Crimson Sands of Time

"There is a unicorn called Lamorna who lives on a small islet within Thither's Wayward pool. I have sent one of my lackeys to retrieve it, but if younhappened to have one, I'd rather have it sooner than later." the bearded man replies.

<some players actually already gave away a unicorn horn. They took a fey crossing to Oerth, but the horn is where they left it. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it.>

State of affairs:

Picollo has acquired a rapier and served a cake. She saw vines geowing into the kitchen ferm the next room.

Trisk, Drain and Tetrevess spoke to three hags and two departed, leaving Endelyn (the youngest and tallest) in tbe study where the knight is tied to a balcony but suspended over the court of storms. The trio are face to face with Kelek, who sits on tbe throne in the central tower, a figure sulking behind it and a glowing eyes armored figure at his side.

He wants you to get rid of the dragon and asked if you have a unicorn horn.

Drain:

Drain will casually gesture towards the thrown.  "Well, we don't have a unicorn horn...but if we find one maybe we can share it if the price is right"  

He is going to try to secretly send a message to the shape behind the throne...

Message:

You point toward a creature within range and whisper a message. The target (and only the target) hears the message and can reply in a whisper that only you can hear.

You can cast this spell through solid objects if you are familiar with the target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence; 1 foot of stone, metal, or wood; or a thin sheet of lead blocks the spell.

Piccolo says goodbye through some notes to the giantess and heads back to the kitchen area. She examines the vines she saw earlier, and tries to determine more about the next room.

As she examines the vines, she will touch them with a long object and see if they react in any way.

Quote from Burgen_Badluk >>

Drain:

Drain will casually gesture towards the thrown.  "Well, we don't have a unicorn horn...but if we find one maybe we can share it if the price is right"  

He is going to try to secretly send a message to the shape behind the throne...

Message:

Do you have anything to add here?  You can reply to me and others wont here.

 

You point toward a creature within range and whisper a message. The target (and only the target) hears the message and can reply in a whisper that only you can hear.

You can cast this spell through solid objects if you are familiar with the target and know it is beyond the barrier. Magical silence; 1 foot of stone, metal, or wood; or a thin sheet of lead blocks the spell.

 You hear the following: "What was that? Damn! he sees me.  Crap! He can probably hear what I'm thinking.  I'm not thinking. I am not thinking. <pause> I wonder if that worked. Crap! (To the tune of Greensleeves): 🎶 How do you let someone know if your hotcakes are selling well 🎶"

<I know it's not detect thoughts,  but this guy woukd be the world's worst assassin and talks to himself becasue he has no inner monologue. So, everyone else hears this too.>

From his throne, Kelek shouts, "Pipe down you imbecile!" Then, to Drain, adds, "And what's with the crown you're wearing anyway? If yiure some sort of royal shouldn't someone announce you when you enter my throne room?"

Here, the palace has been torn asunder by the growth of an enormous beanstalk that has lifted one of its towers high into the air. The space beyond the open doorway is choked with rubble and the thick roots that form the beanstalk’s base.

The beanstalk is 80 feet high, elevating the floor of the tower 20 feet above the palace roof. A creature that can fly can reach the tower easily enough. A creature can climb the beanstalk without needing magic or climbing gear, but doing so requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. 

Piccolo is curious about what might lie above, but for now, returns to find the others.

(NOTE:  Uriel has the Crown...)

Uriel:

"Ah, this item?  It is, uh, recently acquired.  I am not royalty.  Seeing the doors with a crown on them, I was hoping perhaps it might aid me go through them.  It, however, did not," replies Uriel, adding, "I expect the sharp axe I saw by the woods may have been a better if not particularly subtle aid in door-opening."

Considering, he asks, "Can you tell us what is happening in this castle with the water and people seeming to be frozen in time--at least some of them?  I am not very familiar with the feywild, but this effect is unusual even from here, is it not?"

The formerly hidden man behind the throne stands up, wagging an accusatory finger. "So, that's not your crown, but you thought you coukd just take it.  You seek power but know not how to weird it. Folly, I say"

The bearded man upon the throne hurls scorn at the dark-robed Zargas with an expression as devoid of emapthy as it is subtelty, the irony of the situation clearly not lost on Kelek, as he sits impotently on the throne he claims as his own.

As he stills his wmotions, he returns to the matter at hand and confirms, "Time does flow differently in the Feywild. Many speak of returning from its hyper-reality experiencing years of wonders in what seem mere days or less in their home worlds, but this is different. It's that cauldron, the diabolist's pet dragon now guards. It is a powerful artifact, and yours for the asking if you can rid us of that petulant beast." Offers the scowling man, whose face for a moment softens, in a forced effort at cordiality.

Uriel:

Shrugging, Uriel says, "Several legends include items of power being held up by an unknown hand from the surface of a lake, and some of them even conferred royal titles for those bold enough to claim them.  I seek not such responsibility, so do not fear for your throne, but I thought the crown might be useful nonetheless."

"As far as the cauldron goes, is it responsible for the beings frozen in time?  Perhaps my allies would be willing to fight the dragon in exchange for such a powerful magic item--I would need to confer with them," he adds, looking towards Drain.

While Zargash us un sight, you can see he wears black robes and religious oarephanalia. It casts an altogether unwholesome appearance. Invitation for a religion check if anyone wants to try it.

Uriel looks at this Zargash character, trying to get an idea what all his religions iconography might mean.

Religion:  12

Zargash wears a necklace adorned with the horned head of a goat set over a skull-topped mace. You recognize it as the holy symbol of the demon lord, (and sometimes God,) of undeath: Orcus.

Piccolo continues until she finds Trisk

Uriel:

”Interesting—you sit on a purloined throne and berate me for taking a crown.  You speak ill of the fey Queen of this land by calling her a demon consort but wear the religious iconography of a demon lord.  I find this whole conversation…confusing,” says Uriel, concerned that these individuals may be likely to attack or double cross him given their crude deceptions.

<to clarify, the guy originally hiding behind the throne (who'd probably like the to kill the guy on the throne) is the one stanning Orcus.>

Also, no deception they're actually on the level about everything they've said.

At Uriel's words, the large armor-clad man with the glowing eyes tenses, hand on sword, ready to strike, but Kelek, feom his throne holds him back with a word "Warduke." he orders, calmly, "wait." 

To Uriel, Kelek responds, "I have spoken truth of the personage who slaughtered dozens of helpless fey creatures to forge this domain,  and I grant you the liberty to poke around the castle and find the truth in my words for yourself, if that is all it takes. In return, I hope you will consider my offer and aid in ridding us of that onerous beast, who sleeps, even now, beside its food dish - tbe epitome kf the vicious attack dog it's master trained it to be."

He pauses very briefly, then adds, "If there's nothing further, you may take your leave."

Uriel:

”Fair enough,” says Uriel to the bearded man on the throne, “But I would reconsider keeping company with a a demon worshipper.”

 Turning to Drain, he suggests, “Let’s go and explore as we have been invited to do.”