"Maybe we are in the wrong place, I don't see how we can find what we are looking for here." Krom says to the rest of the group while keeping within his gaze the three hags. The dwarf's hand remains on the handle of his warhammer. "I don't like making a deal without knowing all the details." The dwarf shakes his head as he replies to the hag's question.
Just so I'm clear, since you linked the monsters sheet, does that mean Rhogar is aware of their abilities? Or at least specifically their ability to go ethereal?
Rhogar couldn't help but bristle as ever fiber of his being demanded he smite the hags with ever sibilant word she spoke. But as the pieces began to fall into place as to 'what' they were, he fought down the rising tide of bile building in his throat and forced himself further to feign looking at least thoughtful over their offer. All in effort to buy just that few seconds more to compose himself for once, least his habit of speaking bluntly endanger the others.
"My compatriot brings up a valid point. Care to elaborate? We could offer our own suggestions for an alternative trade, but I am certain neither of us wish to take up each other's time more than necessary now, don't we? So, if you would not mind terribly so, it would be most appreciated."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Chill focuses his attention back on the hags as the others converse. He nods his head in agreement to Rhogar's comments and questions. He too would rather know the terms of the bargain before answering or agreeing.
The hag smiled a crooked smile, her thin lips curling in a way that sent chills down your spine. "Not much, not much," she said, her voice a raspy whisper that echoed in the damp air. "Just a small thing to trade for your freedom."
Her gaze roamed over each of you, lingering momentarily before settling on Kazri, as if she sensed something particularly valuable hidden within her. "A memory," she continued, her eyes gleaming with a predatory glint, "taken from each of you. You will not miss it, I think?"
The air thickened with an unsettling silence, the weight of her words hanging like a dark cloud. You could almost hear the heartbeat of the shadows, eager to consume the unspoken fears that rippled through the group. Each of you felt a deep instinctive dread, a knowing that this was no simple bargain. The memories she sought were not just fragments of your past; they were pieces of your very selves.
The hag’s crooked smile widened, as if she reveled in your discomfort. "Oh, but do consider," she crooned, "what price you are willing to pay for your escape. A memory is a small thing compared to the weight of chains, is it not?"
The atmosphere shifted, turning the air colder, more oppressive. It felt as if the walls themselves were leaning in, straining to hear your thoughts, your deliberations. The sinister allure of her offer hung heavy in the air, tempting yet terrifying, a reminder that in this world, freedom often comes at a cost that cuts deeper than flesh.
Rhogar - yes.
Krom, to clarify, you would know the basics but not the stat block or abilities of the hags.
Krom shakes his head as the hag explains the terms of the bargain. "In that case, my answer is no. You cannot and will not take anything from this dwarf," he answers, his voice resolute and firm. The dwarf adjusts his grip on his shield, his hand tightening on the handle of his warhammer. "We mean you no harm, and we apologies for the intrusion," he continues with a calm, but unyielding tone of voice. "But if you don't let us go, you may come to regret it."
Gorrah tried her best to huddle deeper into the crook of Rhogar's neck as the atmosphere took on a somehow even more sinister tone. As for the dragonborn himself, it took a great force of will to cling to a veneer of being stalwart in stance; but, there were still small hints his posture and tightening grip upon the ivory staff in hand that gave away a shaken core. Then Krom spoke up. Neither of the draconic pair could tell who had been trembling, only that after the dwarf's affirmation their bodies cease to feel it.
"Mn! Well spoken my friend."Rhogar said, side-eyeing the dwarf with a warm smile. Meanwhile, Gorrah sent feelings of delight and mental images of the party tearing apart the various hags to various members of the party. Upon focusing once more the hags he says with a resolute fire in his eyes, "Though you have not deemed to speak of your names I yet know at least -what- you all are. That being... Night Hags. And given your particular tastes, I doubt you were some past ally of the netherese or whatever they called themselves at this point, let alone another one of their trapped test subjects. So, with such in mind and considering then what /I/ know of wizards specializing in conjuration magic, I doubt your ability to escape into the ethereal will avail you here by much should things get dicey for you. Nor will allow you to escape via your other magic as well."
He started to near sinister smile. "And while death might only be an... an 'inconvenience' outside the plane of Hades for you all, you three are dangerously close to inviting a violent return of at least one of you to that plane and to even greater consequences than, well, any you might imagine my compatriots and I might face in not caving in to your... 'deal'. So how about instead I propose a different deal, hm? You 'allow' us to leave this place with the information we seek unmolested. And in return, we both pretend to have never met this one time going forward. Sounds good? Or is this the part in which you cackle maniacally, call us fools, promise to take instead what you wanted, and then proceed to have your faces collectively caved in by my friends weapons here?" He says, concluding his point thumbing the general direction of Kazri and Krom and glaring at each of the trio of hags in turn.
At the mention of memory, Kazri's halo warms slightly with a darker divine light. She softens her stance, even while all of her colleagues are still on the edge. She entertains the possibility of loosing the dreaded memory that made her what she is today. "Memory, you said?" Oli gives a question grunt, then nudges Kazri on her arms, then gives a loud grunt.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Chill stood near the back seriously considering making a bolt for the door. But who was he kidding, serious consideration? The thought did cross his mind but he would never leave his friends so it really wasn't that serious. It was fear. He also didn't want to give up what made him.... him.
Gorrahs pictures in his head bolstered his strength and a sly smile came up his face.
"Give us your best if you think you can take anything from us. " He said confidently.
The hags bristle at the bold words of Krom, their twisted forms trembling with indignation. As Rhogar's voice rises in defiance, one of the hags responds with a sinister grin, her tone dripping with mockery. "Such pretty words that you think you know what may happen here," she cackles, the sound echoing off the shadows that surround them. But they clearly are taken aback and do not sound as confident as they were a moment ago.
As the glow of the halo around Kazri’s neck darkens ominously, the three hags, who had initially recoiled from Rhogar's threats, suddenly lean forward, their eyes alight with a predatory curiosity. The atmosphere shifts, thickening with palpable tension.
"Such a tasty treat this one is," the third hag croaks, her gnarled finger jabbing toward Kazri as if she were an enticing morsel. "And now she speaks! Perhaps there is something within her she would like to give us?" Her voice is laced with hunger, each word a tantalizing promise.
Another hag, her eyes gleaming with malice, chimes in, "Perhaps enough for all of you?" The suggestion hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken threats. Kazri feels the weight of their gaze, a chill creeping down her spine as she realizes the depth of their sinister intentions. The hags exchange knowing glances, their twisted minds weaving dark possibilities, and for a moment, time seems to freeze as the confrontation escalates. Kazri must summon her strength, aware that the outcome of this encounter could change everything.
Kazri takes a step forward, but thankfully Oli uses his beak and finds purchase on her armor and drags her backwards. She finds it strange that she wasn't able to move forward. Perhaps she is in one of those annoying dreams where one is not able to get to their destination, no matter how hard they try. Everything around her darkens, and she only sees the hags now. Chill's voice sounds muffled, and distant. "Of course madams! Do you mean any memory?"
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
"Do not listen to them, lass. Memories, good and bad, especially the bad ones, are what shape us, push us to do better. We wouldn't be who we are without them." Krom says to Kazri, his voice steady and reassuring. "Their is desperation is plain to see. Don't let them twist your mind." The dwarf turns towards the three hags, Krom's expression hardens as he speaks in a firm and unyielding tone of voice. "Let us go with the information we seek. By the All Father's beard, you will not take anything from us."
Greed shimmered in the eyes of the hags as the air thickened around Kazri, pressing in like a vice. "Not just any memory, my pretty," one of them crooned, her voice dripping with a sinister sweetness. "No, not justany," another echoed, her tone matching the first in its ominous allure. The third hag, her smile stretching wide and wicked, leaned closer, her voice a low hiss. "Yes, yes... give us that memory. You know which one of which we speak."
They fell silent for a moment, their gaze fixed on Kazri with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "We will take it," one declared, the words a promise and a threat entwined. "Yes, we will trade it for the knowledge you seek," another chimed in, the glimmer of anticipation in her eyes unmistakable. "Give us this memory," they insisted, their voices rising in a dissonant chorus as they spoke over one another, a cacophony of desire.
Despite the looming presence of Krom, who stood ready to unleash his fury, the hags paid him no mind. Their focus remained solely on Kazri, an insatiable hunger radiating from their twisted forms. The tension crackled in the air, as if the very fabric of reality was bending to their will, and Kazri could feel the weight of their desire pressing down on her.
Chill stood watching as events unfolded. He was sure they were going to fight but now Kazri seemed ready to offer her memory.
"I know you carry pain Kazri. I know it haunts you. Be sure of what you are going to do. It will change you. But for better or worse it is hard to say. Either way you have my support."
If only for a moment, Rhogar's chest began to swell with pride in having shaken the hag's confidence; only to look a touch put off as they turn their attention on Kazri. Still, such was his confidence in Kazri brushing off the offer, or even expressing her own righteous indignation over it, that the dragonborn turned up his chin and let a smug smile begin to take shape on his proud mug. But what he hears instead has him sharply turning to look at the woman.
"L-lady Kazri? What are you-..." He started to say, yet the rest never quite leaves his mouth before the sight of seeing Oli trying to restrain her gives him pause. Then the air began to fill with the smell of ozone and the sound of crackling electricity. "Enough... this farce has gone on long enough."Spoke Rhogar quietly through clenched teeth, before then following an about face he immediately began marching towards the hags, brushing off any half-hearted attempts at holding him back. And though he hadn't consciously counted on taking advantage of their focus remaining on Kazri, this would not stop him from getting as close as he could to the nearest one with a maw brimming with lightning and fury. All of which he unhesitatingly would unleash upon her and her closest sister in a defiant roar!
(OOC: Spending a charge of his breath weapon on a lightning breath to try and catch the two closest one. DC 16 Dex Save for both to take half of 7 lightning damage... assuming initiative isn't called for before then. :S)
"Enough of your games, hags! Fry or fly -- I care not which! But you will not be manipulating anyone this day!"He barks out afterwards while slamming the butt of his staff against the ground, ready and fully intending on fighting at this point.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
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"Maybe we are in the wrong place, I don't see how we can find what we are looking for here." Krom says to the rest of the group while keeping within his gaze the three hags. The dwarf's hand remains on the handle of his warhammer. "I don't like making a deal without knowing all the details." The dwarf shakes his head as he replies to the hag's question.
@DM
What does Krom know about hags?
Krom, roll a D20 and we'll find out.
@DM
16
You can read Rhogars spoiler above
@DM:
Just so I'm clear, since you linked the monsters sheet, does that mean Rhogar is aware of their abilities? Or at least specifically their ability to go ethereal?
Rhogar couldn't help but bristle as ever fiber of his being demanded he smite the hags with ever sibilant word she spoke. But as the pieces began to fall into place as to 'what' they were, he fought down the rising tide of bile building in his throat and forced himself further to feign looking at least thoughtful over their offer. All in effort to buy just that few seconds more to compose himself for once, least his habit of speaking bluntly endanger the others.
"My compatriot brings up a valid point. Care to elaborate? We could offer our own suggestions for an alternative trade, but I am certain neither of us wish to take up each other's time more than necessary now, don't we? So, if you would not mind terribly so, it would be most appreciated."
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Chill focuses his attention back on the hags as the others converse. He nods his head in agreement to Rhogar's comments and questions. He too would rather know the terms of the bargain before answering or agreeing.
The hag smiled a crooked smile, her thin lips curling in a way that sent chills down your spine. "Not much, not much," she said, her voice a raspy whisper that echoed in the damp air. "Just a small thing to trade for your freedom."
Her gaze roamed over each of you, lingering momentarily before settling on Kazri, as if she sensed something particularly valuable hidden within her. "A memory," she continued, her eyes gleaming with a predatory glint, "taken from each of you. You will not miss it, I think?"
The air thickened with an unsettling silence, the weight of her words hanging like a dark cloud. You could almost hear the heartbeat of the shadows, eager to consume the unspoken fears that rippled through the group. Each of you felt a deep instinctive dread, a knowing that this was no simple bargain. The memories she sought were not just fragments of your past; they were pieces of your very selves.
The hag’s crooked smile widened, as if she reveled in your discomfort. "Oh, but do consider," she crooned, "what price you are willing to pay for your escape. A memory is a small thing compared to the weight of chains, is it not?"
The atmosphere shifted, turning the air colder, more oppressive. It felt as if the walls themselves were leaning in, straining to hear your thoughts, your deliberations. The sinister allure of her offer hung heavy in the air, tempting yet terrifying, a reminder that in this world, freedom often comes at a cost that cuts deeper than flesh.
Rhogar - yes.
Krom, to clarify, you would know the basics but not the stat block or abilities of the hags.
Krom shakes his head as the hag explains the terms of the bargain. "In that case, my answer is no. You cannot and will not take anything from this dwarf," he answers, his voice resolute and firm.
The dwarf adjusts his grip on his shield, his hand tightening on the handle of his warhammer. "We mean you no harm, and we apologies for the intrusion," he continues with a calm, but unyielding tone of voice. "But if you don't let us go, you may come to regret it."
Gorrah tried her best to huddle deeper into the crook of Rhogar's neck as the atmosphere took on a somehow even more sinister tone. As for the dragonborn himself, it took a great force of will to cling to a veneer of being stalwart in stance; but, there were still small hints his posture and tightening grip upon the ivory staff in hand that gave away a shaken core. Then Krom spoke up. Neither of the draconic pair could tell who had been trembling, only that after the dwarf's affirmation their bodies cease to feel it.
"Mn! Well spoken my friend." Rhogar said, side-eyeing the dwarf with a warm smile. Meanwhile, Gorrah sent feelings of delight and mental images of the party tearing apart the various hags to various members of the party. Upon focusing once more the hags he says with a resolute fire in his eyes, "Though you have not deemed to speak of your names I yet know at least -what- you all are. That being... Night Hags. And given your particular tastes, I doubt you were some past ally of the netherese or whatever they called themselves at this point, let alone another one of their trapped test subjects. So, with such in mind and considering then what /I/ know of wizards specializing in conjuration magic, I doubt your ability to escape into the ethereal will avail you here by much should things get dicey for you. Nor will allow you to escape via your other magic as well."
He started to near sinister smile. "And while death might only be an... an 'inconvenience' outside the plane of Hades for you all, you three are dangerously close to inviting a violent return of at least one of you to that plane and to even greater consequences than, well, any you might imagine my compatriots and I might face in not caving in to your... 'deal'. So how about instead I propose a different deal, hm? You 'allow' us to leave this place with the information we seek unmolested. And in return, we both pretend to have never met this one time going forward. Sounds good? Or is this the part in which you cackle maniacally, call us fools, promise to take instead what you wanted, and then proceed to have your faces collectively caved in by my friends weapons here?" He says, concluding his point thumbing the general direction of Kazri and Krom and glaring at each of the trio of hags in turn.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
-Intimidation: 22.
(I would guidance, but doubt there's a chance to have had it cast.)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
(Sorry folks, could not let it pass up... ;-)
At the mention of memory, Kazri's halo warms slightly with a darker divine light. She softens her stance, even while all of her colleagues are still on the edge. She entertains the possibility of loosing the dreaded memory that made her what she is today. "Memory, you said?" Oli gives a question grunt, then nudges Kazri on her arms, then gives a loud grunt.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Chill stood near the back seriously considering making a bolt for the door. But who was he kidding, serious consideration? The thought did cross his mind but he would never leave his friends so it really wasn't that serious. It was fear. He also didn't want to give up what made him.... him.
Gorrahs pictures in his head bolstered his strength and a sly smile came up his face.
"Give us your best if you think you can take anything from us. " He said confidently.
The hags bristle at the bold words of Krom, their twisted forms trembling with indignation. As Rhogar's voice rises in defiance, one of the hags responds with a sinister grin, her tone dripping with mockery. "Such pretty words that you think you know what may happen here," she cackles, the sound echoing off the shadows that surround them. But they clearly are taken aback and do not sound as confident as they were a moment ago.
As the glow of the halo around Kazri’s neck darkens ominously, the three hags, who had initially recoiled from Rhogar's threats, suddenly lean forward, their eyes alight with a predatory curiosity. The atmosphere shifts, thickening with palpable tension.
"Such a tasty treat this one is," the third hag croaks, her gnarled finger jabbing toward Kazri as if she were an enticing morsel. "And now she speaks! Perhaps there is something within her she would like to give us?" Her voice is laced with hunger, each word a tantalizing promise.
Another hag, her eyes gleaming with malice, chimes in, "Perhaps enough for all of you?" The suggestion hangs in the air, heavy with unspoken threats. Kazri feels the weight of their gaze, a chill creeping down her spine as she realizes the depth of their sinister intentions. The hags exchange knowing glances, their twisted minds weaving dark possibilities, and for a moment, time seems to freeze as the confrontation escalates. Kazri must summon her strength, aware that the outcome of this encounter could change everything.
Kazri takes a step forward, but thankfully Oli uses his beak and finds purchase on her armor and drags her backwards. She finds it strange that she wasn't able to move forward. Perhaps she is in one of those annoying dreams where one is not able to get to their destination, no matter how hard they try. Everything around her darkens, and she only sees the hags now. Chill's voice sounds muffled, and distant. "Of course madams! Do you mean any memory?"
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
"Do not listen to them, lass. Memories, good and bad, especially the bad ones, are what shape us, push us to do better. We wouldn't be who we are without them." Krom says to Kazri, his voice steady and reassuring. "Their is desperation is plain to see. Don't let them twist your mind."
The dwarf turns towards the three hags, Krom's expression hardens as he speaks in a firm and unyielding tone of voice. "Let us go with the information we seek. By the All Father's beard, you will not take anything from us."
Greed shimmered in the eyes of the hags as the air thickened around Kazri, pressing in like a vice. "Not just any memory, my pretty," one of them crooned, her voice dripping with a sinister sweetness. "No, not just any," another echoed, her tone matching the first in its ominous allure. The third hag, her smile stretching wide and wicked, leaned closer, her voice a low hiss. "Yes, yes... give us that memory. You know which one of which we speak."
They fell silent for a moment, their gaze fixed on Kazri with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "We will take it," one declared, the words a promise and a threat entwined. "Yes, we will trade it for the knowledge you seek," another chimed in, the glimmer of anticipation in her eyes unmistakable. "Give us this memory," they insisted, their voices rising in a dissonant chorus as they spoke over one another, a cacophony of desire.
Despite the looming presence of Krom, who stood ready to unleash his fury, the hags paid him no mind. Their focus remained solely on Kazri, an insatiable hunger radiating from their twisted forms. The tension crackled in the air, as if the very fabric of reality was bending to their will, and Kazri could feel the weight of their desire pressing down on her.
Chill stood watching as events unfolded. He was sure they were going to fight but now Kazri seemed ready to offer her memory.
"I know you carry pain Kazri. I know it haunts you. Be sure of what you are going to do. It will change you. But for better or worse it is hard to say. Either way you have my support."
If only for a moment, Rhogar's chest began to swell with pride in having shaken the hag's confidence; only to look a touch put off as they turn their attention on Kazri. Still, such was his confidence in Kazri brushing off the offer, or even expressing her own righteous indignation over it, that the dragonborn turned up his chin and let a smug smile begin to take shape on his proud mug. But what he hears instead has him sharply turning to look at the woman.
"L-lady Kazri? What are you-..." He started to say, yet the rest never quite leaves his mouth before the sight of seeing Oli trying to restrain her gives him pause. Then the air began to fill with the smell of ozone and the sound of crackling electricity. "Enough... this farce has gone on long enough." Spoke Rhogar quietly through clenched teeth, before then following an about face he immediately began marching towards the hags, brushing off any half-hearted attempts at holding him back. And though he hadn't consciously counted on taking advantage of their focus remaining on Kazri, this would not stop him from getting as close as he could to the nearest one with a maw brimming with lightning and fury. All of which he unhesitatingly would unleash upon her and her closest sister in a defiant roar!
(OOC: Spending a charge of his breath weapon on a lightning breath to try and catch the two closest one. DC 16 Dex Save for both to take half of 7 lightning damage... assuming initiative isn't called for before then. :S)
"Enough of your games, hags! Fry or fly -- I care not which! But you will not be manipulating anyone this day!" He barks out afterwards while slamming the butt of his staff against the ground, ready and fully intending on fighting at this point.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
The Dragonborn’s lightning breath singes Kazri’s hair just enough to wake her. She shakes her head, and readies her shield and sword.
Initiative: 8
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
(Kazri still shaking herself from the dream)
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."