Moving to the door, Ben shoves something under the door to prop it open so it doesn’t shut like the last locked one. He tries to make sense of the situation frozen in time. Does the bay amulet have any religious significance?
Religion: 20
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Of course! Those poor fairies!" Titaani responds, quite distressed. "Can we find a way to get to them without having to wade through that nasty green stuff, though?"
Walking over to the Orcus worshipper, Ben inspects the levers for identifying marks, saying, “With five levers and five cages, I suspect they key is operating the machinery correctly to return the cages to solid ground.”
Seeing that the fairies are outside the cages but something else is within, Ben tries to get a decent look at the beings currently inside the cages.
Does the Orcus worshipper look like one of the League of Malevolence members that was described?
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The surface of the sludge pool is five feet below the ledge ringing it. The floors of the five cages are currently suspended above the sludge at heights of 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet, and 50 feet, respectively.
The cage suspended 10 feet above the sludge contains a small, stumpy, demon-like creature with sharp claws. The cage suspended 20 feet above the sludge contains a male elf. The cage suspended 40 feet above the sludge holds an unshaven human man. There is one pixie outside each cage, wand in hand. All are time-frozen.
The five levers are unmarked.
Elkhorn appears in the doorway, a white rose in his label. "Zargash!" he growls, confirming Ben's suspicion that this dark cleric is indeed a member of the League of Malevolence.
"We can't just leave them here! If that man is evil, then by extension, the people locked up in these cages must be good," Titaani attempts to join the dots. "We must find a way to save them. Maybe if we broke the chains?"
”We should at least change the odds of what looks to be an ongoing battle, in case we succeed in unfreezing time elsewhere and can’t get back here quickly enough to help,” responds Ben, “But we would need to be able to fly or somehow get the cages back onto the ground before opening them or breaking chains, or we risk the imprisoned ones falling into this murky pool.”
Noticing Horatio, Ben asks, “Horatio, where is your rose? We were instructed to take one, and it wouldn’t do to be rude at the queen’s castle.”
Turning to Pud, Ben asks, “Are these levers something mechanical that you might be able to figure out?”
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Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The cages are suspended directly above the foul sludge. Accessing the cages would probably require flight, as Ben surmises. Cutting the chains would drop them directly into the murk (pending time-stopped gravity mechanics.) Pud is welcome to make an investigation check regarding the levers.
"The girl has a point," grumbles Elkhorn, unsheathing his blade and stepping forward. "Zargash should be executed."
Before Horatio can answer Ben's question, the rug does. Woven with images of thorny white roses, the lengthy rug rears up and grabs at Horatio.
Smother Attack vs Horatio: 15. Hit: Horatio is grappled.
Pud does a lap around the sludge pool following Ben. He checks out the levers, looks back at the cages and the contraption holding them. He also looks at who and what are currently inside of the cages. Investigation check: 25
His ears perk up once he hears that Elkhorn recognizes the hooded fella. He looks back to him and calls out. "Hey, Elkhorn. Do you recognize the other people in the cages? Are they also members of theLeague of Malevolence?"
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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)
Pud examines the lever system. It's pretty clear that each lever controls the height of one cage – moving a lever up or down causes its cage to ascend or descend at a controlled rate. Moving it all the way down would likely immerse the cage in the sludge entirely.
Elkhorn squints up at the cages. "No, don't recognize 'em. That there's a demon, though," he adds pointing to the lowest cage. "'Suppose I should push Zargash into th' sludge first? Or just cut his throat..." He spins at a noise behind him, watching the rug rear up and lunge for Horatio, who narrowly avoids being caught by the animated floor covering.
Horatio is startled when the rug tries to grab at him, and twice so when he realizes it is only grabbing at him. "Seriously! Over a rose!" He steps back through the doorway (( Disengage )) they had arrived form and takes a rose hastily (( Action 2 )). "Fine fine, but if you try that again I'm pulling out my flint and tinder and LIGHTING YOU ON FIRE!" He shouts at the rug as he moves.
”I am reluctant to do anything irreversible to beings we don’t know about,” replies Ben, trying to assess if the pixies frozen in time are fighting against Zargash or aiding him somehow.
Insight: 12
”Killing someone helpless makes me uncomfortable, but if Elkhorn is sure of Zargash’s crimes, I won’t stand in his way,” he adds, concluding, “If I had my way, we’d strip Zargash of his equipment, bind and gag him, then put him in a cage for later judgement from the queen. I’d leave the demon in the cage but not submerge it, and I’d free the others from the cages.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The rug settles down and straightens itself out; whether it was the rose or the threats, it has evidently resumed its inert state, allowing Horatio passage.
(Meanwhile, with that very high Investigation score...) Pud can clearly see which levers operate which cages.
Elkhorn marches around the circle to inspect Zargash. "Zargash certainly earned his execution many times over. But... it doesn't feel, uh, sporting, to just kill him in this state. What do you think?" Perception as he looks him over: 14
(Is Horatio taking a rose as well, as he enters the hallway?)
Ben:
Moving to the door, Ben shoves something under the door to prop it open so it doesn’t shut like the last locked one. He tries to make sense of the situation frozen in time. Does the bay amulet have any religious significance?
Religion: 20
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Ben definitively recognizes the bat-shaped amulet – it represents Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undeath.
(Does Ben have something in his inventory that he wants to use as a doorstop?)
Ben:
”That hooded figure worships an evil demon based on the amulet around its neck. Do you think we can save his intended victims?” asks Ben.
As he speaks, he takes the Rusty spear from his pack and breaks off a piece of the hat, then uses tools to fashion a crude doorstop.
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"Of course! Those poor fairies!" Titaani responds, quite distressed. "Can we find a way to get to them without having to wade through that nasty green stuff, though?"
Ben:
Walking over to the Orcus worshipper, Ben inspects the levers for identifying marks, saying, “With five levers and five cages, I suspect they key is operating the machinery correctly to return the cages to solid ground.”
Seeing that the fairies are outside the cages but something else is within, Ben tries to get a decent look at the beings currently inside the cages.
Does the Orcus worshipper look like one of the League of Malevolence members that was described?
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The surface of the sludge pool is five feet below the ledge ringing it. The floors of the five cages are currently suspended above the sludge at heights of 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet, and 50 feet, respectively.
The cage suspended 10 feet above the sludge contains a small, stumpy, demon-like creature with sharp claws. The cage suspended 20 feet above the sludge contains a male elf. The cage suspended 40 feet above the sludge holds an unshaven human man. There is one pixie outside each cage, wand in hand. All are time-frozen.
The five levers are unmarked.
Elkhorn appears in the doorway, a white rose in his label. "Zargash!" he growls, confirming Ben's suspicion that this dark cleric is indeed a member of the League of Malevolence.
Ben: Make a Perception check.
Meredith looked at the levers and cages curiously.....
" Should we stab the hood guy a LOT, while he's frozen? He seems bad..."
" Or just leave everyone....nothing can happen if they're all frozen I guess."
Ben’s Perception: 9
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
"We can't just leave them here! If that man is evil, then by extension, the people locked up in these cages must be good," Titaani attempts to join the dots. "We must find a way to save them. Maybe if we broke the chains?"
Ben:
”We should at least change the odds of what looks to be an ongoing battle, in case we succeed in unfreezing time elsewhere and can’t get back here quickly enough to help,” responds Ben, “But we would need to be able to fly or somehow get the cages back onto the ground before opening them or breaking chains, or we risk the imprisoned ones falling into this murky pool.”
Noticing Horatio, Ben asks, “Horatio, where is your rose? We were instructed to take one, and it wouldn’t do to be rude at the queen’s castle.”
Turning to Pud, Ben asks, “Are these levers something mechanical that you might be able to figure out?”
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The cages are suspended directly above the foul sludge. Accessing the cages would probably require flight, as Ben surmises. Cutting the chains would drop them directly into the murk (pending time-stopped gravity mechanics.) Pud is welcome to make an investigation check regarding the levers.
"The girl has a point," grumbles Elkhorn, unsheathing his blade and stepping forward. "Zargash should be executed."
Before Horatio can answer Ben's question, the rug does. Woven with images of thorny white roses, the lengthy rug rears up and grabs at Horatio.
Smother Attack vs Horatio: 15. Hit: Horatio is grappled.
Pud does a lap around the sludge pool following Ben. He checks out the levers, looks back at the cages and the contraption holding them. He also looks at who and what are currently inside of the cages. Investigation check: 25
His ears perk up once he hears that Elkhorn recognizes the hooded fella. He looks back to him and calls out. "Hey, Elkhorn. Do you recognize the other people in the cages? Are they also members of theLeague of Malevolence?"
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 examines the lever system. It's pretty clear that each lever controls the height of one cage – moving a lever up or down causes its cage to ascend or descend at a controlled rate. Moving it all the way down would likely immerse the cage in the sludge entirely.
Elkhorn squints up at the cages. "No, don't recognize 'em. That there's a demon, though," he adds pointing to the lowest cage. "'Suppose I should push Zargash into th' sludge first? Or just cut his throat..." He spins at a noise behind him, watching the rug rear up and lunge for Horatio, who narrowly avoids being caught by the animated floor covering.
Horatio is startled when the rug tries to grab at him, and twice so when he realizes it is only grabbing at him. "Seriously! Over a rose!" He steps back through the doorway (( Disengage )) they had arrived form and takes a rose hastily (( Action 2 )). "Fine fine, but if you try that again I'm pulling out my flint and tinder and LIGHTING YOU ON FIRE!" He shouts at the rug as he moves.
" Uh, I don't think we should touch the levers...what if they fall in? Well..I guess its ok if the demon falls in."
" Horatio! Are you ok? Why are you playing with the rug?"
"You could do both." Pud says in response to Elkhorn.
Pud checks out the commotion over with Horatio and he giggles at the sight of the rug trying to grab a hold of Horatio.
"Ben, what do you think? Sink the demon into the sludge or leave it be? I do like the idea of thinning out some of the bad guys before they unfreeze."
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)
Ben:
”I am reluctant to do anything irreversible to beings we don’t know about,” replies Ben, trying to assess if the pixies frozen in time are fighting against Zargash or aiding him somehow.
Insight: 12
”Killing someone helpless makes me uncomfortable, but if Elkhorn is sure of Zargash’s crimes, I won’t stand in his way,” he adds, concluding, “If I had my way, we’d strip Zargash of his equipment, bind and gag him, then put him in a cage for later judgement from the queen. I’d leave the demon in the cage but not submerge it, and I’d free the others from the cages.”
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
The rug settles down and straightens itself out; whether it was the rose or the threats, it has evidently resumed its inert state, allowing Horatio passage.
(Meanwhile, with that very high Investigation score...) Pud can clearly see which levers operate which cages.
Elkhorn marches around the circle to inspect Zargash. "Zargash certainly earned his execution many times over. But... it doesn't feel, uh, sporting, to just kill him in this state. What do you think?" Perception as he looks him over: 14
Ben examines the pixies. They appear to be on guard, unexcited, perhaps a little bored. They were not frozen in a moment of combat or other emergency.