Roylenna continues her singing until Ka'kara gives the all-clear regarding the fleeing goblins. She will concentrate on her spell and examine the different areas of the room closely, especially the sword-hole in the center and the diases, but also including as much of the room as time (and Ka'kara) allows.
She is making a point of not looking at the slain fighter, but you can see tears welling up in her eyes when she catches a portion of the discussion about funeral rites.
She is making a point of not looking at the slain fighter, but you can see tears welling up in her eyes when she catches a portion of the discussion about funeral rites.
Not having much of a connection to Rana herself she is brought up short by Roylenna's reaction, "I...I'm sorry...he followed me....and I left him...when I got back it was too late. I should have stayed by his side. We could have held them back together...." Her eyes get glassy and concern etches her face. She crouches down on her heels holding her sword point down in the floor to steady herself and looks at the floor in defeat that the goblins were unable to deal her.
Not having much of a connection to Rana herself she is brought up short by Roylenna's reaction, "I...I'm sorry...he followed me....and I left him...when I got back it was too late. I should have stayed by his side. We could have held them back together...." Her eyes get glassy and concern etches her face. She crouches down on her heels holding her sword point down in the floor to steady herself and looks at the floor in defeat that the goblins were unable to deal her.
Roylenna walks over, puts her head on Ka'kara's shoulder and reaches around to give her a hug, saying in a very small voice, "It's not your fault, Ka'kara. He was a warrior and made his decision. Neither of you knew there were so many goblins.... I'm just sad to lose him - something was haunting him and I hoped we'd be able to help him face it, but he wasn't ready yet. I'm sure he bears no grudge with you, wherever he may be know. I just hope he's at peace, finally."
Hella walks softly past her grieving friends and into the great room. She begins with an inspection of the center floor plate, then continues on to each of the three pillars.
She casts detect magic as she goes.
BT, Hella's Perception is +7. So is her Knowledge(dungeoneering) if that helps.
The goblins made for the double doors.
There seems to be something written on the wall beside the double doors opposite you. Also Hella notices the glint of two large gold hoop earrings (worth 50 gp each) amid the muck on the floor.
The indentations on the pillars are of diverse shapes. The on to the left has a triangle indentation, the on ahead has a rectangular and the one to the right a circular one. They and the metal plate radiate strong Transmutation magic.
Proteus will go to study the markings on the wall.
Proteus will go to study the markings on the wall.
They are partly covered in filth, but if cleaned somewhat should be readable. They seem to be written in Viridian.
Proteus will go to study the markings on the wall.They are partly covered in filth, but if cleaned somewhat should be readable. They seem to be written in Viridian.
Proteus will clean them off and then speak the words, "Intellectus lingua," and study them for meaning.
Proteus will clean them off and then speak the words, "Intellectus lingua," and study them for meaning.Proteus will go to study the markings on the wall.They are partly covered in filth, but if cleaned somewhat should be readable. They seem to be written in Viridian.
Proteus
Follow the warm way
Say thee the prayer
And the sword is yours
Proteus shares the passage with the group.
Ka'kara sighs as she stands, "The goblins fled through those double doors." She gives Roylenna a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and moves back over to the indent in the floor. Reaching her hand in she sees if anything is there.
Not having much of a connection to Rana herself she is brought up short by Roylenna's reaction, "I...I'm sorry...he followed me....and I left him...when I got back it was too late. I should have stayed by his side. We could have held them back together...." Her eyes get glassy and concern etches her face. She crouches down on her heels holding her sword point down in the floor to steady herself and looks at the floor in defeat that the goblins were unable to deal her.Roylenna walks over, puts her head on Ka'kara's shoulder and reaches around to give her a hug, saying in a very small voice, "It's not your fault, Ka'kara. He was a warrior and made his decision. Neither of you knew there were so many goblins.... I'm just sad to lose him - something was haunting him and I hoped we'd be able to help him face it, but he wasn't ready yet. I'm sure he bears no grudge with you, wherever he may be know. I just hope he's at peace, finally."
Sandros watches the two women for a moment, then turns away, his face hidden for several moments. When he turns back, he looks as though he wants to say something, but he remains silent.
Proteus shares the passage with the group.
"A riddle," murmurs Sandros thoughtfully. "We are not meant to place a sword there, but to collect one from it, it would seem. If I had to guess, I'd think that each of the smaller symbols" - he points to the shapes next to each post - "relates to one of the preceding lines, and possibly to a key elsewhere in this complex." He looks around, shrugging. "Whether that's something we care about is a completely different question, of course."
Roylenna will wrack her brain for a solution to the riddle.
"Didn't one of the goblins we got information from say that the goblin king has a greatsword that hurt goblins just to touch? Maybe that means he had the keys for the pillars and the answer to the riddle. Do you think that single door," she gestures toward it, "is the king's chamber?"
Roylenna doesn't notice Sandros' emotional state, still very much coping with her own sadness.
Proteus studies the grief of the group and draws them all together.
"We have all suffered a great loss today and I feel the loss as well. I had begun to think of Rana as a wayward son with a good heart who lacked direction. But, he died a hero's death today and he have found retribution against his killer. We have all done the world a great service in ending the life of the evil goblin cleric king. Take some solace in that fact."
Proteus remains stoic, "We must remember that we are still in the bowels of our enemies, with those who would see our death without any remorse all around us. We must keep our wits until we can give Rana the hero's farewell that he deserves. I would ask of you all to keep your grief in check until the proper time comes that we may not lose our dear friend for naught. It is quite possible that the goblins retreated to gather others and return to this place to exact vengeance."
Ka'kara nods at Proteus' words and goes and collects the grisly remains of Rana without a further words.
Roylenna will assist with disabling the doors, using her Acid Splash to help disable the hinges. Or anything else that Proteus feels would be wise.
You ruin the doors utterly before retreating to meet up with your ogre friend. As you give him a brief recap of recent events, he sighs and says that he would have liked to be there. "It sounds like fun. May I eat your friend now?"
You ruin the doors utterly before retreating to meet up with your ogre friend. As you give him a brief recap of recent events, he sighs and says that he would have liked to be there. "It sounds like fun. May I eat your friend now?"
Roylenna will translate this for the others after saying it in Giant, so I'm foregoing the spoiler.
In Giant: "Oh, no! He's all tough and chewy, anyway. I think you would prefer those mean goblins, and there's a lot of them. Maybe we could bring you some of them, instead. It's really too bad you can't fit through the hole to get down there. You'd have a feast!
The ogre shrugs.
During the impromptu funeral service, Sandros watches the flames with a strange, almost faraway expression. In his mind's eye, he sees another funeral, said over the body of a defeated enemy that Rana himself had killed without mercy, and remembers the rage he had felt at the act. Now, the rage seems hollow, the memory an ironic commentary from the gods themselves. A tear falls down his cheek, unnoticed, but the half-elf says nothing until the ceremony ends.
Sandros then pulls out the book again and stands. He begins reading left-handed, his rapier out in his right hand. He begins a series of movements with the blade, as though following the instructions in the book - they do not, at first, appear to be fencing drills, however. Instead, a watcher familiar with such things would recongize gestures of arcane power, translated into sweeps of the blade. Over and over and over he does this, turning pages and frowning, sweeping his blade through the air, then frowning once more.
Until, just before sunrise, the blade bursts into flame... and Sandros smiles.
Fade to earlier
Proteus turns to the ogre who has just asked if he may consume the group's friend.
In Giant
It is not civilized to eat the fallen. You would like to learn how to be civilized, wouldn't you, Ugglukk?
Fade to the funeral
As Royl lights the pyre built upon which Rana's body is laid, Proteus begins to pray.
Asclepius,
we come to you in shock and grief and confusion of heart.
Help us to find peace in the knowledge
of your mercy to all,
and give us light to guide us out of our darkness.
Proteus stands attentively as the funeral pyre burns down and the loss of another ally seems to grow heavier upon his shoulders with each crackle of the flames.
Once the fires burn to nothing, Proteus bows his head and walks slowly back into the caves
Proteus:
Ka'kara watches the flames in silence accepting Proteus' words as enough not being a shaman herself.
Royl
Thanks, couldn't find it earlier.
The next morning Proteus gets up and goes outside to watch the morning sun rise during his meditation. He returns to make a warm breakfast for everyone. "You know, I have been meditating recently on our issue with the acid spitting creature that lies in the large cavern beyond. I think I have discovered, through my time with Asclepius, a way to protect those who fight directly with the creature, if you would all like to go and deal with the creature. Perhaps the islands hold more clues to the riddle we have seen below."
As you are gathered around for your breakfast (trying to ignore the ogre's table manners in order to be able to eat), you hear a faint "Ahem".
A very nervous kobold with a dirty piece of white cloth is standing in the doorway. In broken Common it croaks: "Parley?"
Proteus stands up and walks over to the kobold, offering it a hunk of bread. "Sure," he says, "what are you offering?"
In giant
"Don't hurt him, Grosh, he is offering peace."
As you are gathered around for your breakfast (trying to ignore the ogre's table manners in order to be able to eat), you hear a faint "Ahem".
A very nervous kobold with a dirty piece of white cloth is standing in the doorway. In broken Common it croaks: "Parley?"
Ka'kara stops with a piece of jerky half way to her mouth. She glances quickly from the kobold to the ogre and then back again. Launching herself toward the kobold she grabs the cloth from it and tosses it to Roylenna while standing between it and the ogre, "You trying to get yourself EATEN?!"
Sandros - who is not wearing his armor - blinks in surprise at the courage and idiocy of the kobold. He cannot help laughing, but he replies,
The next morning Proteus gets up and goes outside to watch the morning sun rise during his meditation. He returns to make a warm breakfast for everyone. "You know, I have been meditating recently on our issue with the acid spitting creature that lies in the large cavern beyond. I think I have discovered, through my time with Asclepius, a way to protect those who fight directly with the creature, if you would all like to go and deal with the creature. Perhaps the islands hold more clues to the riddle we have seen below."
Ka'kara pauses in sharpening her blade, "Hmmmm, I would very much like to teach that little water devil a lesson." Pausing for a moment she gets excited, "Will it work for the dragon too?! Hella! We can avenge your friends!"
The kobold winces but stands firm, even if you can see that it takes a lot of self-control. It yaps an answer to Sandros.
In Draconic:
We captured a skinny human. No good eating on that one. You can have him if we can have our home back. We won't bother you again if you don't kill us. And if you kill me, my friends will eat that human anyway.
Sandros:
In response to Ka'Kara, Hella speaks in her soft measured tone, "Yes...my friends. Their end was a fate I would not wish on anyone, but it was a fool's reward. They broke rank and tried to abscond with the first bauble they could lay their fat greedy hands upon. I do not feel compelled to avenge them. The dragon is a dangerous and terrible foe, on the other hand, and I would see it put down if that is within our means."
"We're worse than an ogre?" Sandros says in Common, laughing again. He sobers quickly, though, turning to the others. "Our little friend here says they have a hostage, and they are willing to exchange him for the right to return to their caverns unmolested." The sentence seems to strike a thought in him, and he looks over at the kobold again, saying,
tossing in a glare at the scaled humanoid for good measure.
"Incidentally, there's also a hill giant somewhere in these mountains, he says," Sandros adds.
In response to Ka'Kara, Hella speaks in her soft measured tone, "Yes...my friends. Their end was a fate I would not wish on anyone, but it was a fool's reward. They broke rank and tried to abscond with the first bauble they could lay their fat greedy hands upon. I do not feel compelled to avenge them. The dragon is a dangerous and terrible foe, on the other hand, and I would see it put down if that is within our means."
For a moment a look of disappointment crosses Ka'kara's face until the words "dangerous and terrible foe" are spoken at which point her face breaks into a wide grin, "Exactly! I am happy to see you are in agreement with killing......errrrrr....destroying the beast!"
Sandros realizes his mistake a moment too late as Ka'kara gets excited. With a whistle, "A GIANT! Now THERE is a worthy foe! Is it marauding and eating the herds? Waylaying travelers? Stealing peoples lively-hoods?!" Apparently already deciding that it is likely guilty of all the aforementioned things, "It must be killed. The region would prosper without such a creature roaming the land."
Sandros realizes his mistake a moment too late as Ka'kara gets excited. With a whistle, "A GIANT! Now THERE is a worthy foe! Is it marauding and eating the herds? Waylaying travelers? Stealing peoples lively-hoods?!" Apparently already deciding that it is likely guilty of all the aforementioned things, "It must be killed. The region would prosper without such a creature roaming the land."
"We're. Busy." Sandros' tone is exactly that of a parent addressing an overactive child.
"We're. Busy." Sandros' tone is exactly that of a parent addressing an overactive child.
Her smile undiminished, she however does roll her eyes, "When did you become so stuffy?! Of COURSE I meant after we kill the water devil, destroy the dragon, finish off the goblins, and rescue your friend. THEN we kill us a giant!" Whistling, she goes back to honing her blade obviously lost in thoughts of all the glorious battle soon to be joined.
Roylenna stands, rubbing her chest where a crossbow bolt had been embedded, and looks at the kobold.
In Draconic:
She levels a cold stare at the little lizard and lets the fire of her Heavenly Fire play on her right hand.
Bluff check 1d20+8=23 to convince him that he's in more dangerous territory than he realized.
She waves her hand, letting the fire dissipate.
In Draconic:
Her smile undiminished, she however does roll her eyes, "When did you become so stuffy?! Of COURSE I meant after we kill the water devil, destroy the dragon, finish off the goblins, and rescue your friend. THEN we kill us a giant!" Whistling, she goes back to honing her blade obviously lost in thoughts of all the glorious battle soon to be joined.
"We're. Busy." Sandros' tone is exactly that of a parent addressing an overactive child.
Roylenna stands, rubbing her chest where a crossbow bolt had been embedded, and looks at the kobold.
In Draconic:
** spoiler omitted **
She levels a cold stare at the little lizard and lets the fire of her Heavenly Fire play on her right hand.
Bluff check 1d20+8=23 to convince him that he's in more dangerous territory than he realized.
She waves her hand, letting the fire dissipate.
In Draconic:
** spoiler omitted **
The kobold squirms and looks about to cry. In Draconic:
Sandros looks sideways at Royl, amazed every time her mean streak comes out like this, but if anyone has the right to hold a grudge...
Ka'kara slows her whetstone for a moment, "I have no idea what you are all saying but do you think this is your friend you are looking for? If they hand over the hostage you might want to demand whatever the person was carrying also. At least that way they may be able to defend themselves in here." She goes back to sharpening her blade.
"Doesn't sound like it," Sandros shakes his head, "but it's a good idea anyway."
The kobolds push a small tanned (and indeed skinny) man into the room and undo the ropes around his wrists before skittering off. The man rubs his wrists and look at you thoughtfully. The kobolds apparently have let him keep his equipment - not that he's carrying much.
"Welcome, friend," Sandros says, bowing. "My name's Sandros, and this is Ka'kara, Roylenna, Hella and Proteus. The big guy over there is Grosh... I wouldn't call him harmless, but he's no threat to you at the moment, anyway. Please, sit with us. Have you eaten yet?"