A very relieved Muraz who was about to be a very broke/in debt Muraz begins to ask...
Thank you for a good show of strength, you have given me more excitement then the battle I fought in today. If I can even call it a battle! Not once was I even scraped in the fray. TRULY I AM MURAZ, THE UNSCARRED! HAHAHAHA!!! *cough* *cough* Ahem- Uh anyways, my questions are in regards to that encounter. We were attacked by some Returned who were chasing another of there kind. Seems kind of odd to see them fighting amongst themselves, don't you think? Is this a common occurrence in this area? And also, are there any Returned or people who are knowledgeable in the Returned in Setessa, perhaps a creature who deals in funerary masks and ostraka?
Upon hearing Parados's initial "Ha!" after beating Muraz, the young druid is startled out of his drunken stupor. Seeing that his new companion is attempting another wager, Evios casts Guidance upon him. With a slap on the minotaur's back, the centaur mumbles, Good luck, friend. I hope you win shhhhhhome money.....hiccup, and then proceeds to vomit all over the tavern floor. Whoops, he says with a chuckle, and off in the distance the entire tavern hears a flock of pigeons coo.
Parados glances at Evios and shakes his head in mild disgust. "What a mess that is," he remarks.
He then turns his attention to Muraz. "Returned? Funerary masks and ostraka? " he repeats, indicating his uncertainty about such matters.
Parados shakes his head a second time. "Can't say that I have much knowledge about the Returned. Not at all. Certainly there are folks who know such things in Setessa, but I'm not one."
A rather sour-faced triton female who is sitting nearby, suddenly interjects her own thoughts into the conversation. "The buying and selling of anything associated with the Returned is not well-received in Setessa."
Scufflebutt, feeling as if the conversation isn't getting very far decides to interject and addresses the triton.
Well, like my friend here already asked, is there anywhere or anyone in Setessa who just might have some information? Perhaps someone a little bit more, you could say, underground? I'd have to imagine that there's someone in this whole city that could help us.
The name instantly brings Scufflebutt's mind to the funerary mask with the same name inscribed into it.
All the gratitude, stranger. Let me refill that glass for you.
Turning to her newfound party members, but really just addressing Muraz as Evios seemed to be on another plane, What say you, fellas? Shall we find a place to rest tonight and then head out to this Khea woman first thing?
As Muraz and Scufflebutt begin to drag Evios along, hiccups reeking of ale and vomit begin to escape from his lips, one after the other. While his body convulses with one frightfully large hiccup, the centaur accidentally Wild Shape's himself into a hyena. Forgetting in his stupor that he can no longer speak a comprehend-able language, Evi-Hyena unleashes a series of unsettling cackles that cause every crow in the vicinity to caw with ear-shattering intensity. A smack on the head from the satyr quiets Evi-Hyena until they reach the Inn Parados kindly directed them to.
Wild Shape
As an action, you can magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before twice per short rest. [2nd] Max CR 1/4 (no flying or swimming speed) [4th] Max CR 1/2 (no flying speed) [8th] Max CR 1
You can stay in beast shape for 1 hours before reverting back to your normal form (or as a bonus action earlier or if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die).
The full-moon Abora, as it typically does, has drawn many visitors to Setessa; therefore, finding traditional lodgings proves to be a difficult task for the three adventurers. In the end, they relegate themselves to accepting the offer of staying the night in an empty stable. The weather is fair, and the straw is abundant; so, all in all, the place serves its purpose and costs a mere 5 copper pieces for the night.
CON check for Evios:7
The next morning, Muraz and Scufflebuttare both eager and alert as they travel the tidy and attractive streets of Setessa toward Khea's home. Evios, however, is far from feeling well. He is barely alert and moves slowly.
(Level 2 exhaustion for Evios: disadvantage on all ability checks and movement speed is halved for next four hours)
Eventually, the three adventurers reach any ivy-covered cottage that stands near the edge of the polis. A knock upon the door is answered by a hurried, "A minute's time, please!"
When the door does open, a small, aged human woman peers out from a cramped house. Behind her, the three adventurers can see a large number of scrolls and books upon the walls and and several bunches of drying lavender. She eyes the satyr, the minotaur, and the centaur with mild suspicion before saying, "Very busy today! Come first thing tomorrow, please."
And she steps back and prepares to close the door...
Evios, though still quite green and ill from his shenanigans the previous evening, decides he must intervene with some of his druidic charm. Peaking his head around the minotaur, he smiles at Khea. Madame, we have been told you possess great wisdom and insight and my companions and I were hoping to avail ourselves of it. Please, couldn't you spare just a few moments of your time?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
WIS save for Khea: 19, if necessary
Initiative:Evios11 vs Khea21
WIS save for Evios: 17, if necessary
Despite his less-than-optimal mental condition, Evios is able to cast his spell before Khea can prevent him from doing so. The centaur's spell, however, fails to charm the old woman.
"There will be none of that!" she exclaims as she responds to Evios's trick.
2
Belying her aged appearance, she rapidly steps out of her doorway and reaches toward Evios with her left hand...
7 | 6 force damage
...and sends a powerful blast of energy through the centaur's body. "Do not play such games with me. I shall not be so gentle a second time."
Muraz and Scufflebutt may take an action if they wish...
Whoa whoa whoa! Let's hold up here. No more fighting is needed! Stupid games, stupid prizes. Am I right, Evios? Anyways, how wise would it be to take on the three of us at once... really, Khea? I wouldn't want to lose my temper now, I am trying to move on from that part of me.
Muraz grabs his morning star from his side and lets it rest on his shoulder.
Scufflebutt having had enough of her idiotic party members decides to intervene. Stepping forward and thwacking them both upside the head, she bows her head towards Khea.
You blithering idiots. Have you no respect at all for this woman? We have come to her home and you have the audacity to attempt to charm her and then threaten her? Imbeciles. My dear apologies, madame. I know you may not want to speak with us, but this is regarding an urgent matter about the Returned. We have discovered your name on a mask worn by a Returned so we believe you may be of some help to us.
Before Muraz can respond to Khea's question, Scufflebutt mentions the details about the mask. Khea arches her eyebrows and says, "Let me see the mask."
After Scufflebutt(?) hands her the mask, Khea enters her house, motioning for the three adventurers to follow. For the next half hour she studies the gold cast funerary mask and consults several scrolls from the collection that is haphazardly strewn about her home. Just when it seems she is ready to reveal what she has discovered, she sets the mask down and rifles through a few more scrolls. She says nothing to Muraz, Evios, or Scufflebutt as she goes about her business. At last, she sighs heavily, and speaks. "The first line of characters reads 'Hid from eyes of mortals and gods/Lies wither in Orestes’s rot.'"
She pauses momentarily before explaining, "That line of text is purposefully direct. It is a line from a paean to Phenax."
She then holds up the gold mask, seemingly studying it, and adds, "As for the rest of the ciphers, they are incomplete. Letters have been removed from the message in some indiscernible pattern. Without knowing what the other letters are, the writing is impossible to decode—even with magic—since it isn’t a meaningful message in its partial form."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Evios's face reddens as his charm spell is detected, and thwarted, by Khea. I...I...I did not mean you any harm, madame. I set out from my home and family to make a name for myself, and it seems I'm succeeding, just not in the way I'd hoped.
Upon Khea's explanation of the mask, Evios asks, What does that line mean? What is hid from the eyes of mortals and gods? Where is Oreste's rot? And why is your name on the mask? Are you in danger???
Persuasion:11
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
"I do recognize the name Orestes. He was one of Phenax's earliest followers, and was said to be a master thief. More importantly, many say Orestes was an oracle who foresaw who would become Returned," remarks Khea.
For the first time since her guests arrived, Khea sits down. She continues, "Orestes's rot...well...that could refer to the Court of Orestes, the legendary tomb of Orestes himself. And according to myth, the site also holds Phenax’s Silence, though none know if the name is that of an actual object or merely a poetic flourish."
After a brief pause, she says, "No, I don't know why my name is inscribed on that mask Am I in danger? I don't know the answer to that. My position...my abilities...may be a threat to some, but I know not whom."
The old woman doesn't seem concerned about her well-being. She then adds a final remark about the mask. "The fact that this readable line begins the inscription causes me to think that the key to translating the full message lies in the tomb."
Evios is beginning to feel like his old self again and his eyes shine when Khea mentions the tomb. Addressing his companions he says, I don't know about you two, but I think a trip to this tomb of Orestes is in order. Sounds like it could be a fun adventure and an opportunity to earn some respect around here.
And to Khea, Thank you for the information!Ummmmm, would you have any idea where this tomb is?
A very relieved Muraz who was about to be a very broke/in debt Muraz begins to ask...
Thank you for a good show of strength, you have given me more excitement then the battle I fought in today. If I can even call it a battle! Not once was I even scraped in the fray. TRULY I AM MURAZ, THE UNSCARRED! HAHAHAHA!!! *cough* *cough* Ahem- Uh anyways, my questions are in regards to that encounter. We were attacked by some Returned who were chasing another of there kind. Seems kind of odd to see them fighting amongst themselves, don't you think? Is this a common occurrence in this area? And also, are there any Returned or people who are knowledgeable in the Returned in Setessa, perhaps a creature who deals in funerary masks and ostraka?
Upon hearing Parados's initial "Ha!" after beating Muraz, the young druid is startled out of his drunken stupor. Seeing that his new companion is attempting another wager, Evios casts Guidance upon him. With a slap on the minotaur's back, the centaur mumbles, Good luck, friend. I hope you win shhhhhhome money.....hiccup, and then proceeds to vomit all over the tavern floor. Whoops, he says with a chuckle, and off in the distance the entire tavern hears a flock of pigeons coo.
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
6, 5, 1
Parados glances at Evios and shakes his head in mild disgust. "What a mess that is," he remarks.
He then turns his attention to Muraz. "Returned? Funerary masks and ostraka? " he repeats, indicating his uncertainty about such matters.
Parados shakes his head a second time. "Can't say that I have much knowledge about the Returned. Not at all. Certainly there are folks who know such things in Setessa, but I'm not one."
A rather sour-faced triton female who is sitting nearby, suddenly interjects her own thoughts into the conversation. "The buying and selling of anything associated with the Returned is not well-received in Setessa."
Scufflebutt, feeling as if the conversation isn't getting very far decides to interject and addresses the triton.
Well, like my friend here already asked, is there anywhere or anyone in Setessa who just might have some information? Perhaps someone a little bit more, you could say, underground? I'd have to imagine that there's someone in this whole city that could help us.
Persuasion: 10
5
17
The triton stares into her glass of wine and says, "Khea. She may know something of use to you."
She then gives a brief set of directions, explaining where Khea's house can be found.
Khea...
The name instantly brings Scufflebutt's mind to the funerary mask with the same name inscribed into it.
All the gratitude, stranger. Let me refill that glass for you.
Turning to her newfound party members, but really just addressing Muraz as Evios seemed to be on another plane, What say you, fellas? Shall we find a place to rest tonight and then head out to this Khea woman first thing?
Sounds like a good idea to me, my small-horned friend. I believe we should put the centaur to rest. I am curious to see who this Khea person is.
Muraz says farewell to Parados, remarking how he would love to duel with him in the future. He drags Evios along with the help of Scufflebutt.
As Muraz and Scufflebutt begin to drag Evios along, hiccups reeking of ale and vomit begin to escape from his lips, one after the other. While his body convulses with one frightfully large hiccup, the centaur accidentally Wild Shape's himself into a hyena. Forgetting in his stupor that he can no longer speak a comprehend-able language, Evi-Hyena unleashes a series of unsettling cackles that cause every crow in the vicinity to caw with ear-shattering intensity. A smack on the head from the satyr quiets Evi-Hyena until they reach the Inn Parados kindly directed them to.
As an action, you can magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before twice per short rest. [2nd] Max CR 1/4 (no flying or swimming speed) [4th] Max CR 1/2 (no flying speed) [8th] Max CR 1
You can stay in beast shape for 1 hours before reverting back to your normal form (or as a bonus action earlier or if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die).
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
The full-moon Abora, as it typically does, has drawn many visitors to Setessa; therefore, finding traditional lodgings proves to be a difficult task for the three adventurers. In the end, they relegate themselves to accepting the offer of staying the night in an empty stable. The weather is fair, and the straw is abundant; so, all in all, the place serves its purpose and costs a mere 5 copper pieces for the night.
CON check for Evios: 7
The next morning, Muraz and Scufflebutt are both eager and alert as they travel the tidy and attractive streets of Setessa toward Khea's home. Evios, however, is far from feeling well. He is barely alert and moves slowly.
(Level 2 exhaustion for Evios: disadvantage on all ability checks and movement speed is halved for next four hours)
Eventually, the three adventurers reach any ivy-covered cottage that stands near the edge of the polis. A knock upon the door is answered by a hurried, "A minute's time, please!"
When the door does open, a small, aged human woman peers out from a cramped house. Behind her, the three adventurers can see a large number of scrolls and books upon the walls and and several bunches of drying lavender. She eyes the satyr, the minotaur, and the centaur with mild suspicion before saying, "Very busy today! Come first thing tomorrow, please."
And she steps back and prepares to close the door...
Muraz uses his hoof as a door jam to hold the door open...
You see tomorrow I am busy, getting the horns shined. We are looking for Rhea, does that name ring a bell?
Persuasion: 9
"Rhea? No, you mean Khea, don't you, Mr. Shinyhorns?" the woman replies as she looks down at Muraz's massive hoof.
"I'm Khea, and, as I've said, I'll see you tomorrow. Surely your matter can wait another day."
Evios, though still quite green and ill from his shenanigans the previous evening, decides he must intervene with some of his druidic charm. Peaking his head around the minotaur, he smiles at Khea. Madame, we have been told you possess great wisdom and insight and my companions and I were hoping to avail ourselves of it. Please, couldn't you spare just a few moments of your time?
Charm Person
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
WIS save for Khea: 19, if necessary
Initiative: Evios 11 vs Khea 21
WIS save for Evios: 17, if necessary
Despite his less-than-optimal mental condition, Evios is able to cast his spell before Khea can prevent him from doing so. The centaur's spell, however, fails to charm the old woman.
"There will be none of that!" she exclaims as she responds to Evios's trick.
2
Belying her aged appearance, she rapidly steps out of her doorway and reaches toward Evios with her left hand...
7 | 6 force damage
...and sends a powerful blast of energy through the centaur's body. "Do not play such games with me. I shall not be so gentle a second time."
Muraz and Scufflebutt may take an action if they wish...
Whoa whoa whoa! Let's hold up here. No more fighting is needed! Stupid games, stupid prizes. Am I right, Evios? Anyways, how wise would it be to take on the three of us at once... really, Khea? I wouldn't want to lose my temper now, I am trying to move on from that part of me.
Muraz grabs his morning star from his side and lets it rest on his shoulder.
Intimidation: 20
"This is becoming quite tiresome!" Khea blurts.
She looks at Evios and says, "You offer me a pathetic attempt at charming."
She shoots a glare at Muraz and says, "You offer me minotaur bravado and threats."
She shakes her head at Scufflebutt and says, "And you...you...you stand there, saying nothing about your friends' nonsense!"
Turning back to Muraz, Khea asks, "Why are you here? Be direct. Use your mouth if you can. Not your weapon."
"
Scufflebutt having had enough of her idiotic party members decides to intervene. Stepping forward and thwacking them both upside the head, she bows her head towards Khea.
You blithering idiots. Have you no respect at all for this woman? We have come to her home and you have the audacity to attempt to charm her and then threaten her? Imbeciles. My dear apologies, madame. I know you may not want to speak with us, but this is regarding an urgent matter about the Returned. We have discovered your name on a mask worn by a Returned so we believe you may be of some help to us.
Persuasion: 15
Before Muraz can respond to Khea's question, Scufflebutt mentions the details about the mask. Khea arches her eyebrows and says, "Let me see the mask."
After Scufflebutt(?) hands her the mask, Khea enters her house, motioning for the three adventurers to follow. For the next half hour she studies the gold cast funerary mask and consults several scrolls from the collection that is haphazardly strewn about her home. Just when it seems she is ready to reveal what she has discovered, she sets the mask down and rifles through a few more scrolls. She says nothing to Muraz, Evios, or Scufflebutt as she goes about her business. At last, she sighs heavily, and speaks. "The first line of characters reads 'Hid from eyes of mortals and gods/Lies wither in Orestes’s rot.'"
She pauses momentarily before explaining, "That line of text is purposefully direct. It is a line from a paean to Phenax."
She then holds up the gold mask, seemingly studying it, and adds, "As for the rest of the ciphers, they are incomplete. Letters have been removed from the message in some indiscernible pattern. Without knowing what the other letters are, the writing is impossible to decode—even with magic—since it isn’t a meaningful message in its partial form."
Evios's face reddens as his charm spell is detected, and thwarted, by Khea. I...I...I did not mean you any harm, madame. I set out from my home and family to make a name for myself, and it seems I'm succeeding, just not in the way I'd hoped.
Upon Khea's explanation of the mask, Evios asks, What does that line mean? What is hid from the eyes of mortals and gods? Where is Oreste's rot? And why is your name on the mask? Are you in danger???
Persuasion: 11
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers
"I do recognize the name Orestes. He was one of Phenax's earliest followers, and was said to be a master thief. More importantly, many say Orestes was an oracle who foresaw who would become Returned," remarks Khea.
For the first time since her guests arrived, Khea sits down. She continues, "Orestes's rot...well...that could refer to the Court of Orestes, the legendary tomb of Orestes himself. And according to myth, the site also holds Phenax’s Silence, though none know if the name is that of an actual object or merely a poetic flourish."
After a brief pause, she says, "No, I don't know why my name is inscribed on that mask Am I in danger? I don't know the answer to that. My position...my abilities...may be a threat to some, but I know not whom."
The old woman doesn't seem concerned about her well-being. She then adds a final remark about the mask. "The fact that this readable line begins the inscription causes me to think that the key to translating the full message lies in the tomb."
Evios is beginning to feel like his old self again and his eyes shine when Khea mentions the tomb. Addressing his companions he says, I don't know about you two, but I think a trip to this tomb of Orestes is in order. Sounds like it could be a fun adventure and an opportunity to earn some respect around here.
And to Khea, Thank you for the information! Ummmmm, would you have any idea where this tomb is?
‘The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.’ - Buffy Summers