Kragen listens to the others as they investigate this evil place.
”My clerical sect has some experience with the undead and those that deign to preserve life through death. Let me see if I recall, from my studies, how we can counteract these conditions.”
medicine check =26 (20) for confirming the cause of death or means of the corpses (I know, pretty obvious)
religious check = 11 for any rites/methods on how they intend to return to the living (become undead)
arcana check = 5 for magical means to achieve undead and its abilities
response to Starkers investigation “I can’t see any harm in investigating the iron flask. I think we can surmise it holds the wizard, Illiandil’s essence. Other than physically pulling the stopper and releasing it, not sure the right approach to investigate?”
”I would like to attempt to desecrate the altar and artifacts we found in the secret temple. However that Amy trigger some fell response that we may need to prepare for. Thoughts on how we destroy this place and find the staff of the void?”
Kragen examines the corpses in detail. No other items are found in the sarcophagi during this examination. None of the corpses died from wounds or violence. That leads him to believe their deaths were from natural means or poison most likely,
The transition from like to unlike often involves specific rites and the use of magical power, arcane or divine. In the case of a lich, a phylactery to contain the soul is created. Destruction of this phylactery is required to destroy the lich.
Starker looks around at The Company for anyone to object.
“Prepare yourselves.”
<give folks a few moment to screw their courage to the sticking place and prepare weapons and items and spells>
If no objection is lodged, he and Cyrus start the Identify ritual on the flask, with Cyrus touching the flask for the 11 minutes tequired for the task.
At the first sign of any harm about to come to Cyrus, Starker will send him to the familiar pocket dimension.
Liches are typically corporeal, retaining their body. The legend of Vecna supports this with his hand and eye existing apart from the remainder of his body.
Starker:”Thank you, Cyrus, well done! [hands monkey a macerated mango slice]
”Fascinating: the only enchantment I detect is a quite old version on Nystul’s Aura, used to make a mundane object appear to be magical. This seems likely to be somewhere on the continuum between prank and misdirection. I suspect that this is not Illiandal at all. This many-keyed rod might come in handy sometime later, and we should take anything else of value.
”Kragen, Chadwick: I ‘rob’ tombs in order that we might buy armor, weapons, mounts, and magic items so that I might continue my exploration of the world and its wonders more safely and so that you can pursue your chosen vocations. Also, if we do not raid these tombs then the treasures contained therein might fall into the hands of our enemies or of people whose esthetic preferences run counter to your own.”
[Has Cyrus bring him rod, flask, and any other items of seeming value in this sarcophagus.]
“Did we ever check the north wall of the room next door with sufficient assiduity? If not, perhaps we should do so before returning to the room with the fire-filled-floor and the bloody chalice?”
Kragen listens to Trolkarl and nods in thoughtful contemplation.
”sounds analysis my friend. If we truly need to forsake or abandon our values, I fear some of us may be challenged to do so, myself in particular.”
” Do we think this test of character or resolve needs to be perfomed around the altar? Something about that place has me thinking our answer lies there?”
addressing Starker “I have no qualms in funding our pursuits with the spoils of those we seek to vanquish. All signs point to these individuals, whomever they are, as servants of the underworld. I would have us destroy this place post haste once we have accomplished our goals. This place should be removed from Faerun to protect others from its influence and reach.”
"So it seems like this was a false tomb designed to lead his enemies astray. I propose a short rest, then continue to explore and search for more possible secret passages."
Yartol looks up quickly at Chadwick's suggestion to rest here, "You cannot be serious!? You want to just hang out a bit in a tomb filled with traps and undead?!" He looks to Xymox with an incredulous expression, "He isn't serious is he?"
Starker:”I would never question Sir Chadwick’s military opinion on the tactical complexities on where to rest, and would defer to my colleague, Kragen, on the wisdom of doing so at any particular time. I recall recently that when we left the baleful brewery’s basement and rested the traps reset and the enemies gathered themselves anew. But, as I say, I leave such questions to others. I am intrigued by that odd writing out young paladin showed me in the mirrored surface of his glaive and will ponder it myself.”
<Goes to study that mirror image (?) script anew, taking it down carefully in Starker’s noteboon and investigating thoroughly to perhaps delve deeper into its meaning.>
This is a language he is unfamiliar with in a script that does not resemble a language he knows. It will take other resources to translate such as a library or arcane resources.
Starker opens his backpack and reviews Black Spider’s notebook’s section on necromantic studies. Anything in there useful? (Inveatigation = 19)
”Friends: perhaps it is time to avail ourselves of the watery wisdom of the Oracle Orb of Aqualith? I know some of you have been unhappy with my previous prompts to the piscine predictor so I invite any of you to make suggestions as to what we should ask.”
Xymox grins at Yartol and shrugs dramatically, voice light:
“Resting in tombs may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but surprisingly, I’ve found between-lair naps quite rejuvenating. If we delay now, these corridors might sprout more surprises—so a quick vigil, then onwards, before the walls decide to start complaining.”
Xymox pats the flask in Cyrus’s hand and smirks:
“If we’re asking fish for advice, let’s hope it’s not the same one that drew blanks during our last expedition. Still, I’ve always found oracles more flippant than helpful—except when they flop.”
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Kragen listens to the others as they investigate this evil place.
”My clerical sect has some experience with the undead and those that deign to preserve life through death. Let me see if I recall, from my studies, how we can counteract these conditions.”
medicine check =26 (20) for confirming the cause of death or means of the corpses (I know, pretty obvious)
religious check = 11 for any rites/methods on how they intend to return to the living (become undead)
arcana check = 5 for magical means to achieve undead and its abilities
response to Starkers investigation “I can’t see any harm in investigating the iron flask. I think we can surmise it holds the wizard, Illiandil’s essence. Other than physically pulling the stopper and releasing it, not sure the right approach to investigate?”
”I would like to attempt to desecrate the altar and artifacts we found in the secret temple. However that Amy trigger some fell response that we may need to prepare for. Thoughts on how we destroy this place and find the staff of the void?”
Kragen examines the corpses in detail. No other items are found in the sarcophagi during this examination. None of the corpses died from wounds or violence. That leads him to believe their deaths were from natural means or poison most likely,
The transition from like to unlike often involves specific rites and the use of magical power, arcane or divine. In the case of a lich, a phylactery to contain the soul is created. Destruction of this phylactery is required to destroy the lich.
Perhaps it holds his essence or perhaps it is another trap or trick.
recall…
No death dared claim him, his knowledge complete, / Not bound to this tomb, though here lies his seat.”
“For those who pry with eyes unearned, / From soul to shell, your fate be turned.”
“A prize awaits the hand unshaking, / But only through the truth forsaking.”
“From shadow deep to astral flame,
I crafted death and gave it name.
But wisdom lies beyond the gate,
Not through the doors that tempt with fate.”
We know he isn’t bound to this tomb and his true phylactery is on another plane…well, at least that is my guess
But this business of “truth forsaking” perhaps there are illusions we must disbelieve to find the way.
I have no issue with Cyrus and the flask experiment but my hypothesis is this is likely to just be another trick
Starker looks around at The Company for anyone to object.
“Prepare yourselves.”
<give folks a few moment to screw their courage to the sticking place and prepare weapons and items and spells>
If no objection is lodged, he and Cyrus start the Identify ritual on the flask, with Cyrus touching the flask for the 11 minutes tequired for the task.
At the first sign of any harm about to come to Cyrus, Starker will send him to the familiar pocket dimension.
Liches are typically corporeal, retaining their body. The legend of Vecna supports this with his hand and eye existing apart from the remainder of his body.
Yartol looks about uneasily. He turn to Xymox and says quietly, “I may have underestimated you and your friends.”
Starker and a semi-reluctant Cyrus begin the ritual. Cyrus stands holding the iron flask, turning it about in his hands occasionally.
Starker:”Thank you, Cyrus, well done! [hands monkey a macerated mango slice]
”Fascinating: the only enchantment I detect is a quite old version on Nystul’s Aura, used to make a mundane object appear to be magical. This seems likely to be somewhere on the continuum between prank and misdirection. I suspect that this is not Illiandal at all. This many-keyed rod might come in handy sometime later, and we should take anything else of value.
”Kragen, Chadwick: I ‘rob’ tombs in order that we might buy armor, weapons, mounts, and magic items so that I might continue my exploration of the world and its wonders more safely and so that you can pursue your chosen vocations. Also, if we do not raid these tombs then the treasures contained therein might fall into the hands of our enemies or of people whose esthetic preferences run counter to your own.”
[Has Cyrus bring him rod, flask, and any other items of seeming value in this sarcophagus.]
“Did we ever check the north wall of the room next door with sufficient assiduity? If not, perhaps we should do so before returning to the room with the fire-filled-floor and the bloody chalice?”
Xymox flourishes his cloak and offers a low bow:
Kragen listens to Trolkarl and nods in thoughtful contemplation.
”sounds analysis my friend. If we truly need to forsake or abandon our values, I fear some of us may be challenged to do so, myself in particular.”
” Do we think this test of character or resolve needs to be perfomed around the altar? Something about that place has me thinking our answer lies there?”
addressing Starker “I have no qualms in funding our pursuits with the spoils of those we seek to vanquish. All signs point to these individuals, whomever they are, as servants of the underworld. I would have us destroy this place post haste once we have accomplished our goals. This place should be removed from Faerun to protect others from its influence and reach.”
Yarol gives Xymox a wry smile and moves to investigate the walls of the tomb. Investigation = 15. He finds no evidence of concealed portals.
Cirrus greedily consumes his macerated slice of mango. He seems happier now that the Identification has been completed.
Items looted from the dead are (can be found by searching for thes in Inventory on character sheets):
Bejeweled iron flask 100g
Illiandil Diadem 750g
Platinum ring with ruby 750g
Platinum Bangle 50g x 8
Silver diadem with diamond 500g
Zircon 50g x 3
Silvered longsword (Xymox carries)
Dagger +1 (Starker carries)
Key from ogre skeleton - not listed in inventory
Multi-flanged key from sarcophagus - not listed in inventory
<While The Company is gathering its loot and its wits, Starker Identifies the enchanted dagger.>
"So it seems like this was a false tomb designed to lead his enemies astray. I propose a short rest, then continue to explore and search for more possible secret passages."
Starker settles down to investigate the dagger.
Yartol looks up quickly at Chadwick's suggestion to rest here, "You cannot be serious!? You want to just hang out a bit in a tomb filled with traps and undead?!" He looks to Xymox with an incredulous expression, "He isn't serious is he?"
<After Indentification of dagger is complete.>
Starker:”I would never question Sir Chadwick’s military opinion on the tactical complexities on where to rest, and would defer to my colleague, Kragen, on the wisdom of doing so at any particular time. I recall recently that when we left the baleful brewery’s basement and rested the traps reset and the enemies gathered themselves anew. But, as I say, I leave such questions to others. I am intrigued by that odd writing out young paladin showed me in the mirrored surface of his glaive and will ponder it myself.”
<Goes to study that mirror image (?) script anew, taking it down carefully in Starker’s noteboon and investigating thoroughly to perhaps delve deeper into its meaning.>
investigation = 22
𐍈𐌁𐍄 𐌅𐍈𐌕𐌂𐌄𐌍 𐌅𐍉𐌃𐌄𐍃
𐍉𐌍𐌁𐍄 𐍉𐍃 𐌆𐌄𐍃𐌕 𐍃𐌅𐌋𐌉𐌂𐍉𐌍𐌄𐍃
𐌂𐌋𐌄𐌂𐌋𐌄𐍃 𐌂𐌌𐌋𐍄 𐍄𐌂𐍈𐌕𐌄𐌂
𐌍𐍄𐌁𐌄𐍃 𐌕𐍉𐌄𐌂𐌈𐌄 𐍃𐌌𐌍𐌄𐍃
The script appears to be a language that Starker is unfamiliar with.
<Starker shows it to each of the members of The Company (and Yartol) to see if anyone is famikiar with it>
Are the individual characters familiar? Could Starker read it out loud phoenetically if he chose to do so?
(don’t know if it it an unknown language written in a known alphabet, or if it is an unknown alphabet)
This is a language he is unfamiliar with in a script that does not resemble a language he knows. It will take other resources to translate such as a library or arcane resources.
Starker opens his backpack and reviews Black Spider’s notebook’s section on necromantic studies. Anything in there useful? (Inveatigation = 19)
”Friends: perhaps it is time to avail ourselves of the watery wisdom of the Oracle Orb of Aqualith? I know some of you have been unhappy with my previous prompts to the piscine predictor so I invite any of you to make suggestions as to what we should ask.”
Xymox grins at Yartol and shrugs dramatically, voice light:
Xymox pats the flask in Cyrus’s hand and smirks: