Pud squints at the squat, 30-foot-tall tower to the southwest. Stairs hug its outer wall, climbing about ten feet to a double door. A bronze plaque is fixed above the door, but it's too far away for Pud to read. A canopy of leafy green trees can be seen just above it, suggesting it may have no roof.
"Huh? An axe? I'm gonna go see!" Hopping onto her familiar, Titaani rides over to the others. "Yeah, that looks like it's been stuck there for a while."
”I was just thinking about evening the odds against the League of Malevolence—assuming the axe is magical,” responds Ben, “but my efforts have been in vain.”
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Pud examines the axe. It looks like the sort of very well-crafted weapon that might indeed be magical, but he's not sure. (He's just examining it, right? You're not using Detect Magic on it?)
Titaani approaches the marble fountain, rising from a plinth on the bank of the stream, overflowing with time-frozen water that spills from the mouths of sculpted animals. The frozen spray surrounding the fountain creates rainbows in the air around it.
For a moment Pud considers spending more time and energy on this axe. He’s quite tempted now, but he’s worried about spending more time and resources here.
“Ben, that axe sure looks cool, but I think we gotta get moving. Sorry.”
He turns a darts after Titaani. Once he meets up with her he waves everyone else over.
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Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Looking up, Matilda sees nothing threatening in the skies right now. Pud also looks up and around. An occasional insect flies through, but almost everything else - water, spray, bees, gardeners, playful pixies, birds in mid-flight – are all frozen in time. Even motes of dust hang motionless in the air.
Tiny tries to sip the water from the time-frozen fountain– at first, the water has the consistency of soft dough, but once it enters his mouth, it seems to melt into normal-seeming water. Nevertheless, Tiny gives a funny look to Titaani. He is unaffected, but there is something odd about the water. He shakes it off, whatever it is.
Unless you have further business with the fountain, the party continues toward the palace.
The modest bridge, the ramp beyond it, and the dressed marble plaza beyond that, are empty, tidy, and uneventful to cross.
A marble cameo depicting a hart wearing a crown is mounted above the ornate arched central double door to the palace. A second set of less-ornate double doors can be seen on your far left. A set of windows is set high into the wall across the entire face of the castle, high above you. A third set of utilitarian-looking double doors is accessible from a 10-foot-high stone catwalk from a squat tower far to your right.
Everything remains very quiet, save for the distant musicians still playing in the pavilion.
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Pud hangs around Matilda and Ben.
"Hey guys, those standing stones are some sorta transportation device. NO idea how it works though.
No luck with that axe, huh? Looks like it's wedged in there pretty good."
Pud turns and looks at the structure to their southwest. He shields his eyes and tries to spot anything of interest.
Perception check: 16
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Pud squints at the squat, 30-foot-tall tower to the southwest. Stairs hug its outer wall, climbing about ten feet to a double door. A bronze plaque is fixed above the door, but it's too far away for Pud to read. A canopy of leafy green trees can be seen just above it, suggesting it may have no roof.
Ben:
”This axe is stuck hard, Pud. Any ideas for working it loose?” asks Ben.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Horatio calls over to Ben, "Do we really need an axe? Who would even use it?"
"Huh? An axe? I'm gonna go see!" Hopping onto her familiar, Titaani rides over to the others. "Yeah, that looks like it's been stuck there for a while."
"I dunno. Titaani's right. That looks like its been stuck in there for a while. Do you really reeeeeeeally want it?
Maybe I can splash some acid on the wood? Maybe that'll loosen it up a bit. Or we can use my magic pole as a lever to get it out."
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Matilda keeps her eyes on the sky in case the dragon returns....
Ben:
”I was just thinking about evening the odds against the League of Malevolence—assuming the axe is magical,” responds Ben, “but my efforts have been in vain.”
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The garden remains perfectly still, frozen in time. The twilit skies are clear and beautiful. Nothing moves.
The axe remains completely stuck.
What next?
"Okay, I can take a look at it. See if I can pick up any arcane signatures."
Pud walks over, grips the handle of the axe and closes his eyes while he attempts to detect any sort of magical signature emanating from the axe.
Arcana check: 11
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Bored of the axe, Titaani moves over to the fountain to her right, looking around curiously.
Perception: 4
Pud examines the axe. It looks like the sort of very well-crafted weapon that might indeed be magical, but he's not sure. (He's just examining it, right? You're not using Detect Magic on it?)
Titaani approaches the marble fountain, rising from a plinth on the bank of the stream, overflowing with time-frozen water that spills from the mouths of sculpted animals. The frozen spray surrounding the fountain creates rainbows in the air around it.
For a moment Pud considers spending more time and energy on this axe. He’s quite tempted now, but he’s worried about spending more time and resources here.
“Ben, that axe sure looks cool, but I think we gotta get moving. Sorry.”
He turns a darts after Titaani. Once he meets up with her he waves everyone else over.
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
"Look at the rainbows, Pud!" Titaani says cheerfully as the artificer joins her. "Aren't they pretty?"
While she is distracted, Tiny will try and drink from the frozen water, if he can.
Ben:
"I understand," says Ben with some disappointment, "We should get to the main castle before our stealth wears off." He gets up and follows the others.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Whoa! That is pretty cool. It almost seems like someone or something froze time in this place."
Pud turns and looks up at the sky and the surroundings.
DM: Is anything moving or is does everything seem to be frozen? Clouds, light, etc?
Pronouns: he/him/his
Pud - lvl 7 Human Artificer - Alchemist (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight).
Quinn - lvl 4 Human Ranger - Hunter (Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk)
Matilda keeps her eyes firmly on the sky....
Looking up, Matilda sees nothing threatening in the skies right now. Pud also looks up and around. An occasional insect flies through, but almost everything else - water, spray, bees, gardeners, playful pixies, birds in mid-flight – are all frozen in time. Even motes of dust hang motionless in the air.
Tiny tries to sip the water from the time-frozen fountain– at first, the water has the consistency of soft dough, but once it enters his mouth, it seems to melt into normal-seeming water. Nevertheless, Tiny gives a funny look to Titaani. He is unaffected, but there is something odd about the water. He shakes it off, whatever it is.
Frowning Matilda moves towards the bridge...
Unless you have further business with the fountain, the party continues toward the palace.
The modest bridge, the ramp beyond it, and the dressed marble plaza beyond that, are empty, tidy, and uneventful to cross.
A marble cameo depicting a hart wearing a crown is mounted above the ornate arched central double door to the palace. A second set of less-ornate double doors can be seen on your far left. A set of windows is set high into the wall across the entire face of the castle, high above you. A third set of utilitarian-looking double doors is accessible from a 10-foot-high stone catwalk from a squat tower far to your right.
Everything remains very quiet, save for the distant musicians still playing in the pavilion.