Crinkle is indeed being truthful and is extremely remorseful.
"The book is in my room. Come. I will show you." Crinkle says. Taking you there, Crinkle reveals, on another wall, a hidden compartment, and pulls out the book.
It's a children’s book of gnomish design, with a cover made of wood and copper. The front cover bears a faded, hand-painted rendering of a round millstone. The book is square, eighteen inches along each edge of the cover. A silver music box set into the book’s spine is heavily dented at one end. The book has no pages in the typical sense, but it opens to reveal a pop-up cutaway illustration of a quaint watermill made of painted panels of wood, tin, canvas, and leather. It’s a clockwork device designed to animate four separate scenes while a music box built into the book’s spine plays a metallic tune - the same one in your head. The mechanized scenes feature cutout figurines of members of a family dying in a series of grisly ways as a shadowy figure looks on. The images are as follows: A mother chops off the feet and ear of her husband with a scythe. The family dog bites off the mother’s hand. The son drowns in a river while washing clothes.
The air around you feels thick. It presses in on you from all sides, prickling your nerves. Your muscles twitch, as though something is yanking on them with invisible strings.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ecko's eyes widen as Crinkle tells her tale. He fully understood the desire to collect any trinket and bauble that catches his attention. He casts a jerky, sheepish look around the room and ensures the lid to his burlap sack is shut. He had reassigned the ownership to a few items in his time in Candlekeep. He makes a mental note to check each one for curses before fiddling with them.
He gives Crinkle a protective hug - seeing the one other Kenku in Candlekeep so distraught quieted the usually energetic Ecko's spirit. "I understand, Crinkle. It's not your fault. When I worked in the Omnismelter I needed a certain type of screw to complete an arcane cannon prototype I was developing. I couldn't find any so I, well - took it from another gnome's prototype, and he lifted some parts from another person's project, and so on. Before we knew it, the arcane portal generator fired up, and - here I am. We'll solve this. Just stay safe. Please?" He flashes as best a smile a beak can give off before turning around and following to the book in question.
Ecko is usually twitchy. Much like pigeons floating around Candlekeep's square in a hunt for spare crumbs, his actions are jerky and quick. The pricks of the air cause him to move like a deranged marionette as he fights whatever was causing it. He frowns and looks on in horror at the grisly depictions shown by the book. Still, that doesn't stop him from poring over the book in search of clues of how to stop it.
The damage to the exterior of the box is immediately noticeable to Ecko. Eralynn leans over to see what you're looking at. The music box is damaged. Inside the music box is a brass cylinder dotted with tiny pegs. When the cylinder turns, narrow bits of metal pluck the pegs to produce the notes of the melody. The cylinder is sitting askew, which prevents it from working properly. Fixing the music box requires three successful DC 15 Dexterity checks, each check requiring an action. You have no idea what will happen once it's fixed. The words to the rhyme sing over and over again in your heads.
As Ysabell looked over the children's book with the others, she couldn't help but find the book a bit grim for a children's book, even for her. Nevertheless, she was intrigued with it's unique design and make-up.
After Ecko was able to determine what was damaged with the book, Raastin, who had been lost in thought recently, stepped forward and attempted to put the book back into proper working order.
Raastin DEX Checks (with Guidance from Ysa & Ecko!!):
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As Raastin works on the music box he can hear an entities voice whispering maddeningly in his mind! Raastin have succeeded in repairing the music box but must pay a price. Make three DC 13 Intelligence saving throws, taking 13 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Something is manifesting from the book! Something has been unleashed!
(I’m unsure where Raastin is, if he’s being piloted, or who’s piloting him, so I guess I’ll roll for him?)
Save1 - 21 Save2 - 22 Save3 - 6
Ecko’s smile of glee as the contraption is completed - any finished work was beautiful to him, even if they did spread curses; at least this one seemed efficient in the task it sought to complete, he respected that - rapidly turns to one of horror as Raastin evidently experiences some mental discomfort. He quickly fumbles in his bag for a needle of still-bubbling red liquid and injects Raastin’s arm (Cure Wounds for 12 points of healing. He quickly turns around. “What was that? Is someone there? Did something come out? Did we finish it? Did we unleash something?” he babbles in a jumble of voices. A bad feeling settled in his stomach.
The book trembles, and its mechanical inner workings squeal to a halt for a moment before whirring back to life. You hear clicks, and shadows burst forth from the book like steam from a kettle, collecting along the ceiling until wisps of darkness outline a vague humanoid figure. Meanwhile, the scenes inside the book transform, creating an entirely new picture that includes tiny cutout figures of yourselves.
Eralynn screamed.
"Shemshine! Shemshine!"it screams, announcing itself, the words of the lyrics blasting in your head, it bellows: "See a mother scything wheat, forgotten husband sleeping near. With one swing she took his feet, with another took his ear! Does the shadow have a name? SHEMSHIME! Causes grief, avoids the blame! SHEMSHIME!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
“Hey, uh, Shemshime, was it? Could you explain how you managed to change the images on the books so quickly? I mean, it’s fascinating, really - I wonder if there’s a mechanical or magical portion to it-“ Ecko begins before immediately realizing the thing is here to kill them all. He unleashes a small sigh and brings his shield forwards.
Garmus can't believe what he is seeing and now what he is hearing. "What in the nine hells?" He covers his ears as the thing screams and then yells right back at it. "Yer not gettin' anywhere near us ya mammering windsucker!" Garmus pulls out his axe and shield. "Come on boy, get yer poker out!" Garmus gives Raastin a shake to get him back into the game.
GET YOUR POKER OUT Eralynn21,Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP40), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
Raastin's first attack hits, but it doesn't seem to hurt it like it should!
GET YOUR POKER OUT Eralynn21,Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP35),Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
"See a mother scything wheat! Forgotten husband sleeping near! With one swing she took his feet! With another took his ear! Does the shadow have a name? SHEMSHIME! Causes grief, avoids the blame! SHEMSHIME!"it screams.
Shemshine attacks Garmus with Maddening Touch! Attack: 21 Damage: 15
You can feel your entire body wither, painfully.
GET YOUR POKER OUT Eralynn21,Raastin20,Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP35),Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
In a surprisingly organized manner, Ecko charges forwards towards the creature. He rams his shield into the literal nightmare before fumbling for a contraption in his pocket - the world’s most hellish spin on an eclectic yo-yo unfurls from Ecko’s palm as a ball of flame gathers attached to a string. Wielding it like a mace, Ecko rams the Flaming Sphere into the creature.
Action - Flaming Sphere at 3rd-level. DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw for 9 points of fire damage, half on success. As a Bonus Action, he spins around and rams the sphere into the ghost again. Another DC15 Dexterity ST for 11 fire damage, half on success.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Garmus swings his axe twice at the apparition with a loud battle cry.
Attack: 11 Damage: 5
Extra Damage 6
Maneuvers: Menacing Attack (Special)
When you hit with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to add the total to the damage roll and the target must make a WIS saving throw (DC 15). On failure, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
Crinkle is indeed being truthful and is extremely remorseful.
"The book is in my room. Come. I will show you." Crinkle says. Taking you there, Crinkle reveals, on another wall, a hidden compartment, and pulls out the book.
It's a children’s book of gnomish design, with a cover made of wood and copper. The front cover bears a faded, hand-painted rendering of a round millstone. The book is square, eighteen inches along each edge of the cover. A silver music box set into the book’s spine is heavily dented at one end. The book has no pages in the typical sense, but it opens to reveal a pop-up cutaway illustration of a quaint watermill made of painted panels of wood, tin, canvas, and leather. It’s a clockwork device designed to animate four separate scenes while a music box built into the book’s spine plays a metallic tune - the same one in your head. The mechanized scenes feature cutout figurines of members of a family dying in a series of grisly ways as a shadowy figure looks on. The images are as follows: A mother chops off the feet and ear of her husband with a scythe. The family dog bites off the mother’s hand. The son drowns in a river while washing clothes.
The air around you feels thick. It presses in on you from all sides, prickling your nerves. Your muscles twitch, as though something is yanking on them with invisible strings.
Investigation DC12: ?!?!?!?
Ecko's eyes widen as Crinkle tells her tale. He fully understood the desire to collect any trinket and bauble that catches his attention. He casts a jerky, sheepish look around the room and ensures the lid to his burlap sack is shut. He had reassigned the ownership to a few items in his time in Candlekeep. He makes a mental note to check each one for curses before fiddling with them.
He gives Crinkle a protective hug - seeing the one other Kenku in Candlekeep so distraught quieted the usually energetic Ecko's spirit. "I understand, Crinkle. It's not your fault. When I worked in the Omnismelter I needed a certain type of screw to complete an arcane cannon prototype I was developing. I couldn't find any so I, well - took it from another gnome's prototype, and he lifted some parts from another person's project, and so on. Before we knew it, the arcane portal generator fired up, and - here I am. We'll solve this. Just stay safe. Please?" He flashes as best a smile a beak can give off before turning around and following to the book in question.
Ecko is usually twitchy. Much like pigeons floating around Candlekeep's square in a hunt for spare crumbs, his actions are jerky and quick. The pricks of the air cause him to move like a deranged marionette as he fights whatever was causing it. He frowns and looks on in horror at the grisly depictions shown by the book. Still, that doesn't stop him from poring over the book in search of clues of how to stop it.
Investigation (Guidance): 12
The damage to the exterior of the box is immediately noticeable to Ecko. Eralynn leans over to see what you're looking at. The music box is damaged. Inside the music box is a brass cylinder dotted with tiny pegs. When the cylinder turns, narrow bits of metal pluck the pegs to produce the notes of the melody. The cylinder is sitting askew, which prevents it from working properly. Fixing the music box requires three successful DC 15 Dexterity checks, each check requiring an action. You have no idea what will happen once it's fixed. The words to the rhyme sing over and over again in your heads.
As Ysabell looked over the children's book with the others, she couldn't help but find the book a bit grim for a children's book, even for her. Nevertheless, she was intrigued with it's unique design and make-up.
After Ecko was able to determine what was damaged with the book, Raastin, who had been lost in thought recently, stepped forward and attempted to put the book back into proper working order.
Raastin DEX Checks (with Guidance from Ysa & Ecko!!):
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
As Raastin works on the music box he can hear an entities voice whispering maddeningly in his mind! Raastin have succeeded in repairing the music box but must pay a price. Make three DC 13 Intelligence saving throws, taking 13 psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Something is manifesting from the book! Something has been unleashed!
(I’m unsure where Raastin is, if he’s being piloted, or who’s piloting him, so I guess I’ll roll for him?)
Save1 - 21
Save2 - 22
Save3 - 6
Ecko’s smile of glee as the contraption is completed - any finished work was beautiful to him, even if they did spread curses; at least this one seemed efficient in the task it sought to complete, he respected that - rapidly turns to one of horror as Raastin evidently experiences some mental discomfort. He quickly fumbles in his bag for a needle of still-bubbling red liquid and injects Raastin’s arm (Cure Wounds for 12 points of healing. He quickly turns around. “What was that? Is someone there? Did something come out? Did we finish it? Did we unleash something?” he babbles in a jumble of voices. A bad feeling settled in his stomach.
The book trembles, and its mechanical inner workings squeal to a halt for a moment before whirring back to life. You hear clicks, and shadows burst forth from the book like steam from a kettle, collecting along the ceiling until wisps of darkness outline a vague humanoid figure. Meanwhile, the scenes inside the book transform, creating an entirely new picture that includes tiny cutout figures of yourselves.
Eralynn screamed.
"Shemshine! Shemshine!" it screams, announcing itself, the words of the lyrics blasting in your head, it bellows: "See a mother scything wheat, forgotten husband sleeping near. With one swing she took his feet, with another took his ear! Does the shadow have a name? SHEMSHIME! Causes grief, avoids the blame! SHEMSHIME!"
Roll for initiative.
“Hey, uh, Shemshime, was it? Could you explain how you managed to change the images on the books so quickly? I mean, it’s fascinating, really - I wonder if there’s a mechanical or magical portion to it-“ Ecko begins before immediately realizing the thing is here to kill them all. He unleashes a small sigh and brings his shield forwards.
Initiative! 11
DEATH: 13
Garmus can't believe what he is seeing and now what he is hearing. "What in the nine hells?" He covers his ears as the thing screams and then yells right back at it. "Yer not gettin' anywhere near us ya mammering windsucker!" Garmus pulls out his axe and shield. "Come on boy, get yer poker out!" Garmus gives Raastin a shake to get him back into the game.
Init: 3
Init Raastin 20
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP40), Ecko11, Garmus3
Eraylnn: 21
Eralynn casts Faerie fire, yo! DC15 DEX save: 19
Eralynn grunted in frustration.
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP40), Ecko11, Garmus3
Who would like to roll for our boi.
(mobile)
Ysa initiative: 11
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP40), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
Raastin jumps forward with his short swords to attack the creature.
Short sword Attack: 15 Damage: 5
Offhand Attack: 8 Damage: 5
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP40), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
Raastin's first attack hits, but it doesn't seem to hurt it like it should!
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP35), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
"See a mother scything wheat! Forgotten husband sleeping near! With one swing she took his feet! With another took his ear! Does the shadow have a name? SHEMSHIME! Causes grief, avoids the blame! SHEMSHIME!" it screams.
Shemshine attacks Garmus with Maddening Touch!
Attack: 21 Damage: 15
You can feel your entire body wither, painfully.
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP35), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
In a surprisingly organized manner, Ecko charges forwards towards the creature. He rams his shield into the literal nightmare before fumbling for a contraption in his pocket - the world’s most hellish spin on an eclectic yo-yo unfurls from Ecko’s palm as a ball of flame gathers attached to a string. Wielding it like a mace, Ecko rams the Flaming Sphere into the creature.
Action - Flaming Sphere at 3rd-level.
DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw for 9 points of fire damage, half on success.
As a Bonus Action, he spins around and rams the sphere into the ghost again. Another DC15 Dexterity ST for 11 fire damage, half on success.
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP35), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
Here's the saves: 15, 10 Kerplow!
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP20), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
(Mobile)
Pulling out her Scythe, Ysa smashed it to the ground releasing a melodious clang that somehow was also in tune with the song in her head.
Toll the Dead: DC15 WIS Save or take 17 Necrotic Damage
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Garmus swings his axe twice at the apparition with a loud battle cry.
Attack: 11 Damage: 5
When you hit with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to add the total to the damage roll and the target must make a WIS saving throw (DC 15). On failure, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
2nd Attack: 27 Damage: 15
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP20), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3
Here's the save! 22 - but it has no effect!!
Garmus swings! He hits! Twice!! YES!! But Crispy is dumb and forgot the save! 13 - Shemshine is afraid!!!
GET YOUR POKER OUT
Eralynn21, Raastin20, Shemshine(13)(AC13/HP11), Ecko11, Ysa11, Garmus3