As they cross the hall to the door that leads south, Vrox says, "Do you think that Lord Akkron's dragon interrupted their ritual? Or do you expect to find some other gathering of the cultists and demons here?" He wonders where the Duke himself is. "If we find another guard or member of the Duke's court, maybe we could capture them for questioning? If they weren't bringing all of the bodies down to the 'execution room', then perhaps there's a secret ritual chamber hidden in the castle somewhere."
"Fortunately, Vrox, I am not skilled enough in black magic to know rituals like the one that was being performed in that room..." Khessa replies, musing "Their ritualist was at work so we must have interrupted something. Either the ritual itself, as you say, or maybe even just the preparation of the appropriate runes..."
"It would certainly be comforting" the blonde arcane warrior continues "to hope that perhaps there is still some innocent alive, who should have been taken to the execution chamber to be sacrificed... so we could free them. But I don't know... We already found the prison - and it was empty. Why wouldn't they have kept any living prisoners there, in the place specifically designed for detention?"
"I fear that our work will turn out to be a big and important cleanup operation..." the tall adventuress is getting darkened by what she is declaring "but not a rescue operation. For that, I'm afraid it's too late".
"Fortunately, Vrox, I am not skilled enough in black magic to know rituals like the one that was being performed in that room..." Khessa replies, musing "Their ritualist was at work so we must have interrupted something. Either the ritual itself, as you say, or maybe even just the preparation of the appropriate runes..."
"It would certainly be comforting" the blonde arcane warrior continues "to hope that perhaps there is still some innocent alive, who should have been taken to the execution chamber to be sacrificed... so we could free them. But I don't know... We already found the prison - and it was empty. Why wouldn't they have kept any living prisoners there, in the place specifically designed for detention?"
"I fear that our work will turn out to be a big and important cleanup operation..." the tall adventuress is getting darkened by what she is declaring "but not a rescue operation. For that, I'm afraid it's too late".
From what you could determine, it was a summoning, dark ritual of some type that was disrupted and broken up by the dragon attack
Akkron takes a few moments to observe his handiwork. Any satisfaction he may have felt is overshadowed by the fact that the demons had already completed their grim task of slaughtering innocents.
"It is fortunate that we stopped them before they unleashed whatever they were trying to summon," the lich says, prodding one of the slaughtered demons with the end of his staff. "I wonder... how long have their victims been dead? Is there any chance that one or more of them could be resurrected?"
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Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
the lich says, prodding one of the slaughtered demons with the end of his staff. "I wonder... how long have their victims been dead? Is there any chance that one or more of them could be resurrected?"
Vrox says, sadly, "This slaughter is horrible. You are good to think of helping these people still, even after they were killed. But remember the men-at-arms at the guard towers? Their souls had already been ripped away. I'm not sure whether resurrecting any of these people can really bring them back as anything more than empty shells."
"Perhaps not..." Akkron concedes. "But, generally speaking, for a creature to be a proper sacrificed it must have a soul. It seems unlikely to me that they would have slaughtered empty shells in their dark ritual. Granted, their souls may now be in the clutches of whatever these bastards were trying to summon... but since the ritual was not completed, I wonder if we might not have time to snatch their souls back before they can be claimed..."
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Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
"Perhaps not..." Akkron concedes. "But, generally speaking, for a creature to be a proper sacrificed it must have a soul. It seems unlikely to me that they would have slaughtered empty shells in their dark ritual. Granted, their souls may now be in the clutches of whatever these bastards were trying to summon... but since the ritual was not completed, I wonder if we might not have time to snatch their souls back before they can be claimed..."
Vrox laughs and says, "It would make me happy if we could save some of the innocents, especially if it means stealing their souls back from these evil gods. Any small victory is made sweeter if it involves surprising or tricking the enemy and thwarting their evil plans!" But he makes an uncertain shrug and raises his hand to gesture to Clarac and Aya, who are the only ones would could attempt such a feat.
Khessa turns her blue eyes to Aya the Saintess... Master Akkron's idea intrigues her... After all, given that the bodies of the citizens are fresh kills, maybe is there hope for some of the victims?
Akkron takes a few moments to observe his handiwork. Any satisfaction he may have felt is overshadowed by the fact that the demons had already completed their grim task of slaughtering innocents.
"It is fortunate that we stopped them before they unleashed whatever they were trying to summon," the lich says, prodding one of the slaughtered demons with the end of his staff. "I wonder... how long have their victims been dead? Is there any chance that one or more of them could be resurrected?"
Vrox would not spend that long now. The party may still be able to stop further violence and evil rituals happening elsewhere in the castle. Vrox says, "Perhaps there are still innocent prisoners of the cult being held in the castle. If so, our first duty is to those who are still alive, to prevent further harm from coming to them. Once we're sure that there are no other prisoners still alive, and we have dealt with the cultists, we can return here and see to the dead."It would be different if they knew of someone among those who were sacrificed who could provide them with a critical piece of information. Or if waiting until later would mean that Aya would not be able to raise the dead later.
Aya agrees and casts Gentle Repose on the poor souls.
She is ready to move out.
[[OOC: AFAICT - the party didn't find anything interesting in their search of the ritual room or the two dungeon rooms. With no other rooms on this level of the dungeon, the next location to check is up the spiral staircase to the door that was at the first level of the dungeon (one level up from where we are now).]]
Spoiling for a fight, Tyekanik will lead the party up the spiral staircase to the door they passed on their way down. He sneaks up the stairs, enters a rage, and then tries to open the door quietly. Then he moves through the door, ready to swing his axe if he sees any demons on the other side.
You move up the stairs to the closed door. You hear nothing on the other side of the door. As you open the door, you see a T-shaped room, with another door across from you to the north about 15 feet. The room is a storeroom for cleaning materials for the servants.
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As they cross the hall to the door that leads south, Vrox says, "Do you think that Lord Akkron's dragon interrupted their ritual? Or do you expect to find some other gathering of the cultists and demons here?" He wonders where the Duke himself is. "If we find another guard or member of the Duke's court, maybe we could capture them for questioning? If they weren't bringing all of the bodies down to the 'execution room', then perhaps there's a secret ritual chamber hidden in the castle somewhere."
"Fortunately, Vrox, I am not skilled enough in black magic to know rituals like the one that was being performed in that room..." Khessa replies, musing "Their ritualist was at work so we must have interrupted something. Either the ritual itself, as you say, or maybe even just the preparation of the appropriate runes..."
"It would certainly be comforting" the blonde arcane warrior continues "to hope that perhaps there is still some innocent alive, who should have been taken to the execution chamber to be sacrificed... so we could free them. But I don't know... We already found the prison - and it was empty. Why wouldn't they have kept any living prisoners there, in the place specifically designed for detention?"
"I fear that our work will turn out to be a big and important cleanup operation..." the tall adventuress is getting darkened by what she is declaring "but not a rescue operation. For that, I'm afraid it's too late".
It's another dungeon like the one across the way. Except, based on the tracks in the dust and straw, whoever was held in here, was drug out resisting.
From what you could determine, it was a summoning, dark ritual of some type that was disrupted and broken up by the dragon attack
Akkron takes a few moments to observe his handiwork. Any satisfaction he may have felt is overshadowed by the fact that the demons had already completed their grim task of slaughtering innocents.
"It is fortunate that we stopped them before they unleashed whatever they were trying to summon," the lich says, prodding one of the slaughtered demons with the end of his staff. "I wonder... how long have their victims been dead? Is there any chance that one or more of them could be resurrected?"
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Were they dragged into the ritual chamber? Or do the signs seem to indicate that the one(s) who was dragged out of this dungeon was taken elsewhere?
Survival 25 (and a second roll for advantage if Vrox's Favored Enemies feature applies because demons were involved)
Oops. Here's that second roll, if need. Survival 28
Vrox says, sadly, "This slaughter is horrible. You are good to think of helping these people still, even after they were killed. But remember the men-at-arms at the guard towers? Their souls had already been ripped away. I'm not sure whether resurrecting any of these people can really bring them back as anything more than empty shells."
"Perhaps not..." Akkron concedes. "But, generally speaking, for a creature to be a proper sacrificed it must have a soul. It seems unlikely to me that they would have slaughtered empty shells in their dark ritual. Granted, their souls may now be in the clutches of whatever these bastards were trying to summon... but since the ritual was not completed, I wonder if we might not have time to snatch their souls back before they can be claimed..."
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Vrox laughs and says, "It would make me happy if we could save some of the innocents, especially if it means stealing their souls back from these evil gods. Any small victory is made sweeter if it involves surprising or tricking the enemy and thwarting their evil plans!" But he makes an uncertain shrug and raises his hand to gesture to Clarac and Aya, who are the only ones would could attempt such a feat.
Khessa turns her blue eyes to Aya the Saintess... Master Akkron's idea intrigues her... After all, given that the bodies of the citizens are fresh kills, maybe is there hope for some of the victims?
The tracks appear to show they were drug in the direction of the ritual chamber
The bodies of the citizens are fresh kills
Aya will ask for a few moments to help put these folks to proper rest.
She casts Gentle Repose and Raise Dead.
D&D since 1984
Casting for raise dead takes an hour, are you going to wait here that long?
(Do we want to wait an hour?)
D&D since 1984
Vrox would not spend that long now. The party may still be able to stop further violence and evil rituals happening elsewhere in the castle. Vrox says, "Perhaps there are still innocent prisoners of the cult being held in the castle. If so, our first duty is to those who are still alive, to prevent further harm from coming to them. Once we're sure that there are no other prisoners still alive, and we have dealt with the cultists, we can return here and see to the dead." It would be different if they knew of someone among those who were sacrificed who could provide them with a critical piece of information. Or if waiting until later would mean that Aya would not be able to raise the dead later.
Aya agrees and casts Gentle Repose on the poor souls.
She is ready to move out.
D&D since 1984
[[OOC: AFAICT - the party didn't find anything interesting in their search of the ritual room or the two dungeon rooms. With no other rooms on this level of the dungeon, the next location to check is up the spiral staircase to the door that was at the first level of the dungeon (one level up from where we are now).]]
Spoiling for a fight, Tyekanik will lead the party up the spiral staircase to the door they passed on their way down. He sneaks up the stairs, enters a rage, and then tries to open the door quietly. Then he moves through the door, ready to swing his axe if he sees any demons on the other side.
Stealth 19 (advantage when trying not to make a sound from Boots of Elvenkind)
Perception 12
Vrox will take a position in the second half of the marching order behind Tyek, Clarac, and Khessa.
You move up the stairs to the closed door. You hear nothing on the other side of the door. As you open the door, you see a T-shaped room, with another door across from you to the north about 15 feet. The room is a storeroom for cleaning materials for the servants.