Princes of the Apocalypse, Game Thread

Sandre shouts: "We have them, don't hold back now"

Attack: 15 Damage: 9

Attack: 13 Damage: 10

Attack: 21 Damage: 5

Attack: 16 Damage: 9

#ThatEscalatedQuickly

Sandre and Petra unloose powerful strikes simultaneously in mirrored forms that confuse the beasts, allowing them to strike with tremendous force. Despite their hardiness the creatures tough skin cannot hold up and they both crumple dead at the same time

"Fine work," Randall congratulates the knights, who seem to have done the heavy lifting this time.  While others investigate the doors or tend to wounds, Randall will patrol the perimeter and keep an eye peeled for any intrusion or attacks.

Shrek just stands there, spinning his halberd in his hands, dumbfounded as to why his attacks were so crummy. “Must be broken…” he keeps muttering to himself, incorrectly blaming his failures on his equipment and not his own shortcomings.

After a good minute of self depreciation, he finally snaps out of it and joins Randall with patrolling the parameter as the rest of the team recovers from the fight. 

“Wow, great job guys and thank you knights for assisting us, not sure we’d get through this without you!  Shall we see what is beyond the door they were so bent on guarding?” If no one stops her, she steps up to the door and knowing that stealth is no longer an option as this battle was very loud, she tries to open one of the doors.

Surprisingly, the door is unlocked. It appears the Gargoyles were considered protection enough.

You enter inti a large, ceremonial looking room. Four large columns of natural rock dominate this shrine. A wide set of steps descends into darkness in the center of the room, in front of a slab-like stone altar. Large, copper-sheathed doors stand in the middle of the south wall, and smaller doors exit to the east and west. Two narrow windows in the north wall admit thin fingers of light from outside. Above the altar, a triangular symbol has been chiseled into the heavy stone blocks of the wall.

In front of the altar is a man dressed in relatively ornate robes. On either side of him are two imposing looking guards in full plate mail.

The robed man grins, arm held forward miming stop. "Stop. Let us discuss things before you resort to more violence. You would find me a formidable foe and I would be far from the last challenge to your egress. Announce yourself. Why have you disturbed the abbey?"

Persuasion: 12

"A delegation from Mirabar was attacked.  Prisoner were taken and we have tracked them here.  We seek their safe return, and answers."

Randall doesn't make any threats, but he stands tall alongside the knights and their two giant-kin.

Melchor nods in agreement with Randall, his eyes sweeping the room looking for any arcane resonance... (Detect Magic is still up...)

(Perception: 12)

"And so you decided the best approach was ... to invade our home kill everyone you found? How noble. A delegation? Why should I help you? Why shouldn't I kill you here where you stand? Do you feel the power of the eternal earth here in this place? Will you submit to it?"

Looking at the Knights, his eyebrows raise. "Oh my. Were you not warned of this place? Did your superiors not explicitly forbid you from stepping foot in here? Your lives are forfeit now one way or they other. The Caradoons won't let their dirty little secret get out, I promise you that."

Quote from JorvikDave >>

Melchor nods in agreement with Randall, his eyes sweeping the room looking for any arcane resonance... (Detect Magic is still up...)

(Perception: 15)

 

 

A faint glow surrounds the priest. You can sense that he is toying with you, perhaps biding time or trying to gauge your personalities. You also see a lever in the north west corner

Randall's ire grows.  He jumps back in without giving his allies time to respond.  "We aren't here to give you lectures on nobility... nor to receive such lectures from kidnappers.  Produce your prisoners and deliver them to our care and we will depart.  More threats about the power of your dirt will not move or frighten us."

Sandre exchanges a worried glance with Petra. "The Caradoon line is above reproach! I won't listen to your foul lies!"

Olaerys shakes his head.  “Dirty little secret.  Aren’t you just dying to know what it is?”   He says this with utter sarcasm.  “By the power of Helm we will find the delegates from Mirabar.  We found an open door and came in to just ask questions when we were viciously attacked.  You started this.  Why are you harboring dark dwarves, the Duergar?”

Olaerys pauses and looks at Melchor, “What was it you said was in that note, in the Duergar room?  Something like “Hellenrae pays you well. You know our fruits here will be ripe. Complain more, or harass the monks further and you will be replaced by cheaper options. You have seen the price of betrayal. Do not push us further.  And then it was signed Qarbo.”  

He looks up at the senior monk / priest.  “Are you Qarbo?”  He is in a foul mood after being speared by a Minotaur and attacked by Gargoyles.  

Intimidation (with help from Shrek, Randall and the knights, if not allowed take first roll) :  20 

Shrek has a hard time following along with all these complicated conversations going on, for he is just a simpleton.  He Helps Olaerys by adding in a "Yeah, what he said!" at the end, whilst slowly latching his halberd into its storage straps on his back, and retrieving a javelin in its place.

Qarbo seems taken aback by Olaerys tirade, clearly not expecting it. "You break in and are surprised to be met with force? Very well, yes, I am Qarbo. I manage the abbey fir Hellenrae. The Duergar help us with our mining operation. It is the revenue from such that feeds us.

We had .... business, with the delegation. They have been fed and kept safe. You seem determined and formidable so I will let you pass. Your precious delegation lies below,  down those stairs. "

Almost as an aside, he says

"I do wish I could be there when your friends learn the truth about their order."

Shrek looks around to his teammates, wondering if what the little monk man said was true or not.  He only understood about half of the words, but he definitely got the impression that they're allowed to continue on down the stairs.  He leans over and whispers into Ankita's ear "This place weird." as they (I assume) start walking down the stairs.

Additionally, he swaps out his javelin for his halberd again, preferring to be face-to-face for his fights.  Down and dirty.  Just like he learned, growing up in the marshlands of the Vast Swamp.

Randall wants to proceed but doesn't know what to make of this Qarbo.  One moment he is warning us about his divine powers, the next he is admitting we are too formidable.  Is he trying to trick us?  He looks to Melchor, who he has come to consider the smartest of their bunch, and whispers, "A trap, do you think?  What might someone like this be capable of? ... magic-wise, I mean?"

Melchor’s eyes narrow as he tries to determine Qarbo’s intentions…

(Insight: 11)

Speaking quietly to Randall, he says ‘He has magic on him. Probably defensive. There’s a lever in the North-West corner. Not sure what it does…’

Olaerys nods to Qarbo, and says “Maybe there’s hope for you after all.”  He walks over to the lever and looks at him, “What does the lever do?”

Investigation :  19 

Afterwards, he plans to walk down the indicated stairs, but only if everything else is coming.  

Quote from JorvikDave >>

Melchor’s eyes narrow as he tries to determine Qarbo’s intentions…

(Insight: 7)

Speaking quietly to Randall, he says ‘He has magic on him. Probably defensive. There’s a lever in the North-West corner. Not sure what it does…’

 

 Qarbo is a straight shooter with upper management  written all over  him