Hugh powers the gearbox that turns the axel that powers the crank, and suddenly the lantern top begins spinning, and the lantern starts to float. You can even see that the purple and orange flames within the lantern have taken the form of tiny flickering acrobats and dancers, accompanied by a tiny music box tune as well, so quiet that it wouldn't be heard unless you were about 5 feet from it [The lantern effectively operates a singular orb from the Dancing Lights cantrip. The music box is so quiet that it won't have any affect on stealth because if a creature's close enough to hear it, they are almost definitely aware of your presence. The music box sounds something like this: Hollow Knight OST - Brumm Accordion [Impossible Music box cover] - YouTube]
Eggo Lass and Bilyur both scan the room after Hugh's warning, but Bilyur doesn't spot anything. Eggo Lass does spot the figure behind the pillar however. Eggo Lass also confirms from her scan of the room that there is no likelihood of the lantern being part of a puzzle of any sort, and you think Pete would have warned you if there was a puzzle to be solved anyway.
You successfully alert everyone without giving away to figure lurking and listening that you've spotted them. Their breathing still seems to be steady and soft, and you wonder how long they plan to just wait and observe behind the pillar before making their presence known.
Bilyur is surprised that there is someone in the room he hasn't seen. He attempts (and probably fails) to keep his face under control but begins walking around the room, as though searching for any unseen threats. (Deception: 6. 7-1)
Sly is in the process of developing a theory on the shadow weave at the door when the warning comes. First, she shoves this new information to the side to make space for her brain to continue working in smooth order.
Eventually, the warning properly registers and the tiefling stops writing. Sly is acting like she's still inspecting the door, while all the hairs on her back are standing up and she's ready for a confrontation.
Through the telepathic relay, "If someone will keep any eye on our shadow," Hugh starts to walk toward the southern doorway. As he walks he looks to see if the lantern following him.
As Hugh walks the lantern bobs along and follows. Bilyur paces around the room looking for the threat but struggles to keep a calm demeanour, and when he walks past a set of columns he ends up face to face with the mystery observer. They are a male humanoid, but they are incredibly tall, upwards of 7 feet, and has long black matted hair that hangs off of them. His face is gaunt and hollow, his eyes pools of darkness and his lips practically non existent. He wears tattered white robes, and in his left hand he holds what looks like a brown paper bag. The figure catches sight of Bilyur and seems to have little reaction to being found. Instead all he does his beckon you over with his free hand, his expression unchanged and still stony silent.
[I don’t know, does he have any experience with victims of Shadowfell magic in his past at all? If so, he’d probably identify it with no check needed, but if not I’m happy for you to make an Arcana check to try and work out the cause of his appearance ]
The figure recoils, shocked from your reaction and says in a terrifying voice ‘No, no, I’m not going to hurt you! Stop screaming!’ He then attempts a friendly smile but instead reveals a horrific set of crooked and splinter-like teeth and says ‘All I want from you is a favour!’, and extends the arm with the paper bag out to you, holding the parcel in his open palm.
Bilyur does not sheath his sword, but he is slightly relieved to know that the thing can speak, and thus reaches forward to grab the bag, be fore backing up and peering inside.
Sly cautiously comes over, keeping a healthy distance to the stranger. What was going on with that guy? She watches for any sudden movements and waits for an explanation.
Bilyur takes the bag off the stranger and as you go to open it, you sees that there's a blood red wax seal over the fold shutting the bag, but before you can break it the figure lurches forward and yells in a nightmarish voice that sounds like it is formed from the twisted cries of a hundred souls 'DO NOT OPEN THE BAG' (Bilyur, make a DC 15 Wisdom Saving throw. On a failed save you do not open the bag, and on a successful save you are free to open the parcel)
As the rest of the party gathers round, the figure recoils backwards and starts profusely apologising. 'I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you but it's imperative that you do not open the bag. The parcel needs to be delivered to the 77th Dungeon, and for two years I have been making my way through the Dungeons to reach its destination, but I recently came to the conclusion that I am simply not strong or fast enough to get there. So I decided I would pass the responsibility on to a trustworthy party, which was why I was hiding from you to see if you were worthy. Again, I am so, so sorry for the shock, but the bag cannot and must not be opened.'
Eggo Lass, you detect that the stranger is giving a sincere and honest apology and was observing you from the shadows purely to see if you were worthy, so it's clear they mean no harm, yet they are extremely overprotective of whatever is in the parcel getting revealed, perhaps a bit too much. You also get a hint that they are withholding a few secrets about the parcel, its destination, and how he ended up the way he is now.
'I don't know much more information on the other dungeons, aside from the fact that Dungeon 77 is the Vault of The Scarlet Oracle. The Scarlet Oracle is a vampire and fortune teller, and this parcel is addressed to her. I'm well aware of the contents of the package, but I can't tell you what's inside. I hope you'll understand.'
Bilyurs gnomish cunning allows him to see through the magical attack on his senses, but he chooses not to open the bag. "Since you know the contents of the bag, I trust that you can tell me what the problem with me opening it would be?"
Hugh powers the gearbox that turns the axel that powers the crank, and suddenly the lantern top begins spinning, and the lantern starts to float. You can even see that the purple and orange flames within the lantern have taken the form of tiny flickering acrobats and dancers, accompanied by a tiny music box tune as well, so quiet that it wouldn't be heard unless you were about 5 feet from it [The lantern effectively operates a singular orb from the Dancing Lights cantrip. The music box is so quiet that it won't have any affect on stealth because if a creature's close enough to hear it, they are almost definitely aware of your presence. The music box sounds something like this: Hollow Knight OST - Brumm Accordion [Impossible Music box cover] - YouTube]
Eggo Lass and Bilyur both scan the room after Hugh's warning, but Bilyur doesn't spot anything. Eggo Lass does spot the figure behind the pillar however. Eggo Lass also confirms from her scan of the room that there is no likelihood of the lantern being part of a puzzle of any sort, and you think Pete would have warned you if there was a puzzle to be solved anyway.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Eggo Lass pretends to not see the figure while telepathically alerting the others.
Deception: 16+6 = 22
Seeing the lights she says, "That looks like something you would give a child."
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 48, 5/23/25, Immaculate Mary
You successfully alert everyone without giving away to figure lurking and listening that you've spotted them. Their breathing still seems to be steady and soft, and you wonder how long they plan to just wait and observe behind the pillar before making their presence known.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Bilyur is surprised that there is someone in the room he hasn't seen. He attempts (and probably fails) to keep his face under control but begins walking around the room, as though searching for any unseen threats. (Deception: 6. 7-1)
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
Sly is in the process of developing a theory on the shadow weave at the door when the warning comes. First, she shoves this new information to the side to make space for her brain to continue working in smooth order.
Eventually, the warning properly registers and the tiefling stops writing. Sly is acting like she's still inspecting the door, while all the hairs on her back are standing up and she's ready for a confrontation.
Through the telepathic relay, "If someone will keep any eye on our shadow," Hugh starts to walk toward the southern doorway. As he walks he looks to see if the lantern following him.
As Hugh walks the lantern bobs along and follows. Bilyur paces around the room looking for the threat but struggles to keep a calm demeanour, and when he walks past a set of columns he ends up face to face with the mystery observer. They are a male humanoid, but they are incredibly tall, upwards of 7 feet, and has long black matted hair that hangs off of them. His face is gaunt and hollow, his eyes pools of darkness and his lips practically non existent. He wears tattered white robes, and in his left hand he holds what looks like a brown paper bag. The figure catches sight of Bilyur and seems to have little reaction to being found. Instead all he does his beckon you over with his free hand, his expression unchanged and still stony silent.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
OOC: I as a player recognize this as a symptom of shadowfell magic, but would Bilyur?
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
[I don’t know, does he have any experience with victims of Shadowfell magic in his past at all? If so, he’d probably identify it with no check needed, but if not I’m happy for you to make an Arcana check to try and work out the cause of his appearance ]
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
He left the monastery to come here directly, and he got a 7 on Arcana, so...
Bilyur shrieks in horror at the appearance of the man, before drawing his sword and backing away.
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
The figure recoils, shocked from your reaction and says in a terrifying voice ‘No, no, I’m not going to hurt you! Stop screaming!’ He then attempts a friendly smile but instead reveals a horrific set of crooked and splinter-like teeth and says ‘All I want from you is a favour!’, and extends the arm with the paper bag out to you, holding the parcel in his open palm.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Bilyur does not sheath his sword, but he is slightly relieved to know that the thing can speak, and thus reaches forward to grab the bag, be fore backing up and peering inside.
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
"A favor?" says Eggo Lass. She focuses the dancing lights on illuminating the interloper. "Why all the hiding?"
As the newcomer speaks she's on high-alert for deceit and curious as to what Bilyur has seen in the bag.
Insight: 18+1 = 19
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 48, 5/23/25, Immaculate Mary
Sly cautiously comes over, keeping a healthy distance to the stranger. What was going on with that guy? She watches for any sudden movements and waits for an explanation.
Bilyur takes the bag off the stranger and as you go to open it, you sees that there's a blood red wax seal over the fold shutting the bag, but before you can break it the figure lurches forward and yells in a nightmarish voice that sounds like it is formed from the twisted cries of a hundred souls 'DO NOT OPEN THE BAG' (Bilyur, make a DC 15 Wisdom Saving throw. On a failed save you do not open the bag, and on a successful save you are free to open the parcel)
As the rest of the party gathers round, the figure recoils backwards and starts profusely apologising. 'I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you but it's imperative that you do not open the bag. The parcel needs to be delivered to the 77th Dungeon, and for two years I have been making my way through the Dungeons to reach its destination, but I recently came to the conclusion that I am simply not strong or fast enough to get there. So I decided I would pass the responsibility on to a trustworthy party, which was why I was hiding from you to see if you were worthy. Again, I am so, so sorry for the shock, but the bag cannot and must not be opened.'
Eggo Lass, you detect that the stranger is giving a sincere and honest apology and was observing you from the shadows purely to see if you were worthy, so it's clear they mean no harm, yet they are extremely overprotective of whatever is in the parcel getting revealed, perhaps a bit too much. You also get a hint that they are withholding a few secrets about the parcel, its destination, and how he ended up the way he is now.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Hugh asks the stranger, "Do you have an information of this dungeon or any others? Any idea what is in the bag?"
Does this wisdom save happen to be against magic?
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
[Yep, it's a save against magic]
'I don't know much more information on the other dungeons, aside from the fact that Dungeon 77 is the Vault of The Scarlet Oracle. The Scarlet Oracle is a vampire and fortune teller, and this parcel is addressed to her. I'm well aware of the contents of the package, but I can't tell you what's inside. I hope you'll understand.'
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
I get advantage! Yay!
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
Wis Save w/ Advantage: 16 (barely succeeded)
Bilyurs gnomish cunning allows him to see through the magical attack on his senses, but he chooses not to open the bag. "Since you know the contents of the bag, I trust that you can tell me what the problem with me opening it would be?"
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-