"Oh my word... spontaneous transmutation..." Samir peers down from higher up on the stairs, adjusting his glasses with one hand, clutching his bag to his chest with the other. "Disturbingly remarkable! Are.. are you alright, sir?"
Joren continues to urge caution. "Being careful. Anyone seeing anything upstairs? That may have been the least of the threats here."
He turns to the man. "As my friends are saying, just now, you were swimming through the water as a crocodile, attacking us." he looks to the others. "People all over Tensmith seem to be inadvertently using magic centered on themselves. I am not knowing magic well, but the Web and the Silence we were experiencing earlier were both magical effects, no? I have heard that there are some spells that can transform people into beasts for a time."
“Transmutation?” Malachi looks between Samir and the man with his eyebrows raised “Is such a thing truly possible?” He begins to ask the man if there are others in the shop when Joren’s question about the upstairs stops him. “No, we have not made it all the way to the top yet, and water is still pouring down. Should we get this man to safety first, or should we push on and check the upstairs first? I am all for continuing on myself, we already made it this far.”
"Wait, so that was... real? Hahahaha..." The man is sitting down, up to his chest in the water. He appears a bit buggy eyed, though whether that is a lingering effect of his transformation or just how he always looks is unclear. He stubbly chin gives the impression of someone who has neither sported a beard nor been clean shaven for a long time. "I mean, I'm sorry about the part where I tried to bite you, but wow, what a rush."
As he returns to reality, the water around him finally registers. "Oh, yes, upstairs. I vaguely recall the water happening shortly after I turned, though it's all a bit of a blur." He picks himself up and wrings out a part of his trousers in a futile attempt at getting himself a bit drier as he starts to clomp up the stairs. He turns to the right at the top and struggles to push a door open against the flow of water. "In here, I think!"
Ashley stares at the man as he tries to recall what happened. She is still floored by the whole situation. She was actively trying to kill an innocent man! What is happening around here? Is this something that can even be fixed? She thinks about Vilus, wondering if he was still alive or not, and what he would have thought about the situation. She chuckles, probably would have just shrugged it off. She continues to sit there as the man and Joren run past, and in a distant sort of way, "Call me if you need me." really in a daze.
“I guess we push on”Malachi remarks as the strange man and Joren push past him on the stairs, moving toward the door at the top. As the man tries to wring out the water in his pants, Malachi waves his hand and cleans and dries the man’s clothes, although it is not likely to do much good while they are still in the water. Malachi grabs hold of Joren’s rope and pulls himself up the stairs after the others. “What is in the room?”
"I can only hope that it isn't some kind of... spontaneously generated portal to a massive water source..." Samir's eyes seemed a touch unfocused as he contemplated this particular train of thought, calculating the difficulties and damage that such a thing could unleash upon the neighborhood and the city at large.
Together with Joren, the man pushes the door open. "Ahh thank you," he says. A gush of water up to Joren's knees splashes past him as it is released from the room, leaving less than an inch of water pooled upon the floor of the room. Under a window at the far end of the room, a desk lies smashed in half. Boxes, barrels, and curios are scattered about, some floating through the open doorway towards the stairs.
The odd man scoops up a couple of small items that drift past him, gathering them in his arms before dropping them and rushing over to the desk and picking up a gnarled looking walking stick. "Oh good, it's not damaged." He clutches it to his chest almost reverently before looking about to try and spot the source of the water.
Joren calls to those behind him, "being careful everyone - opening the door here and water rushing out. Boxes, barrels and other... things may be coming out and down with the flood." He sends his echo forward to stand next to the man, also looking for the source of the deluge from his spot at the door.
(He is still holding the rope for others to steady themselves).
"Excusing my questions please given how strange these circumstances are seeming. Being anything magical or externally significant about the walking stick?" Joren eyes the stranger who had been a crocodile with a bit of trepidation. "Or no more than a personal item you are cherishing?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
“Portal to a massive water source… like the bottom of an ocean or river?”Malachi looks at Samir with his eyebrows raised “What a terrifying idea.” He pushes through the door, following Joren and the man into the room. He almost absent-mindedly picks up one of the small trinkets as it floats past him, focusing on something that resembles a religious icon of some type, and sticks it into his jacket. He looks around the room for the source of the water, hoping it is not a portal to the depths of the ocean.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ashley finally recovers and grabs hold of the rope to heave herself up off the steps and up them to join the rest of the party. "A portal you say? What if... what if there is a slim possibility it would lead us to Vilus? I mean, I don't know.. don't know anything about portals or anything like that, I just can't give up hope." She looks at the stiffened leg that is semi poking out of her pack and shakes her head.
With new resolve, she heads into the room as well trying to figure out what is going on.
"Oh this?" The man holds up the stick. "Well, it's something my father left behind when he left for Talmouth a few months before we closed the gates. Told me to take care of it while he was off getting treatment. So I'm holding onto it for when he gets back." He hides it well, but there is a sad look in his eye that belies his cheerful tone.
Malachi uses the man's distraction to casually pick up a floating object as he brushes a drifting box aside. He feels its surface in his hand. A broach, most likely, but made of wood rather than metal. The pattern is simple but elegant. It has the appearance of five rings knotted together with pleasing symmetry. But before Malachi has a chance to inspect it further, he notices the flow of the water and traces it to its source. The water seems to be flowing from the far end of the room with the broken desk lies. Approaching, Malachi sees teeth marks in the desk that match what he saw of the curio-seller's reptilian form, and a barrel next to it has had one of its iron hoops dented in, very possibly by the crocodile's tail. In fact, the more Malachi looks, the more he sees evidence that the damage and chaos in the room stemmed from a sudden transformation.
But Malachi doesn't get distracted. He hones in on an undamaged barrel next to the first one. It is tilted on its side, halfway in the water, and by placing a handful of wooden splinters at its mouth, he quickly determines the water is flowing out from within.
Malachi slips the broach into his jacket, making a mental note to check it out later, as he spots the barrel. “Here’s your portal, Samir. Or something” He points out the barrel "Joren, let’s stand this barrel back up. Maybe the water will stop pouring out.” Malachi bends down to grab one edge of the barrel to help Joren or one of the others stand the barrel back up.
The water makes solid footing a little difficult, but with some strain and grunting, he and Malachi manage to tilt the barrel. Water sloshes over the rim as it lands squarely upright, somehow still full to the brim with water. Within seconds, it becomes clear that the water level in the room is starting to go down as it continues to leak to the lower floor.
The shop owner looks over and says "Wait, all that water was coming from the barrel? How's that possible? I bought that barrel filled with what was supposed to be a "magical healing wine" about a year ago, but realized pretty quickly I'd been duped. There was nothing special about that barrel or its contents, I'm sure of it."
"Well, it would seem that something has certainly changed then." Samir sloshes into the room, now that there didn't appear to be any danger, his eyes flashing as he observes the now upright barrel. With no further thought to keeping himself dry, and a small fidget of his glasses, he moves over next to the now seemingly mollified source of water and begins examining it, looking for any signs or evidence of tampering, magical or otherwise.
Joren makes way for Samir and would like to help the artificer investigate as he had done all the way back at that cursed Inn at the base of the foothills. But in reality at this stage, he is so far out of his depth (he chuckles at his own terrible joke) that he would be more of a hindrance than a help.
Instead, he merely stands guard with his echo.
"Not knowing anything about magic, but it is seeming as if not only are people spontaneously casting spells without meaning to now in Tensmith, but objects themselves are becoming magical. Such as the endless water that was flowing out of this barrel."
He muses for a moment. "Samir, or anyone, are you able to detect the presence of magic in case something or someone else here has... changed?"
Just from the tingle at his touch, Samir can tell the barrel is most definitely magical. What's more, it's make appears quite fine. The metal loops appear to made from iron from the smoking sands, and the wood is from an unknown species. Special care clearly went into making it.
When upright, it doesn't overflow, but Samir wants to know more about its precise nature. Grabbing a wooden broom that has washed up by his feet, he pokes it gently down into the barrel. It doesn't hit a bottom. Curious, he reaches down and dips his finger in the water, tasting it lightly. Salty.
He would guess the barrel has indeed become a portal that is letting in seawater.
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"Oh my word... spontaneous transmutation..." Samir peers down from higher up on the stairs, adjusting his glasses with one hand, clutching his bag to his chest with the other. "Disturbingly remarkable! Are.. are you alright, sir?"
Joren continues to urge caution. "Being careful. Anyone seeing anything upstairs? That may have been the least of the threats here."
He turns to the man. "As my friends are saying, just now, you were swimming through the water as a crocodile, attacking us." he looks to the others. "People all over Tensmith seem to be inadvertently using magic centered on themselves. I am not knowing magic well, but the Web and the Silence we were experiencing earlier were both magical effects, no? I have heard that there are some spells that can transform people into beasts for a time."
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
“Transmutation?” Malachi looks between Samir and the man with his eyebrows raised “Is such a thing truly possible?” He begins to ask the man if there are others in the shop when Joren’s question about the upstairs stops him. “No, we have not made it all the way to the top yet, and water is still pouring down. Should we get this man to safety first, or should we push on and check the upstairs first? I am all for continuing on myself, we already made it this far.”
"Wait, so that was... real? Hahahaha..." The man is sitting down, up to his chest in the water. He appears a bit buggy eyed, though whether that is a lingering effect of his transformation or just how he always looks is unclear. He stubbly chin gives the impression of someone who has neither sported a beard nor been clean shaven for a long time. "I mean, I'm sorry about the part where I tried to bite you, but wow, what a rush."
As he returns to reality, the water around him finally registers. "Oh, yes, upstairs. I vaguely recall the water happening shortly after I turned, though it's all a bit of a blur." He picks himself up and wrings out a part of his trousers in a futile attempt at getting himself a bit drier as he starts to clomp up the stairs. He turns to the right at the top and struggles to push a door open against the flow of water. "In here, I think!"
Sending his echo ahead, Joren tromps after the man up the stairs, shrugging helplessly at the others.
As he goes, he ties his rope around himself and trails the other end behind, so others can hold on to it against the current if needed.
He catches up to the man and his echo at the door and helps him push it ajar against the flow of water.
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
Ashley stares at the man as he tries to recall what happened. She is still floored by the whole situation. She was actively trying to kill an innocent man! What is happening around here? Is this something that can even be fixed? She thinks about Vilus, wondering if he was still alive or not, and what he would have thought about the situation. She chuckles, probably would have just shrugged it off. She continues to sit there as the man and Joren run past, and in a distant sort of way, "Call me if you need me." really in a daze.
“I guess we push on” Malachi remarks as the strange man and Joren push past him on the stairs, moving toward the door at the top. As the man tries to wring out the water in his pants, Malachi waves his hand and cleans and dries the man’s clothes, although it is not likely to do much good while they are still in the water. Malachi grabs hold of Joren’s rope and pulls himself up the stairs after the others. “What is in the room?”
"I can only hope that it isn't some kind of... spontaneously generated portal to a massive water source..." Samir's eyes seemed a touch unfocused as he contemplated this particular train of thought, calculating the difficulties and damage that such a thing could unleash upon the neighborhood and the city at large.
Together with Joren, the man pushes the door open. "Ahh thank you," he says. A gush of water up to Joren's knees splashes past him as it is released from the room, leaving less than an inch of water pooled upon the floor of the room. Under a window at the far end of the room, a desk lies smashed in half. Boxes, barrels, and curios are scattered about, some floating through the open doorway towards the stairs.
The odd man scoops up a couple of small items that drift past him, gathering them in his arms before dropping them and rushing over to the desk and picking up a gnarled looking walking stick. "Oh good, it's not damaged." He clutches it to his chest almost reverently before looking about to try and spot the source of the water.
Joren calls to those behind him, "being careful everyone - opening the door here and water rushing out. Boxes, barrels and other... things may be coming out and down with the flood." He sends his echo forward to stand next to the man, also looking for the source of the deluge from his spot at the door.
(He is still holding the rope for others to steady themselves).
"Excusing my questions please given how strange these circumstances are seeming. Being anything magical or externally significant about the walking stick?" Joren eyes the stranger who had been a crocodile with a bit of trepidation. "Or no more than a personal item you are cherishing?"
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
“Portal to a massive water source… like the bottom of an ocean or river?” Malachi looks at Samir with his eyebrows raised “What a terrifying idea.” He pushes through the door, following Joren and the man into the room. He almost absent-mindedly picks up one of the small trinkets as it floats past him, focusing on something that resembles a religious icon of some type, and sticks it into his jacket. He looks around the room for the source of the water, hoping it is not a portal to the depths of the ocean.
Sleight of hand to pick up trinket: 14.
Perception to locate source of water: 22.
,
"Yes, precisely. Very scary thought, indeed." Samir follows Malachi up the stairs but pauses outside behind Joren, peering past him into the room.
Ashley finally recovers and grabs hold of the rope to heave herself up off the steps and up them to join the rest of the party. "A portal you say? What if... what if there is a slim possibility it would lead us to Vilus? I mean, I don't know.. don't know anything about portals or anything like that, I just can't give up hope." She looks at the stiffened leg that is semi poking out of her pack and shakes her head.
With new resolve, she heads into the room as well trying to figure out what is going on.
Perception 5
"Oh this?" The man holds up the stick. "Well, it's something my father left behind when he left for Talmouth a few months before we closed the gates. Told me to take care of it while he was off getting treatment. So I'm holding onto it for when he gets back." He hides it well, but there is a sad look in his eye that belies his cheerful tone.
Malachi uses the man's distraction to casually pick up a floating object as he brushes a drifting box aside. He feels its surface in his hand. A broach, most likely, but made of wood rather than metal. The pattern is simple but elegant. It has the appearance of five rings knotted together with pleasing symmetry. But before Malachi has a chance to inspect it further, he notices the flow of the water and traces it to its source. The water seems to be flowing from the far end of the room with the broken desk lies. Approaching, Malachi sees teeth marks in the desk that match what he saw of the curio-seller's reptilian form, and a barrel next to it has had one of its iron hoops dented in, very possibly by the crocodile's tail. In fact, the more Malachi looks, the more he sees evidence that the damage and chaos in the room stemmed from a sudden transformation.
But Malachi doesn't get distracted. He hones in on an undamaged barrel next to the first one. It is tilted on its side, halfway in the water, and by placing a handful of wooden splinters at its mouth, he quickly determines the water is flowing out from within.
Malachi slips the broach into his jacket, making a mental note to check it out later, as he spots the barrel. “Here’s your portal, Samir. Or something” He points out the barrel "Joren, let’s stand this barrel back up. Maybe the water will stop pouring out.” Malachi bends down to grab one edge of the barrel to help Joren or one of the others stand the barrel back up.
Joren agrees to Malachi's suggestion with a strange look on his face, unable to make sense of the situation.
With his echo standing guard, he moves against the flow of the water to stand the barrel upright with Malachi's help.
Unfortunately, while it's not his worst effort, it's far from his best. Joren Athletics at advantage: 14
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
The water makes solid footing a little difficult, but with some strain and grunting, he and Malachi manage to tilt the barrel. Water sloshes over the rim as it lands squarely upright, somehow still full to the brim with water. Within seconds, it becomes clear that the water level in the room is starting to go down as it continues to leak to the lower floor.
The shop owner looks over and says "Wait, all that water was coming from the barrel? How's that possible? I bought that barrel filled with what was supposed to be a "magical healing wine" about a year ago, but realized pretty quickly I'd been duped. There was nothing special about that barrel or its contents, I'm sure of it."
"Well, it would seem that something has certainly changed then." Samir sloshes into the room, now that there didn't appear to be any danger, his eyes flashing as he observes the now upright barrel. With no further thought to keeping himself dry, and a small fidget of his glasses, he moves over next to the now seemingly mollified source of water and begins examining it, looking for any signs or evidence of tampering, magical or otherwise.
11 Investigation
22 Arcana
Joren makes way for Samir and would like to help the artificer investigate as he had done all the way back at that cursed Inn at the base of the foothills. But in reality at this stage, he is so far out of his depth (he chuckles at his own terrible joke) that he would be more of a hindrance than a help.
Instead, he merely stands guard with his echo.
"Not knowing anything about magic, but it is seeming as if not only are people spontaneously casting spells without meaning to now in Tensmith, but objects themselves are becoming magical. Such as the endless water that was flowing out of this barrel."
He muses for a moment. "Samir, or anyone, are you able to detect the presence of magic in case something or someone else here has... changed?"
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
Just from the tingle at his touch, Samir can tell the barrel is most definitely magical. What's more, it's make appears quite fine. The metal loops appear to made from iron from the smoking sands, and the wood is from an unknown species. Special care clearly went into making it.
When upright, it doesn't overflow, but Samir wants to know more about its precise nature. Grabbing a wooden broom that has washed up by his feet, he pokes it gently down into the barrel. It doesn't hit a bottom. Curious, he reaches down and dips his finger in the water, tasting it lightly. Salty.
He would guess the barrel has indeed become a portal that is letting in seawater.