This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
7
Many of these kids don't know too much about the different deities - not really enough to identify the specific faiths. But they're able to describe the garb that the priests and priestesses wore, and from that no clear pattern emerges.
You get a few names, Sister Freya(Freya Ashworth), Sister Glenda(Glenda Westmane), and Brother Judd(Judd Bardolf).
None of these are names Velyra would recognize, given how disconnected she is from any specific religious organization.
Kal takes a hard look around the large chamber, eyeing whatever supports seem to be holding it up. "Even if we do have enough explosives...Sinking the entire temple could kill innocents inside or around the area. I understand the rage, but we need to make sure we focus it."
Silthras nods, giving a theatrical sigh. "Might upset the locals, too," he says. He follows Kal's gaze around the hall then his eyes settle on the Ziggurat. He cautionusly approaches it and examines the stairs and any symbols they might contain. With a cautious glance back at his companions he then moves tentatively up to the first level.
There are stairs on each side of the structure, and you take the closest one up. The first level doesn't contain any further runes, but you can see what about to be small canals, about an inch across, that run from what appear to be pillars on the corners of the next level to each of the four arcane circles drawn onto the floor of the chamber.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Silthras examines the runes briefly before pointing at them, "What do you make of those?" he asks Syl.
If his own investigation does not cause him concern, he moves on up the ziggrat to the next level. While he is anxious to be out of the place, he is also aware of how much they learned from the last underground temple and does not want to destroy vital clues or evidence.
Arcana: 6 (also interested to know if they remind him of teleport circle or trap runes from mansion -- if yes to either, he pauses, waiting for an expert)
"Some part of the ritual, their placement doesn't really make sense for a trap..."Syl replies, following the half-elf up the stairs. "And I'm guessing those canals are for carrying blood." She says, shivering at the thought. As they ascend, she'll check out one of the pillars on the second level.
They definitely don't look like teleportation or trap runes - nothing Silthras has specifically seen before. But like Sylnora earlier, he would be able to recognize certain elements in it: calling upon necromantic and summoning schools of magic.
Moving up, Syl would find the pillars contain large basins filled to the brim with blood, each with a lever mechanism on the side of it. When the party continues up to the top, they find a final arcane circle completely covering the top, with a large stone altar with a ritual knife sitting atop it placed at the dead center of the circle.
A spectral hand appears above the knife, lifting it off the altar and carrying it to Silthras. He stows it in his pack before descending again, "We should investigate the other rooms. Finding who is involved -- and who is pulling the strings -- could be important."
He looks around in frustration, "And I would really like a way out of here that did not involve miles of patrolled tunnels." With a calculating glance at Usul's wards, he asks, "Do any of you remember how you got here?"
When Usul, who was leading all of the other orphans, staying in the back, sees the circle and the knife angrily goes up to it to see if he can scuff away the circle or disrupt its pattern in anyway.
After following up on a seemingly unrelated lead on one of Usul's missing friends, the party found a vast underground network of tunnels stretching throughout the city of Sonatide. Following a few exploratory forays into the tunnels, you found a complex being used by an unidentified cult of Tel'n'avae - an ancient fiendish entity that seems to have plans for the coming awakenings of the Unmade.
You fought your way through the cult's forces, felling a powerful spellcaster before a second arrived, teleporting themselves and their slain comrade away. Investigating the complex further, you found evidence pointing towards the cult's plans to unleash a monstrous ritual on the city, sacrificing its peoples to free a servant of Tel'n'avae from their prison. Through a secret passageway, you found the crux of where the ritual was to be performed, a cavernous domed room with a ziggurat in the center. Ritual circles painted the floors in the blood, and the walls were lined with cages containing orphans that had been taken from the streets to supply blood for the ritual - among them Usul's friend.
As Usul made his way through the room, he was able to scrape away a good portion of the main arcane circle with a dagger, taking away a connection on the outer ring.
The girl, Tabitha, gives a shrug. "I can't speak for all of us, but I know I was knocked out before being brought in...I know some others had their hoods covered. I was on the streets when they got me, but I know some were in the temple when they were taken." She looks over the other kids, relaying the question to them: "anyone remember how they got here?" There are a few no's, and the rest shake their heads.
Silthras nods, looking over their new charges with a mixture of compassion and calculation. "We need to regroup and gather our strength, but also learn what we can of their plans. I am loath to leave via the temple for fear of what we may meet. And we know how dangerous the tunnels are."
"We should search the area quickly then decide if we should rest or return to the tunnels or explore further or destroy this monstrocity...or some mixture of all three."
He turns to Velyra, speaking quietly, "Do you think our friend might be willing to take them to safety? If we can describe how to get here..." as he finishes he realizes that the stones power may not be adequate to the task, then turns back to the huddled prisoners, his mind still working slowly. "If there were only ever two witches then we may be safe for a time. Contacting our friend may be wise if only to hide our prisoner."
"We need to make sure this place can't be used for the ritual they had planned...Once we do that and get everyone out of here, I think it's high time we made some noise about this." Kal says, glancing over the grand chamber. "An entire city was to be sacrificed, they could try it again elsewhere. People need to be warned."
Velyra thinks on it for a moment, then shakes her head. "I've already used the stone's power today, and I don't know if I could relate how to get here in so few words."
With the makings of a plan in mind, the party leaves the chamber and heads back up the stairs, in the first floor of the complex they originally fought through. The young prisoners have quieted down, though they seem nervous walking through the rooms with you. You first take a quick rundown of the area to see what you're working with, finding:
The wizard's room with the secret passage, which you have already searched and just emerged from. As a reminder, you found details outlining their plan to unleash a massive ritual on the city, sacrificing it's people to raise a servant of Tel'n'avae.
A common area with a small kitchen attached to it(this is the southernmost circular room with two tables. The kitchen is the square room directly above it. There is a bookshelf in this common room as well. Usul and Silthras rummage through it, but don't find much of interest. The books seem like they're mostly for entertainment, fiction stories and the like. However, tucked into the cover of one you find a bunch of letters from a woman named Rose. Oddly enough, they seem fairly normal, detailing the regular going-ons in her home town of Wilder's Rest, a moderately sized crossroads south of Sonatide. The letters are addressed to a man named Horval. There is a staircase in this room leading upward, which Silthras has partially explored when chasing a cultist.
You turn over the cultist's quarters, finding regular temple robes in their wardrobes. You also find coin scattered about in different pouches, adding up to 200 gold pieces.
The two rooms directly north of the cultist quarters served as a sort of bath area. There's a pump in this room to bring water in, likely from some underground water source.
On the other side of the complex, you find a room with a large pool of blood. There's a metallic tinge in the air as you enter, and the pool's depth isn't quite clear. The walls have sigils on them, and you can see a stone head(similar to the creatures you've fought) sticking out of the pool. Sylnora spends some time studying the arcane symbols, and is able to surmise that they're used in the creation of these constructs.
Silthras puts both the book and the letters in his bag. "Let's investigate this later," he says. "Might be some kind of code, or merely what it seems -- a possible contact." He also collects any books that either seem of interest to him personally -- satires as well as ancient historical or military reconstructions -- or which seems well-used, thinking that the latter may also form part of any code that is being used.
When he and Usul are done he shakes his head, "Indecision is death. But...I find myself unsure of the best way to proceed. Perhaps a little exploration up the stairs might be warranted, but I think discretion calls for us to destroy the dreadful altar and the pool that Sylnora investigated." With a glance at Velyra, he adds, "Let the temple pick through the ruins, and see what they say afterwards."
He looks down to Usul, wondering if he is at all inclined to explore up the stairs.
7
Many of these kids don't know too much about the different deities - not really enough to identify the specific faiths. But they're able to describe the garb that the priests and priestesses wore, and from that no clear pattern emerges.
You get a few names, Sister Freya(Freya Ashworth), Sister Glenda(Glenda Westmane), and Brother Judd(Judd Bardolf).
None of these are names Velyra would recognize, given how disconnected she is from any specific religious organization.
Kal takes a hard look around the large chamber, eyeing whatever supports seem to be holding it up. "Even if we do have enough explosives...Sinking the entire temple could kill innocents inside or around the area. I understand the rage, but we need to make sure we focus it."
Silthras nods, giving a theatrical sigh. "Might upset the locals, too," he says. He follows Kal's gaze around the hall then his eyes settle on the Ziggurat. He cautionusly approaches it and examines the stairs and any symbols they might contain. With a cautious glance back at his companions he then moves tentatively up to the first level.
There are stairs on each side of the structure, and you take the closest one up. The first level doesn't contain any further runes, but you can see what about to be small canals, about an inch across, that run from what appear to be pillars on the corners of the next level to each of the four arcane circles drawn onto the floor of the chamber.
Silthras examines the runes briefly before pointing at them, "What do you make of those?" he asks Syl.
If his own investigation does not cause him concern, he moves on up the ziggrat to the next level. While he is anxious to be out of the place, he is also aware of how much they learned from the last underground temple and does not want to destroy vital clues or evidence.
Arcana: 6 (also interested to know if they remind him of teleport circle or trap runes from mansion -- if yes to either, he pauses, waiting for an expert)
"Some part of the ritual, their placement doesn't really make sense for a trap..." Syl replies, following the half-elf up the stairs. "And I'm guessing those canals are for carrying blood." She says, shivering at the thought. As they ascend, she'll check out one of the pillars on the second level.
Silthras nods, "Aye. The last thing I want to do is summon whatever it is they worship."
They definitely don't look like teleportation or trap runes - nothing Silthras has specifically seen before. But like Sylnora earlier, he would be able to recognize certain elements in it: calling upon necromantic and summoning schools of magic.
Moving up, Syl would find the pillars contain large basins filled to the brim with blood, each with a lever mechanism on the side of it. When the party continues up to the top, they find a final arcane circle completely covering the top, with a large stone altar with a ritual knife sitting atop it placed at the dead center of the circle.
A spectral hand appears above the knife, lifting it off the altar and carrying it to Silthras. He stows it in his pack before descending again, "We should investigate the other rooms. Finding who is involved -- and who is pulling the strings -- could be important."
He looks around in frustration, "And I would really like a way out of here that did not involve miles of patrolled tunnels." With a calculating glance at Usul's wards, he asks, "Do any of you remember how you got here?"
When Usul, who was leading all of the other orphans, staying in the back, sees the circle and the knife angrily goes up to it to see if he can scuff away the circle or disrupt its pattern in anyway.
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
After a moment's further thought, Silthras adds, "...Or see how others were brought in?"
Coming Back, SO FAR ~
After following up on a seemingly unrelated lead on one of Usul's missing friends, the party found a vast underground network of tunnels stretching throughout the city of Sonatide. Following a few exploratory forays into the tunnels, you found a complex being used by an unidentified cult of Tel'n'avae - an ancient fiendish entity that seems to have plans for the coming awakenings of the Unmade.
You fought your way through the cult's forces, felling a powerful spellcaster before a second arrived, teleporting themselves and their slain comrade away. Investigating the complex further, you found evidence pointing towards the cult's plans to unleash a monstrous ritual on the city, sacrificing its peoples to free a servant of Tel'n'avae from their prison. Through a secret passageway, you found the crux of where the ritual was to be performed, a cavernous domed room with a ziggurat in the center. Ritual circles painted the floors in the blood, and the walls were lined with cages containing orphans that had been taken from the streets to supply blood for the ritual - among them Usul's friend.
As Usul made his way through the room, he was able to scrape away a good portion of the main arcane circle with a dagger, taking away a connection on the outer ring.
The girl, Tabitha, gives a shrug. "I can't speak for all of us, but I know I was knocked out before being brought in...I know some others had their hoods covered. I was on the streets when they got me, but I know some were in the temple when they were taken." She looks over the other kids, relaying the question to them: "anyone remember how they got here?" There are a few no's, and the rest shake their heads.
Silthras nods, looking over their new charges with a mixture of compassion and calculation. "We need to regroup and gather our strength, but also learn what we can of their plans. I am loath to leave via the temple for fear of what we may meet. And we know how dangerous the tunnels are."
"We should search the area quickly then decide if we should rest or return to the tunnels or explore further or destroy this monstrocity...or some mixture of all three."
He turns to Velyra, speaking quietly, "Do you think our friend might be willing to take them to safety? If we can describe how to get here..." as he finishes he realizes that the stones power may not be adequate to the task, then turns back to the huddled prisoners, his mind still working slowly. "If there were only ever two witches then we may be safe for a time. Contacting our friend may be wise if only to hide our prisoner."
"We need to make sure this place can't be used for the ritual they had planned...Once we do that and get everyone out of here, I think it's high time we made some noise about this." Kal says, glancing over the grand chamber. "An entire city was to be sacrificed, they could try it again elsewhere. People need to be warned."
Usul is spending time walking amongst the young folk and says, “We need to get you all home. Or maybe just to Ma. She can keep everyone safe for now.”
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
Velyra thinks on it for a moment, then shakes her head. "I've already used the stone's power today, and I don't know if I could relate how to get here in so few words."
Silthras nods, "Then let's do what we can here and decide depending on what we find."
((In the interest of hurrying this bit up so we can get back into a groove, I used skills from the characters with the best chance of success))
Usul Investigation w/ Silthras Help: 27
Usul Investigation w/ Silthras Help: 24
Sylnora Arcana: 9
With the makings of a plan in mind, the party leaves the chamber and heads back up the stairs, in the first floor of the complex they originally fought through. The young prisoners have quieted down, though they seem nervous walking through the rooms with you. You first take a quick rundown of the area to see what you're working with, finding:
Silthras puts both the book and the letters in his bag. "Let's investigate this later," he says. "Might be some kind of code, or merely what it seems -- a possible contact." He also collects any books that either seem of interest to him personally -- satires as well as ancient historical or military reconstructions -- or which seems well-used, thinking that the latter may also form part of any code that is being used.
When he and Usul are done he shakes his head, "Indecision is death. But...I find myself unsure of the best way to proceed. Perhaps a little exploration up the stairs might be warranted, but I think discretion calls for us to destroy the dreadful altar and the pool that Sylnora investigated." With a glance at Velyra, he adds, "Let the temple pick through the ruins, and see what they say afterwards."
He looks down to Usul, wondering if he is at all inclined to explore up the stairs.