Olgha had remained near the back of the room throughout the entire audience, a silent shadow observing the interplay between her companions and the gnome. This was not her world, this place of polished floors and veiled words. It reminded her too much of the cloying, superficial courtliness of Leopold's castle. She listened as Daris spoke, her eyes missing nothing: the tremor in his hands, the sweat on his brow, the distress in his voice. She’d learned long ago that a person could be telling the truth, yet still be hiding a deeper lie.
After Vadania's questioning and Daris's final offer of coin, Olgha finally spoke, her voice quiet but carrying an unnerving weight in the sudden lull. "You lost an agent," she stated simply, her gaze fixed on the gnome. "You trusted Videric with a mission of 'utmost importance.' Yet you did nothing until we walked through your door with his apprentice." She took a half-step forward, her expression unreadable. "Were you afraid someone or something would notice if you started asking questions about your own missing man?"
"Makrin had completely lost himself by the time Videric quit. We feared the might of his wrath should he discover we had lied to him. I avoided questioning his departure to keep it out of Makrin's mind, hoping he would not try and look for Videric. We cut communications for the same reason. We feared what would happen if we were ever caught."
Vannithos accepts the pouch without batting an eye. He has little need of coin, but is well aware that it can be used to open doors that would otherwise eat up time in their investigation.
"Can we speak to your historian then? The sigil on these necklaces references an ancient god or...entity from before the gods. If we can discover the connection between it and the vampires, we might know better how to foil their plans."
"Yes of course, follow me." He down some hallways and up another set of stairs to a moderately sized library. To your left is a man sitting behind a desk. "This is Stratford, our historian."
"Strawberry filling, are you mad!" Engelheart turns from his pastry debate as the door opens up with the old gnome in the lead. "So now that adults are done talking I imagine everything is cleared up and we are reimbursed for our services?" After being handed a pouch of gold, he eyebrows shot up, "Well now, that must have been quite an explanation. Where to? Historian? Well I guess it's true, some people just can't let go of the past."
“I’ll fill you in once we’re outside,” Vorin tells Engelheart, “This was a lot of information, and we’ll have our next heading. The historian’s going to examine those amulets for us. Best we learn what we can.”
He crosses his arms thoughtfully, decides against the last point he was going to add, and motions to follow along.
Vannithos gives a small nod of greeting to Stratford, approaching and allowing him to study the symbol on the amulets.
"Apparently this is associated with an ancient entity called Balor. Do you know if it is related to vampires in some way? They may be trying to summon it or something similar."
((Hope I'm not misremembering; I think it was Balor.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
| Joy - Hexblood Open Sea Paladin - Netherdeep| Kaelen - Shadar-kai Gloom Stalker Ranger - Old Keep| Lira - Half-elf Thief Rogue/Druid - Allansia| Teryn - High Elf Archfey Warlock - Runewarren| Zoveldra - Kalashtar Open Hand Monk - Eberron| Mavilius - Tiefling Eloquence Bard - Golden Vault| Vannithos - Shadar-kai Astral Self Monk - Von Nichts | Cassian - Human Paladin - Dragonlance |
He examines the amulet closely, noting each of its intricacies and details. "Balor, you say? I believe I've heard that name, let me see." He takes the amulet into a room behind him, and returns after a few minutes holding a small box and a tome that seemed to have been written eons ago.
"This tome is written in a language unknown to me, but there are quite a few annotations and extra notes within the margins in languages I can read. It seems you were right about the name Balor. He seems to be some ancient being of chaos. This rune is his, and as far as I can tell this artifact is called an Eye of Balor. What little is documented about it claims that Balor is capable of seeing and hearing through it. For now, I've put it in this box with a minor glyph on it to prevent him from listening in. This artifact could have dire implications for the kingdom if you found it on a vampire's body."
"Fudge! We can't leave the boy some place. He has to come with us or he will be targeted by our enemies!" Vadania turns and tells her allies.
(OOC: Yes Vadania censored "****" with "Fudge" in character. She does not swear. If I did swear in her dialogue that is a player mistake.)
((Also FYI, because I just noticed this in her sheet. Vadania shouldn't be able to speak Leonin. It was added there because of the race I used. Even though I used the Leonin statblock, Vadania is not really a Leonin but a half-elf stuck with a mutated and symbiotic version of Lycanthropy. She should be able to speak Elvish instead of Leonin))
((Darn, I picked Infernal instead of Abyssal for Vann lol.))
The monk stays calm as ever, considering what Balor has heard - pretty much everything since the previous box has been with him the whole time. A faint breath escapes him.
"Yes, they will be after Garil, but also Lohse. We must head to her quickly if we want any information she might have...and also to keep her alive if possible."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
| Joy - Hexblood Open Sea Paladin - Netherdeep| Kaelen - Shadar-kai Gloom Stalker Ranger - Old Keep| Lira - Half-elf Thief Rogue/Druid - Allansia| Teryn - High Elf Archfey Warlock - Runewarren| Zoveldra - Kalashtar Open Hand Monk - Eberron| Mavilius - Tiefling Eloquence Bard - Golden Vault| Vannithos - Shadar-kai Astral Self Monk - Von Nichts | Cassian - Human Paladin - Dragonlance |
Engelheart leans over towards Vorin, "Remind me again why kids and witches are in peril due to this easedropping Balor? I'm failing to see how the kings ... politics ... being tied to eradicating the vampiric threats. Also perhaps we need to be wary of whose listening when we use notable references." Engelheart is hoping he is making it seem as though he is talking about the eye when referring to easedroppers.
"Go then, find Lohse as fast as you can. Here take this." He hands you a small pin with a ribbon. "A royal seal. Take what supplies you need from the castle and show this to anyone who questions you. There is a stable out back where you can take any horses or carriages you want. I wish you well." Daris then walks off, presumably back to his office.
Vadania is already trying to prepare and head out. Being a werewolf, albeit a disguised one, Vadania's thick hide gives her a level of natural armor. She also has enough food to last her 8 days. Instead she searches for any weapons that might prove more useful to her than her oversized axe. While her weapon is a very formidable tool, given it's size and her comfort in its use, it is still an axe that was designed to fell trees and not people.
((Is there like a +1 Great Axe that Vadania can grab in the castle? Failing that, is there Gauntlets of Ogre Power? )
Let's say all of you are able to find one reasonable item of your choice that could plausibly be found in a castle (e.g. Vadania's +1 Great Axe). You can also roll a perception check to try and find another item, potentially more magical than the first. I'll base the DC on how powerful your first item is and how powerful the item you are looking for is (Powerful first item + powerful second item = high DC).
Vadania finds a +1 Great Axe (assuming that's what you stick with) and can roll to find Gauntlets of Ogre Power if that is what you choose to look for.
Vannithos, you can take either a cloak of protection or an uncommon dragonhide belt for your first item.
Vadania finds a +1 Great Axe (assuming that's what you stick with) and can roll to find Gauntlets of Ogre Power if that is what you choose to look for.
Yeah I'm gonna roll for the Gauntlets of Ogre Power. Though aesthetically, If I do find them, I'd like for them to be in the form of a belt or wrist bands. (Same magic item just... different cosmetic look)
Perception: 21
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
"Makrin had completely lost himself by the time Videric quit. We feared the might of his wrath should he discover we had lied to him. I avoided questioning his departure to keep it out of Makrin's mind, hoping he would not try and look for Videric. We cut communications for the same reason. We feared what would happen if we were ever caught."
"Yes of course, follow me." He down some hallways and up another set of stairs to a moderately sized library. To your left is a man sitting behind a desk. "This is Stratford, our historian."
"Strawberry filling, are you mad!" Engelheart turns from his pastry debate as the door opens up with the old gnome in the lead. "So now that adults are done talking I imagine everything is cleared up and we are reimbursed for our services?" After being handed a pouch of gold, he eyebrows shot up, "Well now, that must have been quite an explanation. Where to? Historian? Well I guess it's true, some people just can't let go of the past."
“I’ll fill you in once we’re outside,” Vorin tells Engelheart, “This was a lot of information, and we’ll have our next heading. The historian’s going to examine those amulets for us. Best we learn what we can.”
He crosses his arms thoughtfully, decides against the last point he was going to add, and motions to follow along.
Vannithos gives a small nod of greeting to Stratford, approaching and allowing him to study the symbol on the amulets.
"Apparently this is associated with an ancient entity called Balor. Do you know if it is related to vampires in some way? They may be trying to summon it or something similar."
((Hope I'm not misremembering; I think it was Balor.))
| Joy - Hexblood Open Sea Paladin - Netherdeep | Kaelen - Shadar-kai Gloom Stalker Ranger - Old Keep | Lira - Half-elf Thief Rogue/Druid - Allansia | Teryn - High Elf Archfey Warlock - Runewarren | Zoveldra - Kalashtar Open Hand Monk - Eberron | Mavilius - Tiefling Eloquence Bard - Golden Vault | Vannithos - Shadar-kai Astral Self Monk - Von Nichts | Cassian - Human Paladin - Dragonlance |
He examines the amulet closely, noting each of its intricacies and details. "Balor, you say? I believe I've heard that name, let me see." He takes the amulet into a room behind him, and returns after a few minutes holding a small box and a tome that seemed to have been written eons ago.
"This tome is written in a language unknown to me, but there are quite a few annotations and extra notes within the margins in languages I can read. It seems you were right about the name Balor. He seems to be some ancient being of chaos. This rune is his, and as far as I can tell this artifact is called an Eye of Balor. What little is documented about it claims that Balor is capable of seeing and hearing through it. For now, I've put it in this box with a minor glyph on it to prevent him from listening in. This artifact could have dire implications for the kingdom if you found it on a vampire's body."
Vadania almost panics. "Wait... if Balor can see and hear though it... He's been spying on us for the whole time it's been with us!?"
"I'm afraid so." Also, if any of your characters know the Abyssal language they are able to read the tome.
"Fudge! We can't leave the boy some place. He has to come with us or he will be targeted by our enemies!" Vadania turns and tells her allies.
(OOC: Yes Vadania censored "****" with "Fudge" in character. She does not swear. If I did swear in her dialogue that is a player mistake.)
((Also FYI, because I just noticed this in her sheet. Vadania shouldn't be able to speak Leonin. It was added there because of the race I used. Even though I used the Leonin statblock, Vadania is not really a Leonin but a half-elf stuck with a mutated and symbiotic version of Lycanthropy. She should be able to speak Elvish instead of Leonin))
((Darn, I picked Infernal instead of Abyssal for Vann lol.))
The monk stays calm as ever, considering what Balor has heard - pretty much everything since the previous box has been with him the whole time. A faint breath escapes him.
"Yes, they will be after Garil, but also Lohse. We must head to her quickly if we want any information she might have...and also to keep her alive if possible."
| Joy - Hexblood Open Sea Paladin - Netherdeep | Kaelen - Shadar-kai Gloom Stalker Ranger - Old Keep | Lira - Half-elf Thief Rogue/Druid - Allansia | Teryn - High Elf Archfey Warlock - Runewarren | Zoveldra - Kalashtar Open Hand Monk - Eberron | Mavilius - Tiefling Eloquence Bard - Golden Vault | Vannithos - Shadar-kai Astral Self Monk - Von Nichts | Cassian - Human Paladin - Dragonlance |
Vadania agrees, "We need to go. NOW!"
Engelheart leans over towards Vorin, "Remind me again why kids and witches are in peril due to this easedropping Balor? I'm failing to see how the kings ... politics ... being tied to eradicating the vampiric threats. Also perhaps we need to be wary of whose listening when we use notable references." Engelheart is hoping he is making it seem as though he is talking about the eye when referring to easedroppers.
"Go then, find Lohse as fast as you can. Here take this." He hands you a small pin with a ribbon. "A royal seal. Take what supplies you need from the castle and show this to anyone who questions you. There is a stable out back where you can take any horses or carriages you want. I wish you well." Daris then walks off, presumably back to his office.
Vadania is already trying to prepare and head out. Being a werewolf, albeit a disguised one, Vadania's thick hide gives her a level of natural armor. She also has enough food to last her 8 days. Instead she searches for any weapons that might prove more useful to her than her oversized axe. While her weapon is a very formidable tool, given it's size and her comfort in its use, it is still an axe that was designed to fell trees and not people.
((Is there like a +1 Great Axe that Vadania can grab in the castle? Failing that, is there Gauntlets of Ogre Power? )
Vannithos is ready to be off as soon as the others are, but takes a look at the items available in the meantime just out of curiosity.
((He'll take a dragonhide belt of whatever rarity or cloak of protection if there happens to be one.))
| Joy - Hexblood Open Sea Paladin - Netherdeep | Kaelen - Shadar-kai Gloom Stalker Ranger - Old Keep | Lira - Half-elf Thief Rogue/Druid - Allansia | Teryn - High Elf Archfey Warlock - Runewarren | Zoveldra - Kalashtar Open Hand Monk - Eberron | Mavilius - Tiefling Eloquence Bard - Golden Vault | Vannithos - Shadar-kai Astral Self Monk - Von Nichts | Cassian - Human Paladin - Dragonlance |
Let's say all of you are able to find one reasonable item of your choice that could plausibly be found in a castle (e.g. Vadania's +1 Great Axe). You can also roll a perception check to try and find another item, potentially more magical than the first. I'll base the DC on how powerful your first item is and how powerful the item you are looking for is (Powerful first item + powerful second item = high DC).
Vadania finds a +1 Great Axe (assuming that's what you stick with) and can roll to find Gauntlets of Ogre Power if that is what you choose to look for.
Vannithos, you can take either a cloak of protection or an uncommon dragonhide belt for your first item.
Yeah I'm gonna roll for the Gauntlets of Ogre Power. Though aesthetically, If I do find them, I'd like for them to be in the form of a belt or wrist bands. (Same magic item just... different cosmetic look)
Perception: 21