Good and true swings my new friend, Evios. Any creature that shares a battleground with me, is a friend for life... until I find you fighting for my enemy. Then things may change... *he stares up in the sky pondering this as if coming to a new, profound realization* Ahem. Anyways, what should we do with our interesting new friend here.Tie him up? Ready the torture? Hold him for ransom to trade for any allied war criminals!?!
Muraz stares at Evios intently, awaiting a response.
Evios smiles at Muraz's praise. Having successfully defeated the sentry and charmed his companion, he thinks to himself, If only my father could see me now. He'd realize I'm ready to be clan leader.
To the others he says, Let us find out who our attackers are. And who this dude is they were chasing. I'm gonna have a word with my new "friend." Gesturing to the fallen rider, Why don't you guys go see what's up with what's-his-face over there?
Evios drapes his arm over the charmed sentry's shoulders. Sooooooo, before we go get that drink why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? What's your name? What's your sign? What's your favorite color? Oh, and, what the HELL were you doing chasing that horse and its rider?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
Muraz approaches the fallen rider, kneeling down beside him.
Though there is a distinct lack of blood, the rider is definitely dead. Dead as can be.
Muraz then removes the gold mask off the recently deceased, to get a better look at the face that lies behind the mask. (Trying to discern the race of these creatures.)
The charmed sentry fastens its spear to its horse and begins to respond to Evios. "My name? As I'm sure you understand, the Returned do not have names, for we do not remember them. I was sent from Odunos* to slay that rider, for he carries some secret of Phenax.** What that means I am unsure."
* The necropolis Odunos lies several days to the south of Setessa, on a peninsula known as the Despair Lands. The Despair Lands are, in essence, an outpost of the Underworld.
** Phenax is the masked patron of lies and cheats, governing the spheres of gambling, deception, and betrayal. Phenax was once a mortal who was trapped in the Underworld, but he learned how to forsake his identity and return to the land of the living.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Muraz removes the gold funerary mask and finds no face beneath it*—only blank gray flesh over a black-lipped mouth. On the interior of the mask are dozens of lines of finely etched symbols. Most are written in a strange cipher, but among the unreadable glyphs, the word Khea stands out prominently.
*The lack of facial features indicates this creature is one of the Returned, having likely escaped the Underworld by some means.
Evios rubs his beardless chin and tries to recall if he's ever heard of the Returned or the term "Khea."
History:17 Arcana:23
Going over to Photina he says, You're free now. Here, let me remove all of this tack for you. May no person or thing ever assault your dignity again by attempting to use you for a mount.
To the others in his party Evios says, I think we've seen all there is to see here. Why don't we take that mask with us and see if anyone in Setessa knows its origins.
And finally to the charmed sentry he says, Farewell, friend. I'm suddenly not in the mood for a drink. Go back to whence you came and hopefully our paths won't cross again. So long.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
The following information about the Returned can be considered common knowledge for any creature in Theros:
Returned
Returned have escaped the Underworld and dwell among the living once more, but their second lives are rarely what they expected—not that they remember what it was they expected. As a result of having followed the Path of Phenax --which is to escape the Underworld--the Returned lose their identities, which manifest as separate beings known as eidolons. The experience of escaping the Underworld also causes them to lose their faces, which become expressionless surfaces with empty eye sockets and gaping mouths. These blank surfaces they cover with distinctive golden masks.
Returned reenter the world blank and undead. No longer possessing the ability to form long-term memories, they generally can’t build meaningful relationships or establish new lives. Instead, most experience fleeting emotions and follow hollow routines, their existences reduced to shadow plays without weight or substance.
Returned Masks. Adventurers who defeat Returned foes might marvel at their fortune in claiming such rich spoils after a battle. The mask of a Returned is worth approximately 100 gp, based on its composition and craftsmanship. However, selling a Returned mask isn’t a simple matter of cashing it in for coin. Most people on Theros know the tales of the Returned and want nothing to do with such cursed relics or with those who try to traffic in them. Finding an unscrupulous merchant willing to trade for Returned masks is rare, as the items are effectively another sapient being’s face. Convincing a merchant to buy a Returned mask, or dealing with the ramifications of such a sale, might prove to be an adventure in itself.
Returned Nature. The Returned are undead. They need water and air but not food or sleep. They think and speak and even feel emotions based on their new experiences, but given their circumstances, those emotions tend to be muted.
The word Khea carries no meaning whatsoever to Evios, Muraz, or Scufflebutt.
May I suggest a pub of some sort, then? Maybe someone there can give us some more information or may have seen some other strange occurrences going on around here. And if not, a glass of wine can't hurt.
In reality, Scufflebutt mainly wanted a drink, not feeling much alarm after the strange encounter with the Returned. Focusing back in on the task at hand though, she checks over the corpses once more to see if there may be anything else of interest to them before they head off.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The surviving sentry nods in Evios's direction and, devoid of any emotion whatsoever, says, "Farewell."
It then rides off casually in the direction from whence it came, leaving its slain counterpart unattended on the road. Scufflebutt looks over the bodies of both to see of there is anything other than the two gold funerary masks (one of which is inscribed with the word Khea and several other indecipherable glyphs), the shortbow, five arrows, and a spear. She finds the following on the slain sentry:
A small pouch containing twenty pieces of silver
A shard from a clay funerary mask, upon which is inscribed Silence the heretic Varyas. His secrets must remain dead.
Evios:15 | Muraz: 12 | Scufflebutt:9
Muraz immediately recognizes the clay shard as an ostraka, a shard from a clay funerary mask, which is used as currency in the Underworld.
After rolling the slain sentry into the tall grass near the roadside, they continue their journey to Setessa, knowing darkness will fall very soon. They travel only a short distance--less than two hundred yards when they witness a remarkable sight.
For a moment, all sounds turn to whispers, and color drains from the world, turning everything shades of gray—everything except for a gleaming golden mask. Seconds later, things return to normal.
Evios:5 | Muraz:20 | Scufflebutt:11
All three adventurers recognize they have just received some sort of omen from Phenax, god of deceit. What the supernatural sign might mean, however, is wholly unclear.
Slightly bewildered and filled with questions, the three pass through the gates of Setessa as the darkness of night falls over Theros. A quarter of an hour later, they are gathered around a sturdy oak table in an open-air tavern. The place is crowded, which is to be expected considering the coming of the full moon and the opening of the Abora to outsiders.
Taking a swig from his cup, Muraz rubs his temples as if trying to subside pain.
This is the second time that I've had visions from the gods and let me tell you, they give you a raging headache. Not very delicate about it, I say. Damn gods, just hopping in and out of our heads willy-nilly!
Gonna make a perception check in the tavern to see if I can locate anybody who might have any knowledge of funerary masks, Tymaret, or Phenax. Possibly a returned or an oracle, if those types of people frequent a tavern.
Evios is almost visibly trembling with excitement at being in the tavern. Despite the warnings of his father regarding the evils of too much drink, he quickly downs two flagons of ale and immediately feels the alcohol's effects.
Slurring his words slightly he says to his companions, Pershaps, we should have a wee little shat, I mean chat...hiccup.... with the tavern keep (and with that he chuckles at his mistake and off in the distance a symphony of doves begin cooing). He might know where we could find shomeplashe where we could bed down for the night. I'm feeling a little shleepy myshelf. And then we can have a lookabout in the morning and shee if there's a temple or magic shhhhhop in town.
Focusing his blurry gaze on the satyr, he continues, Shufflebug? Scuttlebutt? Snugglebum? Stubbleboom? What was your name again? You sure are pretty....hiccup....and with that Evios' head hits the table, passes out, and falls into a drunken rumble snore.
Minotaurs are not common visitors in Setessa, and Muraz discovers that his intimidating size and appearance create quite an obstacle to helpful interactions with the locals.
Seems our centaur friend here is quite inexperienced in the art of drinking, aye? I suppose I could talk to the keep for a place for us tonight, but let me try to do some talking around here first. Perhaps someone in my line of work could be of use.
Scufflebutt downs her pint of ale, then takes a look around for any seedy characters or even a local that would be willing to talk to the satyr.
Muraz is beginning to see that the efforts of the party are coming up unfruitful and the night might go by with no results. He devises a plan. Loudly, and confidently he begins to speak...
Setessa is such a puny city, even the residents are quite puny. I'm sure no Setessan in this tavern could even beat me in a simple game of arm wrestling. One look at my muscles and I'm sure anyone here would walk away in fear of that challenge. I'd bet 10 gold pieces on that!
A burly male human stands and offers Muraz a reply. "We shall see which is bigger, minotaur: your boast or your strength! Clear a table and gather 'round, friends! Let us see if I shall be ten gold richer this day!"
The man seems sufficiently good-natured and motions for Muraz to sit at a nearby table. Several interested individuals begin to circle the table, placing bets themselves on the outcome.
"The name's Parados, stranger. Welcome to Setessa," he remarks as he places his right arm on the table.
Let's make this slightly more interesting, Parados. How about a little bit of double or nothing? Except, if I win, I only want the 10g back, and for you to share some information on this city. What's say you?
Muraz is a bit nervous, as he knows he does not have 20g to spare.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Parados cannot resist. He smiles at the chance and says, "This place has been a bit dull, has it not? And I'm happy to talk about Setessa win or lose."
Muraz and Parados prepare for another contest of strength, but not before Eviosquietly says a few words of guidance to bolster the minotaur's chances...
...the struggle between the two is a close one, but, in the end, Muraz wins. Parados laughs heartily after his wrist is slammed to the table. "Figured I couldn't beat a minotaur twice. Ha! So, what is it you wish to know?"
(Sorry about the manipulated die roll message; I incorrectly inserted the 1d4 from the guidance spell and had to fix it)
Good and true swings my new friend, Evios. Any creature that shares a battleground with me, is a friend for life... until I find you fighting for my enemy. Then things may change... *he stares up in the sky pondering this as if coming to a new, profound realization* Ahem. Anyways, what should we do with our interesting new friend here.Tie him up? Ready the torture? Hold him for ransom to trade for any allied war criminals!?!
Muraz stares at Evios intently, awaiting a response.
Evios smiles at Muraz's praise. Having successfully defeated the sentry and charmed his companion, he thinks to himself, If only my father could see me now. He'd realize I'm ready to be clan leader.
To the others he says, Let us find out who our attackers are. And who this dude is they were chasing. I'm gonna have a word with my new "friend." Gesturing to the fallen rider, Why don't you guys go see what's up with what's-his-face over there?
Evios drapes his arm over the charmed sentry's shoulders. Sooooooo, before we go get that drink why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself? What's your name? What's your sign? What's your favorite color? Oh, and, what the HELL were you doing chasing that horse and its rider?
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
Muraz approaches the fallen rider, kneeling down beside him.
Though there is a distinct lack of blood, the rider is definitely dead. Dead as can be.
Muraz then removes the gold mask off the recently deceased, to get a better look at the face that lies behind the mask. (Trying to discern the race of these creatures.)
The charmed sentry fastens its spear to its horse and begins to respond to Evios. "My name? As I'm sure you understand, the Returned do not have names, for we do not remember them. I was sent from Odunos* to slay that rider, for he carries some secret of Phenax.** What that means I am unsure."
* The necropolis Odunos lies several days to the south of Setessa, on a peninsula known as the Despair Lands. The Despair Lands are, in essence, an outpost of the Underworld.
** Phenax is the masked patron of lies and cheats, governing the spheres of gambling, deception, and betrayal. Phenax was once a mortal who was trapped in the Underworld, but he learned how to forsake his identity and return to the land of the living.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Muraz removes the gold funerary mask and finds no face beneath it*—only blank gray flesh over a black-lipped mouth. On the interior of the mask are dozens of lines of finely etched symbols. Most are written in a strange cipher, but among the unreadable glyphs, the word Khea stands out prominently.
*The lack of facial features indicates this creature is one of the Returned, having likely escaped the Underworld by some means.
"Khea"...
Muraz mutters to himself. He then walks over to the charmed Returned and asks about the word Khea inscribed on the mask.
Tell me, sentry, what does this word here mean? Is it a name possibly? And also, who sent you on this hunt?
The sentry cocks his masked head sideways. "Khea. A person's name? A place? A password? I don't know," it answers in its gravelly, monotone voice.
It then looks at Evios and says, "That is the truth, friend. I don't know that word."
Turning back to Muraz, it continues, "I am unsure who ordered this hunt. Tymaret, perhaps?"
Evios rubs his beardless chin and tries to recall if he's ever heard of the Returned or the term "Khea."
History: 17
Arcana: 23
Going over to Photina he says, You're free now. Here, let me remove all of this tack for you. May no person or thing ever assault your dignity again by attempting to use you for a mount.
To the others in his party Evios says, I think we've seen all there is to see here. Why don't we take that mask with us and see if anyone in Setessa knows its origins.
And finally to the charmed sentry he says, Farewell, friend. I'm suddenly not in the mood for a drink. Go back to whence you came and hopefully our paths won't cross again. So long.
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
The following information about the Returned can be considered common knowledge for any creature in Theros:
The word Khea carries no meaning whatsoever to Evios, Muraz, or Scufflebutt.
May I suggest a pub of some sort, then? Maybe someone there can give us some more information or may have seen some other strange occurrences going on around here. And if not, a glass of wine can't hurt.
In reality, Scufflebutt mainly wanted a drink, not feeling much alarm after the strange encounter with the Returned. Focusing back in on the task at hand though, she checks over the corpses once more to see if there may be anything else of interest to them before they head off.
The surviving sentry nods in Evios's direction and, devoid of any emotion whatsoever, says, "Farewell."
It then rides off casually in the direction from whence it came, leaving its slain counterpart unattended on the road. Scufflebutt looks over the bodies of both to see of there is anything other than the two gold funerary masks (one of which is inscribed with the word Khea and several other indecipherable glyphs), the shortbow, five arrows, and a spear. She finds the following on the slain sentry:
Evios: 15 | Muraz: 12 | Scufflebutt: 9
Muraz immediately recognizes the clay shard as an ostraka, a shard from a clay funerary mask, which is used as currency in the Underworld.
Ale and information. That sounds like a wise plan to me. What say you, centaur?
NOTE: Important edit made to post #31 above.
- - - - - - - - - -
After rolling the slain sentry into the tall grass near the roadside, they continue their journey to Setessa, knowing darkness will fall very soon. They travel only a short distance--less than two hundred yards when they witness a remarkable sight.
For a moment, all sounds turn to whispers, and color drains from the world, turning everything shades of gray—everything except for a gleaming golden mask. Seconds later, things return to normal.
Evios: 5 | Muraz: 20 | Scufflebutt: 11
All three adventurers recognize they have just received some sort of omen from Phenax, god of deceit. What the supernatural sign might mean, however, is wholly unclear.
Slightly bewildered and filled with questions, the three pass through the gates of Setessa as the darkness of night falls over Theros. A quarter of an hour later, they are gathered around a sturdy oak table in an open-air tavern. The place is crowded, which is to be expected considering the coming of the full moon and the opening of the Abora to outsiders.
Taking a swig from his cup, Muraz rubs his temples as if trying to subside pain.
This is the second time that I've had visions from the gods and let me tell you, they give you a raging headache. Not very delicate about it, I say. Damn gods, just hopping in and out of our heads willy-nilly!
Gonna make a perception check in the tavern to see if I can locate anybody who might have any knowledge of funerary masks, Tymaret, or Phenax. Possibly a returned or an oracle, if those types of people frequent a tavern.
Perception: 4
Evios is almost visibly trembling with excitement at being in the tavern. Despite the warnings of his father regarding the evils of too much drink, he quickly downs two flagons of ale and immediately feels the alcohol's effects.
Slurring his words slightly he says to his companions, Pershaps, we should have a wee little shat, I mean chat...hiccup.... with the tavern keep (and with that he chuckles at his mistake and off in the distance a symphony of doves begin cooing). He might know where we could find shomeplashe where we could bed down for the night. I'm feeling a little shleepy myshelf. And then we can have a lookabout in the morning and shee if there's a temple or magic shhhhhop in town.
Focusing his blurry gaze on the satyr, he continues, Shufflebug? Scuttlebutt? Snugglebum? Stubbleboom? What was your name again? You sure are pretty....hiccup....and with that Evios' head hits the table, passes out, and falls into a drunken rumble snore.
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
Minotaurs are not common visitors in Setessa, and Muraz discovers that his intimidating size and appearance create quite an obstacle to helpful interactions with the locals.
Seems our centaur friend here is quite inexperienced in the art of drinking, aye? I suppose I could talk to the keep for a place for us tonight, but let me try to do some talking around here first. Perhaps someone in my line of work could be of use.
Scufflebutt downs her pint of ale, then takes a look around for any seedy characters or even a local that would be willing to talk to the satyr.
3
Muraz is beginning to see that the efforts of the party are coming up unfruitful and the night might go by with no results. He devises a plan. Loudly, and confidently he begins to speak...
Setessa is such a puny city, even the residents are quite puny. I'm sure no Setessan in this tavern could even beat me in a simple game of arm wrestling. One look at my muscles and I'm sure anyone here would walk away in fear of that challenge. I'd bet 10 gold pieces on that!
Performance: 7
13, 20, 1, 17, 12, 5, 6, 16, 15, 8, 7, 11
A burly male human stands and offers Muraz a reply. "We shall see which is bigger, minotaur: your boast or your strength! Clear a table and gather 'round, friends! Let us see if I shall be ten gold richer this day!"
The man seems sufficiently good-natured and motions for Muraz to sit at a nearby table. Several interested individuals begin to circle the table, placing bets themselves on the outcome.
"The name's Parados, stranger. Welcome to Setessa," he remarks as he places his right arm on the table.
Athletics: Muraz 7 vs Parados 20
"Ha!" he exclaims after a relatively easy victory.
Several lookers-on groan in disappointment, indicating they had placed their bets on Muraz.
Let's make this slightly more interesting, Parados. How about a little bit of double or nothing? Except, if I win, I only want the 10g back, and for you to share some information on this city. What's say you?
Muraz is a bit nervous, as he knows he does not have 20g to spare.
Persuasion: 20
Parados cannot resist. He smiles at the chance and says, "This place has been a bit dull, has it not? And I'm happy to talk about Setessa win or lose."
Muraz and Parados prepare for another contest of strength, but not before Evios quietly says a few words of guidance to bolster the minotaur's chances...
Athletics: Parados 7 vs Muraz 20
...the struggle between the two is a close one, but, in the end, Muraz wins. Parados laughs heartily after his wrist is slammed to the table. "Figured I couldn't beat a minotaur twice. Ha! So, what is it you wish to know?"
(Sorry about the manipulated die roll message; I incorrectly inserted the 1d4 from the guidance spell and had to fix it)