To the innkeepers barely contained delight, you depart the inn and head out of town. The guards at the town gates allow you through while adding, "No one comes in until sunrise..."
You find what appears to be a good location with a large flat surfaced stone. The platinum ring found in the dwarf mine still radiates a faint necrotic energy consistent with the undead. Placing the simple metal band (no gem is set in it) upon the stone, Kragen lands a mighty blow with the Judge. There is a lound RRRIIIINNNNGGG sound and the stone below the ring cracks. The Judge recoils from the blow and the ring bounces up into the air off the stone and lands upon the ground, unharmed.
Repeating the same process with Chadwick's adamantine sword yields the same result. The ring is unharmed.
"One more idea, y'all might want to stand back 20 feet or so."
Chadwick unleases a lighting surge from the Halberd then follows up with a mighty cleave.
Lightning Surge (Recharge 5-6): As an action, you can swing the halberd in an arc, releasing a surge of electricity. Each creature in a 15-foot cone in front of you must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 lightning damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
Chadwick's lightning enhanced cleave followed by Starker's inward facing Wall of Fire spell also inflict no harm to the ring. The destruction of magic items is apparently more difficult than it looks.
Starker:”Perhaps the entity, who was, I believe, the enemy of the Kyton, wants to communicate with us? I would be willing to put the ring on and attune to it and see if it sllowed us to communicate.”
Frowning at Starker. “Although an admirable thought, I question whether contact with a Drow Wraith would be any more fruitful than a Demon. I also would not want either to have full access to your capabilities and your eagerness to burn things.”
”Tyr has blessed me with capabilities of speaking with the dead and protections from aberrations with ill intent. Any testing of the Ring would best be handled by me with Tyrs support. If this were an option we take, and I were to be taken by the entity. The party would easily be able to subdue me as I am not much of a threat.”
”Our attempts have been fruitless to this point. Let’s separate the Ring from the Talisman.”
begins an enchantment - casting Protection from Evil L1 on himself.
Opens the box and picks up the Talisman and hands to Chadwick for safe keeping. Then empties his component pouch into his backpack, places the ring in his component pouch and sprinkles Holy Water on the pouch.
Kragen looks at Starker with a flat stare and snorts hearing the heavy sarcasm in his response, then smiles. “That is too mundane a response for you Mage!” Then chuckles, turns to Chadwick.
”That’s a good idea, using your ability to channel Tyr’s blessing will help. Do you suggest that I attempt to wear the ring? I am apprehensive about attempting to use it??”
You all stand around the flat stone selected for pounding out your frustrations upon undesired jewelry. The ring meets its mettle and withstands the undeserved attention it is receiving. It remains intact and unharmed. Kragen cannot help but see the ring sized indentation that is subtly formed on the face of The Judge now.
Starker:”Let us continue to Chadwick’s people so we can ease his mind. When we camp, let us keep the talisman and ring surrounded by lead and separated by, say, 100 yards and split our group in two at night along with the items to see if one group rests better than the other. Thus we can efficiently meet several goals: make progress toward Monstordrink, test Chadwick’s assertion of the efficacy of lead in screening emanations of evil, and divine which object, if either, is responsible for our exhaustion.
”If the torso should manifest again I suggest we try speaking to it in languages an evil mercenary drow might know. Perhaps our new bard might be helpful, here.”
(Xymox offers a small, amused nod, lips curling into a wry smile.)
“A simple mercenary drow? Hah—well, you’re not wrong, Starker. I’ve taken coin, swung steel, and wandered where most wouldn’t tread.” "But, I will certainly attempt communication with this entity, if you wish."
(He pauses, gaze flicking toward the firelight.)
Xymox pauses for a brief moment, then quickly reaches for his lute...
🎭 “Whispers of the Hunt”
As performed by Xymox Xel’Mizzrym, bard of House Xel’Mizzrym, beneath an uneasy sky.
(A slow, rhythmic pulse on the lute; faint drums thrum like distant marching boots. His voice cuts softly, ominously—half spell, half sermon.)
🎶 The night is black, the air like stone, No birds to cry, no wind to moan. Just silence thick and watching eyes, The kind that follow when reason dies.
The mob has gathered, voices low, With torch and doubt and hearts aglow. No need for facts, no call for proof— They've made their truth beneath this roof.
(He casts a glance at the shadows just beyond the fire’s edge.)
Quick to anger, slow to see, What madness cloaked as unity. They curse the dark, they damn the flame, They whisper fear—and give it name.
🎶 They say it’s justice, say it’s right, But shadows bloom beneath that light. And when they come, they do not ask— They come with chains, and hoods, and masks.
(He slows the rhythm, voice now a chilling hush.)
Those who know, and those who feel, Are trampled under zealot’s heel. No room for mercy, none for grace— Just silence… and a firelit face.
🎻 [A ghostly phrase from the lute, like a scream swallowed in the wind.]
🎶 So guard your soul, and mind your tone, Lest you too stand accused alone. For when the hunt begins anew… The hunted, friend, may well be you.
(He finishes, lets the silence fall again, heavier than before. One brow arches faintly.)
(I’m just putting it on the record that I am unlikely to read anything in that format. My eyes roll into the back of my head when I see it. If anything important in that format, assume I won’t absorb it.)
After the equine eye rolls and snorts, you make your way with the sun rising and bellies grumbling. The Long Road travels south, ultimately to Waterdeep. Longsaddle is the next settlement of any importance. It gains its importance from the resident family of wizards who are well known for being quirky. Or, as described by Starker, colleagues.
Your day of travel seems longer than it should due to the early rise this day. There are small towns with inns and roadhouses available. Or, you can sleep under the stars.
To the innkeepers barely contained delight, you depart the inn and head out of town. The guards at the town gates allow you through while adding, "No one comes in until sunrise..."
You find what appears to be a good location with a large flat surfaced stone. The platinum ring found in the dwarf mine still radiates a faint necrotic energy consistent with the undead. Placing the simple metal band (no gem is set in it) upon the stone, Kragen lands a mighty blow with the Judge. There is a lound RRRIIIINNNNGGG sound and the stone below the ring cracks. The Judge recoils from the blow and the ring bounces up into the air off the stone and lands upon the ground, unharmed.
Repeating the same process with Chadwick's adamantine sword yields the same result. The ring is unharmed.
"One more idea, y'all might want to stand back 20 feet or so."
Chadwick unleases a lighting surge from the Halberd then follows up with a mighty cleave.
Lightning Surge (Recharge 5-6): As an action, you can swing the halberd in an arc, releasing a surge of electricity. Each creature in a 15-foot cone in front of you must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d6 lightning damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
Chadwick's lightning enhanced cleave followed by Starker's inward facing Wall of Fire spell also inflict no harm to the ring. The destruction of magic items is apparently more difficult than it looks.
"Anyone know of any volcanos nearby?"
Starker:”Perhaps the entity, who was, I believe, the enemy of the Kyton, wants to communicate with us? I would be willing to put the ring on and attune to it and see if it sllowed us to communicate.”
Frowning at Starker. “Although an admirable thought, I question whether contact with a Drow Wraith would be any more fruitful than a Demon. I also would not want either to have full access to your capabilities and your eagerness to burn things.”
”Tyr has blessed me with capabilities of speaking with the dead and protections from aberrations with ill intent. Any testing of the Ring would best be handled by me with Tyrs support. If this were an option we take, and I were to be taken by the entity. The party would easily be able to subdue me as I am not much of a threat.”
”Our attempts have been fruitless to this point. Let’s separate the Ring from the Talisman.”
begins an enchantment - casting Protection from Evil L1 on himself.
Opens the box and picks up the Talisman and hands to Chadwick for safe keeping. Then empties his component pouch into his backpack, places the ring in his component pouch and sprinkles Holy Water on the pouch.
Starker:”Your are truly wise and brave, Kragan.”
How malleable is the lead sheeting? Could we wrap/fold it around the ring?
"Kragen, you think it's best you stay close (10') for the blessing of Tyr I've been granted (+3 all saves) or better to keep the items separated?"
You could encase the ring in lead.
Kragen looks at Starker with a flat stare and snorts hearing the heavy sarcasm in his response, then smiles. “That is too mundane a response for you Mage!” Then chuckles, turns to Chadwick.
”That’s a good idea, using your ability to channel Tyr’s blessing will help. Do you suggest that I attempt to wear the ring? I am apprehensive about attempting to use it??”
You all stand around the flat stone selected for pounding out your frustrations upon undesired jewelry. The ring meets its mettle and withstands the undeserved attention it is receiving. It remains intact and unharmed. Kragen cannot help but see the ring sized indentation that is subtly formed on the face of The Judge now.
/Plans?
Starker:”Let us continue to Chadwick’s people so we can ease his mind. When we camp, let us keep the talisman and ring surrounded by lead and separated by, say, 100 yards and split our group in two at night along with the items to see if one group rests better than the other. Thus we can efficiently meet several goals: make progress toward Monstordrink, test Chadwick’s assertion of the efficacy of lead in screening emanations of evil, and divine which object, if either, is responsible for our exhaustion.
”If the torso should manifest again I suggest we try speaking to it in languages an evil mercenary drow might know. Perhaps our new bard might be helpful, here.”
(Xymox offers a small, amused nod, lips curling into a wry smile.)
(He pauses, gaze flicking toward the firelight.)
Xymox pauses for a brief moment, then quickly reaches for his lute...
🎭 “Whispers of the Hunt”
As performed by Xymox Xel’Mizzrym, bard of House Xel’Mizzrym, beneath an uneasy sky.
(A slow, rhythmic pulse on the lute; faint drums thrum like distant marching boots. His voice cuts softly, ominously—half spell, half sermon.)
🎶
The night is black, the air like stone,
No birds to cry, no wind to moan.
Just silence thick and watching eyes,
The kind that follow when reason dies.
The mob has gathered, voices low,
With torch and doubt and hearts aglow.
No need for facts, no call for proof—
They've made their truth beneath this roof.
(He casts a glance at the shadows just beyond the fire’s edge.)
Quick to anger, slow to see,
What madness cloaked as unity.
They curse the dark, they damn the flame,
They whisper fear—and give it name.
🎶
They say it’s justice, say it’s right,
But shadows bloom beneath that light.
And when they come, they do not ask—
They come with chains, and hoods, and masks.
(He slows the rhythm, voice now a chilling hush.)
Those who know, and those who feel,
Are trampled under zealot’s heel.
No room for mercy, none for grace—
Just silence… and a firelit face.
🎻 [A ghostly phrase from the lute, like a scream swallowed in the wind.]
🎶
So guard your soul, and mind your tone,
Lest you too stand accused alone.
For when the hunt begins anew…
The hunted, friend, may well be you.
(He finishes, lets the silence fall again, heavier than before. One brow arches faintly.)
(Like when I read Lord of the Rings as a child, I skip songs and poetry. If you want me to read something, I suggest putting it in prose.)
Consider it an attempt at role-playing. Read it or don't, that is entirely up to you.
(I’m just putting it on the record that I am unlikely to read anything in that format. My eyes roll into the back of my head when I see it. If anything important in that format, assume I won’t absorb it.)
"I agree with Starker, let's continue on to MonstorDrink." (Assuming we had time to grab the mounts and all our gear).
"Probably best not to wear it." Chadwick will fold a lead sheet around the ring like some sort demonic origami, then hands it to back to Kragen.
"Let's put the chest in Freya's saddle bags. She seems less likely to become corrupted, and can always be resummoned."
He pets her mane and gives her a rib. "My fierce and righteous companion."
After the equine eye rolls and snorts, you make your way with the sun rising and bellies grumbling. The Long Road travels south, ultimately to Waterdeep. Longsaddle is the next settlement of any importance. It gains its importance from the resident family of wizards who are well known for being quirky. Or, as described by Starker, colleagues.
Your day of travel seems longer than it should due to the early rise this day. There are small towns with inns and roadhouses available. Or, you can sleep under the stars.
/Plans?
Perhaps best if we sleep rough tonight to avoid involving any bystanders in any (glances at Starker) unforseen circumstances.
Camp is made. Are you splitting into two camps? If so, who is in each camp? Any other preparations?