Famh turns towards Cainneach to tell him what she sees the rest of the retinue doing, and sees that he has lagged behind! She starts to hurry back after him, and is immeasurably relieved to see him appear around the bend. "What is it, 'neach? It would be lovely if 'twere so, it's so different than what we've found down here so far. What did ye see there?" Even as she speaks, though, a hideous memory of the ease with which the evil entered Fergus is stirring in the back of her mind, and she can't help peering anxiously at Cainneach to see if there are any subtle changes in him that would alert her quickly enough to try and save him if her worst nightmare came true.
==========
Insight 14
"Oh Famh, there was a beautiful crescent moon and that was all, hanging upon the wall as though the stone were the night sky. I felt myself drawn to it, but Salt made sure I didn't get too near. I tore myself away and asked Almeric to give it the critical eye. He seems to have a knack for that sort of thing." Then, he leans in close to Famh and says quietly with a wry smile, "Knowing him, he'll probably rip it right off the wall and have Fergus catalog it."
Almeric rejoins the group in the large vaulted room quickly, passing Cairneach and Fahm as he takes his place at the front on the line. As he passes, he updates the Highlander quickly.
"It is a prayer room, so I attempted to pray to Gatanades. Instead I was visited by a Moon Goddess. I wouldn't say that I was tempted, but wouldn't recommend it to others."
Almeric reforms the battle order to continue north along the new corridor
Cainneach catches himself as the Capellar approaches and receives the update with thinly veiled interest. He turns back to Famh and asks eagerly, "Do you recognize this moon goddess? Nothing came to my mind from among the Old Gods when I took a careful look, but you are more in tune with these things than I."
Moving up to the t-junction and looking to the right the companions can see the stairwell they descended and the fourway junction at its base, looking north another solid door lies at the end of the corridor.
Almeric nods to himself in confirmation that they have travelled in a loop, having explored the south - west quarter of the complex.
"Now we know where we are, and our way of escape is clear. Let us continue north. I can smell the treasure in this place and thus far we have dealt with the traps and denizens well."
Cainneach will quickly point out that Salt was extremely agitated by whatever presumably lay beyond the north door, showing Almeric and the others the unhappy dog pictogram on his map.
While brandishing the map, he will also remind his companions that, "There was also the eastern corridor we encountered right away and a set of descending stairs that lay to the north. I have a feeling that we're yet far from fully uncovering the secrets this temple holds."
Famh turns towards Cainneach to tell him what she sees the rest of the retinue doing, and sees that he has lagged behind! She starts to hurry back after him, and is immeasurably relieved to see him appear around the bend. "What is it, 'neach? It would be lovely if 'twere so, it's so different than what we've found down here so far. What did ye see there?" Even as she speaks, though, a hideous memory of the ease with which the evil entered Fergus is stirring in the back of her mind, and she can't help peering anxiously at Cainneach to see if there are any subtle changes in him that would alert her quickly enough to try and save him if her worst nightmare came true.
==========
Insight 14
"Oh Famh, there was a beautiful crescent moon and that was all, hanging upon the wall as though the stone were the night sky. I felt myself drawn to it, but Salt made sure I didn't get too near. I tore myself away and asked Almeric to give it the critical eye. He seems to have a knack for that sort of thing." Then, he leans in close to Famh and says quietly with a wry smile, "Knowing him, he'll probably rip it right off the wall and have Fergus catalog it."
Almeric rejoins the group in the large vaulted room quickly, passing Cairneach and Fahm as he takes his place at the front on the line. As he passes, he updates the Highlander quickly.
"It is a prayer room, so I attempted to pray to Gatanades. Instead I was visited by a Moon Goddess. I wouldn't say that I was tempted, but wouldn't recommend it to others."
Almeric reforms the battle order to continue north along the new corridor
Cainneach catches himself as the Capellar approaches and receives the update with thinly veiled interest. He turns back to Famh and asks eagerly, "Do you recognize this moon goddess? Nothing came to my mind from among the Old Gods when I took a careful look, but you are more in tune with these things than I."
The moment she hears of the crescent moon on the wall that gave Cainneach such a hypnotic feeling, a series of storm changes begins to sweep across Famh’s face. The first front is a look of such terror and desolation, such a stunned look of the innocent young girl awaking in what she thought was her bed of safety and finding her worst nightmare suddenly come hideously true, that all who see it are frozen into that same immobility. It is the immobility of the hunted small creature suddenly bereft of the beloved kindred of the den in whom they had trusted their security. Then, as she studies his face a thousand times more closely than she had a moment before, she realizes that she can see no signs that he has taken harm from the moon, and she absolutely explodes! Cyclones of words whirl out in time with the flashing lightning of her eyes!:
“How could you scare me like that?! In a horrible place like this, with all I told you about the moon here, and you the only friend here who really understands all of me, how could you go and do that to … oh!,” as another front sweeps through her suddenly remorseful eyes, “but how could I be so cruel as to be yelling at you so after you’ve just been through that, and it’s half my fault at that, I’ve just been talking about this vision of mine and it never occurred to me to stop and explain it to you and if you’ve gone and taken hurt I’ll never forgive … and I swore ye gheasa too! I’m so sorry, I …,” she gulps and finally recovers some control over herself. “I’m sorry, Cainneach,. I should have warned ye clearer. I don’t know what god sent me that vision of the pale serpent falling down from the moon and eating its way into the heart of the world just before a like thing tried to possess Fergus, but I thank that same god and all others of good that sent Salt into this world to mend my fault of passing by that place without heeding the warning. I suppose I owe him gheasa now too, to let him have a tailor’s holiday once in a while when I’ll be looking out to catch the slip.”She takes a few breaths to steady herself, and a smile begins to cross her face.
“And your own strength too, leannan. The goodness of your soul, whatever god may or may not ‘speak in your heart’, that shone brighter in this darkness than any moon and so far as I can see still shines clear in your eyes. It’s a trap indeed that could mesmerize you even for so long as it did.” She lays her hand reassuringly on his arm and then goes to consult with Tana, Fergus and Sir Almeric regarding the overlooked vestibule and its peculiar style of ornamentation. Her lips are pressed firmly together, and there is a crisp efficiency about her manner that was not there a moment ago. When she hears the Capellar's talk of a Moon Goddess, her eyebrows quirk up even higher for a moment; and then she shakes her head.
"Not like this. The only one I can think of in the old stories that had aught to do with the moon was Karidwenn; but she was no' a figure of evil like this; and her beast was the wild tusker, not the serpent. And in all the Seeings I've had in this place thus far, the moon is a figure of evil, whether open or veiled. I'll not trust that symbol here unless I have to, and I'll expect it to betray me then."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thatch looks over Cainneach’s shoulder at the map sketch, trying to remain oriented in the hallways. He has a hard time following Famh’s conversation around the moon goddess and the legends of the north, but he understands enough to be wary in a place like this. “I trust Salt’s instincts, but it’s worth at least checking out the door, see if we learn anything”he urges Cainneach and then moves to the door Almeric pointed out, checking it for traps or any markings that gives a clue to what lies beyond.
Surprised by the onslaught of Famh's word, Ori found himself half chuckling over paying attention to what she was saying. He felt like had really turned over a new leaf in his life since joining this lot, but none of them had changed as much as her. Changed wasn't really the right term, opened up? Bloomed? He still couldn't follow half of what she said. "Right we'll be over by the door if you need us." He sticks closely behind Thatch while at the door.
Fergus scratches his chin, "It may be that the folks that were here were corrupting the worship to the goddess for their our ends or perhaps trying to take her place?"
He shrugs, before following Thatch and Ori, standing a bit back from the door, ready to attack any enemies that may be on the other side.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Cainneach is immediately chastened, then confused, then relieved, and finally embarrassed as he realizes some of their companions are staring at he and Famh while she unloads the entirety of her rapid emotional journey upon him. Unable to muster a response in the moment, Cainneach simply nods meekly and pats Salt on the back, looking to the noble hound for some silent support.
After Famh relates her assessment of Almeric's report, Cainneach tries to discreetly take her aside. He gently takes her hand in his and looks at her with the utmost sincerity. Trying not to stumble over his words, he speaks quietly, "Famh, I ... I'm sorry. This wasn't your fault, it was my failing alone. I did hear your warnings, I really did, but I must have let myself go in there. It felt so different, so promising, so true ... I felt the way that I do when I imagine being with you, Famh, far from here and from danger. I should have known better than to trust anything in this place, but I'll be more careful from now on, I promise ye. I'll try to be all those kind things you said about me, I really will. I'm sorry ..." Unable to conjure any more words, Cainneach's quiet voice trails off to nothing.
Following this exchange, Cainneach will approach the door to the north with Thatch and the others and offers to take a look as well, seeing that Thatch is perhaps unconvinced of his own assessment. Salt seems unwilling to accompany him, so Cainneach tells his loyal canine to stay with Famh.
After assessing the door, Cainneach moves back to position himself near Fergus. He contemplates what may lurk in the next room, then looks down with surprise to his right hand to find ten berries. While not the first time this has occurred, it remains puzzling and Cainneach places them in his pouch. He then draws and readies his longbow.
Hovering back near Famh and Salt, Tana offers a comforting pat to the young hound while scanning the place cautiously from a ways back. She tips her head in Famh's direction in inquiry.
"Catch onto anything particularly strange yet? It seems to be hard to get a good read on this place."
Famh turns towards Cainneach to tell him what she sees the rest of the retinue doing, and sees that he has lagged behind! She starts to hurry back after him, and is immeasurably relieved to see him appear around the bend. "What is it, 'neach? It would be lovely if 'twere so, it's so different than what we've found down here so far. What did ye see there?" Even as she speaks, though, a hideous memory of the ease with which the evil entered Fergus is stirring in the back of her mind, and she can't help peering anxiously at Cainneach to see if there are any subtle changes in him that would alert her quickly enough to try and save him if her worst nightmare came true.
==========
Insight 14
"Oh Famh, there was a beautiful crescent moon and that was all, hanging upon the wall as though the stone were the night sky. I felt myself drawn to it, but Salt made sure I didn't get too near. I tore myself away and asked Almeric to give it the critical eye. He seems to have a knack for that sort of thing." Then, he leans in close to Famh and says quietly with a wry smile, "Knowing him, he'll probably rip it right off the wall and have Fergus catalog it."
Almeric rejoins the group in the large vaulted room quickly, passing Cairneach and Fahm as he takes his place at the front on the line. As he passes, he updates the Highlander quickly.
"It is a prayer room, so I attempted to pray to Gatanades. Instead I was visited by a Moon Goddess. I wouldn't say that I was tempted, but wouldn't recommend it to others."
Almeric reforms the battle order to continue north along the new corridor
Cainneach catches himself as the Capellar approaches and receives the update with thinly veiled interest. He turns back to Famh and asks eagerly, "Do you recognize this moon goddess? Nothing came to my mind from among the Old Gods when I took a careful look, but you are more in tune with these things than I."
The moment she hears of the crescent moon on the wall that gave Cainneach such a hypnotic feeling, a series of storm changes begins to sweep across Famh’s face. The first front is a look of such terror and desolation, such a stunned look of the innocent young girl awaking in what she thought was her bed of safety and finding her worst nightmare suddenly come hideously true, that all who see it are frozen into that same immobility. It is the immobility of the hunted small creature suddenly bereft of the beloved kindred of the den in whom they had trusted their security. Then, as she studies his face a thousand times more closely than she had a moment before, she realizes that she can see no signs that he has taken harm from the moon, and she absolutely explodes! Cyclones of words whirl out in time with the flashing lightning of her eyes!:
“How could you scare me like that?! In a horrible place like this, with all I told you about the moon here, and you the only friend here who really understands all of me, how could you go and do that to … oh!,” as another front sweeps through her suddenly remorseful eyes, “but how could I be so cruel as to be yelling at you so after you’ve just been through that, and it’s half my fault at that, I’ve just been talking about this vision of mine and it never occurred to me to stop and explain it to you and if you’ve gone and taken hurt I’ll never forgive … and I swore ye gheasa too! I’m so sorry, I …,” she gulps and finally recovers some control over herself. “I’m sorry, Cainneach,. I should have warned ye clearer. I don’t know what god sent me that vision of the pale serpent falling down from the moon and eating its way into the heart of the world just before a like thing tried to possess Fergus, but I thank that same god and all others of good that sent Salt into this world to mend my fault of passing by that place without heeding the warning. I suppose I owe him gheasa now too, to let him have a tailor’s holiday once in a while when I’ll be looking out to catch the slip.”She takes a few breaths to steady herself, and a smile begins to cross her face.
“And your own strength too, leannan. The goodness of your soul, whatever god may or may not ‘speak in your heart’, that shone brighter in this darkness than any moon and so far as I can see still shines clear in your eyes. It’s a trap indeed that could mesmerize you even for so long as it did.” She lays her hand reassuringly on his arm and then goes to consult with Tana, Fergus and Sir Almeric regarding the overlooked vestibule and its peculiar style of ornamentation. Her lips are pressed firmly together, and there is a crisp efficiency about her manner that was not there a moment ago. When she hears the Capellar's talk of a Moon Goddess, her eyebrows quirk up even higher for a moment; and then she shakes her head.
"Not like this. The only one I can think of in the old stories that had aught to do with the moon was Karidwenn; but she was no' a figure of evil like this; and her beast was the wild tusker, not the serpent. And in all the Seeings I've had in this place thus far, the moon is a figure of evil, whether open or veiled. I'll not trust that symbol here unless I have to, and I'll expect it to betray me then."
===========================
Religion 22
Arcana 11
Medicine 13
Though unable to puzzle out much of the miasma of evil that lays on this place or what effects it may have on the others she frowns as she thinks she is beginning to understand something of the nature of the worship that happened here the door showed a crsecent moon and skull.....yet the sanctuary room was a place of...at least some...peace...there is peace in death perhaps? But the tapestry....a gibbous moon....evil rites and a strange figure descending from it.......she would likely need to see depictings of a new and full moon somewhere here but she has the impression that the phase of the moon dictated the nature of its worship....and which god was venerated? Perhaps?
Thatch looks over Cainneach’s shoulder at the map sketch, trying to remain oriented in the hallways. He has a hard time following Famh’s conversation around the moon goddess and the legends of the north, but he understands enough to be wary in a place like this. “I trust Salt’s instincts, but it’s worth at least checking out the door, see if we learn anything”he urges Cainneach and then moves to the door Almeric pointed out, checking it for traps or any markings that gives a clue to what lies beyond.
Perception: 6.
.
After some examination thatch is fairly sure the door is safe......probably........
Surprised by the onslaught of Famh's word, Ori found himself half chuckling over paying attention to what she was saying. He felt like had really turned over a new leaf in his life since joining this lot, but none of them had changed as much as her. Changed wasn't really the right term, opened up? Bloomed? He still couldn't follow half of what she said. "Right we'll be over by the door if you need us." He sticks closely behind Thatch while at the door.
Fergus scratches his chin, "It may be that the folks that were here were corrupting the worship to the goddess for their our ends or perhaps trying to take her place?"
He shrugs, before following Thatch and Ori, standing a bit back from the door, ready to attack any enemies that may be on the other side.
Cainneach is immediately chastened, then confused, then relieved, and finally embarrassed as he realizes some of their companions are staring at he and Famh while she unloads the entirety of her rapid emotional journey upon him. Unable to muster a response in the moment, Cainneach simply nods meekly and pats Salt on the back, looking to the noble hound for some silent support.
After Famh relates her assessment of Almeric's report, Cainneach tries to discreetly take her aside. He gently takes her hand in his and looks at her with the utmost sincerity. Trying not to stumble over his words, he speaks quietly, "Famh, I ... I'm sorry. This wasn't your fault, it was my failing alone. I did hear your warnings, I really did, but I must have let myself go in there. It felt so different, so promising, so true ... I felt the way that I do when I imagine being with you, Famh, far from here and from danger. I should have known better than to trust anything in this place, but I'll be more careful from now on, I promise ye. I'll try to be all those kind things you said about me, I really will. I'm sorry ..." Unable to conjure any more words, Cainneach's quiet voice trails off to nothing.
Following this exchange, Cainneach will approach the door to the north with Thatch and the others and offers to take a look as well, seeing that Thatch is perhaps unconvinced of his own assessment. Salt seems unwilling to accompany him, so Cainneach tells his loyal canine to stay with Famh.
After assessing the door, Cainneach moves back to position himself near Fergus. He contemplates what may lurk in the next room, then looks down with surprise to his right hand to find ten berries. While not the first time this has occurred, it remains puzzling and Cainneach places them in his pouch. He then draws and readies his longbow.
Hovering back near Famh and Salt, Tana offers a comforting pat to the young hound while scanning the place cautiously from a ways back. She tips her head in Famh's direction in inquiry.
"Catch onto anything particularly strange yet? It seems to be hard to get a good read on this place."
With everyone ready Cainneach and Thatch open the door carefully.....
You peer into a wide pillared chamber. Nine human skeletons stand, incongruously, waiting to greet you, with silvered curved blades in their bony hands and wide deathly grins on their fleshless faces. Each wears a silver tore about its neck and a serpentine wrist-band of silver coiled about its left arm. As you open the door their heads turn noiselessly to regard you but they make no other move....
Ori has up a hand to signal everyone behind him to stop. He starts to push his way to the front and trying to stay in the doorway by half pushing others behind him. He yell whispers, "10 well armed skellies, noticed us but not aggressive yet." Assuming Almeric will work his way into the room as well to plan the groups next move. Ori can eat up most of the doorway, if this turns into a brawl, the corridor might be better grounds to limit there numbers effectiveness.bring his yand back to his club handle ready to swing away if need be.
Almeric stares at Fahm during her tirade, motionless. Is this the small girl that washed up into the Retinue a few months ago? Now becoming a young woman with vast unrealised potential. Just the kind of person the Capellar's would recruit in a heartbeat. Once Fahm has finished, he moves slowly towards the front of the group. As he passes Tana, he catches the Sorceress eye. Making his fist into a fork shape, he points two fingers at his own eyes, then quickly flicks his wrist to point towards Fahm and straight back towards his own eyes. Thus making the universal signal for 'Keep an eye on her', Almeric continues towards Ori without a word.
"10 well armed skeletons you say?" Almeric recalls his necromancy classes in Corvenna, during his Capellar training. Religion = 16
"Are they wearing jewellery? An amulet that gives them the power to move, or be controlled by a Sorcerer? If Fahm is correct, we should certainly destroy these abominations. I will enter the room and provoke them, then fall back to the corridor where Ori, Fergus and I will blocked their escape and destroy them."
Cainneach is immediately chastened, then confused, then relieved, and finally embarrassed as he realizes some of their companions are staring at he and Famh while she unloads the entirety of her rapid emotional journey upon him. Unable to muster a response in the moment, Cainneach simply nods meekly and pats Salt on the back, looking to the noble hound for some silent support.
After Famh relates her assessment of Almeric's report, Cainneach tries to discreetly take her aside. He gently takes her hand in his and looks at her with the utmost sincerity. Trying not to stumble over his words, he speaks quietly, "Famh, I ... I'm sorry. This wasn't your fault, it was my failing alone. I did hear your warnings, I really did, but I must have let myself go in there. It felt so different, so promising, so true ... I felt the way that I do when I imagine being with you, Famh, far from here and from danger. I should have known better than to trust anything in this place, but I'll be more careful from now on, I promise ye. I'll try to be all those kind things you said about me, I really will. I'm sorry ..." Unable to conjure any more words, Cainneach's quiet voice trails off to nothing.
She thinks she is managing quite well, actually, not to allow her lip to tremble as she listens to her poor dear Cainneach apologize to her so meekly for something that never was his fault in the first place. But inside, Famh wishes she knew how to move stone as well as she did earth. Then she could dig a little hole under one of the boulders strewn about, and crawl into it to curl up and die. Oh, she'd never meant to scream at him like that! She'd just been so scared for him, and everything had gotten mixed and now not only had she hurt him even though that wasn't what she meant for to do but now he is saying sorry to her for it?! In her struggles to keep her composure, she entirely fails to register Cainneach's remark about spending time alone with her and how it would make him feel. At least with her conscious mind. But there is a deeper Famh that would hear his tender words even if her ears were made of stone. And she is comforted enough by the time he is done speaking to give him a tremulous smile and pat his hand.
"Ye took no harm from it, Cainneach, and that's the most important thing. And I am so, so terribly sorry I yelled at you." She gulps hard before going on.
"It's set me wondering though, if I've not been a little hasty about jumping to conclusions about the meaning of a moon here. It was a different phase of moon, and perhaps that has something to do with." .
Hovering back near Famh and Salt, Tana offers a comforting pat to the young hound while scanning the place cautiously from a ways back. She tips her head in Famh's direction in inquiry.
"Catch onto anything particularly strange yet? It seems to be hard to get a good read on this place."
With everyone ready Cainneach and Thatch open the door carefully.....
You peer into a wide pillared chamber. Nine human skeletons stand, incongruously, waiting to greet you, with silvered curved blades in their bony hands and wide deathly grins on their fleshless faces. Each wears a silver tore about its neck and a serpentine wrist-band of silver coiled about its left arm. As you open the door their heads turn noiselessly to regard you but they make no other move....
Eyeing the uneasy dead warily, Famh prepares to lay them back to rest with extreme prejudice if they should dare to threaten any of her friends. When the Capellar mentions jewelry, she nods silently and points to her own neck and wrists to indicate the bracelets and torcs the creatures wear. She stands on the opposite side of the doorway from the one Ori guards and peers in again at the strange scene. Her sling is ready in her hand as she tries to see more details of the items Sir Almeric's words have drawn her attention to.
===========================
History 14
Arcana 25
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Fergus thinks for a moment before pulling out the skull they found earlier where the spectre of a woman attacked them to see if it resonates with the skeletons.
"10 well armed skeletons you say?" Almeric recalls his necromancy classes in Corvenna, during his Capellar training. Religion = 16
"Are they wearing jewellery? An amulet that gives them the power to move, or be controlled by a Sorcerer? If Fahm is correct, we should certainly destroy these abominations. I will enter the room and provoke them, then fall back to the corridor where Ori, Fergus and I will blocked their escape and destroy them."
After briefly processing Famh's comments about the moon phases, his attention is drawn to the immediacy of animated skeletons. Cainneach initially grits his teeth upon hearing Almeric's plan, such as it is. "He certainly has no lack of confidence, although I wish he weren't so eager to plunge us into conflict at every opportunity," he thinks to himself, before letting out a sigh and drawing an arrow, steeled for the mayhem about to ensue. In the back of his mind, the lack of efficacy of his arrows in previous encounters lingers, and he whispers to Salt, "Heel, boy, wait for my signal."
Almeric, sword and shield at the ready, girded by the protective power of the Relic of St. Ambrosius, he enters the room slowly. He will approach the nearest skeleton carefully. At the first sign of aggressive action by the skeletons, Almeric with withdraw to the corridor and the safety of the ranks with Ori and Fergus. He does not wish to engage, just provoke. Once back next to Ori, Almeric will stand fast and destroy any skeletons that approach
Held Action = Attack with Longsword = 12 (if this is a miss +3 (15) with Fortune from the Many) Damage = 9 (Holy) Slash
As she stands waiting to send a good slung river pebble smashing into the first set of dry old bones that should be fool enough to pursue Sir Almeric out the door ... or send it whizzing in to his relief should the dry old bones prove not quite so foolish as the young Capellar hopes they will ... Famh has to keep drawing her attention away from a strange pricking in her neck. At last she puts her hand up to the place, and is immediately reminded of the strange needle she found and unthinkingly stuck in the collar of her earasaid. It is still stuck there, but it is no longer firmly held at all. It is wobbling and wriggling about in time with her carefully harnessed breathing as if ... she has to stifle a giggle at the odd conceit that comes into her mind and then flits away like a faerie butterfly. But as she thinks further it really does seem to her still, somehow, as if the needle wanted to leap into her hands and have her fight the skeletons with it instead of her sling. Mercy of Gatanades, was everything in this horrid place possessed?! For a brief foolish moment she wants to scream a warning to Cainneach to stop breathing the air lest the dust in it be slowly eating at his will and trying to turn him into Karvala's zombie fetch. Fortunately this notion is silly enough to allow her to laugh at herself and then get back to business; she fixes the needle firmly into an inside flap of the pouch which holds her sling, and repockets a good smooth river pebble into the sling that pouch customarily holds. And she thinks as she takes her aim again, that the needle at least does not feel evil. Not particularly useful in the present situation, whatever it might think, since she wants to take the skeletons apart not stitch them back together. But at least not evil.
Hovering back near Famh and Salt, Tana offers a comforting pat to the young hound while scanning the place cautiously from a ways back. She tips her head in Famh's direction in inquiry.
"Catch onto anything particularly strange yet? It seems to be hard to get a good read on this place."
With everyone ready Cainneach and Thatch open the door carefully.....
You peer into a wide pillared chamber. Nine human skeletons stand, incongruously, waiting to greet you, with silvered curved blades in their bony hands and wide deathly grins on their fleshless faces. Each wears a silver tore about its neck and a serpentine wrist-band of silver coiled about its left arm. As you open the door their heads turn noiselessly to regard you but they make no other move....
Eyeing the uneasy dead warily, Famh prepares to lay them back to rest with extreme prejudice if they should dare to threaten any of her friends. When the Capellar mentions jewelry, she nods silently and points to her own neck and wrists to indicate the bracelets and torcs the creatures wear. She stands on the opposite side of the doorway from the one Ori guards and peers in again at the strange scene. Her sling is ready in her hand as she tries to see more details of the items Sir Almeric's words have drawn her attention to.
===========================
History 13
Arcana 14
The armbands seem a fanciful recreation of the creature that Fergus ' birthed', the torcs are somewhat similar to those of her people and others of Ellesland but they are covered in symbols Famh does not recognise, though she believes they are reminiscent of some of those on the obelisk.
Fergus thinks for a moment before pulling out the skull they found earlier where the spectre of a woman attacked them to see if it resonates with the skeletons.
Fergus holds out the skull but the dead seem to pay it no heed and it does not whisper again. However he is able to pick out the words on the torcs scrawled in High Cabbandari " Forever Faithful, Forever Of Service."
Almeric stares at Fahm during her tirade, motionless. Is this the small girl that washed up into the Retinue a few months ago? Now becoming a young woman with vast unrealised potential. Just the kind of person the Capellar's would recruit in a heartbeat. Once Fahm has finished, he moves slowly towards the front of the group. As he passes Tana, he catches the Sorceress eye. Making his fist into a fork shape, he points two fingers at his own eyes, then quickly flicks his wrist to point towards Fahm and straight back towards his own eyes. Thus making the universal signal for 'Keep an eye on her', Almeric continues towards Ori without a word.
"10 well armed skeletons you say?" Almeric recalls his necromancy classes in Corvenna, during his Capellar training. Religion = 16
"Are they wearing jewellery? An amulet that gives them the power to move, or be controlled by a Sorcerer? If Fahm is correct, we should certainly destroy these abominations. I will enter the room and provoke them, then fall back to the corridor where Ori, Fergus and I will blocked their escape and destroy them."
"
Recalling what he can he is fairly certain that these dead contain no wilful spirits but rather are animated to perform a particular task.
"10 well armed skeletons you say?" Almeric recalls his necromancy classes in Corvenna, during his Capellar training. Religion = 16
"Are they wearing jewellery? An amulet that gives them the power to move, or be controlled by a Sorcerer? If Fahm is correct, we should certainly destroy these abominations. I will enter the room and provoke them, then fall back to the corridor where Ori, Fergus and I will blocked their escape and destroy them."
After briefly processing Famh's comments about the moon phases, his attention is drawn to the immediacy of animated skeletons. Cainneach initially grits his teeth upon hearing Almeric's plan, such as it is. "He certainly has no lack of confidence, although I wish he weren't so eager to plunge us into conflict at every opportunity," he thinks to himself, before letting out a sigh and drawing an arrow, steeled for the mayhem about to ensue. In the back of his mind, the lack of efficacy of his arrows in previous encounters lingers, and he whispers to Salt, "Heel, boy, wait for my signal."
Salt immediately complies regarding the dead with a cocked head as they are giving no scents, sounds or body language he can read.
Almeric, sword and shield at the ready, girded by the protective power of the Relic of St. Ambrosius, he enters the room slowly. He will approach the nearest skeleton carefully. At the first sign of aggressive action by the skeletons, Almeric with withdraw to the corridor and the safety of the ranks with Ori and Fergus. He does not wish to engage, just provoke. Once back next to Ori, Almeric will stand fast and destroy any skeletons that approach
Held Action = Attack with Longsword = 12 (if this is a miss +3 (15) with Fortune from the Many) Damage = 9 (Holy) Slash
As Almeric enters the Skeletons turn on the spot as if in a military formation and drawing back their blades point towards the entrance he just came through with their other arm.
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"Oh Famh, there was a beautiful crescent moon and that was all, hanging upon the wall as though the stone were the night sky. I felt myself drawn to it, but Salt made sure I didn't get too near. I tore myself away and asked Almeric to give it the critical eye. He seems to have a knack for that sort of thing." Then, he leans in close to Famh and says quietly with a wry smile, "Knowing him, he'll probably rip it right off the wall and have Fergus catalog it."
Cainneach catches himself as the Capellar approaches and receives the update with thinly veiled interest. He turns back to Famh and asks eagerly, "Do you recognize this moon goddess? Nothing came to my mind from among the Old Gods when I took a careful look, but you are more in tune with these things than I."
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Moving up to the t-junction and looking to the right the companions can see the stairwell they descended and the fourway junction at its base, looking north another solid door lies at the end of the corridor.
Almeric nods to himself in confirmation that they have travelled in a loop, having explored the south - west quarter of the complex.
"Now we know where we are, and our way of escape is clear. Let us continue north. I can smell the treasure in this place and thus far we have dealt with the traps and denizens well."
Cainneach will quickly point out that Salt was extremely agitated by whatever presumably lay beyond the north door, showing Almeric and the others the unhappy dog pictogram on his map.
While brandishing the map, he will also remind his companions that, "There was also the eastern corridor we encountered right away and a set of descending stairs that lay to the north. I have a feeling that we're yet far from fully uncovering the secrets this temple holds."
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The moment she hears of the crescent moon on the wall that gave Cainneach such a hypnotic feeling, a series of storm changes begins to sweep across Famh’s face. The first front is a look of such terror and desolation, such a stunned look of the innocent young girl awaking in what she thought was her bed of safety and finding her worst nightmare suddenly come hideously true, that all who see it are frozen into that same immobility. It is the immobility of the hunted small creature suddenly bereft of the beloved kindred of the den in whom they had trusted their security. Then, as she studies his face a thousand times more closely than she had a moment before, she realizes that she can see no signs that he has taken harm from the moon, and she absolutely explodes! Cyclones of words whirl out in time with the flashing lightning of her eyes!:
“How could you scare me like that?! In a horrible place like this, with all I told you about the moon here, and you the only friend here who really understands all of me, how could you go and do that to … oh!,” as another front sweeps through her suddenly remorseful eyes, “but how could I be so cruel as to be yelling at you so after you’ve just been through that, and it’s half my fault at that, I’ve just been talking about this vision of mine and it never occurred to me to stop and explain it to you and if you’ve gone and taken hurt I’ll never forgive … and I swore ye gheasa too! I’m so sorry, I …,” she gulps and finally recovers some control over herself. “I’m sorry, Cainneach,. I should have warned ye clearer. I don’t know what god sent me that vision of the pale serpent falling down from the moon and eating its way into the heart of the world just before a like thing tried to possess Fergus, but I thank that same god and all others of good that sent Salt into this world to mend my fault of passing by that place without heeding the warning. I suppose I owe him gheasa now too, to let him have a tailor’s holiday once in a while when I’ll be looking out to catch the slip.” She takes a few breaths to steady herself, and a smile begins to cross her face.
“And your own strength too, leannan. The goodness of your soul, whatever god may or may not ‘speak in your heart’, that shone brighter in this darkness than any moon and so far as I can see still shines clear in your eyes. It’s a trap indeed that could mesmerize you even for so long as it did.” She lays her hand reassuringly on his arm and then goes to consult with Tana, Fergus and Sir Almeric regarding the overlooked vestibule and its peculiar style of ornamentation. Her lips are pressed firmly together, and there is a crisp efficiency about her manner that was not there a moment ago. When she hears the Capellar's talk of a Moon Goddess, her eyebrows quirk up even higher for a moment; and then she shakes her head.
"Not like this. The only one I can think of in the old stories that had aught to do with the moon was Karidwenn; but she was no' a figure of evil like this; and her beast was the wild tusker, not the serpent. And in all the Seeings I've had in this place thus far, the moon is a figure of evil, whether open or veiled. I'll not trust that symbol here unless I have to, and I'll expect it to betray me then."
===========================
Religion 11
Arcana 7
Medicine 3
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Thatch looks over Cainneach’s shoulder at the map sketch, trying to remain oriented in the hallways. He has a hard time following Famh’s conversation around the moon goddess and the legends of the north, but he understands enough to be wary in a place like this. “I trust Salt’s instincts, but it’s worth at least checking out the door, see if we learn anything” he urges Cainneach and then moves to the door Almeric pointed out, checking it for traps or any markings that gives a clue to what lies beyond.
Perception: 6.
.
Surprised by the onslaught of Famh's word, Ori found himself half chuckling over paying attention to what she was saying. He felt like had really turned over a new leaf in his life since joining this lot, but none of them had changed as much as her. Changed wasn't really the right term, opened up? Bloomed? He still couldn't follow half of what she said. "Right we'll be over by the door if you need us." He sticks closely behind Thatch while at the door.
Fergus scratches his chin, "It may be that the folks that were here were corrupting the worship to the goddess for their our ends or perhaps trying to take her place?"
He shrugs, before following Thatch and Ori, standing a bit back from the door, ready to attack any enemies that may be on the other side.
Cainneach is immediately chastened, then confused, then relieved, and finally embarrassed as he realizes some of their companions are staring at he and Famh while she unloads the entirety of her rapid emotional journey upon him. Unable to muster a response in the moment, Cainneach simply nods meekly and pats Salt on the back, looking to the noble hound for some silent support.
After Famh relates her assessment of Almeric's report, Cainneach tries to discreetly take her aside. He gently takes her hand in his and looks at her with the utmost sincerity. Trying not to stumble over his words, he speaks quietly, "Famh, I ... I'm sorry. This wasn't your fault, it was my failing alone. I did hear your warnings, I really did, but I must have let myself go in there. It felt so different, so promising, so true ... I felt the way that I do when I imagine being with you, Famh, far from here and from danger. I should have known better than to trust anything in this place, but I'll be more careful from now on, I promise ye. I'll try to be all those kind things you said about me, I really will. I'm sorry ..." Unable to conjure any more words, Cainneach's quiet voice trails off to nothing.
Following this exchange, Cainneach will approach the door to the north with Thatch and the others and offers to take a look as well, seeing that Thatch is perhaps unconvinced of his own assessment. Salt seems unwilling to accompany him, so Cainneach tells his loyal canine to stay with Famh.
Investigation 12
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After assessing the door, Cainneach moves back to position himself near Fergus. He contemplates what may lurk in the next room, then looks down with surprise to his right hand to find ten berries. While not the first time this has occurred, it remains puzzling and Cainneach places them in his pouch. He then draws and readies his longbow.
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Hovering back near Famh and Salt, Tana offers a comforting pat to the young hound while scanning the place cautiously from a ways back. She tips her head in Famh's direction in inquiry.
"Catch onto anything particularly strange yet? It seems to be hard to get a good read on this place."
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
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Though unable to puzzle out much of the miasma of evil that lays on this place or what effects it may have on the others she frowns as she thinks she is beginning to understand something of the nature of the worship that happened here the door showed a crsecent moon and skull.....yet the sanctuary room was a place of...at least some...peace...there is peace in death perhaps? But the tapestry....a gibbous moon....evil rites and a strange figure descending from it.......she would likely need to see depictings of a new and full moon somewhere here but she has the impression that the phase of the moon dictated the nature of its worship....and which god was venerated? Perhaps?
After some examination thatch is fairly sure the door is safe......probably........
Cainneach checks the door over and concludes its safe to open....though what may lie within is unknown.
With everyone ready Cainneach and Thatch open the door carefully.....
You peer into a wide pillared chamber. Nine human skeletons stand, incongruously, waiting to greet you, with silvered curved blades in their bony hands and wide deathly grins on their
fleshless faces. Each wears a silver tore about its neck and a serpentine wrist-band of silver coiled about its left arm. As you open the door their heads turn noiselessly to regard you but they make no other move....
Ori has up a hand to signal everyone behind him to stop. He starts to push his way to the front and trying to stay in the doorway by half pushing others behind him. He yell whispers, "10 well armed skellies, noticed us but not aggressive yet." Assuming Almeric will work his way into the room as well to plan the groups next move. Ori can eat up most of the doorway, if this turns into a brawl, the corridor might be better grounds to limit there numbers effectiveness.bring his yand back to his club handle ready to swing away if need be.
Almeric stares at Fahm during her tirade, motionless. Is this the small girl that washed up into the Retinue a few months ago? Now becoming a young woman with vast unrealised potential. Just the kind of person the Capellar's would recruit in a heartbeat. Once Fahm has finished, he moves slowly towards the front of the group. As he passes Tana, he catches the Sorceress eye. Making his fist into a fork shape, he points two fingers at his own eyes, then quickly flicks his wrist to point towards Fahm and straight back towards his own eyes. Thus making the universal signal for 'Keep an eye on her', Almeric continues towards Ori without a word.
"10 well armed skeletons you say?" Almeric recalls his necromancy classes in Corvenna, during his Capellar training. Religion = 16
"Are they wearing jewellery? An amulet that gives them the power to move, or be controlled by a Sorcerer? If Fahm is correct, we should certainly destroy these abominations. I will enter the room and provoke them, then fall back to the corridor where Ori, Fergus and I will blocked their escape and destroy them."
"
She thinks she is managing quite well, actually, not to allow her lip to tremble as she listens to her poor dear Cainneach apologize to her so meekly for something that never was his fault in the first place. But inside, Famh wishes she knew how to move stone as well as she did earth. Then she could dig a little hole under one of the boulders strewn about, and crawl into it to curl up and die. Oh, she'd never meant to scream at him like that! She'd just been so scared for him, and everything had gotten mixed and now not only had she hurt him even though that wasn't what she meant for to do but now he is saying sorry to her for it?! In her struggles to keep her composure, she entirely fails to register Cainneach's remark about spending time alone with her and how it would make him feel. At least with her conscious mind. But there is a deeper Famh that would hear his tender words even if her ears were made of stone. And she is comforted enough by the time he is done speaking to give him a tremulous smile and pat his hand.
"Ye took no harm from it, Cainneach, and that's the most important thing. And I am so, so terribly sorry I yelled at you." She gulps hard before going on.
"It's set me wondering though, if I've not been a little hasty about jumping to conclusions about the meaning of a moon here. It was a different phase of moon, and perhaps that has something to do with." .
Eyeing the uneasy dead warily, Famh prepares to lay them back to rest with extreme prejudice if they should dare to threaten any of her friends. When the Capellar mentions jewelry, she nods silently and points to her own neck and wrists to indicate the bracelets and torcs the creatures wear. She stands on the opposite side of the doorway from the one Ori guards and peers in again at the strange scene. Her sling is ready in her hand as she tries to see more details of the items Sir Almeric's words have drawn her attention to.
===========================
History 14
Arcana 25
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Fergus thinks for a moment before pulling out the skull they found earlier where the spectre of a woman attacked them to see if it resonates with the skeletons.
After briefly processing Famh's comments about the moon phases, his attention is drawn to the immediacy of animated skeletons. Cainneach initially grits his teeth upon hearing Almeric's plan, such as it is. "He certainly has no lack of confidence, although I wish he weren't so eager to plunge us into conflict at every opportunity," he thinks to himself, before letting out a sigh and drawing an arrow, steeled for the mayhem about to ensue. In the back of his mind, the lack of efficacy of his arrows in previous encounters lingers, and he whispers to Salt, "Heel, boy, wait for my signal."
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Almeric, sword and shield at the ready, girded by the protective power of the Relic of St. Ambrosius, he enters the room slowly. He will approach the nearest skeleton carefully. At the first sign of aggressive action by the skeletons, Almeric with withdraw to the corridor and the safety of the ranks with Ori and Fergus. He does not wish to engage, just provoke. Once back next to Ori, Almeric will stand fast and destroy any skeletons that approach
Held Action = Attack with Longsword = 12 (if this is a miss +3 (15) with Fortune from the Many) Damage = 9 (Holy) Slash
As she stands waiting to send a good slung river pebble smashing into the first set of dry old bones that should be fool enough to pursue Sir Almeric out the door ... or send it whizzing in to his relief should the dry old bones prove not quite so foolish as the young Capellar hopes they will ... Famh has to keep drawing her attention away from a strange pricking in her neck. At last she puts her hand up to the place, and is immediately reminded of the strange needle she found and unthinkingly stuck in the collar of her earasaid. It is still stuck there, but it is no longer firmly held at all. It is wobbling and wriggling about in time with her carefully harnessed breathing as if ... she has to stifle a giggle at the odd conceit that comes into her mind and then flits away like a faerie butterfly. But as she thinks further it really does seem to her still, somehow, as if the needle wanted to leap into her hands and have her fight the skeletons with it instead of her sling. Mercy of Gatanades, was everything in this horrid place possessed?! For a brief foolish moment she wants to scream a warning to Cainneach to stop breathing the air lest the dust in it be slowly eating at his will and trying to turn him into Karvala's zombie fetch. Fortunately this notion is silly enough to allow her to laugh at herself and then get back to business; she fixes the needle firmly into an inside flap of the pouch which holds her sling, and repockets a good smooth river pebble into the sling that pouch customarily holds. And she thinks as she takes her aim again, that the needle at least does not feel evil. Not particularly useful in the present situation, whatever it might think, since she wants to take the skeletons apart not stitch them back together. But at least not evil.
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
The armbands seem a fanciful recreation of the creature that Fergus ' birthed', the torcs are somewhat similar to those of her people and others of Ellesland but they are covered in symbols Famh does not recognise, though she believes they are reminiscent of some of those on the obelisk.
Fergus holds out the skull but the dead seem to pay it no heed and it does not whisper again. However he is able to pick out the words on the torcs scrawled in High Cabbandari " Forever Faithful, Forever Of Service."
Recalling what he can he is fairly certain that these dead contain no wilful spirits but rather are animated to perform a particular task.
Salt immediately complies regarding the dead with a cocked head as they are giving no scents, sounds or body language he can read.
As Almeric enters the Skeletons turn on the spot as if in a military formation and drawing back their blades point towards the entrance he just came through with their other arm.