As the familiar approaches the shoreline, he too is turned away, but Drain, through the hawk's keen eyes, notices something odd. For a brief moment, as the bird approaches the airspace over the shoreline, he sees it's reflection in the shimmering pool of water and for just a moment, the bird appears to be adorned by a golden horn extending from its head, nearly half the length of its body from head to tailfesthers, before vanishing in a blink. The glamour yet repulse the hawk, inexplicably denying the creature access to the small island within the lake.
As he peers beyond the trees and the underbrush, Drain glimpses his own reflection in the waters of the lake and he, roo, for just a moment, appears to have a single large horn protruding from his forehead. But on second glance, it is gone.
Hearing Drain describe himself with a horn, then the rabbit unicorn, and hawk, both with horns, is reminder of her game she played when she was young. They used to strap on a set of horns and pretend they were bucks, fighting with each other. Piccolo decides maybe she should look the part and that this is yet another game. She takes her little flute and ties it to her head with some string. Then she starts hopping like a rabbit and eats some grass. Like the rabbit, she hops toward the shore where it disappeared. the girl is a strange one indeed, and perhaps, not entirely sane.
Picollo finds herself anklr deep in the waters of the lake. Getting to the islet in the middle of the lake requires crossing 250 feet of fresh, still water. The lake is 30 feet deep, and the islet is 30 feet wide and 40 feet long.
Trisk follows where Piccolo is leading and has a look at the water.
"Looks like we'll have to swim."
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"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
Drain nods, wondering and Piccolo's knowledge to figure out this puzzle with the description.. ""Well, when in the land of the Fae..." And will proceed to tie a stick to his head as well before following.
Walking out on the water, Uriel takes a deep breath and looks around. Yes, this is a fitting island for a unicorn, he thinks, keeping pace with those swimming.
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Assuming you all realized that you have to be unicorns to do so, you make your way through the water. You manage to swim to the island to find, perched atop the islet’s highest point, 30 feet above the surface of the water, an iron bowl filled with coals.
Trisk uses some ribbon to attach a wand to the front of his head so he can pass as a faux-unicorn.
Looking up at the bowl filled with coals, "Are we supposed to light it?"
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"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
Koselig implements some of his basic alchemical skill to set the coals alight. They burn normally, glowing a bright reddish orange as blue flames marked by ephemeral tounges of yellow lapping skyward. The coals burn for a minute with no obvious effect, then, the lakeshore mists part to reveal a white horse with a single gleaming horn on her brow. She stands perfectly still, silently observing you from the edge of the woods.
<I don't love how they did this, but I don't see a clean way around it.>
She is on the lakeshore. You're in the middle of the lake. Cut to, somehow, maybe swimming (I know you just swam to the island. Sigh.) you get back to the lake shore. Depending on your approach, direct or make landfall near her, you're either on land or in the water still when she contacts you telepathically (or you do first. I dont think it matters much, but you can tell she can do this)
Lamorna is curious to know why the group has come to Thither
Piccolo smiles, seeing that Lamont’s can communicate. “They call me Piccolo, I am a daughter of the goddess, Mielikki. I have been trapped for very long in a place called the doomvault. This man, Trisk helped save me. These others seem kind of heart, and not easily manipulated by the cruel witches and demons that now inhabit the palace. Those in the castle are greedy, and their goals far reaching. They are trying to manipulate these men. These people need your help, but they don’t understand many things here.”
Uriel will stride back calmly along the water’s surface, stop a reasonable distance away, and kneel, saying, “A pleasure to meet you, noble unicorn. We seek to understand what is going on at the palace with some of the residents apparently frozen in time. Malevolent usurpers and demons roam the castle and speak of need a unicorn’s horn for unknown reasons.”
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Lamorna is sympathetic toward anyone who has a grievance with the Hourglass Coven.
Through her telepathic voice, she proceeds to impart reveal the following information. As she speaks, the waters of the lake animate to form liquid sculptures of the things she describes:
The domain of Prismeer once belonged to the archfey Zybilna, but was usurped by her cruel hag stepsisters: Skabatha Nightshade, Bavlorna Blightstraw, and Endelyn Moongrave.
Zybilna was vainglorious and deceitful at times, but her magic kept Prismeer safe and isolated. That situation ended when the hags of the Hourglass Coven captured Lamorna’s mate, Elidon; stole his horn; and used its magic to imprison Zybilna in her stronghold, the Palace of Heart’s Desire.
Elidon’s horn might be needed to free Zybilna, but Lamorna doesn’t know the whereabouts of Elidon or his horn. She tells the characters that she believes Elidon is the hags’ prisoner. (If Elidon had died, Lamorna believes she would’ve sensed it.)
With respect to the palace of Heart's desire, she has this to say:
When Zybilna ruled Prismeer, no one could enter her palace without an invitation. It’s unlikely that the Hourglass Coven is capable of enforcing similar restrictions on the palace.
A library on the second floor of the palace contains Zybilna’s most treasured tomes.
A dragon-like creature called a jabberwock lives in Zybilna’s palace and frequently prowls the forest. The jabberwock tries to reach Wayward Pool but is always turned away by the lake’s protective magic. Lamorna emphasizes that the characters would be wise to avoid the jabberwock, for once it sets its fiery eyes on prey, it rarely gives up the hunt.
The unicorn offers Wayward Pool as a safe place to rest, should you wish to take advantage of its protections:
All nonmagical flames in the region are extinguished. (A fire that’s ignited in the bowl of coals on the lake’s central island is an exception to this rule.)
Beasts and Fey have advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in the region.
Any creature that bathes in the lake for at least 1 minute can choose to end 1 level of exhaustion affecting it or one curse affecting it. Alternatively, the creature can end its attunement to one cursed magic item.
...
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As the familiar approaches the shoreline, he too is turned away, but Drain, through the hawk's keen eyes, notices something odd. For a brief moment, as the bird approaches the airspace over the shoreline, he sees it's reflection in the shimmering pool of water and for just a moment, the bird appears to be adorned by a golden horn extending from its head, nearly half the length of its body from head to tailfesthers, before vanishing in a blink. The glamour yet repulse the hawk, inexplicably denying the creature access to the small island within the lake.
As he peers beyond the trees and the underbrush, Drain glimpses his own reflection in the waters of the lake and he, roo, for just a moment, appears to have a single large horn protruding from his forehead. But on second glance, it is gone.
(Assuming Drain tells the group about this)
Hearing Drain describe himself with a horn, then the rabbit unicorn, and hawk, both with horns, is reminder of her game she played when she was young. They used to strap on a set of horns and pretend they were bucks, fighting with each other. Piccolo decides maybe she should look the part and that this is yet another game. She takes her little flute and ties it to her head with some string. Then she starts hopping like a rabbit and eats some grass. Like the rabbit, she hops toward the shore where it disappeared. the girl is a strange one indeed, and perhaps, not entirely sane.
Picollo finds herself anklr deep in the waters of the lake. Getting to the islet in the middle of the lake requires crossing 250 feet of fresh, still water. The lake is 30 feet deep, and the islet is 30 feet wide and 40 feet long.
She hops back and gets the others.
Trisk follows where Piccolo is leading and has a look at the water.
"Looks like we'll have to swim."
Pixcolo double checks her knots on her head and instrument (fast hands/ sleight of hand.
Piccolo gives a thumbs up to Trisk and jumps in.
Drain:
Drain nods, wondering and Piccolo's knowledge to figure out this puzzle with the description.. ""Well, when in the land of the Fae..." And will proceed to tie a stick to his head as well before following.
Uriel:
Walking out on the water, Uriel takes a deep breath and looks around. Yes, this is a fitting island for a unicorn, he thinks, keeping pace with those swimming.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Does he have anything on his head?
Assuming you all realized that you have to be unicorns to do so, you make your way through the water. You manage to swim to the island to find, perched atop the islet’s highest point, 30 feet above the surface of the water, an iron bowl filled with coals.
Trisk uses some ribbon to attach a wand to the front of his head so he can pass as a faux-unicorn.
Looking up at the bowl filled with coals, "Are we supposed to light it?"
Piccolo takes a close look at the coals and bowl, also with true sight looking for unicorns and other things
Do you try it?
Koselig implements some of his basic alchemical skill to set the coals alight. They burn normally, glowing a bright reddish orange as blue flames marked by ephemeral tounges of yellow lapping skyward. The coals burn for a minute with no obvious effect, then, the lakeshore mists part to reveal a white horse with a single gleaming horn on her brow. She stands perfectly still, silently observing you from the edge of the woods.
Piccolo waves with her hand and horn. With her flute in her head, she pulls out a tiny drum.
”(hello)” she drums. She is expertly skilled at the drum as well.
<I don't love how they did this, but I don't see a clean way around it.>
She is on the lakeshore. You're in the middle of the lake. Cut to, somehow, maybe swimming (I know you just swam to the island. Sigh.) you get back to the lake shore. Depending on your approach, direct or make landfall near her, you're either on land or in the water still when she contacts you telepathically (or you do first. I dont think it matters much, but you can tell she can do this)
Lamorna is curious to know why the group has come to Thither
Piccolo smiles, seeing that Lamont’s can communicate. “They call me Piccolo, I am a daughter of the goddess, Mielikki. I have been trapped for very long in a place called the doomvault. This man, Trisk helped save me. These others seem kind of heart, and not easily manipulated by the cruel witches and demons that now inhabit the palace. Those in the castle are greedy, and their goals far reaching. They are trying to manipulate these men. These people need your help, but they don’t understand many things here.”
Uriel:
Uriel will stride back calmly along the water’s surface, stop a reasonable distance away, and kneel, saying, “A pleasure to meet you, noble unicorn. We seek to understand what is going on at the palace with some of the residents apparently frozen in time. Malevolent usurpers and demons roam the castle and speak of need a unicorn’s horn for unknown reasons.”
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Lamorna is sympathetic toward anyone who has a grievance with the Hourglass Coven.
Through her telepathic voice, she proceeds to impart reveal the following information. As she speaks, the waters of the lake animate to form liquid sculptures of the things she describes:
The domain of Prismeer once belonged to the archfey Zybilna, but was usurped by her cruel hag stepsisters: Skabatha Nightshade, Bavlorna Blightstraw, and Endelyn Moongrave.
Zybilna was vainglorious and deceitful at times, but her magic kept Prismeer safe and isolated. That situation ended when the hags of the Hourglass Coven captured Lamorna’s mate, Elidon; stole his horn; and used its magic to imprison Zybilna in her stronghold, the Palace of Heart’s Desire.
Elidon’s horn might be needed to free Zybilna, but Lamorna doesn’t know the whereabouts of Elidon or his horn. She tells the characters that she believes Elidon is the hags’ prisoner. (If Elidon had died, Lamorna believes she would’ve sensed it.)
With respect to the palace of Heart's desire, she has this to say:
When Zybilna ruled Prismeer, no one could enter her palace without an invitation. It’s unlikely that the Hourglass Coven is capable of enforcing similar restrictions on the palace.
A library on the second floor of the palace contains Zybilna’s most treasured tomes.
A dragon-like creature called a jabberwock lives in Zybilna’s palace and frequently prowls the forest. The jabberwock tries to reach Wayward Pool but is always turned away by the lake’s protective magic. Lamorna emphasizes that the characters would be wise to avoid the jabberwock, for once it sets its fiery eyes on prey, it rarely gives up the hunt.
The unicorn offers Wayward Pool as a safe place to rest, should you wish to take advantage of its protections:
All nonmagical flames in the region are extinguished. (A fire that’s ignited in the bowl of coals on the lake’s central island is an exception to this rule.)
Beasts and Fey have advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in the region.
Any creature that bathes in the lake for at least 1 minute can choose to end 1 level of exhaustion affecting it or one curse affecting it. Alternatively, the creature can end its attunement to one cursed magic item.
...