Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

"It is interesting," Katryl says when she hears the description of the tower. "I imagine we start on the bottom floor?  Perhaps once there we can get clues as to the winged creatures."  She is ready to go once the others are. 

Horkas is ready with his constructs!

Lulu, too, is ready! And wonders, perhaps naively, if this tower might somehow be alive in some way.

Since everyone seems to agree on the course of action, Khessa leads the party inside as planned (first we take cloud form again, then we enter via the arrow slit that Traydark's familiar entered through, then we return to normal).

Once inside the tower, while she regains solid form, the blonde arcane warrior looks around to get a feel for her surroundings, now that she can see it for herself.

On the first floor you see what Grax'xt reported: Just a small pile of bones and clothes in one corner and the ladder against one wall leading up to the second floor.

Lulu cracks her neck as she solidifies, vertebrae popping as her spine realigns in a tangible form. Seeing the pile of bones, she crouches down to inspect them, sifting through the clothes as she whispers a prayer for the departed as well as for Guidance. 

Is there anything amongst the remains that might tell them what happened here/what they face above? Or in the room in general? Like a journal or letter?


((Perception: 15 or Investigation: 15 lol!))

The only thing left there besides bones and moldy clothes are two empty potion bottles and one potion of mind reading. There are no other identifying marks or remains.

Katryl watches as Lulu prays over the remains. "You are always so kind Lunaria.  The way you just offer a prayer to people that you never even knew."  After she inspects them for any indication of what happened, she says. "So, nothing? It must have been some time ago for things to have decayed so much. Unless... maybe the potions had something to do with it?"  She picks up the empty bottles as well as the remaining full one.  She turns to look at Traydark and Khessa. "Maybe one of you two could figure out what these were? Maybe some sort of magic or smell or something?"  

Lulu's tail curls at Katryl's words, fur fluffing. "Whoever we were in life--whatever we did--the Veil makes us equal." Her ears tilt downwards as she gently folds the clothes around the bones. "We all owe a death. And it costs me nothing to wish them peace in it," she explains with a soft smile. 

As Katryl then speaks with the others about the potions, the firbolg crosses over to the door, looking to see if it's locked. If so, she'll unlock it in case they need to make a quick exit. 

Khessa accepts Katryl's suggestion and tries to examine any residues of the potions drunk (sediments? smell? traces of color? if there is something left and the vials are not completely empty, of course...) in search of any clues as to what they could to have been.

The blonde arcane warrior does not use magic for this exam, because since the potions have now been drunk, there should no longer be any traces of magic left.

Khessa's Investigation, if needed: 22

"Perhaps you can ask this one about their demise and about the tower human?" The noble drow suggests while keeping an eye upwards to be ready if the winged creatures above should choose to welcome them.

Horkas also is more concerned about what lurks above, and wonders aloud, "Perhaps the critters upstairs fed on that pile. Best we check them out before getting too comfy down here..." He checks out the ladder to determine how sturdy it is , and if Skitter can clamber up it to the next level.

The front door appears to be shut tight with no obvious way to open or unlock it.

Khessa checks the bottles...but they are clean, albeit a bit dusty perhaps. They were probably fresh bottles waiting to be filled with a mixture later.

The ladder is quite capable for anyone getting up to the second floor.

"Hey, a lot of people complain that I talk too much, Traydark... and you want to make me talk again?" Khessa winks "And with a dead body, to boot?"  but she is already preparing the magic crystal.

A matter of moments and yet another communication with the afterlife begins...

Question 1: Hello friend! We are sorry to see you dead, here, like this. without burial... You must have encountered a bad unexpected event. How did you die?

Lulu's tail curls into a question mark as she sees no handle or locking mechanism on the door. So as not to disturb Khessa, she says quietly to the others, "Well, we willnae be making a quick retreat," and points to the door. "Do ye reckon the tower might be... alive? Or perhaps--and I s'pose this is more likely--enchanted?" Her eyes emanate a faint glow as she uses her innate magic to detect any auras. 


((Will use firbolg magic to cast Detect Magic. Does she pick up anything on the first floor? Or from the tower itself?))

Quote from Painted_Beyond >>

 

Question 1: Hello friend! We are sorry to see you dead, here, like this. without burial... You must have encountered a bad unexpected event. How did you die?

 

 1. I don't know. It was dark, I didn't see anything.

Quote from MissAbyss >>

((Will use firbolg magic to cast Detect Magic. Does she pick up anything on the first floor? Or from the tower itself?))

 The one potion glows, and the tower itself glows very faintly with a golden sheen.

Question 2: Why did you enter the tower?

Katryl had listened carefully to Lulu's response, nodding as she thought over the remarks about the Veil making everyone equal. When the firbolg investigated the door, she had walked over as well. "I wonder, could it be that the tower's occupants normally entered from above? Perhaps this person got stuck down here when those creatures above arrived?"  She tries to think of how they might investigate whatever is above without making their presence obvious.  "How did your creature get a glimpse of the things upstairs, Traydark? Are there arrow slits to get us in above?"

Lulu's eyes widen as the tower radiates a golden aura. Her gaze travels from the floor, up the wall, and to the ceiling, her back curving backwards to do so. "Kas," she says quietly, tail stretching out behind her to tap at the gnome, "what's gold, again? Abjuration? Or enchantment? Tower's covered in it." 

As Katryl wonders about how the person entered, she too looks up at the trap door. 

((Does the spell give the school of magic for the golden sheen by any chance?))