It's a trap. Of course it is. If the goal was to keep people out, why leave the key nearby and easy to find? And if not, why bother putting a lock on the door to begin with?
"It's a prison," Kit half-whispers to herself, "that's where they put her."
"I bet there used to be guards here,"she says to the others, "the key was to check on her. Something must have gone wrong. Or maybe it was just too long ago. Stories became legends, legends became myths...or were forgotten entirely...so they abandoned the post."
"So... if her is still imprisoned inside... how it is that the people keeps disappearing? If they abandoned their post and no one has checked on her... shouldn't she be dead? granting that she was able to life so long... I guess that for a fey creature that is possible... perhaps she escaped? Anyway I do think that we should open the door... "
he says manipulating the key in his big hand he puts the key into the keyhole but doesn't turn it until getting confirmation from the others
Kit nods an affirmative to Thar. Once upon a time, it wouldn't have been a question. The mystery, the adventure, even the danger would have called to her like a siren song.
How long ago that had been.
Her mind drifts back to Gavin and Belton, cut down far to soon. How that had changed her. How she had learned to fear death...and how she had found someone and something worth living for in Eila...
And yet, under the fear that now gripped at her chest, the old spark was starting to rekindle. A spirit of adventure replacing the pale imitation of confidence she'd been using to shield herself from the others.
Whatever waited for them below, Kit was ready to face it.
Omen watches silently as the bugbear turns the key. He holds his torch and dagger at the ready. "Maybe the missing townsfolk are being held in there...." He whispers in the hope of bolstering his companions.
When the key is inserted, the stone door falls inward then rolls to the left revealing a dark tunnel. As you enter, the torches on either side of the door ignite with ghostly green-white light. The walls are lined with thorny vines which appear to have broken through the stone walls, while the cobbled floor is layered with crumpled rose petals. As you continue forward, the torches ahead continue to light themselves while those behind extinguish themselves, leaving only four lit up at once.
Omen moves to look at the torches as well. He extends his hand to see if they are giving off any heat. If not, he would attempt to pull one of them from the wall and hold it in his hand so that he was clutching a normal torch and a magical one.
As you spread out, more lights flicker on. Though if you get more then five torches away from the group, some of the torches go out between you. Even with her knowledge of the arcane, Kit has absolutely no idea as to how this is accomplished.
As Omen investigates the lights, he notes that there is no heat coming from them. There isn't even a temperature shift. Thinking about removing one from the wall, he finds that it would be pretty much impossible to remove any of them. They are affixed to the wall, and the torches themselves appear to be made of stone. Strange, as there isn't any fuel source for these flames.
Continuing onward, you find that the long tunnel attaches to a larger room. There's no doorway, you can just tell that the corridor widens at that point. When you enter the first room, you notice that it seems to be hard to see very far in front of you, even with the torches lining the walls. The air seems thick, and red-ish dust floats around the room and you can’t even make out what may be on the other side of the room.
Looking back, panic fills your chest when you realize the path you entered seems to have disappeared as well. This panic continues as you each realize that you can no longer see each other either….
(Ok ya'll the next part has to do with those wishes/fears. This might take me a bit to write up....especially considering that somehow the other thread caught up and actually passed you all up in the storyline even though you started first lol. Not to mention I've just had a lot going on....Anyways, the next post is gonna be beefy. XD)
(For now, just know that you can't see or hear each other. Also you all can make a wisdom save.)
You walk down the busy streets of Baldur's gate. It's been a while since you made much money....perhaps you've been a bit TOO good at cleaning up the city streets. After all, you can't fight crime if there's no crime to fight, and without crime you don't have a job. Not to mention you've been itching to try your hand breaking into something again, just to make sure you aren't getting rusty...
As you walk, you notice some suspicious looking folks loitering near the newly opened bank. Perhaps you're in luck! Approaching the figures, you recognize one as Shank...did those idiots at the prison seriously let him go? You change your course as to not draw his attention. Moving around a corner, you catch part of his conversation with the other individual. Just as you thought, they are planning a bank robbery. Right in the middle of the street? Heh, he must be loosing his touch to be that careless in his planning....but it wouldn't hurt to let them carry out part of their plan would it? Catching them in the act is always far more exciting then turning them in before they even see the treasure...not to mention there's a higher chance of pocketing some if you let them grab it for you. Mind made up, you wait for them to make their move....
Though you decide to wait, inside the bank. May as well get in before they do, that way there's no way they see you follow them in right? Easily slipping inside, you immediately notice the lack of guards. The city must have become lazy with the lack of crime... Walking around, your fingers start to itch. It would be so easy, to steal some of the gold here. Your reputation is good enough, you can easily lay the blame on Shank, especially when that bastard breaks in here expecting to grab the gold. Yes, so easy. Without realizing how you got there, you find yourself standing in front of the main vault. Inside the thick glass windows, you can see the glitter of gold and gems inside. Unable to resist, you start picking the lock.
It opens easily, and you dash inside the room. In your excitement, you fail to hear the pitter patter of goblin feet heading your way.
Suddenly the door slams shut behind you. Turning in shock, you see Shank's face peaking through the lower bars of the vault door, he's grinning smugly. "Hah! Aren't so high and mighty now are ye? HAHAHAHA." As he says this the other figure walks up and looks inside at you as well. It's the sheriff. Shank looks up at him, "Ye see?! I told ye he'd fall eventually! Once a thief always a thief!" He grins at you again, "Heheheh, curious as to how I got out? Well, I simply asked to prove that you were still just another piece of street trash, a money lover that'll turn off the strait n narrow as soon as something shiny comes to destract ye! HAH! And I was right! Now you can spend your days behind bars, while I'm free to leave!" The sherrif looks at Shank. "Eheh, well so long as I leave Baldur's gate and never return."
(Despite some of the things that don't make much sense in this world, you are so lost in it that you don't realize it's false. This is your reality now....well unless you can wake up)
(Make another wis save)
Kit:
You march homeward with a bounce in your step. Oh you have so many things to tell Eila when you finally get home. You've spent the last two years as a wandering knight, bards already sing songs of your valiant deeds. Even your parents seem to have changed their tune concerning your choice to become a knight...though you wouldn't return there to save your life as they still stand firm on their wish for you to marry. Best not to think of that now though...it's a happy day. Eila promised to wait for you, for two years, and now you look forward to her welcoming you home.
Just after nightfall, you see it in the distance, the little cottage just on the outskirts of Baldur's gate. The little cottage that you and Eila built yourselves and named your home. However as you come nearer, something seems off. The garden you planted together, the pasture where the lambs used to graze. It's all in shambles.
Rushing forward sword in hand, you push through the broken door barely noticing what looks like claw marks on the frame. You call out for Eila, hoping to hear her voice. She can't be gone! She can't be!
"Kit?"
You hear Eila's voice from the bedroom. It sounds scratchy, and tired. "Kit, please! You can't be here!"
Not heading her warning you barge into the dark room. As you do, a large, lanky figure scurries to the back wall. "No, please!" It shakes it's massive head. "You can't- raaaaaah!" It grabs it's head with both clawed hands. "I- can't resist...much longer...please, if you must see me this way....just make it stop!"
Eila bows down on all fours, crawling towards you. "Free me of this curse before I hurt someone!" She looks up at you through eyes filled with fear, pain, and sadness.
Eila, has become a werewolf....
(This is your reality now....)
(make another wis save!)
Thar:
It's been three years since you were chosen as chief. Three years that you've dedicated to protecting your tribe, no matter the cost. No one dares attack your tribe, for if they do, they know nothing but death awaits them. Three years of conflict, and now peace is here. Peace that you created.
But now it's gone. All it had taken to wipe out your clan, was a mere avalanche. Not orcs, not monsters, not even the white dragon. No, an avalanche was your downfall.
"You've failed Thar"
The rumbling voice of your mentor booms above you. "I'd thought you were better than this. You put far to much effort into your military strength, even when the threats around you were small. You should have been more aware of your surroundings. Had you noticed the mountains instability and relocated, you could have avoided this."
He shakes his massive head, "I am disappointed. I suppose it is time I found a new student, as you are a failure."
(You have succeeded the wisdom save. After initially falling into this new reality, you quickly notice that it feels off. The circumstances, your master's behavior...it all feels wrong. Go ahead and post a reaction, and explain how you break out of the illusion.)
(Once you escape the illusion, you find yourself back in the room with the red dust. You can now see Kit and Omen, however they are standing motionless just a few feet apart from each other. Whatever expressions they are feeling, you can see it on their faces, but clearly they are still under a spell.)
(If you choose to help them in some way, it will give them advantage on their next wis save)
(OK! There we go! I don't mind if you read each other's spoilers to get a feel for how each other will be acting, and don't worry about posting in spoilers either. I just put them in spoilers to keep things organized!)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
OOC: This is in his mind so read or don't I suppose :D Also Wis save! 19
The kenku is speechless as his head twitches and turns... franticly looking for a way to escape. He was a bird caught in a cage. After a few moments, Omen buries his face in his gloved hands. "How... how could this happen... how could he let this happen... he was smarter than this... He sure as hell was smarter than Shank! No way he was outsmarted by that idiot!" The kenku thought to himself as he looked up from his hands as they began to form fists...
The longsword drops to the ground with a thunk as Kit backs away in disbelief. Many have used the phrase "rendered speechless" but in this moment Kit truly experiences the true meaning of it. Her mind, unable to summon the words, simply cannot define or process what she's experiencing. She's not even aware of the relentless pounding in her chest or her rapid panicked breaths. It's only when the darkness begins to creep in to the edges of her vision that her brain finally stops hopelessly fumbling like fingers trying to close around whisps of fog...
That doesn't look to his mentor as he starts to walk away with long strides. His eyes are fixed on the side of the mountain, now completely covered by snow, where his tribe were camped just a few minutes ago. He feels his heart stop and it's hard to breathe. All dead... all gone... and it was his fault. How... how he could have been so blind, how did he missed the signals, the storms the days before... wait... there hadn't been storms lately, much less with heavy snow... why he can't remember them?. He turns his head trying to reach to his mentor, he calls his name, but he only see the great back. He ignores him completely, not even a shrug on the massive shoulders. He doesn't act as himself. He always had high standards, but he was just, and he never was so cruel. Why is he leaving? With his help maybe they could be reaching for survivors. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
He turned again towards the place where his tribe were. Why he wasn't with them when the avalanche came? He should have. He stared to the snow. Why indeed? He reached out with his hand and let some snow flakes on his palm. They didn't melt. They weren't cold. That was something that Omen would love to know why. Omen. And Kit. They were with him. Suddenly Thar remembered- The disappearances, the kids, the roses, the dead, the creatures, the tunnel... He turned calling their names and the mountains dissapeared from his sight as if they were blown away by the wind. The sound of his master's steps faded and he found himself in the room, surrounded by the red dusk.
His friends were there, standing, motionless.
He didn't dare to move them but he approached them and call their names.
"Omen! Kit! I do not know what are you seeing but it is not true! Hear me!! Come back!! Kit!! Omen!!"
It's a trap. Of course it is. If the goal was to keep people out, why leave the key nearby and easy to find? And if not, why bother putting a lock on the door to begin with?
"It's a prison," Kit half-whispers to herself, "that's where they put her."
"I bet there used to be guards here," she says to the others, "the key was to check on her. Something must have gone wrong. Or maybe it was just too long ago. Stories became legends, legends became myths...or were forgotten entirely...so they abandoned the post."
"So... if her is still imprisoned inside... how it is that the people keeps disappearing? If they abandoned their post and no one has checked on her... shouldn't she be dead? granting that she was able to life so long... I guess that for a fey creature that is possible... perhaps she escaped? Anyway I do think that we should open the door... "
he says manipulating the key in his big hand he puts the key into the keyhole but doesn't turn it until getting confirmation from the others
PbP Character: A few ;)
Kit nods an affirmative to Thar. Once upon a time, it wouldn't have been a question. The mystery, the adventure, even the danger would have called to her like a siren song.
How long ago that had been.
Her mind drifts back to Gavin and Belton, cut down far to soon. How that had changed her. How she had learned to fear death...and how she had found someone and something worth living for in Eila...
And yet, under the fear that now gripped at her chest, the old spark was starting to rekindle. A spirit of adventure replacing the pale imitation of confidence she'd been using to shield herself from the others.
Whatever waited for them below, Kit was ready to face it.
The bugbear turns the key and opens the door his other hand holding the weapon ready.
PbP Character: A few ;)
Omen watches silently as the bugbear turns the key. He holds his torch and dagger at the ready. "Maybe the missing townsfolk are being held in there...." He whispers in the hope of bolstering his companions.
When the key is inserted, the stone door falls inward then rolls to the left revealing a dark tunnel. As you enter, the torches on either side of the door ignite with ghostly green-white light. The walls are lined with thorny vines which appear to have broken through the stone walls, while the cobbled floor is layered with crumpled rose petals. As you continue forward, the torches ahead continue to light themselves while those behind extinguish themselves, leaving only four lit up at once.
The tunnel seems to continue for quite a ways.
"Fascinating," Kit mutters to herself while taking a closer look at the torches.
"Hold up a moment! I want to see how they react if we spread out."
Kit then begins to move forward, relying on her darkvision in case the torches don't continue light the way for her as she moves.
(If possible, I'd like to attempt an Arcana check to see if Kit can guess how this trick was accomplished. 12)
Thar, after recovering the key if possible, waits keeping a watchful eye ahead the corridor.
"Be quick Kit " he says " I have a bad feeling about this. "
PbP Character: A few ;)
Omen moves to look at the torches as well. He extends his hand to see if they are giving off any heat. If not, he would attempt to pull one of them from the wall and hold it in his hand so that he was clutching a normal torch and a magical one.
As you spread out, more lights flicker on. Though if you get more then five torches away from the group, some of the torches go out between you. Even with her knowledge of the arcane, Kit has absolutely no idea as to how this is accomplished.
As Omen investigates the lights, he notes that there is no heat coming from them. There isn't even a temperature shift. Thinking about removing one from the wall, he finds that it would be pretty much impossible to remove any of them. They are affixed to the wall, and the torches themselves appear to be made of stone. Strange, as there isn't any fuel source for these flames.
Continuing onward, you find that the long tunnel attaches to a larger room. There's no doorway, you can just tell that the corridor widens at that point. When you enter the first room, you notice that it seems to be hard to see very far in front of you, even with the torches lining the walls. The air seems thick, and red-ish dust floats around the room and you can’t even make out what may be on the other side of the room.
Looking back, panic fills your chest when you realize the path you entered seems to have disappeared as well. This panic continues as you each realize that you can no longer see each other either….
(Ok ya'll the next part has to do with those wishes/fears. This might take me a bit to write up....especially considering that somehow the other thread caught up and actually passed you all up in the storyline even though you started first lol. Not to mention I've just had a lot going on....Anyways, the next post is gonna be beefy. XD)
(For now, just know that you can't see or hear each other. Also you all can make a wisdom save.)
(Wisdom Save: 14)
omen wis 22
(Thar wis: 13)
PbP Character: A few ;)
Omen:
You walk down the busy streets of Baldur's gate. It's been a while since you made much money....perhaps you've been a bit TOO good at cleaning up the city streets. After all, you can't fight crime if there's no crime to fight, and without crime you don't have a job. Not to mention you've been itching to try your hand breaking into something again, just to make sure you aren't getting rusty...
As you walk, you notice some suspicious looking folks loitering near the newly opened bank. Perhaps you're in luck! Approaching the figures, you recognize one as Shank...did those idiots at the prison seriously let him go? You change your course as to not draw his attention. Moving around a corner, you catch part of his conversation with the other individual. Just as you thought, they are planning a bank robbery. Right in the middle of the street? Heh, he must be loosing his touch to be that careless in his planning....but it wouldn't hurt to let them carry out part of their plan would it? Catching them in the act is always far more exciting then turning them in before they even see the treasure...not to mention there's a higher chance of pocketing some if you let them grab it for you. Mind made up, you wait for them to make their move....
Though you decide to wait, inside the bank. May as well get in before they do, that way there's no way they see you follow them in right? Easily slipping inside, you immediately notice the lack of guards. The city must have become lazy with the lack of crime... Walking around, your fingers start to itch. It would be so easy, to steal some of the gold here. Your reputation is good enough, you can easily lay the blame on Shank, especially when that bastard breaks in here expecting to grab the gold. Yes, so easy. Without realizing how you got there, you find yourself standing in front of the main vault. Inside the thick glass windows, you can see the glitter of gold and gems inside. Unable to resist, you start picking the lock.
It opens easily, and you dash inside the room. In your excitement, you fail to hear the pitter patter of goblin feet heading your way.
Suddenly the door slams shut behind you. Turning in shock, you see Shank's face peaking through the lower bars of the vault door, he's grinning smugly. "Hah! Aren't so high and mighty now are ye? HAHAHAHA." As he says this the other figure walks up and looks inside at you as well. It's the sheriff. Shank looks up at him, "Ye see?! I told ye he'd fall eventually! Once a thief always a thief!" He grins at you again, "Heheheh, curious as to how I got out? Well, I simply asked to prove that you were still just another piece of street trash, a money lover that'll turn off the strait n narrow as soon as something shiny comes to destract ye! HAH! And I was right! Now you can spend your days behind bars, while I'm free to leave!" The sherrif looks at Shank. "Eheh, well so long as I leave Baldur's gate and never return."
(Despite some of the things that don't make much sense in this world, you are so lost in it that you don't realize it's false. This is your reality now....well unless you can wake up)
(Make another wis save)
Kit:
You march homeward with a bounce in your step. Oh you have so many things to tell Eila when you finally get home. You've spent the last two years as a wandering knight, bards already sing songs of your valiant deeds. Even your parents seem to have changed their tune concerning your choice to become a knight...though you wouldn't return there to save your life as they still stand firm on their wish for you to marry. Best not to think of that now though...it's a happy day. Eila promised to wait for you, for two years, and now you look forward to her welcoming you home.
Just after nightfall, you see it in the distance, the little cottage just on the outskirts of Baldur's gate. The little cottage that you and Eila built yourselves and named your home. However as you come nearer, something seems off. The garden you planted together, the pasture where the lambs used to graze. It's all in shambles.
Rushing forward sword in hand, you push through the broken door barely noticing what looks like claw marks on the frame. You call out for Eila, hoping to hear her voice. She can't be gone! She can't be!
"Kit?"
You hear Eila's voice from the bedroom. It sounds scratchy, and tired. "Kit, please! You can't be here!"
Not heading her warning you barge into the dark room. As you do, a large, lanky figure scurries to the back wall. "No, please!" It shakes it's massive head. "You can't- raaaaaah!" It grabs it's head with both clawed hands. "I- can't resist...much longer...please, if you must see me this way....just make it stop!"
Eila bows down on all fours, crawling towards you. "Free me of this curse before I hurt someone!" She looks up at you through eyes filled with fear, pain, and sadness.
Eila, has become a werewolf....
(This is your reality now....)
(make another wis save!)
Thar:
It's been three years since you were chosen as chief. Three years that you've dedicated to protecting your tribe, no matter the cost. No one dares attack your tribe, for if they do, they know nothing but death awaits them. Three years of conflict, and now peace is here. Peace that you created.
But now it's gone. All it had taken to wipe out your clan, was a mere avalanche. Not orcs, not monsters, not even the white dragon. No, an avalanche was your downfall.
"You've failed Thar"
The rumbling voice of your mentor booms above you. "I'd thought you were better than this. You put far to much effort into your military strength, even when the threats around you were small. You should have been more aware of your surroundings. Had you noticed the mountains instability and relocated, you could have avoided this."
He shakes his massive head, "I am disappointed. I suppose it is time I found a new student, as you are a failure."
(You have succeeded the wisdom save. After initially falling into this new reality, you quickly notice that it feels off. The circumstances, your master's behavior...it all feels wrong. Go ahead and post a reaction, and explain how you break out of the illusion.)
(Once you escape the illusion, you find yourself back in the room with the red dust. You can now see Kit and Omen, however they are standing motionless just a few feet apart from each other. Whatever expressions they are feeling, you can see it on their faces, but clearly they are still under a spell.)
(If you choose to help them in some way, it will give them advantage on their next wis save)
(OK! There we go! I don't mind if you read each other's spoilers to get a feel for how each other will be acting, and don't worry about posting in spoilers either. I just put them in spoilers to keep things organized!)
Wisdom save: 10
(That was so incredibly perfect! 👏 My heart is pounding😆 Brilliantly done, DM, brilliantly done!)
OOC: This is in his mind so read or don't I suppose :D Also Wis save! 19
The kenku is speechless as his head twitches and turns... franticly looking for a way to escape. He was a bird caught in a cage. After a few moments, Omen buries his face in his gloved hands. "How... how could this happen... how could he let this happen... he was smarter than this... He sure as hell was smarter than Shank! No way he was outsmarted by that idiot!" The kenku thought to himself as he looked up from his hands as they began to form fists...
The longsword drops to the ground with a thunk as Kit backs away in disbelief. Many have used the phrase "rendered speechless" but in this moment Kit truly experiences the true meaning of it. Her mind, unable to summon the words, simply cannot define or process what she's experiencing. She's not even aware of the relentless pounding in her chest or her rapid panicked breaths. It's only when the darkness begins to creep in to the edges of her vision that her brain finally stops hopelessly fumbling like fingers trying to close around whisps of fog...
That doesn't look to his mentor as he starts to walk away with long strides. His eyes are fixed on the side of the mountain, now completely covered by snow, where his tribe were camped just a few minutes ago. He feels his heart stop and it's hard to breathe. All dead... all gone... and it was his fault. How... how he could have been so blind, how did he missed the signals, the storms the days before... wait... there hadn't been storms lately, much less with heavy snow... why he can't remember them?. He turns his head trying to reach to his mentor, he calls his name, but he only see the great back. He ignores him completely, not even a shrug on the massive shoulders. He doesn't act as himself. He always had high standards, but he was just, and he never was so cruel. Why is he leaving? With his help maybe they could be reaching for survivors. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
He turned again towards the place where his tribe were. Why he wasn't with them when the avalanche came? He should have. He stared to the snow. Why indeed? He reached out with his hand and let some snow flakes on his palm. They didn't melt. They weren't cold. That was something that Omen would love to know why. Omen. And Kit. They were with him. Suddenly Thar remembered- The disappearances, the kids, the roses, the dead, the creatures, the tunnel... He turned calling their names and the mountains dissapeared from his sight as if they were blown away by the wind. The sound of his master's steps faded and he found himself in the room, surrounded by the red dusk.
His friends were there, standing, motionless.
He didn't dare to move them but he approached them and call their names.
"Omen! Kit! I do not know what are you seeing but it is not true! Hear me!! Come back!! Kit!! Omen!!"
PbP Character: A few ;)
(Thank you Grover XD)
(Also, I forgot to add that both Kit and Omen should have taken 2 psychic damage due to failing the last save)
(Kit will be taking another 2 damage from this round. Unless she rolls again and succeeds a 12 due to Thar's attempt to help her)
(Will get an actual post up tomorrow pending Kit's new save.)
(Sorry to be holding things up! Wis save 5)