Finding nothing on the body of the house servant Bertha, Sylvio stands and frowns as he grumbles to himself, “she had-a nothing on her. Sylvio must-a get out of-a this place-a.” He then erupts into a blur of motion and rushes across the room with all haste to end standing in front of the door.
30 ft of movement, bonus action: dash for another 30 ft of movement, and his action to dash for a total of 90 ft of movement if needed to stand before the door.
With little else he can do at the moment, Sweeps helps Amadi secure the grate, using his strength and maul to help force the pitons.. He recognizes the Field Ward from Gabriel’s descriptions, but it isn’t readily apparent who sent them to this magical place or how they can escape.
As powerful as the crow-like entity seemed to be, indestructible and blindly fast, it was also frail. A fact that the five adventures, now free of the spectral figures from before, could fully explore to their advantage. Amadi is the first to recognize how a succession of well-placed attacks could deter the exanimate. He also notices that doing just that would not be enough, they needed to lock the thing outside of the dungeon if they had any hope of searching for an exit. Lock. Yes, the gate didn’t have one, but he was a blacksmith and his tools on him. If someone could fill in his position, attacking the undead, he could certainly pin the structure closed. Hoping this would be enough, Shadeflame voices his thoughts, waiting for someone that could help him bringing the strategy into reality.
Gabriel is the first to speak, his Eldritch Blast would be perfect to keep the enemy at bay. And so, as the flying horror open its wings, the aasimar’s magic cuts through the air, encased into celestial energy, hitting the undead and once again turning its body into shadow and feathers. Seeing this, Shadeflame starts to work on the gate. Sweeps is fast into rendering his help. Together the two close the gate over the oubliette and the warrior-cleric sealing it. At the same time, Sylvio announces the results of his search and moves witch grace and speed towards the door ant the end of the room. Sunny renders her efforts to carrying Bertha. The tortle puts the woman upon her arms, ever so careful to not let more blood spill from the killing wound, while Chewy follows close.
A sudden screech fills the chamber as the gates start to shake. The monstrous crow is at the gate, trying to pry it open, but as one could expect from such fast creature whose form takes after a hollow boned beast, it lacks in strength. The whole party can see, the enemy is locked away and they are safe. Or, at least, as safe as they can in that place. For the moment.
Notes:
@Everyone, we are now outside of initiative. Feel free to post at your convenience.
@Althax, you can have Sylvio try to open the door. If you want.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Turning to watch the crow bang into the grate and be held back by it, Sylvio looks down and recognizes the slums very well. He speaks to the group absentmindedly. “Sylvio wonders… where is-a the crow coming from-a? What-a is in the field ward-a that could summon this-a thing-a?”
His true focus is turned towards the door. He begins examining the door closely for signs of traps or tampering. 22 Investigation check
Sunny speaks a little out of breath, "As I was walking a thought occurred. When I was attacked by the Crow there was tremendous pain in my abdominal area, specifically internally where all of the children were also attacked. Bertha experienced the same, at least from what I have seen during my trek." Once she reaches the group, away from the gate though, she sets the poor woman down, wrapping her loose garments tighter over the body and would to save her modesty and cover the wounds to keep from spilling her viscera and blood about. Continuing to speak as she does so, "I was likely viewed as weakest being unarmored like Bertha and young like the children if it could tell. I only have 10 years as of last Fall."
Glancing over to check on the usually very disciplined Chewy, she lets out a unexpected chuckle as the typically well mannered Mastiff lifts a leg just close enough to hit the Crow as it returns to the gate. She widens her eyes a little, then grins at the furry beast. "Yes, I know its been a while and you DID go outside." Reaching over to pat the charming dog as he returns to her side. "Anything else you need to do while we're here?" The question seemed almost hinting as she queried the confused dog. Chewy seems to almost roll his eyes at the Tortle as he stretches and gives an extended yawn sounding very similar but somewhat quieter to a namesake in another reality knowing the it was only a comment and not a command.
@DM Did Sunny not have any visible wounds or was pecked at?
Amadi finishes the work and collects the remaining piton's and places them back in his pack along with his smith's tools. "Two pitons have secured the lock hasp and another to wedge the gate closed. That'll hold for now at least. It should give us time to move on." Looking around at the others he sees Sylvio examining the door. "Anything there? It seems that's our way out, of this room at least. Hopefully the crow doesn't find another way in."
"Interesting Sunny. The first child victim was a girl, then next two were boys. So I am unsure the connection there. Another piece of the puzzle I suppose."
Glad to see the area secured - for now, Gabriel drifts to the ground and his angelic wings dissipate in motes of light.
"It occurred to me, my theory about there being four days between attacks. There is a relation to the number four with death in the cultures of Wa and Kozakura, two lands whose people may well be found at the port. I suggest that when - when - we get out of here, we seek more information there. We may unearth another clue to the evil mind behind these attacks"
Looking over his colleagues, he says "Do we need to take a rest to address our wounds, or move on? I am happy either way"
“I am fine to continue on, thanks to the Ranger’s healing efforts” Sweeps nods his thanks to Sunny “and we should spend any aid we have to help her, she still looks badly injured. However, I don’t think that this is the best place to rest”
He stands up from where he was helping Amadi secure the gate, still unsure of what role the Field Ward played in all of this, and turns to Sylvio. “Can you open the door, or should we break it down?”Sweeps grips his maul in anticipation.
“Ah! Take-a that hammer away from-a this door. Let-a me check it for traps first-a!” He mutters to himself as he continues his examination. “If-a anyone can look for-a magical tampering, it-a would be helpful. Sylvio can-a take care of-a physical locks and-a devices, but-a we are in a magical place and-a it might-a be more likely for-a magical ward-a or lock to be here-a.” He shakes his head, “That-a body was-a trapped and-a brought-a us here.”
The rogue approached the door by the apparent end of the dungeon while Sunny approached the group carrying Bertha in her arms. Both she and Gabriel share what they each found during the conflict. The way the crow seemed to affect the tortle, wounding her in a manner so similar to that the dead children seem to have suffered. The number behind the killings and its significance for the cultures of the far orient and where one could gather more information about it.
Sweeps offers his maul and his strength to test the portal, but you, Sylvio, act faster and warn him of the risk interacting with the door. You center your efforts on the door, looking for signs of traps, you check it one time. Nothing. You check it once again, to make sure you didn’t let something pass. Nothing. Unconvinced, you look a third time, after all you all arrived here because of a trap, that much was clear. It was unlikely, to say the least, that the one apparent exit wouldn’t have some artifice on it. Once again, you find nothing. You are absolutely sure, entirely secure, that there is nothing in this door. At least nothing physical. The wiring that brought you there was, after all, a spell. The entire place, going by what the barbarian said before, was a spell.
At the same time the screeches of the undead become louder, wilder, more ferocious. The gate is well secured, but the flying horror persist in its attempts to break through, bashing its body against the steel so violently that it breaks itself, exploding in feathers and shadows. Its absence, though, is brief, for it once again resurges from the empty lot visible in Field Ward. It remains contained by the gate, trying to attack it. Amadi’s eyes, well trained in the forges, easily pick that the creature, if one could call it that way, lacks the strength necessary to break through. Shadeflame is confident is his work, the party is safe, at least from that monster. At least for the time.
Notes:
@Everyone, make me a Perception check. @Althax, the door does not appear to be trapped.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sylvio looks around the room 22 perception
”The door is-a not trapped that-a I can see, but if-a there is-a magical trap, I would not-a know-a.” He loooks at the others. “Is anyone able to-a detect-a the traces of magical wards-a?”
Sunny stays clear of the door, gradually moving across when the Crow is gone momentarily if there is enough space. If space is not sufficient, she will remain on the other side of gate until the door is sorted out. "Whatever it is directing this Crow has a need so strong to defeat me that it would destroy itself so it must not fear limited resources in however it casts this thing." She watches through the gate at it approaches again to see if she may gain any other insight as to its direction from the Field Ward. If she may narrow down anything more precise while they work.
She also surveys the walls and especially the torches to see if there may be another opening mechanism beyond what could be at the door itself, quickly inspecting the floor below the others in front of the door.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Seeing that Gabriel detected no magical locks or traps, Sylvio opens the door. If needed he will take out his thieves tools and attempt to unlock it. 23 thief tool check
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sweeps watches in concern as the crow crushes itself against the grate, then swiftly reappears, trying to get through the gate. He looks around the room, trying to determine if there is another way out, or any additional clues that could help explain who trapped them in this location.
Perception 23
As Sylvio opens the door, he lifts his maul and prepares himself for whatever lay on the other side.
Looking at the direction from where the crow resurged, Gabriel and Sweeps are able to notice, far into the distance, beyond the city walls, the blue shade of the sea. Both spellcaster and barbarian know that the Field Ward connects with the sea only by its west side, and so it would be slightly easier to find the place where this flying horror was coming from. At the same time Sunny approaches carrying what remained of old Bertha, followed close by Chewy. The moment she enters the visual range of the undead she has this feverish sensation trying to take hold of her body. By now the tortle was no stranger to it and centering her mind she pushes it away.
Recognizing the validity of Sylvio’s worries, Gabriel calls upon his pact, bringing forth the ability to Detect Magic. Immediately the entire room lit before his eyes. A strong aura of conjuration entrenched on every stone, chandelier and candle. Stone and steel, the entire place was conjured by magic, but there was no spell over any part of it. There was no source of arcane energy in the door beyond the door itself, a byproduct of the Magnificent Mansion. The aasimar is sure that there is no magical trap and relies as much to the elf.
Sylvio then moves, checking if the door is locked but not even that. The handle was unlocked. Creak! The rogue starts to open the door and the world turned into smoke. The same dark cloud tainted with the sickening stench of death that had brought them to the dungeon. It’s almost like you never left that first curtain of smoke, like every to that point was a hallucination, but each and everyone of you know better. For some the pain and wounds proved the reality of everything. For others the feeling of striking the spectral figures was still vivid, too real to be a illusion.
When the shadows disappear, you are back at Jacob’s room, but thing have changed. The boy’s corpse is now aflame and behind you the doors are slammed open. A group of guardsmen, all well-armed and wearing in the colors of House Gundwynd.
“Murder!” Shouts one of the men, as loud as he can, pointing to Bertha’s body, now far from Sunny’s arms. The other soldiers prepare their weapons and the only point you can see unguarded is the large window at the center of the room. The fall from there shouldn’t be lethal. It was that or fighting, because with your weapons out, the gored body of a woman by your feet and the burning corpse of Jacob not far there was little hope any of those fighters would listen to you.
Notes
@Everyone, you have a free round before the guards take action. You can choose to fight, flee, surrender or even try a diplomatic route (although it would be very hard to succeed here). The choice is yours. @Paladin, thanks for pointing to the fact that the post before was incomplete. I fixed that.
Sunny hangs back as the guardsmen enter the room, observing the situation and moving forward behind the others partially to conceal the small amounts of blood on her person. Hoping another will speak first, diplomacy was never her talent.
Gabriel unleashes his eldritch blasts at the crow, his brow sweating with the strain of battle and the tension of their precarious situation.
Blast 1 Attack: 26 Damage: 12
Blast 2 Attack: 8 Damage: 3
First attack to hit does an extra 5 radiant damage
Finding nothing on the body of the house servant Bertha, Sylvio stands and frowns as he grumbles to himself, “she had-a nothing on her. Sylvio must-a get out of-a this place-a.” He then erupts into a blur of motion and rushes across the room with all haste to end standing in front of the door.
30 ft of movement, bonus action: dash for another 30 ft of movement, and his action to dash for a total of 90 ft of movement if needed to stand before the door.
Noob
With little else he can do at the moment, Sweeps helps Amadi secure the grate, using his strength and maul to help force the pitons.. He recognizes the Field Ward from Gabriel’s descriptions, but it isn’t readily apparent who sent them to this magical place or how they can escape.
As powerful as the crow-like entity seemed to be, indestructible and blindly fast, it was also frail. A fact that the five adventures, now free of the spectral figures from before, could fully explore to their advantage. Amadi is the first to recognize how a succession of well-placed attacks could deter the exanimate. He also notices that doing just that would not be enough, they needed to lock the thing outside of the dungeon if they had any hope of searching for an exit. Lock. Yes, the gate didn’t have one, but he was a blacksmith and his tools on him. If someone could fill in his position, attacking the undead, he could certainly pin the structure closed. Hoping this would be enough, Shadeflame voices his thoughts, waiting for someone that could help him bringing the strategy into reality.
Gabriel is the first to speak, his Eldritch Blast would be perfect to keep the enemy at bay. And so, as the flying horror open its wings, the aasimar’s magic cuts through the air, encased into celestial energy, hitting the undead and once again turning its body into shadow and feathers. Seeing this, Shadeflame starts to work on the gate. Sweeps is fast into rendering his help. Together the two close the gate over the oubliette and the warrior-cleric sealing it. At the same time, Sylvio announces the results of his search and moves witch grace and speed towards the door ant the end of the room. Sunny renders her efforts to carrying Bertha. The tortle puts the woman upon her arms, ever so careful to not let more blood spill from the killing wound, while Chewy follows close.
A sudden screech fills the chamber as the gates start to shake. The monstrous crow is at the gate, trying to pry it open, but as one could expect from such fast creature whose form takes after a hollow boned beast, it lacks in strength. The whole party can see, the enemy is locked away and they are safe. Or, at least, as safe as they can in that place. For the moment.
Turning to watch the crow bang into the grate and be held back by it, Sylvio looks down and recognizes the slums very well. He speaks to the group absentmindedly. “Sylvio wonders… where is-a the crow coming from-a? What-a is in the field ward-a that could summon this-a thing-a?”
His true focus is turned towards the door. He begins examining the door closely for signs of traps or tampering. 22 Investigation check
Noob
Sunny speaks a little out of breath, "As I was walking a thought occurred. When I was attacked by the Crow there was tremendous pain in my abdominal area, specifically internally where all of the children were also attacked. Bertha experienced the same, at least from what I have seen during my trek." Once she reaches the group, away from the gate though, she sets the poor woman down, wrapping her loose garments tighter over the body and would to save her modesty and cover the wounds to keep from spilling her viscera and blood about. Continuing to speak as she does so, "I was likely viewed as weakest being unarmored like Bertha and young like the children if it could tell. I only have 10 years as of last Fall."
Glancing over to check on the usually very disciplined Chewy, she lets out a unexpected chuckle as the typically well mannered Mastiff lifts a leg just close enough to hit the Crow as it returns to the gate. She widens her eyes a little, then grins at the furry beast. "Yes, I know its been a while and you DID go outside." Reaching over to pat the charming dog as he returns to her side. "Anything else you need to do while we're here?" The question seemed almost hinting as she queried the confused dog. Chewy seems to almost roll his eyes at the Tortle as he stretches and gives an extended yawn sounding very similar but somewhat quieter to a namesake in another reality knowing the it was only a comment and not a command.
@DM Did Sunny not have any visible wounds or was pecked at?
Amadi finishes the work and collects the remaining piton's and places them back in his pack along with his smith's tools. "Two pitons have secured the lock hasp and another to wedge the gate closed. That'll hold for now at least. It should give us time to move on." Looking around at the others he sees Sylvio examining the door. "Anything there? It seems that's our way out, of this room at least. Hopefully the crow doesn't find another way in."
"Interesting Sunny. The first child victim was a girl, then next two were boys. So I am unsure the connection there. Another piece of the puzzle I suppose."
Glad to see the area secured - for now, Gabriel drifts to the ground and his angelic wings dissipate in motes of light.
"It occurred to me, my theory about there being four days between attacks. There is a relation to the number four with death in the cultures of Wa and Kozakura, two lands whose people may well be found at the port. I suggest that when - when - we get out of here, we seek more information there. We may unearth another clue to the evil mind behind these attacks"
Looking over his colleagues, he says "Do we need to take a rest to address our wounds, or move on? I am happy either way"
“I am fine to continue on, thanks to the Ranger’s healing efforts” Sweeps nods his thanks to Sunny “and we should spend any aid we have to help her, she still looks badly injured. However, I don’t think that this is the best place to rest”
He stands up from where he was helping Amadi secure the gate, still unsure of what role the Field Ward played in all of this, and turns to Sylvio. “Can you open the door, or should we break it down?” Sweeps grips his maul in anticipation.
“Ah! Take-a that hammer away from-a this door. Let-a me check it for traps first-a!” He mutters to himself as he continues his examination. “If-a anyone can look for-a magical tampering, it-a would be helpful. Sylvio can-a take care of-a physical locks and-a devices, but-a we are in a magical place and-a it might-a be more likely for-a magical ward-a or lock to be here-a.” He shakes his head, “That-a body was-a trapped and-a brought-a us here.”
Noob
The rogue approached the door by the apparent end of the dungeon while Sunny approached the group carrying Bertha in her arms. Both she and Gabriel share what they each found during the conflict. The way the crow seemed to affect the tortle, wounding her in a manner so similar to that the dead children seem to have suffered. The number behind the killings and its significance for the cultures of the far orient and where one could gather more information about it.
Sweeps offers his maul and his strength to test the portal, but you, Sylvio, act faster and warn him of the risk interacting with the door. You center your efforts on the door, looking for signs of traps, you check it one time. Nothing. You check it once again, to make sure you didn’t let something pass. Nothing. Unconvinced, you look a third time, after all you all arrived here because of a trap, that much was clear. It was unlikely, to say the least, that the one apparent exit wouldn’t have some artifice on it. Once again, you find nothing. You are absolutely sure, entirely secure, that there is nothing in this door. At least nothing physical. The wiring that brought you there was, after all, a spell. The entire place, going by what the barbarian said before, was a spell.
At the same time the screeches of the undead become louder, wilder, more ferocious. The gate is well secured, but the flying horror persist in its attempts to break through, bashing its body against the steel so violently that it breaks itself, exploding in feathers and shadows. Its absence, though, is brief, for it once again resurges from the empty lot visible in Field Ward. It remains contained by the gate, trying to attack it. Amadi’s eyes, well trained in the forges, easily pick that the creature, if one could call it that way, lacks the strength necessary to break through. Shadeflame is confident is his work, the party is safe, at least from that monster. At least for the time.@Althax, the door does not appear to be trapped.
Sylvio looks around the room 22 perception
”The door is-a not trapped that-a I can see, but if-a there is-a magical trap, I would not-a know-a.” He loooks at the others. “Is anyone able to-a detect-a the traces of magical wards-a?”
Noob
Gabriel's eyes take on a silver glow as he he invokes his Eldritch Sight (casting detect magic) and looking around the room.
He also lays on a blessing for everyone to aid their efforts (guidance)
Perception 4 plus 2 for Guidance.
Asking for guidance from Gond Amadi looks about and helps Gabriel give Guidance to the others.
Perception 17 + 3 Guidance
perception 26
Sunny stays clear of the door, gradually moving across when the Crow is gone momentarily if there is enough space. If space is not sufficient, she will remain on the other side of gate until the door is sorted out. "Whatever it is directing this Crow has a need so strong to defeat me that it would destroy itself so it must not fear limited resources in however it casts this thing." She watches through the gate at it approaches again to see if she may gain any other insight as to its direction from the Field Ward. If she may narrow down anything more precise while they work.
She also surveys the walls and especially the torches to see if there may be another opening mechanism beyond what could be at the door itself, quickly inspecting the floor below the others in front of the door.
Constitution 4
Seeing that Gabriel detected no magical locks or traps, Sylvio opens the door. If needed he will take out his thieves tools and attempt to unlock it. 23 thief tool check
Noob
Sweeps watches in concern as the crow crushes itself against the grate, then swiftly reappears, trying to get through the gate. He looks around the room, trying to determine if there is another way out, or any additional clues that could help explain who trapped them in this location.
Perception 23
As Sylvio opens the door, he lifts his maul and prepares himself for whatever lay on the other side.
Gabriel stands back slightly as Sylvio opens the door, aware that he is not the strongest fighter but ready to heal any sudden wounds if necessary.
Looking at the direction from where the crow resurged, Gabriel and Sweeps are able to notice, far into the distance, beyond the city walls, the blue shade of the sea. Both spellcaster and barbarian know that the Field Ward connects with the sea only by its west side, and so it would be slightly easier to find the place where this flying horror was coming from. At the same time Sunny approaches carrying what remained of old Bertha, followed close by Chewy. The moment she enters the visual range of the undead she has this feverish sensation trying to take hold of her body. By now the tortle was no stranger to it and centering her mind she pushes it away.
Recognizing the validity of Sylvio’s worries, Gabriel calls upon his pact, bringing forth the ability to Detect Magic. Immediately the entire room lit before his eyes. A strong aura of conjuration entrenched on every stone, chandelier and candle. Stone and steel, the entire place was conjured by magic, but there was no spell over any part of it. There was no source of arcane energy in the door beyond the door itself, a byproduct of the Magnificent Mansion. The aasimar is sure that there is no magical trap and relies as much to the elf.
Sylvio then moves, checking if the door is locked but not even that. The handle was unlocked. Creak! The rogue starts to open the door and the world turned into smoke. The same dark cloud tainted with the sickening stench of death that had brought them to the dungeon. It’s almost like you never left that first curtain of smoke, like every to that point was a hallucination, but each and everyone of you know better. For some the pain and wounds proved the reality of everything. For others the feeling of striking the spectral figures was still vivid, too real to be a illusion.
When the shadows disappear, you are back at Jacob’s room, but thing have changed. The boy’s corpse is now aflame and behind you the doors are slammed open. A group of guardsmen, all well-armed and wearing in the colors of House Gundwynd.
“Murder!” Shouts one of the men, as loud as he can, pointing to Bertha’s body, now far from Sunny’s arms. The other soldiers prepare their weapons and the only point you can see unguarded is the large window at the center of the room. The fall from there shouldn’t be lethal. It was that or fighting, because with your weapons out, the gored body of a woman by your feet and the burning corpse of Jacob not far there was little hope any of those fighters would listen to you.
Notes
@Everyone, you have a free round before the guards take action. You can choose to fight, flee, surrender or even try a diplomatic route (although it would be very hard to succeed here). The choice is yours.
@Paladin, thanks for pointing to the fact that the post before was incomplete. I fixed that.
Sunny hangs back as the guardsmen enter the room, observing the situation and moving forward behind the others partially to conceal the small amounts of blood on her person. Hoping another will speak first, diplomacy was never her talent.