Dragon of Icespire Peak - Campaign 2

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | O3(s) | KD | O2(b)

The harrowing toll of the Shrine’s bell echoes with Hamish’s call for resolve. Death claws up from the depths of the earth to rake at the baned Ogre’s feet. 

O2 ST VS Hamish’s DC13: 15 - 1 Bane

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | O3(s) | KD | O2(b)

As if she foresaw Onu’s intentions, the hooded wizard moves with the monk as he drops his bolt thrower. When he steps before her to leap from the tower, he feels her delicate hand rest upon his hip. At Fae’s touch, he hears her melodic voice sing in an ethereal language. His eyes ink black, yet his vision couldn’t be more clear, as if the sight of the divine was gifted to him for a time. 

Onu leaps from the tower. As expected, his landing was hard and rough amongst the rubble. Small debris bursted from the impact scattering dust about, but that didn’t stop him from pressing forward. Eyes watering from the dirt, his vision holds long enough for him to execute his attacks. It was like he could see a purple sparkling hue marking where he should aim his first attack against his target. His blade sticks into the Ogre’s chest, managing to sink between two ribs.

Special: Portent

Fae’s Divination Magic - 1 Portent use (16)
Onu’s Opening Attack: 16 instead of 11, making it a hit for 8 damage

Onu’s eyes clear, returning back to their original colour as he’s bringing his foot down on his second attack. His boot connects with the hilt of his blade, driving it deeper into his opponents chest. The Ogre hits the ground lifeless and the monk is left grasping at air for a finishing move.

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | KD | O2(b)

Roll Call: KD!

(teamwork makes the dream work!)

KD's eyes narrow and shoots again at the ogre. She shakes her head to clear it. 

Attack: 18 Damage: 4

Hal also races forward to chomp on toes.

Attack: 6 Damage: 5

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | KD | O2(b)

KD tries her best but shaky hands cause her to shoot wide of her target. However, Hal whips round and manages to bite off a toe!

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | KD | O2(s)(b)

The remaining ogre bellows in pain as the mechanical monkey scraps his 'little piggy' for dinner. Although looking pretty beat up, the wasn't ready to go 'wee wee wee' all the way home. He still had some fight left in him.

Remembering he has a greatclub and that he can bat at this pesky intruder, the baned ogre takes a swing!

VS Onu (AC17)
Attack: 14 Damage: 9 - Bane: 4 (to hit)
(W/ DA Assuming Hal will react to try to swat it away.)

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | KD | O2(s)(b)

Fae steps forward. Standing with her toes at exposed tower's edge and fists clenched at her sides, the hooded wizard looks down upon the final beast standing between her and the shrine. Hamish was right. "Nova. We're done playing around." Enough was enough. "Let's stop holding back."

Nova gasps. "Oh goodie!" She bounces and starts to clap. Then, she furrows her brows, shifting into a more 'serious mode'. "Bring on the night!" Nova throws her hands up into the air, tossing a handful of tiny little seeds. Wiggling her fingers, the sky darkens and moonlight glow is casted down upon the Ogre.

Vs O2
Moonbeam: 3 Con DC13
OT ST: 5 - Bane: 4

[To be continued...]

Initiative 
F | N | H | O | KD | O2(s)(b)

Beneath her hood, Fae's eye's widen as she's hit with foresight. She lifts a foot and slams it down onto a crumbling brick in front of her. A pebble spits out as if with calculated force and trajectory. It pings off Hal's head, ricocheting into the Ogre's eye. A potentially deadly strike swings wide of Onu, grazing his hair.

Special: Portent

Fae’s Divination Magic - Final Portent use (3)
Ogre's attack of 18 (22-4) making it a 3 for a miss! No damage.

Nova's silvery beam of pale light shines down and the Ogre is engulfed in ghostly flames, causing visible burns over his exposed flesh. He screams in searing pain.

Gritting her teeth, a bead of sweat trickles down Fae's temple. The wizard draws a new breath. She begins a low melodic chant, bringing her hands up to her chest. Creating a diamond shape by touching her fingers and thumbs together, she aligns the space with her arcane gem. It lights up a vibrant purple to her words. Upon reaching it's brightest point, like a micro star about to burst, four darts shoot out to strike the Ogre across it's chest.

Vs O2
Magic Missiles: 16

[Calculating...]

Fae's missiles rip through her targets core, sending him careening back. The Ogre hits the ground with a thud, now a sizzling, steaming corpse.

Initiative Over!

KD races down past the ogre corpses to Hal and Onu to check if they are okay. She listens for anything else around that is making noise…

Onu watches, wide-eyed and frozen in fear as the massive club comes swinging in for a killing blow.  He knew the risks dropping off the wall, but didn't expect the end to come so quickly - or leave behind such a messy corpse.

He sees with horrifying clarity the club smash into him, crushing his lithe body and driving him into the dirt, the massive monstrosity standing over him and gloating.

And then the pebble.  The club swings wide, arcane blasts hammer the creature and before Onu can recover himself from the shock of being alive the battle is over.

He stands amid the corpses, bloodied, bruised, tailor suit torn to shreds.  But he was alive.

He looks up to see KD and Hal come charging towards him and in an uncharacteristic moment of jubliance grabs them both into a giant bear hug, swirling them around in pure glee at finding them all alive.

Hamish will climb down the wall and move over to Onu.  "That was brave of you.  A little foolish but brave."  Hamish will cast Healing Word on Onu 4.  "That will make you feel a bit better.  How is everyone else doing?  Those guys were so big.  Should we go check on the shrine or do you think there are more bad guys?"

Fae’s body language would relax slightly in satisfaction when the final brute hits the ground with a thud. As she does, she’s also hit with a new layer of fatigue. While she didn’t expel every drop of her magic, she did unleash most of her reserves and some of her strongest magic. Tapping into her divination foresight always took its tole on her… A small headache piques at her brain.

Meanwhile the compact bundle of energy that is Nova, springs to life. She bounces and chimes, celebrating their success as if she had just won at a board game. Her hips wiggle and she throws her hands up in the air. With an enthusiastic ‘whoop!’, Nova scurries off down the tower to catch up with the others below. She pokes at the bodies.

Shortly after, Fae calmly makes her way down as well. Reaching the base of the tower, she finally pulls down her hood. While she does stand herself with the group, Fae’s mind is far away while her eyes stare off to the shrine. She was so close to her objective… 

“I forgot I got some bobo’s earlier, but I think I’m okay right now!” Nova beams to Hammish. 

KD, nor any of the others, hear anything amiss.

”Orcs and Ogres were all I’ve observed after they ran out the wererats…” Fae breaks her silence, but not her gaze upon the shrine. “I don’t sense anything else.”

Onu recovers himself, releasing KD and Hal with a smile and a shake.  Turning back to the task at hand, he cleans his gleaming blade on the remnants of the nearest ogre, before sheathing it back in it's walking stick holder.  He then offers to  Help anyone in searching the bodies on the ground - starting with the Orges before making his way back to the Orcs outside.  Along the way he recovers his bolt thrower from the top of the tower, carefully folding it up and putting it back in its usual resting place along his back.

(OOC: Onu has no investigation skills at all - so happy to defer to KD or Hammy)

"I know everyone is pretty beat.  I am too.  I think we should at least go see the shrine and find out what kind of condition it's in.  Maybe then we can rest a bit and figure out what to do next. I really hope that we find something to cure me..."  His voice trails off.  Hamish looks around nervously as he talks, feeling like he's being watched.  He wanders off from the group without waiting to hear an answer to his suggestion and casts [Tooltip Not Found].  He' not really expecting to find anything but his skin was crawling.  He tries to remind himself that he still had time before he turned but it was almost as if he could feel the curse moving inside him.  He couldn't describe it other than the feeling of something that shouldn't be there, a parasite of sorts.  With the adrenalin fading, the tears came again.  He hated that he kept crying around these people who were so heroic.  Why couldn't he be more like them instead of scared all the time?  

(Sorry! Tooltip not found. What spell is Hamish casting?)

Between KD, Hal and Onu, they manage to round up some pocket change amongst the various bodies scattered about.

Monies found: 36g 166c

Nova meanders curiously after Hamish when he trails off. She gives him some space at first, but eventually wanders up and places a gentle reassuring hand on his arm. Reaching up with her other hand, he feels something soft and spongy tenderly dabbing of his tears. "It's okay to feel your feelings Hamish." Her voice was soft and should he look at her in her hand was a piece of dinner roll she must have stashed from earlier. "And it's okay to be different." Nom. She shoves the roll in her mouth to eat it, then smiles wide at him with full chipmunk cheeks.

(Take your time to RP as you'd like please :) )

(When ready to continue...)

Looking ahead as others wander about, Fae's eyes fall distant. After a pause, her face turns determined and she pulls her hood up. She couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know...

Fae marches forward, stepping over the bodies to get to the front doors of the shrine. Approaching them, she doesn't stop. She presses forward and pushes both doors open with focused intent. They swing open wide. Dust scatters.

Light floods into the main hall. Fae's silhouette can be seen walking through the main hall and belfry. Rows of crumbling pillars support the 40-foot-high vaulted ceiling of this 30 by 60 foot hall. Humanoid bones litter the dusty floor, and a 10-foot-square hole in the ceiling leads to the belfry.

Fae doesn't stop. The sounds of her determined footsteps carrying her across the hall echo through the emptiness of the space. Closing in on the far side, she's greeted by yet another set of double doors. Placing a hand on each one, the wizard pushes hard once more. They swing open wide. Dust scatters.

Light floods into this new room. Six stone pillars brace the vaulted ceiling of this temple, the floor of which is buried under a thick layer of dust. Also covered in dust are four humanoid skeletons in tattered priestly vestments, lying near a stone altar situated in an alcove under four narrow windows. Carved into the front of the altar is a humanoid eye.

(Feel free to take your time to move about these spaces.)

KD holds onto Onu tightly, very relieved he is okay. She also hugs her small robot monkey. She looks around and is shocked to find everyone okay. She barely has a chance to help search the bodies or repair Hal before Fae moves into the shrine like a creeping fog, intent on discovering what’s inside. With apologetic looks at Onu and Hal, she stands and follows the spellcaster inside, eyes alert and looking for anything still dangerous or fascinating, or especially hidden. 

Investigation: 14

Hamish casted Eyes of the Grave

Hamish feels warmth spread across his cheeks as Nova talks to him.  He sees her eat the roll dipped in tears.  "Careful, you don't want to catch my curse."  Hammy will playfully growl at her.  "It's not that I mind being different, I just don't want to hurt anyone innocent.  If I could have control after my transformation, that would be different.  I'd rather not take chances unless I could be sure.

Once Fae starts moving towards the shrine, Hamish will fall in closely behind.  When he sees the skeletons he will cast Eyes of the Grave again just to be sure.  Looking at the alter, he will try to remember is he knows anything about the symbol.  Religion check 14

Onu scoops up the loose change absentmindedly, tucking the coins into a series of inside pockets cleverly worked into his jacket.

As the group begins moving towards the shrine, Onu straightens his coat, looses his blade in it's wooden sheath and forms up as a rearguard, drifting along behind the rest making sure nothing catches them from behind unaware.

Perception 16

(@RK, I saw the investigation roll was at least a 16 before your last edit for the name change. I'll honour that number.)

From far down below (40ft), KD couldn't help but get drawn to looking up at the bell. There really wasn't anything else of interest and just couldn't shake the feeling that it was strange that the copper bell was untarnished. Squinting her eyes to take a real good look from where she stood, she notes that it’s sides are strangely thin for a functional bell. And, was the copper was peeling? Glint. There's something about that bell... your treasure hunter senses were tingling.

Hamish's eyes of the grave. Thank the gods, there was nothing sinister or undead hiding here. However, when his eyes fall upon the eye on the altar, he immediately recognizes it. It is He of the Third Eye.

The Shrine of Savras is a temple dedicated to Savras, god of fate and divination. Savras, the deity of wizards, divination, fate, and truth. Also known as the Lord of Divination lost his place as the god of spellcasters to Azuth and swore an oath of fealty to him, becoming the specific deity of his school of magic. While some believed He of the Third Eye guided the forces of destiny, others thought he knew all history but was unable to affect it, his emotionless demeanor a mask to hide his deep concern for Faerun's fate despite his relative inability to change it.

At this realization, Hamish would realize he's witnessed this magic recently. He also recognized a lot of this in Fae and can now conclude with certainty that she's a divination wizard. She came here for this... The Altar of Fate. This altar is one of legend...

Fae stood there almost paralyzed by the reality that she's finally here. She may finally know... Her heart aches... She reaches out tentatively.

Then when the artificer would join the spellcaster inside, KD realizes that the altar’s base doesn’t quite touch the floor...

KD looks up and says “that’s not a bell, it’s too pretty” and then as Fae moves forward on her path to the shrine she looks at the shrine. She sees the altar… floating? No, perhaps an untriggered trap. She grabs Fae’s hand and pulls her back from touching the altar. “Wait! Is it supposed to float?! Let’s take a breath and make sure you aren’t taking a step you regret.” 

Assuming Fae pauses and she doesn’t have to tackle her, she bends down and looks from floor level at the altar and also looks all around for trigger mechanisms or arcane threats. She is trying to puzzle this out. 

(Thanks! I don’t remember what it was exactly but it was definitely better than a 10! Curse you forums…)

Seeing KD grab Nova and then squat down on the floor the monk closes ranks a bit and loosens his blade in its sheath, standing so he covers the party's rear, his eyes and ears peeled for any signs of danger.  He's careful to stay 25 ft away from the altar, keeping just enough distance to be able to respond if something goes wrong.

'Hammy, back up a bit why don't you, give us a bit of a spread.' 

The monk cocks his eyebrow and gestures towards a spot 20 ft to his right, encouraging the party's healer to get back and out of way of any potential trap or magic effect centered on the altar.

Hamish is lost in thought but snaps out of it when Onu calls to him.  He moves back so he is also 25ft away from the alter.  He didn't think it was trapped but what did he know?  "I know about this shrine guys.  Savras was a mortal wizard who became a minor deity god of divination.  It is said he could see all but couldn't affect it.  Sounds like a bit of a curse to me.  Imagine knowing that a loved one was going to die tragically but not being able to stop it. Anyhoo... Fae, do you follow He of the Third Eye?  He's quite interesting.  If I remember correctly, he even had a cult form around him at one point but that was ages ago.  I don't think they're still active."  Hamish continues chattering absentmindedly.