"Well... ummm... still."
Modius scratches his head.
Paper admires the horn
"A veritable item of godly power from the days of Old."
Isat is simply not strong enough to draw the bow. It feels heavy. The arrows are heavier too.
The forest has gone very quiet since the stars left the sky.
Stratos' smoke made it harder to see any significant distance.
You can all hear the crash of the surf against the ciliffs. It seems this artificial microcosm includes tides.
Visibility is 60" After that, there is shadowy illumination, from the remaining stars.
There is no moon.
A few bats are swooping through the air above the forest, probably hunting moths.
Crickets are chirping in the grasses and ferns.
An owl hoots.
"Rufinus. Stand where I am standing, and look into this bowl. Look for a wandering star."
"I have old eyes, but I will help you look for the star. How can I tell it from the others? Oh."
"I saw it. I feel better."
"If this is a gift from the stars, it's certainly not meant for me." says Isat wryly, replacing the bow carefully. He turns his attention to the path and the woods.
"I think it's time we saw if we can leave this place at all. I am very expendable and Rufinus can test his healing skills on me if anything goes wrong."
He hands his bag of medical gear to Rufinus.
"Look after this. You know how to use it if you have to."
With that, Isat walks out of the temple and (assuming he isn't turned into something strange), tries to look at the configuration from the outside.
Paper follws Isat.
"Wait Isat, I will accompany you."
We should all go. Splitting up would be a bad idea. We should take our fallen companion with us, or bury him. I think it would be better to take him.
Rufinus picks up the bow, and tries the string. He cannot pull the bow.
"It is too hard to pull. No offense, Isat. I thought you were just weak, but it won't budge for me either."
He takes an arrow from the quiver, and nocks it. The arrowhead bursts into flame. He drops the bow in shock.
"Incredible. Isat, fire is your element. Try to nock the arrow."
"This witchcraft and sorcery is not my realm. I feel Ill-suited here."
Rufinus picks up the bow, and tries the string. He cannot pull the bow.
"It is too hard to pull. No offense, Isat. I thought you were just weak, but it won't budge for me either."
He takes an arrow from the quiver, and nocks it. The arrowhead bursts into flame. He drops the bow in shock.
"Rufinus, there is no offence taken. You know I'm no warrior. Stratos is right though, splitting up may be a bad plan. In case we can't get back, we should take anything we think we can sensibly carry from here. And we're definitely taking Hrothgar."
Isat carefully gathers the scrolls and stows them in his medicine bag before shouldering it again. In one hand he picks up the torch.
The flaming arrow has burned away. There are still twenty arrows in the quiver. It seems the arrow has replaced itself.
Who picks up the sword?
Modius is already carrying Hrothgar's axe, despite his concerns about it's source of power may I add.
Modius picks up and examines the blade closely.
As Modius holds the blade it seems to be exactly the right weight and length for him. To observers, it seems to have grown slightly. He thinks for a moment of a shortsword, and the blade resizes.
Modius:
On a critical hit, the victim must make a will save, DC 18, +your charisma modifier. If the victim succeeds on the save, he is dazed for a round. If the victim fails the save, he becomes stunned for 1d4 rounds. Only humanoids are affected. The victim gets the difference in hit dice between you and it, as an untyped modifier on its save. This is an echantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting] effect.
The blade ignores hardness against unnatended objects. Attended objects can make a fortitude save, DC 15,to retain their hardness. The blade has bonded with you. Only you may wield it. The blade can vary from short sword to greatsword. It only crits on natural 20, regardless of form.
"By Christ."
Paper grins at Modius
"What was it that little rabbi said once? 'I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword' I believe it was."
"Yah. He said that that."
<Modius dances around, thrusting and parrying in the air, testing the blade's exquisite balance.>
"Is there anything else left in this startlingly magical temple we should be taking with us?"
Isat looks around and turns to the statues.
"We thank you for the gifts of the stars."
To the others. "Indulge me. I'd rather not upset them."
Stratos seems to consider taking the bow, but he shakes his head. He looks at the path ahead, squinting into the dark.
"We do not know how to use the bow. We should definitely take it with us. I think we should make it daytime again, so that we have light to see by. Modius, do you know what your emeralds do? They are enchanted. I am curious why Paper's lips are enchanted too. Did you drink anything strange? I must say, I am delighted to be in such a magical place, but there are pressing matters we need to attend to in the world of men. There are enemies to discover and rout. There is the matter of the lilim, and the book, if Levi spoke true. We need to get Isat to a tutor, so he can learn how to focus his powers. For some reason, the gods have brought us together. We ought to make peace with the fact that this is far from over."
"Our paths are not always our own to choose. We will find out and perhaps fulfil some purpose before our ways part."
Isat shoulders the bow and the quiver of arrows, then turns his attention to the dials once more.
"A sunny morning I think," and twists the handles to set them to 10am with sun in the sky.
The sun shoots up into a suddenly blue sky. As the light floods the cypress grove, the crickets chirp for a moment longer, then stop. An owl flies low over the trees, veering wildly as its eyes adjust, and the bats that were feasting on moths, mill around in confusion. The tree line seems clear.
Perception checks in your next posts please.
"I will bear the axe, but I will not wield it. It is Hrothgar's line that must have that honour. I do not want to confuse issues, as there are people that would try to rally against Alaric, and they would see my heritage as a weapon in that struggle. The Christians have won the war for the faith of the north. All I want is to free some slaves, as I was freed. I will take what riches we can get from this adventure, and shall get a quarry, and fill it with men who are earning freedom. The profits will free more, and that is a batter legacy to leave than a few blooded corpses on the Danube."
Rufinus hauls Hrothgar's corpse onto his shoulders. He seems to be bearing two loads. One of flesh, and one of guilt.
" I cannot draw a bow. Isat, see if you can experiment a bit with the bow. Fire is your element. Shoot a tree, if you can. We know we can't run out of arrows."
Isat.
Considering the problem, Isat examines the bow again, this time looking specifically at why it is so hard to draw. He applies the medical principle of opposing tentions to the problem, thinking of the object as a set of intractable muscles.
Even as his mind works, he remains unnaturally aware of the environment. Something about the magical air of the place perhaps.
"It is impossible, Stratos. The bow would need a titan's strength to bend. I could not even get an inch of play from the string. "
It is a wisdom based skill. It can be done untrained. Roll, and add your wis modifier to the roll.
Isat:
A sparrow flies from the cypress grove, directly to you all. It lands on the low granite wall, and speaks.
"The keepers of this realm bid you welcome. Let your axes not touch live wood. Let no fire be lit until you reach the tower. Let no blood spill upon the soil. If you obey these laws, you will pass unharmed. If you break the laws, you will be broken in turn. The fate of Prometheus to one who brings fire. The fate of Hector to one who brings axe to tree. Food and wine await you at the first shrine.
The keepers of this realm bid you welcome. You are honoured guests. Your coming was foretold."
After spilling all that, the bird takes wing. It does not seem intelligent. It was just a messenger.
Anyone who makes the perception check, DC 19, Can open Isat's spoiler.
Isat. The bow seems to be locked in some way. You sense that the weapons were given to you all. In some real sense, they were waiting for this day. All of the traps and wards that you faced were to ensure that only followers of the old gods could thrive here. Only people with a classical education would make it this far.
Some set of conditions, like a word, a ritual, or simply choosing the right target, will allow you to use the bow. Until the conditions are met, no-one can fire it.
I am not putting this in spoilers.
All of you feel less threatened, and safer, than you have since meeting Levi in the alleys of Constantinople.
Isat points out the centaur to anyone who has failed to see it.
"And that, gentlemen, seems to be both an invitation and a warning we would be foolish to ignore. Shall we join our hosts?"
He steps onto the path.
<Modius hands the axe to Rufinus gravely.>
"Hrothgar was not a wise man, but he was loyal and trustworthy and the greatest of his people, and he was my road brother. I think you should remember this when you call on his axe."
"We do not know how to use the bow. We should definitely take it with us. I think we should make it daytime again, so that we have light to see by. Modius, do you know what your emeralds do? They are enchanted. I am curious why Paper's lips are enchanted too. Did you drink anything strange? I must say, I am delighted to be in such a magical place, but there are pressing matters we need to attend to in the world of men. There are enemies to discover and rout. There is the matter of the lilim, and the book, if Levi spoke true. We need to get Isat to a tutor, so he can learn how to focus his powers. For some reason, the gods have brought us together. We ought to make peace with the fact that this is far from over."
<Modius pulls the emeralds from the bag and holds them out.>
"Bewitched? I wouldn't doubt it. But I'm not the man to tell."
<He is loathe to let anyone carry them, not out of greed, but because he suspects they are dangerous, and Levi's betrayal has left a bitter taste in his mouth.>
Whatever is going on, Paper is oblivious. He stares at his new horn, admiring it.
... I am curious why Paper's lips are enchanted too. Did you drink anything strange? ...
Paper looks up
"Perhaps when I kissed Dionysus' lips there was a residue of magical power. Or when I blew this."
He holds up the horn he was just admiring
<Modius pulls the emeralds from the bag and holds them out.>"Bewitched? I wouldn't doubt it. But I'm not the man to tell."
<He is loathe to let anyone carry them, not out of greed, but because he suspects they are dangerous, and Levi's betrayal has left a bitter taste in his mouth.>
Pausing before stepping onto the path.
"May I see them Modius?"
Isat's arcane knowledge is ropey, but bizarrely, his religious knowledge is a whole lot better.
Know (Arc)/Know(Rel) on Modius's stones: (1d20 8=9, 1d20 8=25)
<Modius shows Isat his 'stones'.>
The emeralds seem normal in every way. It would take a spell of some sort to identify any properties they may have. Modius has no idea either.
"Perhaps our hosts can help."
Aside to Rufinus.
"My friend, it may be that this place can help you to find your path. Your burdens have been more than any of ours, your need for solace greater. Believe me when I say that I will not lightly leave your side. If my skill can help you, now or if we return to the world of the living, it is yours to command."
"Shall we be on our way?"
Please let me know of any plans, priorities, marching orders, intents, and similar, so I know what you all intend. I don't want to assume. The clearer you all are about what you intend to do, the better I can adapt and incorporate it.
Marching order.
Rufinus intends to go last, carrying Hrothgar.
Stratos is going to stay close to Isat, so that the chewy centre of the party is in one place.
There is a path through the forest, I will get a map up soon. The island tapers to a point at the temple, and widens swiftly as it heads inland. The trees are predominantly cypress on the right of the road. A hill in the distance is covered with regular rows of grapes, with an oak windbreak.
As stated before, the path curves to the right, and dissappears from view.
Isat saw a centaur in the centre of the cypress grove.
Modius will take point.