ArdneK says to Pisgah, "Was just about to say that" he says to Pisgah and crouches down, looking for shadows, as Rico seems to recognize the creature in the room.
The light shines out from above the statues, seemingly coming out of nowhere. It's focused on the space between them.
Neither the strange cuboid construct, nor anything else in the room reacts to Pisgahs intrusion.
Pisgah sees down the hallway to the east. There are many smaller room going off to the north and south, each containing statues. These statues are impressively lifelike.
To the north, from left to right: 4 bullywugs (frog-people), 3 snakelike creatures with beaks and tentacles instead of a normal mouth, and 2 elves with long flowing hair and equipped with scimitars To the south, from left to right: a boar, a large snake, a kenku wearing dungeoneering equipment, and a lizardfolk wielding an assortment of hooked weapons
The hallway continues on after that, into darkness.
Pisgah walks to the entry to the first room, " These statues seem like they could come to life. Creepy. " Does he know what could have turned something to stone?
Pisgah has heard from other adventurers and through campfire stories that powerful magic is able to turn living things into stone at the snap of a finger. Sometimes it's also caused by traps, but most of the time the stories include mentions of monsters such as the basilisk or a medusa. The facial expressions of the bullywugs seem frightened, frozen in time.
"Rico, Canti? You two seem to know about magic stuff. Could these statues have been turned to stone by someone or something? Could it be related to the light in the center of the other room? "
Pisgah moves further down the hall, stops at the room with the kenku, and looks down the hallway to the extent of his dark vision. If he doesn't see anything alarming, he will look at the Kenku. Is it Nikkitch? (Not sure if Investigation or perception is needed).
Canti, who has been following the sentinel at a safe distance, and intensely scrutinizing it, stops and looks in Pisgah's direction at the mention of her name. She moves down the hallway to the room with the four frog people. She looks at the statues, trying to determine if they were carved from stone or once-living creatures now turned to stone.
Canti can conclude that this is certainly the work of magic. These are petrified creatures. But there is no indication of who or what did this. Rico recognizes the petrified people as well. She is fairly certain that the transformation was a result of a spell, not a creature. This is the work of some mighty wizard or sorcerer.
ArdneK has no trouble walking in the same rhythm as the construct, since its steps are always at the same precise pace. When he listens at the door, he hears a faint growling, followed by the *crack* of splintering bones. Large paws are shuffling across stone. There are two large creatures in there. [Nature: 16]: Owlbears!
Upon inspecting the kenku, Pisgah concludes that it isn't the wizard he knew. This kenku is of taller stature and seems equipped for thievery rather than spell-slinging.Moving further back, Pisgah sees that the hallway just keeps going, revealing more and more rooms, all with their own statues. They stare, unmoving.
[Some of these can be identified easily a passive history/nature or relevant background, added at the end]
1. four bullywugs (frog-people) 2. three snakelike creatures with beaks and tentacles instead of a normal mouth [Canti and Rico]: gricks 3. two elves with long flowing hair and equipped with scimitars 4. four rust monsters 5. five humanoid reptilian creatures that seem like a mix of lizardfolk and toad and have long claws [Canti and Rico]: troglodytes 6. six goats 7. a boar 8. a large snake 9. a kenku wearing dungeoneering equipment 10. a lizardfolk wielding an assortment of hooked weapons 11. a humanoid with the head of a squid and a flowing robe with an elaborate tentacle motif 12. a scaly humanoid with sharp claws, a single huge central eye and a hunched posture [Rico]: a nothic 13. a powerfully built orc wearing elaborate fur armor and a large axe [Pisgah]: clearly a war chief of some tribe 14. a very big badger 15. a hunched humanoid entirely covered with fur and a feline face [Canti and Rico]: a quaggoth 16. a scrawny half-elf with dungeoneering equipment
Rico comments, "A powerful mage could return these to life. But doing so is far beyond my current abilities. Perhaps these were collected by the mage that built this dungeon. He'd definitely have the ability to do this. But for now, all we can do is avoid damaging them."
ArdneK will move away from the door to the others. "There are, I believe, two Owlbears behind the western door. I don't believe they can turn creatures to stone, but we are in the dungeon of the mad mage after all, so who knows. I'm equally interested in letting them be, as I am opening the door." he says with a shrug. "I'm not very interested in being turned into stone however. Has anyone determined if these are recent or old petrification's?"
ArdneK will go to the boar statue, and look it over, as well as the room itself, looking to see if this is an old statue/threat or recent.
Perception: 28 (nat 20) [feel free to roll it you want something else]
"I have heard of Owlbears being trained but I would think we would have to have a lot of food on hand to try it. I suspect to that you would have to catch them young. If we gathered up some fresh meat, nI would be willing to try it but it may just lead to a fight. If we could pull off having a tamed, or at least we'll disposed, Owlbear beside us that could make our future travels easier. "
ArdneK will go to the boar statue, and look it over, as well as the room itself, looking to see if this is an old statue/threat or recent.
Perception: 28 (nat 20) [feel free to roll it you want something else]
[Let's go with investigation to potentially put together clues. I'll use the same roll, so: 22]
There is a fair amount of dust around, coating the floor as well as the creature statues. The only place where dust is absent is where the quadrone is walking, indicating that it never leaves its post. So the statues have been here for a long time, measurable in years. However, some of them are clearly newer than others, with the scrawny half-elf being the one with the least amount of dust accumulated.
In addition, these statues are clearly very heavy, made out of solid stone. Whatever placed them here must have done so with the application of magic or brute force, because there are no signs of an appropriate lifting mechanism. At the feet of the statues, the floor occasionally features slight scratch marks where they might have been dragged. ArdneK notices that the scratch marks often don't match the statues, suggesting that the statues may be exchanged from time to time. The scratch marks lead towards the four elven looking caryatids.
Canti is drawn back to the room with the sentinel. She peers up at the light, then at the caryatids, then back at the cuboid construct. Does the construct have discernable eyes?
Yes, the construct has two eyes and a strangely human mouth. Its limbs are thin and also seems to have a pair of wings, folded up neatly on its back. It occasionally glances at the party, but otherwise keeps walking its circle.
Rico comments, "Or it could be a portal to elsewhere in the dungeon, somewhere close to Mad Max himself. With the quadrone assigned to keep anyone from going though the portal and pestering him. And those that do get turned to stone and added to the display, maybe?"
Rico inspects the glow. There is definitely some sort of magic here... but the air between the caryatids is calm, the weave isn't agitated. While this doesn't help with identifying what exactly the caryatids and the glow are able to do, Rico learns that it isn't currently active.
When ArdneK throws a ball bearing in the middle of the illuminated area, nothing happens to it. However, the quadrone emits a surprised squeaking noise.
It stops walking and watches the ball bearing with intensity, seemingly waiting for something to happen. When it becomes obvious that nothing does, the quadrone relaxes visibly. Gesturing towards ArdneK, it says something in a buzzing, scratching language. It sounds somewhat like the noise of a waterfall, but choppier. Rico has heard this speech before: this is the language of these constructs, called modron. Whatever it says, it sounds like a might be a warning.
When it has finished speaking, it resumes its walk as if nothing happened.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
ArdneK says to Pisgah, "Was just about to say that" he says to Pisgah and crouches down, looking for shadows, as Rico seems to recognize the creature in the room.
The light shines out from above the statues, seemingly coming out of nowhere. It's focused on the space between them.
Neither the strange cuboid construct, nor anything else in the room reacts to Pisgahs intrusion.
Pisgah sees down the hallway to the east. There are many smaller room going off to the north and south, each containing statues. These statues are impressively lifelike.
To the north, from left to right: 4 bullywugs (frog-people), 3 snakelike creatures with beaks and tentacles instead of a normal mouth, and 2 elves with long flowing hair and equipped with scimitars
To the south, from left to right: a boar, a large snake, a kenku wearing dungeoneering equipment, and a lizardfolk wielding an assortment of hooked weapons
The hallway continues on after that, into darkness.
Pisgah walks to the entry to the first room, " These statues seem like they could come to life. Creepy. " Does he know what could have turned something to stone?
NATURE 7
SURVIVAL 8
HISTORY 14
Pisgah has heard from other adventurers and through campfire stories that powerful magic is able to turn living things into stone at the snap of a finger. Sometimes it's also caused by traps, but most of the time the stories include mentions of monsters such as the basilisk or a medusa. The facial expressions of the bullywugs seem frightened, frozen in time.
"Rico, Canti? You two seem to know about magic stuff. Could these statues have been turned to stone by someone or something? Could it be related to the light in the center of the other room? "
Pisgah moves further down the hall, stops at the room with the kenku, and looks down the hallway to the extent of his dark vision. If he doesn't see anything alarming, he will look at the Kenku. Is it Nikkitch? (Not sure if Investigation or perception is needed).
INVESTIGATION 15
PERCEPTION 24
ArdneK does not like the sound of these statues. A stone statue of a dashing kobold would be quite a prize he thinks, and shudders.
He will go listen/inspect the door to the west, quietly, trying to time his steps with that of the clicking construct.
Perception: 22
Canti, who has been following the sentinel at a safe distance, and intensely scrutinizing it, stops and looks in Pisgah's direction at the mention of her name. She moves down the hallway to the room with the four frog people. She looks at the statues, trying to determine if they were carved from stone or once-living creatures now turned to stone.
d20 roll: 4, +6 for arcana, +1 for medicine
Rico and Steel follow along, also staying to the edge of the room since the quadrone seems to allow it. She too looks at the statues.
Arcana 20, Medicine 16
As she's looking she comments, "If these are just statues, someone went to a lot of work to make them look like transformed people."
{do quadrone speak common?)
Canti can conclude that this is certainly the work of magic. These are petrified creatures. But there is no indication of who or what did this.
Rico recognizes the petrified people as well. She is fairly certain that the transformation was a result of a spell, not a creature. This is the work of some mighty wizard or sorcerer.
ArdneK has no trouble walking in the same rhythm as the construct, since its steps are always at the same precise pace.
When he listens at the door, he hears a faint growling, followed by the *crack* of splintering bones. Large paws are shuffling across stone. There are two large creatures in there. [Nature: 16]: Owlbears!
Upon inspecting the kenku, Pisgah concludes that it isn't the wizard he knew. This kenku is of taller stature and seems equipped for thievery rather than spell-slinging.Moving further back, Pisgah sees that the hallway just keeps going, revealing more and more rooms, all with their own statues. They stare, unmoving.
[Some of these can be identified easily a passive history/nature or relevant background, added at the end]
1. four bullywugs (frog-people)
2. three snakelike creatures with beaks and tentacles instead of a normal mouth [Canti and Rico]: gricks
3. two elves with long flowing hair and equipped with scimitars
4. four rust monsters
5. five humanoid reptilian creatures that seem like a mix of lizardfolk and toad and have long claws [Canti and Rico]: troglodytes
6. six goats
7. a boar
8. a large snake
9. a kenku wearing dungeoneering equipment
10. a lizardfolk wielding an assortment of hooked weapons
11. a humanoid with the head of a squid and a flowing robe with an elaborate tentacle motif
12. a scaly humanoid with sharp claws, a single huge central eye and a hunched posture [Rico]: a nothic
13. a powerfully built orc wearing elaborate fur armor and a large axe [Pisgah]: clearly a war chief of some tribe
14. a very big badger
15. a hunched humanoid entirely covered with fur and a feline face [Canti and Rico]: a quaggoth
16. a scrawny half-elf with dungeoneering equipment
Rico knows that they typically only understand their own language, modron.
Rico comments, "A powerful mage could return these to life. But doing so is far beyond my current abilities. Perhaps these were collected by the mage that built this dungeon. He'd definitely have the ability to do this. But for now, all we can do is avoid damaging them."
ArdneK will move away from the door to the others. "There are, I believe, two Owlbears behind the western door. I don't believe they can turn creatures to stone, but we are in the dungeon of the mad mage after all, so who knows. I'm equally interested in letting them be, as I am opening the door." he says with a shrug. "I'm not very interested in being turned into stone however. Has anyone determined if these are recent or old petrification's?"
ArdneK will go to the boar statue, and look it over, as well as the room itself, looking to see if this is an old statue/threat or recent.
Perception: 28 (nat 20) [feel free to roll it you want something else]
"I have heard of Owlbears being trained but I would think we would have to have a lot of food on hand to try it. I suspect to that you would have to catch them young. If we gathered up some fresh meat, nI would be willing to try it but it may just lead to a fight. If we could pull off having a tamed, or at least we'll disposed, Owlbear beside us that could make our future travels easier. "
[Let's go with investigation to potentially put together clues. I'll use the same roll, so: 22]
There is a fair amount of dust around, coating the floor as well as the creature statues. The only place where dust is absent is where the quadrone is walking, indicating that it never leaves its post. So the statues have been here for a long time, measurable in years. However, some of them are clearly newer than others, with the scrawny half-elf being the one with the least amount of dust accumulated.
In addition, these statues are clearly very heavy, made out of solid stone. Whatever placed them here must have done so with the application of magic or brute force, because there are no signs of an appropriate lifting mechanism. At the feet of the statues, the floor occasionally features slight scratch marks where they might have been dragged. ArdneK notices that the scratch marks often don't match the statues, suggesting that the statues may be exchanged from time to time. The scratch marks lead towards the four elven looking caryatids.
Canti is drawn back to the room with the sentinel. She peers up at the light, then at the caryatids, then back at the cuboid construct. Does the construct have discernable eyes?
Yes, the construct has two eyes and a strangely human mouth. Its limbs are thin and also seems to have a pair of wings, folded up neatly on its back. It occasionally glances at the party, but otherwise keeps walking its circle.
Pisgah asks, "I wonder if the light between those caryatids is what turns things to stone. How could we test it? Could we release the owlbears? "
Rico comments, "Or it could be a portal to elsewhere in the dungeon, somewhere close to Mad Max himself. With the quadrone assigned to keep anyone from going though the portal and pestering him. And those that do get turned to stone and added to the display, maybe?"
Rico tries to identify the glow: Arcana 14
When the modron is away from ArdneK, he will take one of his ball bearings and roll it on ground, into the light between the four statues.
...
Rico inspects the glow. There is definitely some sort of magic here... but the air between the caryatids is calm, the weave isn't agitated. While this doesn't help with identifying what exactly the caryatids and the glow are able to do, Rico learns that it isn't currently active.
When ArdneK throws a ball bearing in the middle of the illuminated area, nothing happens to it. However, the quadrone emits a surprised squeaking noise.
It stops walking and watches the ball bearing with intensity, seemingly waiting for something to happen. When it becomes obvious that nothing does, the quadrone relaxes visibly. Gesturing towards ArdneK, it says something in a buzzing, scratching language. It sounds somewhat like the noise of a waterfall, but choppier. Rico has heard this speech before: this is the language of these constructs, called modron. Whatever it says, it sounds like a might be a warning.
When it has finished speaking, it resumes its walk as if nothing happened.