magical defenses and the only the most senior residents of the keep are taught the spell.
Beyond the barrier is another ornate door that Grumman again unlocks with his rather mundane looking key. the floor drops out sharply about five feet past the door. The room is dim, but Stanizlaus is able to see that there is a steep drop about 40 feet down, and the floor of the room has a steep downward slant towards the center of the room and malicious looking obsidian spikes sprouting up in all directions like a bizarre garden.
Grumman grins and says Watch. He picks up a stray rock from the floor and throw it out over the pit. It flies normally for about ten feet and then sharply and unnaturally is pulled towards the ground.
Grumman continues to grin and puts his finger over his mouth to indicate Stanizlaus should stay quiet.
There's a scrapping sound from the floor in the center of the room, which is obscured by the obsidian spikes. Then, silently drifting up from the floor Stanizlaus first sees two glowing green eyes. As the float closer it becomes apparent that the eyes are two large gems in the eye sockets of a skull which speaks in a low otherworldy voice.
Grumman I had let my mind wander the planes and you summon me back by throwing rocks? it says in mock outrage. Didn't I ask Ulruant to tell you to summon me by my name?
I believe he may have said somethin 'bout not throwing rocks Grumman admits with a wink towards Stanizlaus. I find it so hard to remember things these days.
Oh, so do I It responds, completely diverted from its original purpose and chattering now in a much less intimidating voice: I've forgotten so much. Where I am, what century it is, what the price of tea was in Cormanthyr in 75 DR... what my name is...
Your name is Gresh says Grumman in an exasperated way that makes Stanizlaus convinced that they've done this routine before.
Gresh the Great, and don't you forget it - because I probably will! the floating skull responds. So hard to keep details straight. What about you? asks the skull looking at Stanizlaus. Have I forgotten you too? So sorry. My mind isn't what it used to be you see, but that happens when your brain has turned to goo and dribbled out your ears a thousand years ago.
This is Stanizlaus said Grumman. We're looking for some items in a vault on level 2. He's coming with me today to collect some things.
The floating skull's eyes flair A thief are you? Come to raid the vaults of Candlekeep and risk the wrath of Gresh?
The effect of the glowing eyed skull's threatening words and glowing eyes is undermined somewhat when he notices a fly buzzing around him and begins doing some aerial acrobatics trying to chase it off. Finally, the skull catches manages to swallow the fly and squeals in momentary triumph before realizing the fly has buzzed out of the skull again.
The escapade complete the skull refocuses on Stanizlaus. So what's your deal Mr. Might-be-compensating-for-something-with-that-big-sword?
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Because Stanizlaus' plot line is moving a bit faster than Yuki's (not a bad thing just the way the story is developing) I'm going to make the retrieval of the bottles a little more interesting.
How is Stanizlaus dressed and equipped? In addition to the gear that you listed Stanizlaus has wardrobe of good quality clothing for a variety of weather conditions. Is he carrying his weapons? It is not unusual for people within Candlekeep to be armed, and the guards are well armed and armored while on duty. Candlekeep is mostly safe in the commonly occupied areas, but labyrinthine stacks of books in the lower library and the artifacts in the vaults attract dangerous, and occasionally otherworldly things. It is not unusual for mages to carry basic component pouches and for everyone to carry daggers or other very light armaments. For the work Stanizlaus was doing (research in a very tame part of the upper library) it would be a little unusual for him to walk around in full battle dress with a two handed battle axe. More cautious people (especially Seekers, guards and anyone with much experience in combat) might wear a light armor under a scholarly robe. For realism, I might say that most people find it uncomfortable of fatiguing to wear armor during all waking hours.
I ask because Stanizlaus just failed a intelligence check (he doesn't have knowledge (local (Candlekeep)) as a trained skill which would be what I'd normally roll) to know the vaults where he is headed are a good area to be better armed and armored. I'd have let him go gear up otherwise just for this, with that failed roll he only has what's on him
Even if Stanizlaus did choose to spend all his time armed and armored he wouldn't have a full travel pack, and I think it's safe to assume he would only have items that can reasonably fit on his person.
Stanizlaus leaves Ulruant's office above the upper library where the most commonly used books are. He descends down many stairs, navigating the library's haphazard layout. The design of Candlkeep's halls and stairways is unorganized because the keep has been expanded and remodeled over more than a thousand years, and each remodeling made the place more confusing, not less. Some parts of the keep have stood for 1400 years. Other areas were torn down and rebuilt, and often torn down and rebuilt again later.
Stanizlaus eventually descends below the surface and the walls change from humanoid made walls to ancient carved rock. While the upper buildings are made from white stone hauled from inland the area under the keep is of the porous carbon-black volcanic rock that Candlekeep is built upon. The rooms are lit by magical lights glowing on the ceilings. Some of the passages Stanizlaus travels down were obviously cut from the rock. Others take odd turns that seem to indicate the space may be a natural tunnel that was shaped for humanoid uses.
Eventually he reaches an a large opening where the ceiling soars hundreds of feet in the air. Although the walls and ceiling have been smoothed and polished by magic over centuries, to the point where they gleams like black glass, the room's irregular dimensions make it seem that it is definitely not a natural opening. Several passages lead to the room, but the center is dominated by a massive sculpture of an astral deva holding up an open book in one hand and a massive sword with the pommel up and the blade pointing towards the ground.
The deva is at least a hundred feet tall, and the pommel of the sword glows intensely brightly causing the polished walls to gleam.
The deva faces towards the passageways entering the chamber looking down sternly. Stanizlaus feels a nervous feeling of being watched as he enters the room. Past the deva is a large tunnel that leads to the vaults and museum.
Stanizlaus passes two iron golems standing guard by the museum. The giant metal automatons are solid metal shaped to look like a solid suit of wicked spiked armor The helmet shaped heads of the golems have no eyes, but Stanizlaus again feels like he's being watched. Stanizlaus has heard the 15 feet tall behemoths have enchantments that will detect if an item is being taken without permission and attack - but they also serve another purpose - to keep the things - or beings - from escaping the vaults.
As he passes the golems he enters what is known as the mirror museum. The museum contains many of the most storied and beautiful relics of Candlekeep. Stanizlaus looks around in wonder at the set of rooms packed with artifacts.
On one wall there's a gleaming sword that's blade looks like the stem of a glass rose and a hilt shaped like a red rose - complete with two protruding leaves as the cross guard. Mounted on another wall, a spear pulses alternating rainbow colors. A pedestal has fragments of a crown that are miraculously emitting smoke. Another has a dagger sunk into a still beating human heart. Another pedestal has a large book chained shut atop it. The book has realistic, moving people painted onto its cover - screaming in abject terror for all eternity. Cases filled with jewels and ioun stones line the walls. Mounted on a mannequin is a suit of exquisite armor crafted of black dragon scales so dark they seem to suck in all the of the room. Sunk into a rock in the center of the room is a beautiful, gleaming broadsword with elaborate gold shapes adorning its hilt.
Every direction he looks Stanizlaus sees items of immeasurable power and historical significance. He even notices a bow, bearing the insignia of Aladar the Mad considered to be one of the greatest, and most terrible, kings of ancient Evereska. The bow is rumored to transform fired arrows into bolts of lighting powerful enough to kill a god, and was believed lost or destroyed after Aladar's death when he attempted to invade a demonic plane in a mad grab for power.
However, as he reaches out to touch the bow his hand passes through it without touching it. Stanizlaus knows, of course, that the items on display are only illusional images of the least dangerous items in the vaults. The more dangerous items are kept so secret that few beyond Ulruant and Reynolds even know they exist. As he looks around the wealth of kingdoms spread around him Stanizlaus feels a sense of wonder at the implications of what these weapons, and the other deadly secret artifacts, could do if unleashed. Destroy kingdoms, at the least. Perhaps the world, as more and more would-be conqueror's started endless wars and attempted to ride the power of these artifacts to personal glory.
Stanizlaus sighs a little as he walks through the museum thinking about how the illusions in this room represent just one of the dozens of vaults buried underneath the keep. At the other end is the curator, a weaselly dwarven wizard named Grumman. He's generally unpleasant and unpopular, but he has a natural inborn resistance to magic, which makes him a better person than any to handle all the dangerous artifacts in storage in the vaults.
Stanizlaus hands Grumman the note. Grumman glares at it and says: It says'n here that you want to go into the vaults with me to get the bottles o'air.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
ROFL Theo's post - not just because of the subject - but because of the natural 20 roll. Also, Theo, I direct messaged you a while ago with ideas for how Yuki came to Candlekeep - I've already RP'd Ulruant as knowing Yuki's true motives for coming to Candlekeep so that's a detail you should include. I think the details may come up soon in her conversation with Ulruant, so you may want to work that out.
About half the names I use I come up with and the other half come from a random fantasy name generator. Awine is a random name generator one. I didn't even consider the "A wine" thing. I suspect that the character has heard her share of jokes about it, it may come up in game... :)
Stanizlaus:
Ulruant replies to Stabizlaus: Awine would be a good fit for your group. I'll let her and Veiq know they will be expected to join you. I'll talk to Yuki about it myself when she gets here.
Ulruant takes out two scraps of paper and begins to scratch out notes on them. As for your equipment he says This will authorize you to have access to all the mundane equipment you need. He speaks a spell and a glowing seal with Ulruant's personal seal appears on it - The candle-topped tower that Candlekeep uses, but with the addition of a sword and book in front of the tower. He hands Stanizlaus the first paper and repeats the spell on a separate piece of paper. And this authorizes you to four bottles of air for your expedition. He hands Stanizlaus the second paper with the glowing seal of the Keeper of the Tomes.
He then takes a key from around his neck and uses it to open a drawer in his desk. He pulls out a tattered old sheet of parchment, and neatly tears it into two equal pieces.
Here he says and hands Stanizlaus one half of the paper. This is sympathetic paper. You write on your half and it will appear on mine. I can write back and my words will appear on your paper. I won't be able to offer much help, but... He trails off letting the thought hang. Use it carefully though - only so much text will fit on the paper.
Ulruant stands and Stanizlaus gets the impression the conversation is winding down. Well, you've got preparations to make, and I've got to arrange a ship for your voyage...
Yuki:
Reynolds splutters, looks awkward and turns very red in the face. Yuki notices his bald head turns red too. Yes, of course he says. I'll let the Keeper know you are on your way.
He turns to walk away and trips over the carpet. He splutters, embarrassed, and stands and walks off hurriedly in the direction he came from.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Ulruant laughs at Stanizluas' first comment. Of course he says. I'll have someone take you to the vaults while your passage is being arranged, which should take a few days. I appreciate your thoroughness, Seeker.
As the conversation shifts to the team Stanizlaus is interested in Ulruant listens with a sly look on his face. Adding Veiq to the team shouldn't be a problem, he's never comfortable being cooped up here. Aildi's already been assigned to Bendsby's team for the excursion to Melvaunt. They're likely to be on the road for months.
Stanizlaus knows that Bendsby's team is one of the best and joining it is a sign Aildi is really moving up.
Ulruant smiles as he begins to talk about Yuki. Yuki's a bright flower and has enough charm to sweet talk a gruff old man like me, so she might be good to have a long, and she has more poise and manners than she lets on. I won't betray any of her confidences and speak of why she came to Candlekeep, but I know enough of her true motives to trust her. She may seem unfocused, but that one has a heart of steel.
Ulruant continues: As for her talents, she's a girl after my own heart: she's a real sword and spells type. However, while I approach combat with all the subtlety of a meat tenderizer, she relies quite a bit more on cunning and finesse. She's a blade dancer, makes using a sword look like an art - I mostly just hit things until they stop moving. While I myself follow the noble old tradition of the Magus, Yuki is trained as a bardic spellcaster. She won't be slinging fireballs around but she knows enough spells to be useful.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Reynolds fidgets uncomfortably. A mixture of emotions play across his face, but ultimately Yuki's earnestness persuades him to the truth. He sympathetically replies. Stanizlaus came to report some of his findings to the Keeper, and he said you had pocketed a piece of paper from the collection. I don't think you're in serious trouble, but we're curious about your actions. The easiest thing to do is to come with me to see Ulruant so you can explain yourself.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Stanizlaus:
Ulruant looks thoughtful for a second. Yes, I've used a bottle of air like that myself a time or two back in my own days as a Seeker. He chuckles at some memory he doesn't share. We've got a few stored in the artifact vaults somewhere around here. I'll have one of the scribes go dig a couple out and we can have a tanner put together some straps for them.
Ulruant's slow rumbling voice speeds up as his mind races through the details. We'll have to hire a ship of course. It'll be expensive; you'll be at sea for weeks even just to reach the Moonshae Isles. Still, even a chance at an artifact like this is worth it...
Ulruant trails off as his mind leaps to another thought.
Have you thought about who you want for your team then?
This is a big moment for Stanizlaus. He's never been asked to lead a mission before. He knows that Seeker groups are typically limited to small 3-4 member groups, and being offered a leadership position on a team gives him a big chance to prove himself. His mind races through a few of the Seekers who are available right now. He mentally skips over most of the more experienced Seekers who would likely be needed for other missions and all the Seekers who are already out in the field.
Stanizlaus knows the following Seekers might be available for this mission:
Or'aw - a surprisingly bookish half orc fighter with a reputation as a cunning warrior and devoted researcher. He was attracted to Candlekeep in the first place by their tomes of strategy and battle craft, and eventually became a Seeker. The last time Stanizlaus talked to Or'aw, Or'aw talked endlessly about a recent fascination with engineering.
Etov - an apprentice mage, a transmuter with a crow familiar. A young human, Etov came to Candlekeep after a falling out with his teacher. Ambitious, a Etov came to Candlekeep to continue to study magic on his own. Unable to afford the required donation of a rare and valuable book to gain access to the library, Etov became a Seeker as a way to gain access to the library. Despite his ambition, Etov still has a long way to go as a caster.
Denkim - A dwarven barbarian, Denkim roamed the sword coast for many, many years drinking and fighting, and sporadically finding work as a blacksmith, all of which he did while mostly drunk. In a particularly bad bender, Dugmaren Brightmantle, the dwarven deity of scholarship came to Denkim in a vision and told him to reform his ways and study and explore the world in order to find deeper meaning in it. Since then Denkim has turned his passion to the defense of knowledge and learning as a Seeker for Candlekeep.
Veiq - an elven ranger who found the highly mysticized teachings of his fellow rangers on nature disappointing and sought out Candlekeep to begin more formal studies of taxonomy and biology. He's new to being a Keeper, but has already distinguished himself in his training with the guards and is well known as a deadly shot with a bow.
Aildi - a halfling druid. Stanizlaus knows little else about her.
Awine a half-elf cleric of Oghma, the god of knowledge. She's a very traditional Seeker, in that she views knowledge for its own sake as valuable enough to risk her life to protect. She's a passionate Seeker and sees her work as a sacred calling from her god.
And of, course thinks Stanizlaus almost as an afterthought, Yuki.
These characters are being offered as DM controlled background support characters. They'll mostly be relegated to the background (by the story), but they should be of some minor usefulness, unless we add someone else who wants to take one and convert it to being a PC.
Yuki:
I'll think about how we use this shapeshifting thing. I'm not sure yet, but could be interesting story point.
Yuki is able to maintain her disguise, but she has a tense moment as Reynolds' footsteps come ever closer. She places the book behind the tapestry and casts mage hand, which she uses to hold the book up against the wall. She's quiet enough as she does this that Reynolds is almost startled as he sees her when he rounds the corner. Although the curtain is still askew, Yuki is able to bump it back into place with a subtle flick of her foot.
There you are! said Reynolds in his most officious tone. I've been looking all over for you. I'm to take you to see Ulruant.
The rolls above worked fine. Just a couple rules related information: You don't need to role a concentration check to maintain a spell if you are only talking or doing other simple actions. Getting attacked, hurt, or casting another spell do require concentration checks but it doesn't really apply here. Also, just a reminder on stealth - it doesn't make you invisible. Your character needs to be doing something to conceal themselves i.e. hiding behind something. The roll tells us how successful your attempt to hide yourself and/or avoid making sounds is. Ryan always used to say "I go into stealth mode." Remember - there is no "stealth mode" - if your toon is standing in broad daylight right in front of the badguy it doesn't matter how high your stealth skill is. You did fine here, because there was a wall between you and Reynolds to give you concealment. If he were in the room you'd have to describe Yuki as using various things in the room for stealth i.e. hides behind a tapestry, etc.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Yuki takes the ledger that the note fell out of with her as she leaves, bouncing pleasantly down the stairs of the keep. She initially starts to take the quickest route back to the tower her room is in, which involves exiting the keep into the small northern courtyard. Unlike the larger eastern and southern courtyards, there are no shops or other buildings in the northern courtyard, and it mostly just serves as a garden during the warmer months of the year. However, as Yuki approaches the northern door of the keep she is reminded of the raging storm outside by the sound of the wind and reconsiders taking the route through the courtyard.
Instead, she decides to take one of the underground passageways that connect most of the buildings in Candlekeep. Yuki discovered the underground passage connecting the tower she lives in while exploring in her first few weeks in the castle. The route is slower from most areas of the keep, so she hasn't been in the habit of taking it on a regular basis. However, with a driving storm outside it seems a much nicer alternative than crossing the courtyard.
As she heads back towards the corridor where the entrance to the passage back to her tower is hidden, she unexpectedly hears a voice she recognizes as Reynolds, Ulruant's fussy assistant, echoing to her from around a corner.
Have you seen Yuki? he asks. After hearing a negative response from a voice Yuki recognizes as one of the cooks, Reynolds says Well if you see her tell her I'm looking for her and that the Keeper wants to see her.
Reynolds hasn't spotted Yuki yet but she hears him walking towards her. She feels a twinge of guilt looking down at the book she's absconded with. The corner she heard Reynolds voice coming from is about ten feet in front of her. About 30 feet behind her the hallway splits and goes in three separate directions (one straight back the way she came, one to curves away to the right towards what she knows is one of the oldest sections of the stacks, and she's not sure where the one to the left goes).
The hallway she's standing in has a variety of large tapestries depicting ancient battles hanging loosely from the wall and a few suits of ornate plate mail standing at attention and holding pikes.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Hmm. says Ulruant thoughtfully in his booming, deep voice. Curious behavior from our troublesome young Seeker. Reynolds would you please bring Yuki to speak with me?
Of course Keeper. said Reynolds with an obsequious bow.
As Reynolds leaves the room, Ulruant says No need to scare the girl Reynolds. We have no idea what exactly she's done yet, or why. Ulruant's eye's begin to flicker downwards towards the texts and map in front of him and he is clearly distracted as he adds Innocent until proven guilty and all that...
Ulruant murmurs, sounding impressed, as he looks over Stanizlaus's documents. This is solid work Stanizlaus. A skull of an ancient beast like that could bring us secrets from ages lost to the memory of even your long-lived people.
Ulruant looks thoughtful for a second.
There is the problem of all the water though.
No applicable knowledge skills apply for Stanizlaus; However, three intelligence checks in previous post influence below:
Stanizlaus has been thinking about how to get to the ship for weeks, and he has two ideas for how to get to the ship:
The castle alchemists make a potion that combines the effects of the spells touch of the sea and water breathing. He's heard that some of the stronger potions can last for as long as 12 hours. However, Stanizlaus is aware that the cost of the potion's components and the time required to make them worth hundreds, perhaps thousands of gold.
He's also aware of a slightly mad gnome artificer working in the keep named Roscoe who has constructed diving suits that have an air hose to the surface. Roscoe has been begging for test subjects to try the system in the field, and even though the suits require a person to operate a bellows at the surface to give them air, it would undoubtedly be cheaper than the potion option. However, Stanizlaus knows Ulruant hasn't exactly been Roscoe's biggest fan.
Stanizlaus knows that either option would require some effort to convince Ulruant.
There are other potentially successful approaches to this situation besides these two options and you are welcome to be creative here - I'm just giving you results of knowledge rolls
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
I'm really excited with this game already. I'm interested to see what happens with the plot threads I'm dangling.
Also - How am I doing with my DMing? I've been writing long description filled posts because I like this as a storyteller - and I am in love with the Forgotten Realms setting and I really like being able to use its locations as sets and props for my story.
I'm also trying to streamline some things so the game doesn't get bogged down like some play by posts can, but in order to do that I've automated some things (Matt doesn't have to describe every step of Stanizlaus' walk to Ulruant's office and I'm doing some knowledge rolls in the background and just telling you things your PC would know). If I get overbearing and am denying you Role Playing opportunities, let me know and we'll adjust things. Also, as far as me automating a lot of knowledge rolls - don't hesitate to ask if your PC knows something or to take additional knowledge rolls - I may not have considered everything and I won't have thought to include everything.
I really want this to be a "sandbox" game where you guys get a lot of room to take my general plot (seekers of ancient knowledge in a troubled fantasy world) and take it your own directions.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Yuki looks down at the book. Although hundreds of years old it, she knows that it was sealed in a trunk for most of its life and she can remove it from the library without risking damaging it. However, she can see Stanizlaus has already logged the book in an inventory detailing the contents of the collection. She knows someone will eventually realize that the book is missing when the collection is shelved for long term storage in the warren of interconnected library rooms at Candlekeep.
Yuki has spent enough time in Candlekeep to know that the librarians responsible for shelving spend most of their time fetching and reshelving a huge volume of books for the library's scholars and scribes and the shelving of newly acquired books is a sporadic and chaotic process. The books are unlikely to be shelved until they are completely sorted and logged, which will take several weeks at the current rate. Beyond that they could be shelved immediately or boxed up and ignored for a hundred years.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Stanizlaus:
Stanizlaus is able to take note of her boots, the size, style and materials making it easier to track Yuki, if necessary. This will result in an extra +4 on checks to track Yuki while she is wearing those shoes.
Ulruant's office is near the reading room where Yuki and Stanizlaus have been working in the large central keep of the fortress-library, but is up quite a few stairs. Stanizlaus moves carefully while carrying the books and is not noticed by anyone. By hurrying he is able to arrive at the exterior of Ulruant's office in 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 minutes.
Sitting at his desk outside the office is Reynolds, the First Reader of Candlekeep and Ulruant's personal assistant. Although he's not had very many interactions with Reynolds in the past, Stanizlaus knows Reynolds has a reputation for being a bit stuffy, but is generally well liked.
Unless Stanizlaus tries to avoid being seen as he approaches Ulruant's office, Reynolds will look up and greet Stanizlaus with a slightly formal Greetings Seeker Jachemirus. How fair you this day?
Yuki:
Although his behavior caught Yuki's attention earlier she notices nothing else odd about Stanizlaus as he exists the room.
A quick glance through the book that reveals it to be a shipping manifest, like all the others that Yuki and Stanizlaus have been sorting and filing for weeks, dated during the busy summer months of 897 DR, some 400 years ago. She notices nothing about the ledger to separate it from any other she's seen, and is unsure which page the note fell out of.
Yuki pauses to consider actually sitting down to take the necessary hour of reading time necessary to properly search through the book.
A Profession: Researcher check would be a more thorough way to search the book, but it would take Yuki an hour of searching to do. I don't think we added it to your character sheet, but I made Profession: Researcher a class skill for both Yuki and Stanizlaus, and gave them a free point in it. By my math, Yuki should have a +4 to make a check with that skill. In this situation, a quick look through the book would require a lot of luck to spot anything unusual about it, but a thorough search would require a lower dice check to be successful.
Theo - The spoiler text I've been using is to indicate stuff that only one of the characters knows. If you'd like to address stuff specifically to me, the spoiler text is a good way to do it, although, the other player(s) can read it pretty easily. Out of Character text works too, but really large chunks of that can be distracting if we get into rule discussions and explanations. Matt has been hiding his dice rolls in spoilers, which keeps things clean, but it is by no means necessary. As far as I'm concerned you are welcome to read the text addressed to the characters you are not playing and to the DM. Since there are two separate plot threads here, the only way you get the full story is by reading the other character's text. You, as a player are allowed to know things your character doesn't - as long as you don't base your character's actions on things that she doesn't know (that's called metagaming, and for players (like Ryan) who metagame a lot I may penalize them XP). If you need address me privately about some question you can direct message me or call/text/whatever.
Male Human Techie 3 / Dungeon Master 1 / Jelly Doughnut 5
Stanizlaus:
As you gather up your map and ledger, out of the corner of your eye you notice Yuki attempting to slip a piece of paper into her clothing without being noticed.
Yuki:
Stanizlaus is moving with a focus and energy he's not had before. It is clearly unusual.
Sense motive is appropriate in a situation like this.
Also, I like how you are writing the internals of your character's thoughts. It's good role playing. Good on you for italicizing internal dialogue.
