Doozey shrugged, but intended to be the last in the room, assuming there is enough as it turned out. Prior to doing so from the back of Biscuit once more (Gravy having returned to Utar as well), he does have this to add, "And don't feel so bad, Mr. Graxx. This is an interesting scenario we all find ourselves in. And I've been trained to an extent to hunt the undead... Well, them and other creatures that go bump in the night. Ain't that right, Biscuit?" The mastiff just gives noncommital growl as he pads in after the others with Doozey in tow.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(OOC: Here's how the map look before you explore the opening ahead of you and to your left, assuming the characters are looking toward the right side of the map. Under the same assumption, there is a wall behind Doozey and Biscuit. The winding staircase around the nearby statue has collapsed. The hidden entrance to the Welcomers' stash in on the south wall of room 7. Let me know if you have any questions.)
Spurring the group forward, Graxx suggests they take a look at the opening to their left and begins to lead the party that way. From atop Biscuit, Doozey comforts the barbarian in his sense of helplessness while Neya calls for caution. Believing that the crying sounds are coming from the left, Utar agrees to check it out first. Cassyt is visibly afraid.
Peering into the opening, the group sees a room that is not much bigger than the one in which they rested with the Welcomers. Shape-wise, the main difference is that the back wall is circular instead of straight and forming square corners. The walls of this nearly semi-circular chamber are lined with what looks like a hundred loculi, each containing the bones of one or more deceased residents of Phlan. An obelisk stands in the center-back of the chamber. Its four faces are covered in mysterious runes and other symbols.
Behind the obelisk, and a bit to the side, the ghostly woman from before appears to be sitting in mid-air, as if there was an invisible bench beneath her. Her severed head floats a few inches above her neck, and her face is in her hands. She cries sorrowfully.
Utar takes a good long look at the obelisk and particularly the runic symbols. He wonders if there is some connection between them and ghostly woman perhaps?
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The moment Doozey lays eye on the ghostly woman his first instincts are to go for the sling. Even with doubt immediately playing at the back of the mind, so too did confidence in his blood hunter training. All it would take just a little blood and pain. The latter of which he was more than used to at this point. However, at Utar's uncertainty and Graxx' somewhat bold greeting, he hesitated in even drawing the sling before the ghost was likely to react.
So instead, he stays still and signals Biscuit in a subtle nudging to do the same. But even in stillness, and Big Mama Yondalla willing, his eyes remained intently glued on the ghost, searching for any signs confirming whether madness had over taken it, or if it seemed sane enough to possible reason with even if it were to turn immediately hostile..
(@Lerus: If initiative winds up being rolled, I'm willing to let the above still be Doozey's 1st action, provided no other hostiles also make their presence known before his turn.)
Strange sounds followed by unnatural silences create an unsettling atmosphere. The temperature in this chamber feels at least five degrees lower than elsewhere in the catacombs so far.
Regarding the ghost's presence as being of secondary interest, Utar approaches the obelisk from the opposite side to the one occupied by the apparition. Although he does not recognize the language used in the carvings, no close study is needed for the cleric to recognize the symbol universally attached to one of the major deities in Faerûn. Utar sees, in at least the two sides of the obelisk that he can see, the upright flaming sword that represents Tempus.
The rest of CRAP is more interested in the ghost. Neya allows herself a moment to think about what she might know about apparitions of this kind. She recalls from her juvenile studies that a ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a specific location, creature, or object that held significance to it in its life. Often, a ghost yearns to complete some unresolved task from its life. A ghost might not realize that it has died and continue the everyday routine of its life. Others are driven by wickedness or spite, as with a ghost that refuses to rest until some awful act of violence or terror is completed.
Doozey falls short of preparing an attack, opting to observe the apparition as Graxx attempts to engage it in conversation. The ethereal woman responds to the tribesman's greeting. Her voice is simultaneously wispy and echoic: "All I desire is to leave this dreadful place."Doozey notices that there are no physical or spectral tears coming down the woman's face. His best guess regarding her emotional state and capabilities is that they vary along a spectrum that includes profound sadness, loneliness, and unfulfilled yearning. She may be able to reason and engage, but likely has a much more limited range of emotions and reactions than a living being.
Doozey fights down a scowl, if only just. He prompts then for Biscuit to get a little closer to at least Neya and Graxx, whispering to them his findings to better assist in further negotations. Utar's words upon full digestion elicits a grimace out of the halfling, before in a hurry he adds, "'Preferably' without ya trying to hitch ride in one of us, if you would be so kind." With that said, he looks up to Graxx and Neya, nod once, then fall back to let them and Utar handle further negotations.
It's only after a moment or two that he thinks to glance over to Cassyt and gauge her own reaction to seeing the ghost again. While not an expert in the ways of Kelemvorites, knowing at least roughly their stance on the dead and undead, any motion from her that might suggest hostile intent would prompt him to quickly to grasp her hand and attention long enough to motion with his other for her to stay her intent.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(@Grx: Yes, with Utar already noticing/pointing at it and Graxx's passive perception score of 15, he would have indeed noticed Tempus' symbol.)
The questions and comments come one after the other. The decapitated lady does not respond right away. She looks into the eyes of each one of the living beings in this chamber and then speaks again: "I need to say goodbye to my mother. I need to leave this place and say my farewell." She looks at Doozey and adds: "A passenger within a living body... temporarily... nothing more."
At this, Cassyt takes a couple steps forward and begins to open her mouth, clearly ready to start scolding CRAP again. An attentive Doozey interrupts the young lady, holding her hand and assertively asking her to stay her words. She obeys for now, but the bargaining with grave-robbers then, and with the undead now, is clearly pushing the acolyte to the limit of her moral compass.
@Neya:
You have a feeling that something is off with the request. If a favor was all this spirit needed, if she was willing to engage in conversation, why be so aggressive at first? Surely a sane person/spirit would consider that the last resort, not the other way around, right? You don't necessarily doubt her motivation, maybe just a bit, but you fear this ghost might not be a reliable or trustworthy creature.
Seeing Cassyt's frustration, Doozey lips started to peel back in an instinctive desire to snarl at the brash acolyte. He catches him though, if only just, and follow a quiet sigh, motioned her to kneel into easier whispering range; his expression softening just prior to the motion. If she failed to obey however, it hardens once more, and he would let out a throaty growl that did not at all fit his small size. Regardless of which comes to pass, in either calm whispers or more terse ones he said to her, "You've been warned once. Conviction is well and good. But beyond the safety of your life above, don't expect it alone to get you anywhere down here. Least it just become a dagger by which to get yourself and your fellows killed.... or worse. Which as Kelemvorite, I'm sure your well aware of fates far worse than that."
He waits a moment to let the words sink in, before letting her go. "I know ya mean well. But, do be patient a bit more in these sort of things." He added quietly, and would keep his attention on Cassyt a few moments longer for a response prior to turning it back on the spook; who he immediately narrowed his eyes at for the request earlier. And while tempted to speak, again he would leave things to the others.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Something does not fit..." Neya shakes her head,speaking with the spirit, "Clearly, you immediately leapt to a more extreme option than being merely a passenger. Furthermore, if saying a final goodbye was solely the case, then, attacking my companions would not have come into play."
"What aren't you telling us?" She narrows her eyes.
(@Ori: I'm rolling a persuasion check for Doozey here: 15)
DM's Screen:
50
15 -> this roll is actually a 13.
Graxx's follow up questions only partially register with the ghostly lady. "I am bound to this place, these catacombs, but wish to leave them once... only once." She is either not interested in or incapable of talking about anything else other than her desire to leave and speak with her mother one last time, or at least topics related to that matter.
Pulling Cassyt aside, Doozey calms himself down first and then warns the girl that she is likely to get herself killed if she is unable to use common sense to counter-balance her convictions. Tears of inaction begin to traverse her cheeks as she whimpers in Doozey's arms, whether they are trying to comfort her or not.
It is then that Neya speaks her mind. The ghost clearly does not like what she hears. Instead of words, she responds with a change of her visage. As if her skin and flesh were still tangible, they start to instantly curl and rot and become infected.
The two women in the party fail to shield their eyes or turn away in time. For a moment, they both feel mesmerized by the change in the apparition's visage. After this moment passes, Cassyt becomes utterly frightened of the ghost, turning her face away. Neya, on the other hand, continues to stare. The others notice this first: in addition to a sudden sense of fear, Neya's appearance also begins to change. The monk's skin begins to wrinkle and loose some of its tightness. Her hair becomes gray and the roots go completely white. Her shoulders slump a bit. In an instant, Neya's age has more than doubled (from 27 to 57.)
Graxx points to the opening to the left.
"We should take a look into this room before continuing."
Graxx will lead the party into the room.
Doozey shrugged, but intended to be the last in the room, assuming there is enough as it turned out. Prior to doing so from the back of Biscuit once more (Gravy having returned to Utar as well), he does have this to add, "And don't feel so bad, Mr. Graxx. This is an interesting scenario we all find ourselves in. And I've been trained to an extent to hunt the undead... Well, them and other creatures that go bump in the night. Ain't that right, Biscuit?" The mastiff just gives noncommital growl as he pads in after the others with Doozey in tow.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"We best be careful... In these past few chambers we've learned the undead could be in any variety of shapes and sizes."
Extended Signature
(OOC: Here's how the map look before you explore the opening ahead of you and to your left, assuming the characters are looking toward the right side of the map. Under the same assumption, there is a wall behind Doozey and Biscuit. The winding staircase around the nearby statue has collapsed. The hidden entrance to the Welcomers' stash in on the south wall of room 7. Let me know if you have any questions.)
MAP UPDATE:
Spurring the group forward, Graxx suggests they take a look at the opening to their left and begins to lead the party that way. From atop Biscuit, Doozey comforts the barbarian in his sense of helplessness while Neya calls for caution. Believing that the crying sounds are coming from the left, Utar agrees to check it out first. Cassyt is visibly afraid.
Peering into the opening, the group sees a room that is not much bigger than the one in which they rested with the Welcomers. Shape-wise, the main difference is that the back wall is circular instead of straight and forming square corners. The walls of this nearly semi-circular chamber are lined with what looks like a hundred loculi, each containing the bones of one or more deceased residents of Phlan. An obelisk stands in the center-back of the chamber. Its four faces are covered in mysterious runes and other symbols.
Behind the obelisk, and a bit to the side, the ghostly woman from before appears to be sitting in mid-air, as if there was an invisible bench beneath her. Her severed head floats a few inches above her neck, and her face is in her hands. She cries sorrowfully.
Utar takes a good long look at the obelisk and particularly the runic symbols. He wonders if there is some connection between them and ghostly woman perhaps?
Religion 9
That done, he looks towards the others, wondering if they have a preferred approach here.
Graxx grips his Pike tightly but seems Utar being studious. As the ghost has not attack Graxx does not want to provoke he simply says….
”Hello.”
Neya, curious about this spectacle, tries to think of anything she may know, or stories she has heard of whether ghosts are known to weep.
History: 13
Extended Signature
The moment Doozey lays eye on the ghostly woman his first instincts are to go for the sling. Even with doubt immediately playing at the back of the mind, so too did confidence in his blood hunter training. All it would take just a little blood and pain. The latter of which he was more than used to at this point. However, at Utar's uncertainty and Graxx' somewhat bold greeting, he hesitated in even drawing the sling before the ghost was likely to react.
So instead, he stays still and signals Biscuit in a subtle nudging to do the same. But even in stillness, and Big Mama Yondalla willing, his eyes remained intently glued on the ghost, searching for any signs confirming whether madness had over taken it, or if it seemed sane enough to possible reason with even if it were to turn immediately hostile..
Insight: 23.
(@Lerus: If initiative winds up being rolled, I'm willing to let the above still be Doozey's 1st action, provided no other hostiles also make their presence known before his turn.)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Strange sounds followed by unnatural silences create an unsettling atmosphere. The temperature in this chamber feels at least five degrees lower than elsewhere in the catacombs so far.
Regarding the ghost's presence as being of secondary interest, Utar approaches the obelisk from the opposite side to the one occupied by the apparition. Although he does not recognize the language used in the carvings, no close study is needed for the cleric to recognize the symbol universally attached to one of the major deities in Faerûn. Utar sees, in at least the two sides of the obelisk that he can see, the upright flaming sword that represents Tempus.
The rest of CRAP is more interested in the ghost. Neya allows herself a moment to think about what she might know about apparitions of this kind. She recalls from her juvenile studies that a ghost is the soul of a once-living creature, bound to haunt a specific location, creature, or object that held significance to it in its life. Often, a ghost yearns to complete some unresolved task from its life. A ghost might not realize that it has died and continue the everyday routine of its life. Others are driven by wickedness or spite, as with a ghost that refuses to rest until some awful act of violence or terror is completed.
Doozey falls short of preparing an attack, opting to observe the apparition as Graxx attempts to engage it in conversation. The ethereal woman responds to the tribesman's greeting. Her voice is simultaneously wispy and echoic: "All I desire is to leave this dreadful place." Doozey notices that there are no physical or spectral tears coming down the woman's face. His best guess regarding her emotional state and capabilities is that they vary along a spectrum that includes profound sadness, loneliness, and unfulfilled yearning. She may be able to reason and engage, but likely has a much more limited range of emotions and reactions than a living being.
Utar doubles down on Graxx's unusual approach.
"What can we do to help you leave this place?"
Doozey fights down a scowl, if only just. He prompts then for Biscuit to get a little closer to at least Neya and Graxx, whispering to them his findings to better assist in further negotations. Utar's words upon full digestion elicits a grimace out of the halfling, before in a hurry he adds, "'Preferably' without ya trying to hitch ride in one of us, if you would be so kind." With that said, he looks up to Graxx and Neya, nod once, then fall back to let them and Utar handle further negotations.
It's only after a moment or two that he thinks to glance over to Cassyt and gauge her own reaction to seeing the ghost again. While not an expert in the ways of Kelemvorites, knowing at least roughly their stance on the dead and undead, any motion from her that might suggest hostile intent would prompt him to quickly to grasp her hand and attention long enough to motion with his other for her to stay her intent.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(OOC: Would Graxx notice the Flaming Sword immediately if not here is Religion check: 8)
Graxx is a bit startled that the ghost responded to him.
"Is there a task you need to complete?"
Neya keeps an ear and eye on the ghost's response, if doing so is even possible...
Insight: 18
Extended Signature
(@Grx: Yes, with Utar already noticing/pointing at it and Graxx's passive perception score of 15, he would have indeed noticed Tempus' symbol.)
The questions and comments come one after the other. The decapitated lady does not respond right away. She looks into the eyes of each one of the living beings in this chamber and then speaks again: "I need to say goodbye to my mother. I need to leave this place and say my farewell." She looks at Doozey and adds: "A passenger within a living body... temporarily... nothing more."
At this, Cassyt takes a couple steps forward and begins to open her mouth, clearly ready to start scolding CRAP again. An attentive Doozey interrupts the young lady, holding her hand and assertively asking her to stay her words. She obeys for now, but the bargaining with grave-robbers then, and with the undead now, is clearly pushing the acolyte to the limit of her moral compass.
@Neya:
You have a feeling that something is off with the request. If a favor was all this spirit needed, if she was willing to engage in conversation, why be so aggressive at first? Surely a sane person/spirit would consider that the last resort, not the other way around, right? You don't necessarily doubt her motivation, maybe just a bit, but you fear this ghost might not be a reliable or trustworthy creature.
Graxx's eyes light up at the sign of Tempus. Has he found the beginning of what he was looking for?
Graxx ignores the ghost's request for now.
"Are you bound to this obelisk somehow?"
"Were you a follower of Tempus?"
Seeing Cassyt's frustration, Doozey lips started to peel back in an instinctive desire to snarl at the brash acolyte. He catches him though, if only just, and follow a quiet sigh, motioned her to kneel into easier whispering range; his expression softening just prior to the motion. If she failed to obey however, it hardens once more, and he would let out a throaty growl that did not at all fit his small size. Regardless of which comes to pass, in either calm whispers or more terse ones he said to her, "You've been warned once. Conviction is well and good. But beyond the safety of your life above, don't expect it alone to get you anywhere down here. Least it just become a dagger by which to get yourself and your fellows killed.... or worse. Which as Kelemvorite, I'm sure your well aware of fates far worse than that."
He waits a moment to let the words sink in, before letting her go. "I know ya mean well. But, do be patient a bit more in these sort of things." He added quietly, and would keep his attention on Cassyt a few moments longer for a response prior to turning it back on the spook; who he immediately narrowed his eyes at for the request earlier. And while tempted to speak, again he would leave things to the others.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Something does not fit..." Neya shakes her head,speaking with the spirit, "Clearly, you immediately leapt to a more extreme option than being merely a passenger. Furthermore, if saying a final goodbye was solely the case, then, attacking my companions would not have come into play."
"What aren't you telling us?" She narrows her eyes.
Extended Signature
(@Ori: I'm rolling a persuasion check for Doozey here: 15)
DM's Screen:
50
15 -> this roll is actually a 13.
Graxx's follow up questions only partially register with the ghostly lady. "I am bound to this place, these catacombs, but wish to leave them once... only once." She is either not interested in or incapable of talking about anything else other than her desire to leave and speak with her mother one last time, or at least topics related to that matter.
Pulling Cassyt aside, Doozey calms himself down first and then warns the girl that she is likely to get herself killed if she is unable to use common sense to counter-balance her convictions. Tears of inaction begin to traverse her cheeks as she whimpers in Doozey's arms, whether they are trying to comfort her or not.
It is then that Neya speaks her mind. The ghost clearly does not like what she hears. Instead of words, she responds with a change of her visage. As if her skin and flesh were still tangible, they start to instantly curl and rot and become infected.
The two women in the party fail to shield their eyes or turn away in time. For a moment, they both feel mesmerized by the change in the apparition's visage. After this moment passes, Cassyt becomes utterly frightened of the ghost, turning her face away. Neya, on the other hand, continues to stare. The others notice this first: in addition to a sudden sense of fear, Neya's appearance also begins to change. The monk's skin begins to wrinkle and loose some of its tightness. Her hair becomes gray and the roots go completely white. Her shoulders slump a bit. In an instant, Neya's age has more than doubled (from 27 to 57.)
ROLLING FOR INITIATIVE:
(Doozey, Neya, Graxx, and Utar all go first. Neya can repeat the save at the end of her turn.)