Still unclear what to do with Ssarnak once they find the odd creature, unless you have other business to perform first, the party makes its way back through the back fields of Alderleaf Farm and into the brambly woods, finally arriving at the old pit.
Again scrambling head first under the bushes, you make your way into the hole, eventually emerging from the lengthy tunnel at the south end of the natural cavern. A cold breeze greets you, again carrying the faint scent of decaying flesh.
Bathed by the moonlit mace, Syzyfy stands at the crevasse edge. He raises his voice to the dark
“Ssarnak, show yourself… “ he pauses to let the sound ring. My companions and I have dealt with the wizard and redbrands infesting these ruins. We must speak with you.”
“Ssarnak,” he yells louder “yes, it’s me, he who is forsaken by the Duskmaven. No need to plunder my thoughts. Like I said we mean no harm, but, if you act upon us in less than agreeable ways than you will not only hurt but you will suffer.”
Blocking the alien presence from his mind, Syzygy waits for an answer.
Jurgen and his new mechanical companion step forward. His metallic pet is surprisingly nimble and rather quiet for a mechanical construct.
Aros begins his ritual.
The answer comes to Syzygy after a moment. "...Why are you here again? ...Why bother Ssarnak in his rest, with threats of suffering? ...Ssarnak had a deal with you, did we not? ...Do you have food? Trade? New deals? ...Or can poor Ssarnak rest?" he hears in his thoughts.
“The creature tries to pry my mind” Syzygy says to his companions in hushed a voice.
”What we want…” he bellows into the cavern “is to assure the safety of those under our protection. I am concerned that your hunger may draw you to the nearby town. The deal is: stay out of town and we will spare your life.”
"...Ssarnak is always hungry. Do the interlopers have more bleeding food?" replies Ssarnak in Syzygy's mind. "...But Ssarnak doesn't leave home much. The sun is too bright, the wind too cold. Ssarnak doesn't even know any towns of which the interloper speaks. Towns are not for Ssarnak anymore. But perhaps you can show it to poor Ssarnak if you let Ssarnak into your mind?"
Bryony stands nervously, shifting from foot to foot. It seems like Ssarnak is communicating with Syzygy telepathically. She wishes she could hear what the creature is saying.
"Does it promise not to hurt anyone in the village?" she asks Syzygy.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 3 Halfling Rogue (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Evelyn Drake - Lvl. 3 Human Wizard (Rule of Change) ♦ Aranea Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Human Warlock (Where the Cold Winds Blow) ♦ Elsenia Vesper - Lvl. 2 Shadar-kai Druid (Strixhaven)
Aros takes a number of small stones in his hands, dropping them on the ground in front of him. He begins tracing lines in the dirt between them. As he continues, several constellations begin to form from the stones and lines.
"It proclaims to know nothing of Phandalin. It finds elements of the open air abhorrent. It is always hungry through..." Syzygy says to Byrony before calling out to the edge of the crevasse
"No towns for Ssarnak...anymore? Explain, where do you come from?". Unlike Glasstaffs' intrusions, Syzygy is not as offended by the way Ssarnak lingers, hovers, dips into his mind. Indeed, it's becoming something of a sensation he's wrapping his own head around. Reasoning with himself that a fish gonna swim and a Ssarnak gonna communicate in thoughts, Syzygy relaxes his cognitive grip and lets the creature in.
I'll show you where I've travelled from
A shader-kai on the cusp of adulthood performs menial tasks at a temple of the Raven Queen. A rudimentary religious knowledge is being bestowed upon him by the custodians of the temple. Unknowingly, he is watched...Eye's closed in prayer, he is grabbed from behind, blindfolded dragged away... The Shader-Kai is splayed across a an alter. Four figures in black vestments encircle him. They place a small foriegn silver-grey stone on his forehead and chant. A searing pain overwhelms him and he loses consciousness...The shader-kai runs, drags himself through the bowels of the earth, survives all odds and breaches the surface. He is bathed in moonlight. He wanders the unfamiliar land...finding Neverwinter...getting by on odd jobs, keeping to himself, meeting Gundren, the journey to Phandalin...
And the memory begins to fade. Syzygy shivers in pleasure/pain at the memory of the cold, bitterness of home. It makes him feel alive.
There is a pause as Ssarnak bathes deeply in Syzygy's mind – making itself more at home there than perhaps Syzygy anticipated. Although Syzygy tried to relax his mind and welcome its presence, it still feels a little intrusive, like a pushy houseguest taking too many liberties.
"...Ssarnak... Ssarnak doesn't really remember his old life, his path here. ...Ssarnek seeks... secrets. Arcane secrets. Magic secrets. Forbidden lore. ...Do you have magic to give poor Ssarnak? ...What does your stone do, Sharad-Kai?"
Meanwhile, Aros finishes his ritual. Stepping forward, he again senses the cluster of magical signatures at the bottom of the crevasse, under the northern bridge.
"The stone makes my blood boil with moonlight. You wouldn't like it."
Syzygy clenches his mind as he feels intrusive prying, he then attempts push back and intensely project thoughts of Ssarnak being slain by Quinn, Byrony, Kimberley, Aros and himself.
Syzygy is trying to limit Ssarnak's access but not cut him out. Deception: 14...[inspiration, given on discord a while back] 17.
"CONSIDER THAT A WARNING SSARNAK!" He yells in his mind and with his mouth.
"Tell me, what use do you have of these arcane artefacts and mysteries?"
Climbing back to his feet, Aros hears Syzygy’s warning to the creature and decides to remain descreet. He tries to slowly creep towards the source(s) of magic. Distracted by the unfolding scene, he trips over a stone and tries to hurry to the edge of the crevasse.
Hearing Syzygy speak Kimberley increased the intensity of the light on her mace to as bright as she could, a low growl rumbled in her throat momentarily....
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Syzygy pushes Ssarnak back out of his mind with a violent visual warning. (Syzygy: Make an Intimidation check!)
Aros inadvertently makes his presence known at the edge of the crevasse. He sees nothing below but rocks.
"More threats, Shadar-Kai? ...Are you looking for excuses to hunt Ssarnak like a sad little rat? ...Poor Ssarnak!" replies the creature in Syzygy's mind. "...Poor Ssarnak doesn't taste good ...Ssarnak is a researcher... a peaceful academic... seeking magical knowledge, arcane secrets, forbidden lore. ...Do you have any more, Shadar-Kai? Do your friends?..."
Aros: Make a DC14 Deception check as it probes your mind next.
Still unclear what to do with Ssarnak once they find the odd creature, unless you have other business to perform first, the party makes its way back through the back fields of Alderleaf Farm and into the brambly woods, finally arriving at the old pit.
Again scrambling head first under the bushes, you make your way into the hole, eventually emerging from the lengthy tunnel at the south end of the natural cavern. A cold breeze greets you, again carrying the faint scent of decaying flesh.
Kimberley is resolved but understands that the others have a different point of view and accepts their direction as she follows them back underground.
She summons a ball of bright moonlight onto the head of her Mace.
( Light)
Bathed by the moonlit mace, Syzyfy stands at the crevasse edge. He raises his voice to the dark
“Ssarnak, show yourself… “ he pauses to let the sound ring. My companions and I have dealt with the wizard and redbrands infesting these ruins. We must speak with you.”
Syzygy feels a presence rummaging deeply through his mind. Syzygy: Make a DC11 Deception check.
Deception: 17
“Ssarnak,” he yells louder “yes, it’s me, he who is forsaken by the Duskmaven. No need to plunder my thoughts. Like I said we mean no harm, but, if you act upon us in less than agreeable ways than you will not only hurt but you will suffer.”
“This will take a few minutes.” Aros kneels down and begins a ritual casting of Detect Magic.
Jurgen will take the lead with his Steel Defender Draco
D&D since 1984
Blocking the alien presence from his mind, Syzygy waits for an answer.
Jurgen and his new mechanical companion step forward. His metallic pet is surprisingly nimble and rather quiet for a mechanical construct.
Aros begins his ritual.
The answer comes to Syzygy after a moment. "...Why are you here again? ...Why bother Ssarnak in his rest, with threats of suffering? ...Ssarnak had a deal with you, did we not? ...Do you have food? Trade? New deals? ...Or can poor Ssarnak rest?" he hears in his thoughts.
Kimberley simply stood watch over Syzygy as the ritual was performed.
“The creature tries to pry my mind” Syzygy says to his companions in hushed a voice.
”What we want…” he bellows into the cavern “is to assure the safety of those under our protection. I am concerned that your hunger may draw you to the nearby town. The deal is: stay out of town and we will spare your life.”
"...Ssarnak is always hungry. Do the interlopers have more bleeding food?" replies Ssarnak in Syzygy's mind. "...But Ssarnak doesn't leave home much. The sun is too bright, the wind too cold. Ssarnak doesn't even know any towns of which the interloper speaks. Towns are not for Ssarnak anymore. But perhaps you can show it to poor Ssarnak if you let Ssarnak into your mind?"
Bryony stands nervously, shifting from foot to foot. It seems like Ssarnak is communicating with Syzygy telepathically. She wishes she could hear what the creature is saying.
"Does it promise not to hurt anyone in the village?" she asks Syzygy.
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 3 Halfling Rogue (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Evelyn Drake - Lvl. 3 Human Wizard (Rule of Change) ♦ Aranea Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Human Warlock (Where the Cold Winds Blow) ♦ Elsenia Vesper - Lvl. 2 Shadar-kai Druid (Strixhaven)
DMing: Curse of Strahd
Aros takes a number of small stones in his hands, dropping them on the ground in front of him. He begins tracing lines in the dirt between them. As he continues, several constellations begin to form from the stones and lines.
"It proclaims to know nothing of Phandalin. It finds elements of the open air abhorrent. It is always hungry through..." Syzygy says to Byrony before calling out to the edge of the crevasse
"No towns for Ssarnak...anymore? Explain, where do you come from?". Unlike Glasstaffs' intrusions, Syzygy is not as offended by the way Ssarnak lingers, hovers, dips into his mind. Indeed, it's becoming something of a sensation he's wrapping his own head around. Reasoning with himself that a fish gonna swim and a Ssarnak gonna communicate in thoughts, Syzygy relaxes his cognitive grip and lets the creature in.
I'll show you where I've travelled from
A shader-kai on the cusp of adulthood performs menial tasks at a temple of the Raven Queen. A rudimentary religious knowledge is being bestowed upon him by the custodians of the temple. Unknowingly, he is watched...Eye's closed in prayer, he is grabbed from behind, blindfolded dragged away... The Shader-Kai is splayed across a an alter. Four figures in black vestments encircle him. They place a small foriegn silver-grey stone on his forehead and chant. A searing pain overwhelms him and he loses consciousness...The shader-kai runs, drags himself through the bowels of the earth, survives all odds and breaches the surface. He is bathed in moonlight. He wanders the unfamiliar land...finding Neverwinter...getting by on odd jobs, keeping to himself, meeting Gundren, the journey to Phandalin...
And the memory begins to fade. Syzygy shivers in pleasure/pain at the memory of the cold, bitterness of home. It makes him feel alive.
"Show me your path here..."
There is a pause as Ssarnak bathes deeply in Syzygy's mind – making itself more at home there than perhaps Syzygy anticipated. Although Syzygy tried to relax his mind and welcome its presence, it still feels a little intrusive, like a pushy houseguest taking too many liberties.
"...Ssarnak... Ssarnak doesn't really remember his old life, his path here. ...Ssarnek seeks... secrets. Arcane secrets. Magic secrets. Forbidden lore. ...Do you have magic to give poor Ssarnak? ...What does your stone do, Sharad-Kai?"
Meanwhile, Aros finishes his ritual. Stepping forward, he again senses the cluster of magical signatures at the bottom of the crevasse, under the northern bridge.
"The stone makes my blood boil with moonlight. You wouldn't like it."
Syzygy clenches his mind as he feels intrusive prying, he then attempts push back and intensely project thoughts of Ssarnak being slain by Quinn, Byrony, Kimberley, Aros and himself.
Syzygy is trying to limit Ssarnak's access but not cut him out. Deception:
14...[inspiration, given on discord a while back] 17."CONSIDER THAT A WARNING SSARNAK!" He yells in his mind and with his mouth.
"Tell me, what use do you have of these arcane artefacts and mysteries?"
Climbing back to his feet, Aros hears Syzygy’s warning to the creature and decides to remain descreet. He tries to slowly creep towards the source(s) of magic. Distracted by the unfolding scene, he trips over a stone and tries to hurry to the edge of the crevasse.
Stealth: 7
Hearing Syzygy speak Kimberley increased the intensity of the light on her mace to as bright as she could, a low growl rumbled in her throat momentarily....
Syzygy pushes Ssarnak back out of his mind with a violent visual warning. (Syzygy: Make an Intimidation check!)
Aros inadvertently makes his presence known at the edge of the crevasse. He sees nothing below but rocks.
"More threats, Shadar-Kai? ...Are you looking for excuses to hunt Ssarnak like a sad little rat? ...Poor Ssarnak!" replies the creature in Syzygy's mind. "...Poor Ssarnak doesn't taste good ...Ssarnak is a researcher... a peaceful academic... seeking magical knowledge, arcane secrets, forbidden lore. ...Do you have any more, Shadar-Kai? Do your friends?..."
Aros: Make a DC14 Deception check as it probes your mind next.
Deception: 3