"Thanks", Snow says to Varielky as she helps him maintain his footing.
He looks up to see what Ayyur and Jabu have found. "Can you tie them together to make a longer rope? And pass the end to the floating hand", he calls up whilst still trying desperately to grip the side of the bowl.This time he finds the grip strength to remain where he is.
Having given his inspiration to Strewn already, he this time calls out to Varielky. "Good job Varielky, keep us safe like always", he says in a bid to inspire her.
Special: Athletics: (18,15)+1=16 (Success!) Movement: Staying in place. Action: Moving Mage Hand closer to Ayyur and Jabu Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Varielky (1d8)
As Snow is already climbing, Varielky turns to help Granophyre instead. "I'll create a footing for you, use it to climb. I'll follow once you're both up there." Varielky then creates a footing by crossing her fingers and holding them down. It might be less stable than the ground, but it's bigger than the cracks in the bowl's "walls".
Varielky uses her action to Help Granophyre climb. If she can climb after helping him, she will try (Athletics: (16, 2 - disadvantage)+8=10). Otherwise, she ends her turn there.
It takes Auger’s entire turn, but he comes out from under the wagon with just enough dirty grease on a fingertip to substitute for bitumen. Who knows what effect this ingredient might have on the spell’s casting, yet the warlock senses its readiness to accept energy from the Sea of Stars.
Following Snow’s instructions, five arthritic fingers in each of four wrinkled hands set to work to tie three lengths of rope together using two double half hitch knots to create a single length of frayed cord. The process will take two turns.
Granophyre uses Snow’s inspiration to climb up the slope. He slips, one arm windmilling, but regains his grip and holds on. “I can mend the rope, after it is tied!,” the old sage says. “I only need touch each length to strengthen it.”
Varielky is able to climb up next to him.
Snow sees that one of the boulders, still accelerating, will bowl directly into him in the coming round.
Snow spots the boulder races towards him, a surge of panic overwhelming him. He tries with all his strength to climb a little higher, out of the boulder’s path.
His hands fail him though as his grip against the side of the bowl loosens, and he ends up sliding down rather than heading up. He comes to rest on his back and quickly looks towards the boulders hoping he wasn’t in the path of any at this point.
(OOC: Snow rolls a little farther down, as your bodies did when you were first dumped over the edge, to land in E15. Snow might or might not be clipped in this spot by either boulder 2 or 4, but won’t be hit head-on by either one.)
Grease in one hand, spider in the other Auger thinks, well let's see what this does.
Muscles still straining to move properly, Auger begins moving back towards the edge of the bowl but while doing so reaches into the Sea of Stars, and then through it into the mind of the spider still cupped in his hand. Not knowing what to expect from the sensation, Auger is quite surprised by the tight logical structures of its mind. It thinks in terms of geometries and connections. And hunger. Of course, he thinks, spiders are great makers. And hunters. Quickly they come to an agreement. The spider will cooperate, so long as it can feed after. Auger then smears axle grease on to his forehead and then places the spider at the center of his forehead, where it patiently rests. As he does so he empowers himself through the Sea of Stars, says, "Xuống là nơi chân tôi đang ở.", and steps down into the crater. His feet remain firmly attached to what he perceives as down, the side of the crater wall. The grease, Auger can feel, is gone from his head, but the spider remains.
The others perceive the strange sight of Auger standing sideways on the crater wall, directly over them, with something on his forehead. "I think I can help get you all up."Auger says. "I don't suppose you can enlarge one of us Granophyre?"
Note: I believe the D&D standard is for materials to be consumed by spellcasting. In this instance I would like for the spider to remain with the understanding that I cannot recast the spell until I find another one. Or perhaps convince this one to help again. Auger cannot speak with animals - all the interactions are RP.
Move: To C14, directly over Granophyre. Or using the side-on map to K8.
"Help master Strewn, I'll go help the captain!" Varielky calls to Auger as she "jumps" off by just leaving the wall, slightly pushing herself to turn around and land facing towards the centre of the bowl, to land on the slope without falling on her back, which she manages to do just fine.
Then, Varielky helps Snow get back on his feet and away from danger. Or, in other words, she pulls him up to a standing position and drags him with her to a spot she believes should be safe from boulders for a few seconds, hoisting him to her other side. "Let them pass first. It's like a child waving a sword around - wild strikes in all directions, and nothing that's aimed at us." And then the child gets hit on the head, but Varielky only thinks these last words. At that moment, she wondered if the boulders could be stopped by something that's in the centre. At the very least, it seemed safe there, which is weird for a place that wants people to stay away.
Special: Strength check to slide down the wall without falling prone: (14, 9)+5=14. Movement: To E-14 first, then after her action to E-13. Action: Pull Snow up to standing, then after her and to her other side, so he should end up at E-12 (or, if Varielky would think that is not a safe spot, to another safe-looking spot around). Then, she'll let go of Snow to allow him to move freely after.
Varielky makes a controlled slide down the bowl’s slope, rushing to Snow’s aid. Together, they dodge right, and then left to avoid boulders 2 & 4.
How subtle are the agreements and contracts etched in the fabric of the planes by D’ya Boabab, god of magic. How he wheedled and cunningly cheated the powers of the outer planes to give up portions of their strength for mortals to employ in their arcane castings. Yet, when the exact language of the contracts is not adhered to, how unpredictable are the results.
Auger casts his spell, and the spider remains on his forehead. The rest does not go exactly as planned, for lack of true bitumen. The southerner’s arms and feet extend beyond his shirt and trousers, long, thin, and dark, like spider legs, each one splitting in half to create eight appendages. His body remains the same, but his face takes on the countenance of a giant spider. Falling to all fours (or, all eights), it is this apparition which Jabu and Ayyur see creeping past them as they hurriedly work to tie the rope. A blood-curdling scream pierces the mountain air from the old head-of-house's lips, and Ayyur reflexively springs away from the terrifying spider-person toward the bowls’ edge. Jabu sees her going over the brink, his hand shoots out for hers, and keeps her from sprawling into the crater, but in springing up, he kicks the rope from its position on the ground, and it goes sliding over the cup’s rim. “The rope!!,” he yells, and grabs for it, but loses his footing and falls in after it, almost pulling Ayyur in after him. His turn ends with him dangling from the crater’s rim as Ayyur, now processing Auger’s speaking with Varielky – his voice is unchanged – takes hold of Jabu's arm to try to help him maintain his grip and yells to Auger and Varielky, “Help us!!!”
The rope pieces, partially tied, are now in the cup at E15.
(OOC: Otherwise, at least for now, spider climb is functioning and Auger’s turn proceeds as posted. Except that his left arms do not seem to be sticking to the wall the way they should, but he can still walk – or limp, as the case may be – all right.)
“That spell, enlarging,” answers Granophyre to Auger’s query, wonderment in his eyes at Auger’s current appearance, “is beyond my capabilities without my ring!”
The boulders seem to be locking into positions relative to each other, and continue to accelerate, almost blurring in their speedy circular motions, rumbling loudly and stirring the air as they pass nearby. Their paths now seem to be slowly expanding toward the 30’ line.
Snow once again offers his thanks to Varielky as he stands breathing heavily. Hearing the scream from on the rim of the bowl, he spins about to see the terrifying image of the spider creature. He is momentarily taken aback before he realises it is Auger. What magic is this? He wonders.
Seeing both the rope and Jabu fall over the side of the bowl, he calls over to Ayyur. "You can do it Ayyur, pull him up", he says imparting his inspiration on her. As he does this he also sends his spectral hand to retrieve the rope. It covers the 15 feet and scoops it gently up, ensuring the hand has hold of all 3 distinct fragments, before moving back to the rim and hovering there holding it.
He then looks about to see whether he was in the path of any of the boulders, and decides to edge forward to the slope.
Action: Move Mage Hand to retrieve rope and hold it waiting at B15. Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Ayyer (1d8) Movement: 5ft to D12
Varielky feels there is little more she can do from here, with the boulders threatening to crush anyone who stays here much longer. For now, she ignores Auger's condition. Recognisable by his voice, she has bigger things to worry about, literally. Besides, even it were some malicious monstrosity, she can do nothing from down here.
"I'll climb up, and then I will pull you up with the rope!" Varielky calls to Snow. "For now, focus on avoiding the boulders!" Then, she begins to climb the wall at the closest point.
Athletics to climb: (4, 4)+8=12.
Action: Dash, + movement to get as far up as she can.
Auger feels fine. This is kind of nice, he thinks. Looking at his extra limbs he decides those must be illusory artifacts of his connection to the spider on his forehead. Its probably only visible to him because he is touching the Sea of Stars. So strange these connections and what they create. But still, though still suffering from the effects of his death, Auger feels quite nice. When he hears Ayyur scream and then sees the older couple struggling at the edge of the crater, he instinctively steps over towards them. "Come come,"he says cheerfully, "how are you to save us if you are going to fall in? All shall be fine. Truly it is a wonderful day to be alive."
Holding on to the side of the crater, like it was just a normal every day thing, Auger does his best to get Jabu up and over the ledge. Two of his limbs, the ones represented by his left arm... those are not behaving as expected. Well, not everything could be going so perfectly.
Ayyur, with Snow’s inspiration, pulls, as Auger pushes, enabling Jabu to scrabble back over the edge to fall flat on his back raking in air. The two elderly Shians then hurry back to tying the rope and soon enough, between Auger’s climbing, Snow’s inspiration, Varielky’s strength, and Granophyre’s mending, as the boulders rumble and speed around and around in the Tifenagh Agenuzh (the cup of death!), all escape its grinding maw. When the last person pulls out, the boulders immediately slow down again and roll back to their original positions.
(If there is anything particular you’d like to narrate in detail regarding the preceding, feel free.)
Snow does exactly as instructed by Varielky, with the boulders speeding up so much and his grip too weak to climb un-aided, staying alive was the best he had right now. That and using his spectral hand to facilitate the lowering of the rope. It would take precision to get the rope to everyone without being run over by the boulders, potentially destroying it.
As he finally climbs over the rim of the bowl, well more dragged really as he focusses his strength on keeping hold of the rope, he collapses to his back. He has so many questions running through his mind. How was he alive? Why was he alive? How had Ayyur and Jabu escaped? Where were the Lord and Lady who had so easily defeated them? Where were his possessions?
In the end all he did was concentrate on breathing, and force out a brief, "Thank you".
Auger helps everyone up and out of the bowl. He calls out when a boulder is coming. He makes playful fun of everyone as they trip or slide at times. He wonders at and compliments Snow's mysterious ability, "The rope, it always is precisely where you want it to be!" He compliments Varielky as she steps up the side of the crater, "Your form is perfect. Have you done this before? Another fine step!" He makes fun of Strewn as he helps him up and over the ledge, "Oh dear. You need to layoff the hard tack old friend. Ah haHAhaha! Haha?" All in a friendly happy way. The connection to the spider on his forehead and its calm and meticulous approach to things leaves Auger in a buoyant and effusive mood.
Once everyone is safely over the lip Auger considers holding on to the happy form for a while longer, before he remembers the deal he made. Sighing, he let's himself return to his normal form. The spider in turn steps off his forehead and moves down on to his shoulder to take a good meaty bite, before Auger sets it down in a nearby tree. Looking down at his pants and then at his shirt, he sees how both have been torn, as if filled by twice as much leg or arm as expected. How odd, he thinks.
Only at that moment does the nearly overwhelming sense of loss and the full feel of his condition come back to him with a vengeance. Sighing again and looking at the others, Auger again concentrates on his coat, wondering if it would come back to him. "To me," he says simply in the old tongue, hoping it can hear him. Looking around at the wood nearby, Auger wonders if he can find the materials to re-summon Py or some wood he can turn into a focus of sorts.
Varielky climbs as far as she can, and then completes the last part with either Auger's help or someone on top holding the rope. Then, after pulling Snow up with the rope, Varielky allows herself to slump down on the ground, lying on her back. "Even if you thought we were dead, why would you bring us here?" Varielky asks the old couple, panting between every few words. "You could have just buried us in the ground... or something." Waking up to lungs filled with dirt didn't sound especially nice either, on second thought.
Varielky lies there for a bit longer until she can catch her breath, and even a bit longer after that. Finally, she forces herself to sit up, but not yet to stand up. "So where next, master Strewn? How do we continue from here? I believe returning to the castle to claim our belongings will be futile if we failed to capture it even with them," as much as it was unfortunate to lose her magical shield, Varielky didn't want to die again just trying to win it back. "But on the other hand, as perilous as this journey has been so far, I find it difficult to proceed without my shield and armour, your ring, and whatever else is crucial to each of our capabilities." And returning to Kalahata to buy new ones wasn't an option either. Varielky doubted and of the small villages that populated the Vale had a decent armoury, and definitely not a... magic ring shop?
A few minutes after climbing out of the cup, Auger’s coat comes flying over treetops as if an angry washman had forcefully thrown a sheet — the coat —into a laundry bin. It envelops Auger’s face and upper body, then, like a dog not having seen its master for a week, the coat slinks frantically up and around his form until finally it embraces and clothes him as it is intended to do.
Granophyre seems to echo Snow’s thoughts in his searching glances, and answers Varielky’s questions rather blankly.
“I am as much in the dark as you are, Varielky. Jabu. Ayyur. What happened? How long have we been… dead?”
Jabu and Ayyur, after recovering their breath, hold each of your arms and look into your eyes disbelievingly.
“It’s been three days!,” stammers Jabu.
“The rest of the storming night, then two days after,” corrects Ayyur.
“...Two days and more, then,” continues Jabu, “since the Seneschal and his Lady…”
“...since they found Jabu peeking out of the door in the map room when things had gotten quiet again.”
“Yes, it’s been… They came like nothing had happened, eyes glazed as usual, and told me, ‘clean up,’ and I knew then that you four had fallen to their accursed powers. And now they knew about the vault, too. There was no more hiding.”
“So we did as we were commanded, the next morning. So much to clean. And you four, you were not moving. Cold as stone, too, no heartbeat. Dead. I swear,” says the old head-of-house.
“They can’t have been dead, here they are before us!,” rejoins Jabu. “Maybe it’s our hearing, for it isn’t what it was in the springtime of our youth?”
“They were dead, Jabu. You,” she turns to the four of you, “were gone.”
Granophyre clears his throat. “I have seen this before, but it was not…whatever it is…it was not tested on me. But Varielky… Auger… the lizard people slew you. I saw it with my own eyes.” And you see those eyes watering now, no doubt remembering the moment of the loss of his kinsmen and his beloved Tuff Blueschist. “There has been no time to find answers to this riddle. But the gods or a god… must be involved. Why?” And turning away, “Why me, and not… Tuff?”
(OOC: I will point out that raising from the dead is not possible in this campaign.)
“Twice killed and… then unkilled? And not zombies or other evil beings?,” muses Jabu softly, scratching and shaking his head before Ayyur prods him to continue his narrative.
“We… Once we had our orders, there was nothing to do but follow them. The last goblin tribe took their leave before sunrise, as soon as the rains ended, while the Lord and Lady were still sleeping. Said it was a bad luck place for goblins and left. We… we removed your valuables and keepsakes and put them in the vault, and got you ready to cremate.”
“But that morning, the Lord and Lady came outside to the pyre, thinking of enacting further evil on your corpses, I have little doubt, when they noticed something in the sky, and we all looked up. It was a flotilla of airships. The Emperor and his escort, flying over the Bantus, headed toward El Harrouch Castle, the Shian Princess’ dacha, here in the Vale. The two looked at each other, seemed to be conversing without saying anything, as they sometimes do. Then, they commanded us to bring you here, to dispose of your bodies the next morning, and the pair simply lifted up from the ground and flew out over the falls toward El Harrouch. We didn’t want to do as they ordered. It is disrespectful not only to the deceased, but to the mountain spirits and to tradition. But we were under some spell the Lady threw on us,” the old lady says, morosely and angrily.
“We’re sorry, Sirs and My Lady,” Jabu says to the four of you, clenching his hands in supplication, “How could we have known you were not really dead?”
“You still look unwell,” says Yammu. “Sit yourselves down in the wagon. Fig and Moon, our palfrey, are strong enough to pull the four of you. Jabu and I can walk as we return to the castle. You needn’t worry about either Tazellayt. When the Emperor comes to the Vale, They remain for two weeks at the least, celebrating the spring poppy harvest with the opium lords. The Seneschal and Lady will not return til they’ve paid their respects, and we have enough food to share until then.”
Snow gladly takes up the offer of travelling to the Dacha in the wagon, gingerly climbing in after he has caught his breath. He had listened intently to the discussion between the others. He couldn't pretend to understand what had happened, but he was grateful to be alive.
"You couldn't have known and you couldn't have helped it, and you did your best by us. I am grateful. I expect we all are. So our equipment is safe, that is good to know", he states with a glance and smile at Varielky. She had been worried about about continuing on unprepared as well. He has not felt as weak as he had in the passed day, well days, since he was kicked out of the school at The Tree. A Bard without his instruments is a poor ally indeed it seems.
"Whilst I was....", he struggles for a word, not wanting to once again admit he had been dead. "Whilst I was gone, I dreamt. At least that was how it felt. I dreamt of my father, he was calling me onwards down the path from the Dacha", he finally says before going pensive for a moment. "Perhaps if I have been called...back...there is more hope for him", he finishes with a shrug.
His coat on him, Auger feels safer even if still suffering from the ill effects of his death. Auger climbs into the wagon next to Snow. While rubbing the material of his coat, perhaps comforting it, Auger turns to look South. "I dreamt of many things. But the Mountain to the south, by El Harrouch, it came up a few times. Though I have not been there. Snow, did your dream align with -- with that location? Does your father draw you in that direction?"
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
The farm horses’ heavy hooves clop and thud on the flat rocks and brown fallen pine needles on the mountain path, as, to either side of the road which curves down the slope above the castle, tall conifers bow reluctantly to a cool afternoon breeze, and a brook trickles in the near distance beyond tall stone markers on one side of the path, which appear at intervals bearing admonishments to the indicted and prayers to Kelitawi, god of mountains and clouds. After having flopped breathlessly into the wagon beside the others, Granophyre seems soon to regain some of his composure, and after a few minutes in which all are lost in their thoughts, the old sage clears his throat and addresses Ayyur and Jabu, who walk sturdily beside the palfrey, leading and encouraging the pair.
“You may wonder why we four travelers appeared here at Abziri Castle,” Strewn begins. “You have been so polite as not to have asked the question. I will answer it, and then I have a question for you." To this Ayyur and Jabu nod, allowing Granophyre to continue.
"My goal in journeying here, and Snow’s, and the goal which Auger and Varielky here have continued in my employment in order to help me reach, is knowledge. I have questions about events which unfolded decades in the past, and there is only one person who can answer them. I seek a woman, who would be quite old by now, as old as you Ayyur, as old as the deceased yemma Nafsawiyyah. One who I believe lived here in Abziri dacha fifty years ago, during the Rebellion, called Safiyah. Does that name mean anything to you?”
“Safiyah? Safiyah. Of course it does, master Strewn, though I have not heard it uttered in many years. Many long years,” answers Ayyur, sighing heavily.
“They were tight as thieves, Safiyah and Nafsawiyyah," she continues, after a pause. "Safiyah was born in the mountains, a villager, came here with her mother who was hired not long before me to work here in the castle. The mother was Nafsawiyyah’s milk nurse in fact, for the viscountess’ mother died in childbirth, alas. Perhaps it was drinking the same milk that caused it – though I’ve seen otherwise – but, the two – Nafsawiyyah and Safiyah – were like sisters, both so bright, both fascinated by books and learning and ancient things.”
“Safiyah was the young Lady’s handmaiden when they were teenagers, though to see them together in lessons you would never know they were anything but the best of friends." Here, she pauses, and does not pick up again for some time.
"I... did not always see them while doing my chores, and many years have passed. I do not remember the details, but… there was a falling out between them, not long before Nafsawiyyah and her husband, Badis, gave birth to Viscount Massan Abziri” (OOC: the Abziri Lord whom Auger met in Kalahata, now rumored to be in prison).
“I have not heard mention of her since then. Well, once. I was doing work around the castle – always something needs cleaning. I overheard… There was an argument soon after the viscount was born… the name ‘Safiyah’ was said. Badis left in a huff, calling his men together to hunt… and never returned. At least, did not return alive, for some great beast came lurching out of the wood and killed him as he bravely defended the others, is how the story went. The men slew the beast in retribution the next day. But Yemma Nafsawiyyah was always alone after that, never remarried.”
“I ramble. But that is all I recall, master Strewn.”
"Well the vision I was granted at the library in The Tree related to the mountains here, and yes that was the direction my Father seemed to be indicating", Snow says in reply to Ager's question before he listens to the story of Safiyah in silence. It seemed there were no easy answers to be found in their search for the former hand maiden.
"Could there be any letters or correspondence that would give a hint as to what the falling out was regarding? Or as to where Saffiyah went? Maybe she tried to get in touch later on", he says tiredly, unable to really focus his mind on the conundrum at hand. It seemed unlikely that such good friends would part without another word for all that time.
"Are you aware of the particular village that she came here from?", he asks after a moments pause.
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"Thanks", Snow says to Varielky as she helps him maintain his footing.
He looks up to see what Ayyur and Jabu have found. "Can you tie them together to make a longer rope? And pass the end to the floating hand", he calls up whilst still trying desperately to grip the side of the bowl.This time he finds the grip strength to remain where he is.
Having given his inspiration to Strewn already, he this time calls out to Varielky. "Good job Varielky, keep us safe like always", he says in a bid to inspire her.
Special: Athletics: (
18,15)+1=16 (Success!)Movement: Staying in place.
Action: Moving Mage Hand closer to Ayyur and Jabu
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Varielky (1d8)
As Snow is already climbing, Varielky turns to help Granophyre instead. "I'll create a footing for you, use it to climb. I'll follow once you're both up there." Varielky then creates a footing by crossing her fingers and holding them down. It might be less stable than the ground, but it's bigger than the cracks in the bowl's "walls".
Varielky uses her action to Help Granophyre climb. If she can climb after helping him, she will try (Athletics: (16, 2 - disadvantage)+8=10). Otherwise, she ends her turn there.
Varielky
It takes Auger’s entire turn, but he comes out from under the wagon with just enough dirty grease on a fingertip to substitute for bitumen. Who knows what effect this ingredient might have on the spell’s casting, yet the warlock senses its readiness to accept energy from the Sea of Stars.
Following Snow’s instructions, five arthritic fingers in each of four wrinkled hands set to work to tie three lengths of rope together using two double half hitch knots to create a single length of frayed cord. The process will take two turns.
Granophyre uses Snow’s inspiration to climb up the slope. He slips, one arm windmilling, but regains his grip and holds on. “I can mend the rope, after it is tied!,” the old sage says. “I only need touch each length to strengthen it.”
Varielky is able to climb up next to him.
Snow sees that one of the boulders, still accelerating, will bowl directly into him in the coming round.
You are now situated like so.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow spots the boulder races towards him, a surge of panic overwhelming him. He tries with all his strength to climb a little higher, out of the boulder’s path.
His hands fail him though as his grip against the side of the bowl loosens, and he ends up sliding down rather than heading up. He comes to rest on his back and quickly looks towards the boulders hoping he wasn’t in the path of any at this point.
Action: Athletics - (6,
12)+1=7 (Fail!), Strength Check - (13,3)+0=3 (Fail!)Movement: Slides down to E15, prone
(OOC: Snow rolls a little farther down, as your bodies did when you were first dumped over the edge, to land in E15. Snow might or might not be clipped in this spot by either boulder 2 or 4, but won’t be hit head-on by either one.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Grease in one hand, spider in the other Auger thinks, well let's see what this does.
Muscles still straining to move properly, Auger begins moving back towards the edge of the bowl but while doing so reaches into the Sea of Stars, and then through it into the mind of the spider still cupped in his hand. Not knowing what to expect from the sensation, Auger is quite surprised by the tight logical structures of its mind. It thinks in terms of geometries and connections. And hunger. Of course, he thinks, spiders are great makers. And hunters. Quickly they come to an agreement. The spider will cooperate, so long as it can feed after. Auger then smears axle grease on to his forehead and then places the spider at the center of his forehead, where it patiently rests. As he does so he empowers himself through the Sea of Stars, says, "Xuống là nơi chân tôi đang ở.", and steps down into the crater. His feet remain firmly attached to what he perceives as down, the side of the crater wall. The grease, Auger can feel, is gone from his head, but the spider remains.
The others perceive the strange sight of Auger standing sideways on the crater wall, directly over them, with something on his forehead. "I think I can help get you all up." Auger says. "I don't suppose you can enlarge one of us Granophyre?"
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
"Help master Strewn, I'll go help the captain!" Varielky calls to Auger as she "jumps" off by just leaving the wall, slightly pushing herself to turn around and land facing towards the centre of the bowl, to land on the slope without falling on her back, which she manages to do just fine.
Then, Varielky helps Snow get back on his feet and away from danger. Or, in other words, she pulls him up to a standing position and drags him with her to a spot she believes should be safe from boulders for a few seconds, hoisting him to her other side. "Let them pass first. It's like a child waving a sword around - wild strikes in all directions, and nothing that's aimed at us." And then the child gets hit on the head, but Varielky only thinks these last words. At that moment, she wondered if the boulders could be stopped by something that's in the centre. At the very least, it seemed safe there, which is weird for a place that wants people to stay away.
Special: Strength check to slide down the wall without falling prone: (14, 9)+5=14.
Movement: To E-14 first, then after her action to E-13.
Action: Pull Snow up to standing, then after her and to her other side, so he should end up at E-12 (or, if Varielky would think that is not a safe spot, to another safe-looking spot around). Then, she'll let go of Snow to allow him to move freely after.
Varielky
Varielky makes a controlled slide down the bowl’s slope, rushing to Snow’s aid. Together, they dodge right, and then left to avoid boulders 2 & 4.
How subtle are the agreements and contracts etched in the fabric of the planes by D’ya Boabab, god of magic. How he wheedled and cunningly cheated the powers of the outer planes to give up portions of their strength for mortals to employ in their arcane castings. Yet, when the exact language of the contracts is not adhered to, how unpredictable are the results.
Auger casts his spell, and the spider remains on his forehead. The rest does not go exactly as planned, for lack of true bitumen. The southerner’s arms and feet extend beyond his shirt and trousers, long, thin, and dark, like spider legs, each one splitting in half to create eight appendages. His body remains the same, but his face takes on the countenance of a giant spider. Falling to all fours (or, all eights), it is this apparition which Jabu and Ayyur see creeping past them as they hurriedly work to tie the rope. A blood-curdling scream pierces the mountain air from the old head-of-house's lips, and Ayyur reflexively springs away from the terrifying spider-person toward the bowls’ edge. Jabu sees her going over the brink, his hand shoots out for hers, and keeps her from sprawling into the crater, but in springing up, he kicks the rope from its position on the ground, and it goes sliding over the cup’s rim. “The rope!!,” he yells, and grabs for it, but loses his footing and falls in after it, almost pulling Ayyur in after him. His turn ends with him dangling from the crater’s rim as Ayyur, now processing Auger’s speaking with Varielky – his voice is unchanged – takes hold of Jabu's arm to try to help him maintain his grip and yells to Auger and Varielky, “Help us!!!”
The rope pieces, partially tied, are now in the cup at E15.
(OOC: Otherwise, at least for now, spider climb is functioning and Auger’s turn proceeds as posted. Except that his left arms do not seem to be sticking to the wall the way they should, but he can still walk – or limp, as the case may be – all right.)
“That spell, enlarging,” answers Granophyre to Auger’s query, wonderment in his eyes at Auger’s current appearance, “is beyond my capabilities without my ring!”
The boulders seem to be locking into positions relative to each other, and continue to accelerate, almost blurring in their speedy circular motions, rumbling loudly and stirring the air as they pass nearby. Their paths now seem to be slowly expanding toward the 30’ line.
Here is an updated map.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow once again offers his thanks to Varielky as he stands breathing heavily. Hearing the scream from on the rim of the bowl, he spins about to see the terrifying image of the spider creature. He is momentarily taken aback before he realises it is Auger. What magic is this? He wonders.
Seeing both the rope and Jabu fall over the side of the bowl, he calls over to Ayyur. "You can do it Ayyur, pull him up", he says imparting his inspiration on her. As he does this he also sends his spectral hand to retrieve the rope. It covers the 15 feet and scoops it gently up, ensuring the hand has hold of all 3 distinct fragments, before moving back to the rim and hovering there holding it.
He then looks about to see whether he was in the path of any of the boulders, and decides to edge forward to the slope.
Action: Move Mage Hand to retrieve rope and hold it waiting at B15.
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Ayyer (1d8)
Movement: 5ft to D12
Varielky feels there is little more she can do from here, with the boulders threatening to crush anyone who stays here much longer. For now, she ignores Auger's condition. Recognisable by his voice, she has bigger things to worry about, literally. Besides, even it were some malicious monstrosity, she can do nothing from down here.
"I'll climb up, and then I will pull you up with the rope!" Varielky calls to Snow. "For now, focus on avoiding the boulders!" Then, she begins to climb the wall at the closest point.
Athletics to climb: (4, 4)+8=12.
Action: Dash, + movement to get as far up as she can.
Varielky
Auger feels fine. This is kind of nice, he thinks. Looking at his extra limbs he decides those must be illusory artifacts of his connection to the spider on his forehead. Its probably only visible to him because he is touching the Sea of Stars. So strange these connections and what they create. But still, though still suffering from the effects of his death, Auger feels quite nice. When he hears Ayyur scream and then sees the older couple struggling at the edge of the crater, he instinctively steps over towards them. "Come come," he says cheerfully, "how are you to save us if you are going to fall in? All shall be fine. Truly it is a wonderful day to be alive."
Holding on to the side of the crater, like it was just a normal every day thing, Auger does his best to get Jabu up and over the ledge. Two of his limbs, the ones represented by his left arm... those are not behaving as expected. Well, not everything could be going so perfectly.
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Ayyur, with Snow’s inspiration, pulls, as Auger pushes, enabling Jabu to scrabble back over the edge to fall flat on his back raking in air. The two elderly Shians then hurry back to tying the rope and soon enough, between Auger’s climbing, Snow’s inspiration, Varielky’s strength, and Granophyre’s mending, as the boulders rumble and speed around and around in the Tifenagh Agenuzh (the cup of death!), all escape its grinding maw. When the last person pulls out, the boulders immediately slow down again and roll back to their original positions.
(If there is anything particular you’d like to narrate in detail regarding the preceding, feel free.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow does exactly as instructed by Varielky, with the boulders speeding up so much and his grip too weak to climb un-aided, staying alive was the best he had right now. That and using his spectral hand to facilitate the lowering of the rope. It would take precision to get the rope to everyone without being run over by the boulders, potentially destroying it.
As he finally climbs over the rim of the bowl, well more dragged really as he focusses his strength on keeping hold of the rope, he collapses to his back. He has so many questions running through his mind. How was he alive? Why was he alive? How had Ayyur and Jabu escaped? Where were the Lord and Lady who had so easily defeated them? Where were his possessions?
In the end all he did was concentrate on breathing, and force out a brief, "Thank you".
Auger helps everyone up and out of the bowl. He calls out when a boulder is coming. He makes playful fun of everyone as they trip or slide at times. He wonders at and compliments Snow's mysterious ability, "The rope, it always is precisely where you want it to be!" He compliments Varielky as she steps up the side of the crater, "Your form is perfect. Have you done this before? Another fine step!" He makes fun of Strewn as he helps him up and over the ledge, "Oh dear. You need to layoff the hard tack old friend. Ah haHAhaha! Haha?" All in a friendly happy way. The connection to the spider on his forehead and its calm and meticulous approach to things leaves Auger in a buoyant and effusive mood.
Once everyone is safely over the lip Auger considers holding on to the happy form for a while longer, before he remembers the deal he made. Sighing, he let's himself return to his normal form. The spider in turn steps off his forehead and moves down on to his shoulder to take a good meaty bite, before Auger sets it down in a nearby tree. Looking down at his pants and then at his shirt, he sees how both have been torn, as if filled by twice as much leg or arm as expected. How odd, he thinks.
Only at that moment does the nearly overwhelming sense of loss and the full feel of his condition come back to him with a vengeance. Sighing again and looking at the others, Auger again concentrates on his coat, wondering if it would come back to him. "To me," he says simply in the old tongue, hoping it can hear him. Looking around at the wood nearby, Auger wonders if he can find the materials to re-summon Py or some wood he can turn into a focus of sorts.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky climbs as far as she can, and then completes the last part with either Auger's help or someone on top holding the rope. Then, after pulling Snow up with the rope, Varielky allows herself to slump down on the ground, lying on her back. "Even if you thought we were dead, why would you bring us here?" Varielky asks the old couple, panting between every few words. "You could have just buried us in the ground... or something." Waking up to lungs filled with dirt didn't sound especially nice either, on second thought.
Varielky lies there for a bit longer until she can catch her breath, and even a bit longer after that. Finally, she forces herself to sit up, but not yet to stand up. "So where next, master Strewn? How do we continue from here? I believe returning to the castle to claim our belongings will be futile if we failed to capture it even with them," as much as it was unfortunate to lose her magical shield, Varielky didn't want to die again just trying to win it back. "But on the other hand, as perilous as this journey has been so far, I find it difficult to proceed without my shield and armour, your ring, and whatever else is crucial to each of our capabilities." And returning to Kalahata to buy new ones wasn't an option either. Varielky doubted and of the small villages that populated the Vale had a decent armoury, and definitely not a... magic ring shop?
Varielky
A few minutes after climbing out of the cup, Auger’s coat comes flying over treetops as if an angry washman had forcefully thrown a sheet — the coat —into a laundry bin. It envelops Auger’s face and upper body, then, like a dog not having seen its master for a week, the coat slinks frantically up and around his form until finally it embraces and clothes him as it is intended to do.
Granophyre seems to echo Snow’s thoughts in his searching glances, and answers Varielky’s questions rather blankly.
“I am as much in the dark as you are, Varielky. Jabu. Ayyur. What happened? How long have we been… dead?”
Jabu and Ayyur, after recovering their breath, hold each of your arms and look into your eyes disbelievingly.
“It’s been three days!,” stammers Jabu.
“The rest of the storming night, then two days after,” corrects Ayyur.
“...Two days and more, then,” continues Jabu, “since the Seneschal and his Lady…”
“...since they found Jabu peeking out of the door in the map room when things had gotten quiet again.”
“Yes, it’s been… They came like nothing had happened, eyes glazed as usual, and told me, ‘clean up,’ and I knew then that you four had fallen to their accursed powers. And now they knew about the vault, too. There was no more hiding.”
“So we did as we were commanded, the next morning. So much to clean. And you four, you were not moving. Cold as stone, too, no heartbeat. Dead. I swear,” says the old head-of-house.
“They can’t have been dead, here they are before us!,” rejoins Jabu. “Maybe it’s our hearing, for it isn’t what it was in the springtime of our youth?”
“They were dead, Jabu. You,” she turns to the four of you, “were gone.”
Granophyre clears his throat. “I have seen this before, but it was not…whatever it is…it was not tested on me. But Varielky… Auger… the lizard people slew you. I saw it with my own eyes.” And you see those eyes watering now, no doubt remembering the moment of the loss of his kinsmen and his beloved Tuff Blueschist. “There has been no time to find answers to this riddle. But the gods or a god… must be involved. Why?” And turning away, “Why me, and not… Tuff?”
(OOC: I will point out that raising from the dead is not possible in this campaign.)
“Twice killed and… then unkilled? And not zombies or other evil beings?,” muses Jabu softly, scratching and shaking his head before Ayyur prods him to continue his narrative.
“We… Once we had our orders, there was nothing to do but follow them. The last goblin tribe took their leave before sunrise, as soon as the rains ended, while the Lord and Lady were still sleeping. Said it was a bad luck place for goblins and left. We… we removed your valuables and keepsakes and put them in the vault, and got you ready to cremate.”
“But that morning, the Lord and Lady came outside to the pyre, thinking of enacting further evil on your corpses, I have little doubt, when they noticed something in the sky, and we all looked up. It was a flotilla of airships. The Emperor and his escort, flying over the Bantus, headed toward El Harrouch Castle, the Shian Princess’ dacha, here in the Vale. The two looked at each other, seemed to be conversing without saying anything, as they sometimes do. Then, they commanded us to bring you here, to dispose of your bodies the next morning, and the pair simply lifted up from the ground and flew out over the falls toward El Harrouch. We didn’t want to do as they ordered. It is disrespectful not only to the deceased, but to the mountain spirits and to tradition. But we were under some spell the Lady threw on us,” the old lady says, morosely and angrily.
“We’re sorry, Sirs and My Lady,” Jabu says to the four of you, clenching his hands in supplication, “How could we have known you were not really dead?”
“You still look unwell,” says Yammu. “Sit yourselves down in the wagon. Fig and Moon, our palfrey, are strong enough to pull the four of you. Jabu and I can walk as we return to the castle. You needn’t worry about either Tazellayt. When the Emperor comes to the Vale, They remain for two weeks at the least, celebrating the spring poppy harvest with the opium lords. The Seneschal and Lady will not return til they’ve paid their respects, and we have enough food to share until then.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow gladly takes up the offer of travelling to the Dacha in the wagon, gingerly climbing in after he has caught his breath. He had listened intently to the discussion between the others. He couldn't pretend to understand what had happened, but he was grateful to be alive.
"You couldn't have known and you couldn't have helped it, and you did your best by us. I am grateful. I expect we all are. So our equipment is safe, that is good to know", he states with a glance and smile at Varielky. She had been worried about about continuing on unprepared as well. He has not felt as weak as he had in the passed day, well days, since he was kicked out of the school at The Tree. A Bard without his instruments is a poor ally indeed it seems.
"Whilst I was....", he struggles for a word, not wanting to once again admit he had been dead. "Whilst I was gone, I dreamt. At least that was how it felt. I dreamt of my father, he was calling me onwards down the path from the Dacha", he finally says before going pensive for a moment. "Perhaps if I have been called...back...there is more hope for him", he finishes with a shrug.
His coat on him, Auger feels safer even if still suffering from the ill effects of his death. Auger climbs into the wagon next to Snow. While rubbing the material of his coat, perhaps comforting it, Auger turns to look South. "I dreamt of many things. But the Mountain to the south, by El Harrouch, it came up a few times. Though I have not been there. Snow, did your dream align with -- with that location? Does your father draw you in that direction?"
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
The farm horses’ heavy hooves clop and thud on the flat rocks and brown fallen pine needles on the mountain path, as, to either side of the road which curves down the slope above the castle, tall conifers bow reluctantly to a cool afternoon breeze, and a brook trickles in the near distance beyond tall stone markers on one side of the path, which appear at intervals bearing admonishments to the indicted and prayers to Kelitawi, god of mountains and clouds. After having flopped breathlessly into the wagon beside the others, Granophyre seems soon to regain some of his composure, and after a few minutes in which all are lost in their thoughts, the old sage clears his throat and addresses Ayyur and Jabu, who walk sturdily beside the palfrey, leading and encouraging the pair.
“You may wonder why we four travelers appeared here at Abziri Castle,” Strewn begins. “You have been so polite as not to have asked the question. I will answer it, and then I have a question for you." To this Ayyur and Jabu nod, allowing Granophyre to continue.
"My goal in journeying here, and Snow’s, and the goal which Auger and Varielky here have continued in my employment in order to help me reach, is knowledge. I have questions about events which unfolded decades in the past, and there is only one person who can answer them. I seek a woman, who would be quite old by now, as old as you Ayyur, as old as the deceased yemma Nafsawiyyah. One who I believe lived here in Abziri dacha fifty years ago, during the Rebellion, called Safiyah. Does that name mean anything to you?”
“Safiyah? Safiyah. Of course it does, master Strewn, though I have not heard it uttered in many years. Many long years,” answers Ayyur, sighing heavily.
“They were tight as thieves, Safiyah and Nafsawiyyah," she continues, after a pause. "Safiyah was born in the mountains, a villager, came here with her mother who was hired not long before me to work here in the castle. The mother was Nafsawiyyah’s milk nurse in fact, for the viscountess’ mother died in childbirth, alas. Perhaps it was drinking the same milk that caused it – though I’ve seen otherwise – but, the two – Nafsawiyyah and Safiyah – were like sisters, both so bright, both fascinated by books and learning and ancient things.”
“Safiyah was the young Lady’s handmaiden when they were teenagers, though to see them together in lessons you would never know they were anything but the best of friends." Here, she pauses, and does not pick up again for some time.
"I... did not always see them while doing my chores, and many years have passed. I do not remember the details, but… there was a falling out between them, not long before Nafsawiyyah and her husband, Badis, gave birth to Viscount Massan Abziri” (OOC: the Abziri Lord whom Auger met in Kalahata, now rumored to be in prison).
“I have not heard mention of her since then. Well, once. I was doing work around the castle – always something needs cleaning. I overheard… There was an argument soon after the viscount was born… the name ‘Safiyah’ was said. Badis left in a huff, calling his men together to hunt… and never returned. At least, did not return alive, for some great beast came lurching out of the wood and killed him as he bravely defended the others, is how the story went. The men slew the beast in retribution the next day. But Yemma Nafsawiyyah was always alone after that, never remarried.”
“I ramble. But that is all I recall, master Strewn.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
"Well the vision I was granted at the library in The Tree related to the mountains here, and yes that was the direction my Father seemed to be indicating", Snow says in reply to Ager's question before he listens to the story of Safiyah in silence. It seemed there were no easy answers to be found in their search for the former hand maiden.
"Could there be any letters or correspondence that would give a hint as to what the falling out was regarding? Or as to where Saffiyah went? Maybe she tried to get in touch later on", he says tiredly, unable to really focus his mind on the conundrum at hand. It seemed unlikely that such good friends would part without another word for all that time.
"Are you aware of the particular village that she came here from?", he asks after a moments pause.