Master Ludwig's Group 3 - The Dreaming Heralds

[Filtro]

Your first assignment was to investigate a tower in the town of Northbank, supposed to be haunted - which was not - just some pranksters going too far to scare the townsfolk.

Your adventure begins as you travel south along the kingsroad, through a lonely stretch of highway bordered by farmland to the west and a dark wood to the east. Morale is low. All of you are disappointed, returning to Master Ludwig to report to him about this whole waste of time.

Around mid-morning, a middle-aged human man dressed in simple workaday clothes steps out to the middle of the road. “Strangers, please help me. My son is sick…”

[Tyeal]

Tori sighed softly to himself as he walked towards the back of this merry little group, keeping his eyes open as they walked. He was somewhat glad that the tower they were sent to investigate wasn't haunted, but disappointed like the rest of his group that there was nothing of value left in the tower.

As they were flagged by the commoner, he slid into the middle of the group and spoke softly to them all, "This reeks of an ambush. He wasn't here on the way to the tower. I suggest that, if Rhogar is going to go, someone go with him. To watch his back or run and get help if needed."

[markodore64]

Selig had kept to himself, perhaps naturally-so, being the youngest of the group — and the slightest. Next to the six-foot dragonborn, the thin, armored boy might have inspired more a laugh than knightly awe.

He distanced himself from Rhogar and Ellywick conspicuously, repeatedly creating a human, non-human divide in the group's standing whenever he managed. Even so-arranged, the two humans Tori and Dorrine seemed almost as foreign company as the demonic and draconic — Selig's manner suggests a loner, and his honey-brown skin and long, black hair suggest he's come from afar.

Upon the stranger's appearance in the road, Selig's presence shifts unexpectedly. His gaze is direct, respectful, meeting the pleading man's eyes, listening with an expression of deep sympathy.

When Tori brushed past him, Selig startled as if awoken. He listened impassively to the rogue's advising, and remained expressionless as he replied: "What cause have we to be suspicious? And what value is to be gained in the ambush of our unaccomplishment," he finished drily, the disappointment in their wasted efforts showing.

"I am called Selig," he said with sudden warmth, turning again to the stranger. "With haste, tell us, what malady is this that plagues your son?" Now that he's speaking, it's apparent Selig's thickly accented Common is not his most practiced tongue.

[Filtro]

The farmer looks very nervous and afraid..."H-he came out of Merthington Woods some two days ago, stumbling around and white as a g-g-ghost! He wasn’t making any s-sense, and a-as soon as we got him home, he collapsed and he hasn’t woken s-s-s-since."

[ianricks58]

A look of concern in Ellywick's silver eyes betrays her kind nature, but the look on her face did nothing to calm the farmer's fear. "Fear not, neither I nor the dragonborn mean you harm," Ellywick says, tired of having to constantly reassure others of her intentions.

"What can we do to help?

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Or do we?" Rhogar chuckles, moving closer to the man and leaning in close, he snuffs close to his ear putting on a show, his nose was no more sensitive than a humans, but they tended to forget that. He was miffed that their assignment had been a waste of time and was taking it out of the poor farmer.
Stepping back, he places one hand on his hip, the other resting atop his warhammer slung at his side, "What be ye son to us?" he asks softly, his common marked by the time spent aboard ships for most of his life.

Though with their day wasted and nothing better to do, he supposed they might win a free meal and some grog for the cost of a small walk. Sighing and deciding to help, he asks "What was ye laddie ravin' about?"

[markodore64]

Selig, Human Paladin

At the farmer's description of his son's strange behavior, Selig's eyes widened. He seemed about to question the farmer further, but was cut short when Ellywick joined in — Selig was surprised at what appeared to be kindness in the strange woman's eyes — and again Selig seemed about to speak, when Rhogar — was he going to eat the farmer?! — only then to have Rhogar suddenly show a flippant concern for the haunted boy —

Selig's mouth pursed shut. He took a large step back from the dragonborn.

[Tyeal]

Tori grimaced somewhat and slid to the back of the group again, staying near the edge of one side so he could watch the man who approached them, and the side of the road he came from. While he himself may not have been a highly valuable target, he was constantly on his toes and on guard for anything outside the norm, or what he rationalized as 'suspicious'. He hadn't gotten into this job by being reckless or stupid; Being careful and methodical certainly worked a few times in his favor and he wasn't about to change his behavior just because he was in a group.

[markodore64]

Selig, Human Paladin

Selig saw Tori had done it again — how did this human seem to slip from one place to another! Selig could forgive himself for being ill-prepared for the unhuman races; within the walls of the monastery, such beings only existed on scroll and vellum. But even the humans here unsettled him. This Tori, slippery and ghostlike; why was Tori so alarmed by the farmer?

Again Selig thought of the farmer's boy. The thought of what happened in those woods disturbed Selig deeply. By the farmer's description, it sounded like a haunting. Yet he did not feel such a fear seeking out the tower in Northbank. The farmer's story itself seemed to haunt Selig.

"The haunting, we could not find in Northbank," he mumbled aloud to himself. "The haunted boy, we find here—"

Curse his mind! He felt like he had a row of facts, like numbers, but these figures didn't add up.

OOC: I'm feeling out how to play into Selig's lousy Wisdom. Wis being linked to perception and such never made sense to me, but so be it. I think I more want to play low Wis as sometimes not being able to make connections that require more than intelligence alone. Kind of like the inability to discern motives or read body language, which I'm also playing into. :smallcool:

[ianricks58]

Ellywick, Tiefling Sorceress

"Selid did raise a point," Ellywick thought, "Why here and not the tower?" An inquisitive look replaced her concern. "I wonder..." she says to herself quietly, and to the farmer "Please, sir, do go on, you have more to say?"

She listens closely and pays attention to what the farmer has to say and clumsily tries to see if he is telling the truth.

Wisdom(insight)[roll0]

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine, Human Ranger

After Tori had mentioned trap, Dorrine had slipped closer to the eastern woods, keeping an eye on both the forest and down the road in the direction the man had come. She didn't particularly believe it would be such, but at least she wouldn't be as close to the man's whining.

Kids get sick all the time. She muttered to herself scanning her surroundings. She wondered if perhaps the boy got poisoned by something in the woods and had died, with the man simply not being smart enough to check if that were truly the case.

She chuckled to herself when Rhogar asked who the boy was to them. It was true after all, wasn't it? But she was curious to know what the boy had been saying as well. She stays at the edge of her hearing, keeping her attention half-focused on the conversation and their surroundings.

[Filtro]

The farmer seemed to be trying to get himself together, "...Him and his sister were always going in there on dares, no matter what we told them. Them woods ain’t safe, never have been...Please! I ran to look for help, a cleric or a healer to help my son. Please! He is back at my farm, half a mile from here.”

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine sighed to herself, realizing that the decision was inevitable that they would accompany the farmer and take a look at his son. Suckered in

She reapproached the group and began speaking, "We are already under employment, good sir, but perhaps some compensation would make it easier for us decide whether it is worth making our paying employer wait on us. Five silver for coming with you and having a look at your son. Another five should we succeed. That's for each of us, not total. A real meal tonight, and if need be, a place to bed down and breakfast in the morning."

She wasn't sure if the others would go along, but getting something would be better than nothing.

[Filtro]

As soon as Dorine menitions payment, the man draws a small sack of gold and hands it to her. "Here,it's all I have here. You can rest and you can share my food, but please hurry!"

Inspecting the sack, you can count 5 gold coins and 26 silver pieces.

[Psy-Knight]

Feeling the weight, Dorrine looks into the pouch and is slightly surprised. "He's paying us to heal the boy. I'm sure with my knowledge, the cleric's magic and the boy's holiness, we'll get this figured out."

She looked at each of the other four, with a longer gaze at Tori to lock eyes with him, in hopes he'd understand that they should still be wary.

[Tyeal]

Tori's ears perked when the sound of coins clinked together, seeing the farmer give Dorrine a bag of cash. He didn't see the amount, but he caught the look of surprise on her face. 'Must be more than a few silver in there.' He thought to himself.

He caught their Ranger's gaze and stared back, silently communicating that he didn't much care for this idea. But he knew he would eventually be shouted down by the rest of the group. Giving a sigh, he simply nodded to her, accepting this task begrudgingly.

[markodore64]

Selig, Human Paladin

Selig glared at Dorrine, the ranger looking slightly surprised with the farmer's pouch of coin. "I will eat with you," he turns to the farmer, anger in his voice.

He caught himself, calmed, pushed out his chest. "Your hospitality and your need is enough. Take me to your son."

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

A toothy grin splits Rhogar's face when the bag of coins exchange hands Today's not a total waste after all. Turning to look back at his companions, he takes in the reluctance on Tori's face and calls back "Ludwig's not goin' to pay us fer doin' nothin'."

Walking over to Dorrine, he leans forward and takes a peek into the pouch, grunting in surprise when he see's the gold amidst the silver. "An' our wee friend 'ere did just that." Looking back towards the poor farmer, he straightens up, readjusts his pack on his back and tells him, "Take us to yer boy 'n i'll see what's to do."

[ianricks58]

Ellywick, Tiefling Sorceress

Eager to help, but perhaps more eager to investigate the mystery, Ellywick turns to follow Selig and the farmer.

[Filtro]

The farmer hugs Dorrine and thanks every one of you way too much, as he motions you to follow him.

A short walk down a dirt track leading west from the kingsroad and you arrive at the man's farm.
It consists of a run-down stone farmhouse and several large wooden barns. The farm has seen better days, and yet the ground here is fertile enough for the family to do reasonably well, growing barley and wheat and keeping a herd of sheep.

The man takes you to his son, Devek, who is being kept in a small bedroom on the upper story of the farmhouse. The boy is a fair-haired freckled teenager. Watching over him are two women, who look like his tearful mother and his eldest sister.

"Please...my boy..."

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine takes a glance around the lower level before following to the upper level and sees the boy lying there. She thought about mentioning for someone to watch by the front door, but figured if they did on their own, they did, but it wasn't that big of a concern.

She wasn't necessarily good at healing, but she did know about bites, stings and signs of coming in contact with poisonous things in the wild. She checked the boy as best she could, being thorough but trying not to move him at all.

(Wisdom Check (Survival) [roll0] )

When finished, she stands back allowing those who are more apt at healing than she to have a look over the boy.

[Tyeal]

Tori puts on a polite smile at the thanks from the farmer and follows with the group, making sure his weapons were all clear and ready to be drawn at a moments notice.

He watched the farm come into the view, opting to stay outside and let the more knowledgeable of their group tend to the sick lad. "I would simply be in the way. And I only have the most basic knowledge of healing and what not." He explained. Sitting on the front porch, he busied himself by checking his equipment and weapons, making sure all of his tools were accounted for and the edges on his daggers were nice and sharp.

[markodore64]

when she steps back, selig practically pushes past dorrine, having struggled to restrain myself. ‘touching him with your fumbling hands,’ he mutters, sadness in his eyes.

he had been looking at the boy, trying to verify if the farmer’s description was correct. as he approached the boy, selig first made eye contact with the two women. without thinking, his hands went out to them; he clasped their hands in his and wordlessly nodded. he turned his attention then to the boy and knelt.

again his first instinct was to touch the boy. he knew, if he were truly chosen to be a paladin, that his hands could — should — channel his god’s healing — but he’d never achieved it and he doubted he deserved it; he felt useless to even discern what was wrong with the boy.

nevertheless, he laid his hands upon the boy’s chest and his face showing strain, he searched his mind for anything from his life of study that might bear light on the boy’s condition.

ooc; apologies, the shift keys on this laptop are apparently not working augh. :small eek:

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2] for arcana, nature, and history, respectively.
[roll3] for religion.

[Filtro]

@ Dorrine

The boy's heart rate and breathing are extremely slow, and his skin is cold to the touch. You also find a slightly bruised pinprick on his left hand.

@ Selig

You realize the boy is in some kind of magical sleep. Probably a spell which removes curses or an antidote could wake him, but you're not sure.

[ianricks58]

"Your daughter was not afflicted? Could she not provide some clues?" Ellywick asks, realizing she is of little use when it comes to healing and medicine.

Ellywick moves to the corner of the room so as not to distract Selig. His uneasiness with herself and Rhogar was almost palpable. She was curious to see how he and Rhobar would interact in diagnosing the afflicted boy.

[markodore64]

Selig stands solemnly. "Your son's sleep is not fever. He is not sick in the body. He is hexed in spirit." Selig looks at his company, for the first time his expression open, vulnerable, instead of the almost hostile detachment of the past days. "We must end this child's suffering. Only magic can undo what magic has done. A spell, an elixir.“ He looked each of his companions in the eye, searching. "One of you... know such magic, yes?"

[Filtro]

The farmer turns to his daughter, "Abella, please tell us what you know."

After cleaning the tears from her face, the girl gets herself together and speaks: "He loves the woods, and keeps going deeper and deeper...I was too scared to follow him, this time. One time I saw a snake in there, as long as my arm. Jonquil told me he saw an owlbear once, too...My brother told me he had found a ruined building deep in the woods."

[Psy-Knight]

"There's a small prick on his hand. If this sickness isn't natural then it's probably a dart or needle. Something or someone did this." Dorrine adds before turning to look at the father and continuing, "are there any known or rumored inhabitants deep in the forest? A local myth or legend perhaps?"

[Filtro]

"The children found some ruins. Abella, please explain."

The girls approached Dorrine: "I never saw it. Devek told me it was made of stone and had strange markings on the door. He brought this back."- she pulls out a small brick - inscribed on it was a sun-face symbol - and hands it to Dorrine.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Leaving his shield and warhammer stacked against the wall outside the cramped room, Rhogar moved forward clearly uncomfortable, preferring to be standing under the wide open sky or a rain-lashed deck during rough storms, than to being in this tiny stone prison.
With the others having already seemed to have found the cause of the problem, he waits leaning against the door frame and offers to Selig, "To wake him? Ye could try slappin' th' lad or dunkin' him in water?"

When the girl starts talking he listens carefully and asks "Did he be tellin' ye whar th' cabin be lass?"

For the sister's reply, to see if she's telling the truth/knows more
Insight: [roll0]

[Filtro]

@ Rhogar

Looking scared of the dragonborn, the girl answers immediately"He told me he was heading east until he hit a stream, and then followed that to the north."

You are certain this child is telling the truth and she only knows what her brother has told her.

[markodore64]

Selig shrinks back, confused and unsure of Rhogar's meaning, and suddenly embarrassed of his own intensity. He remains silent as the others tell the boy's story.

Selig turns to the mother. "We will investigate the woods," he tells her, assuringly.

If Selig can see the symbol on the brick handed to Dorrine, do I recognize it? [roll0] if religion, mod only +2 if any other knowledge check

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine offers the brick to Tori, Ellywick and Rhogar, thinking they'd know best what to make of it. She sighs at hearing Selig mention they would investigate the woods, but was curious enough that she was fine taking a look around. Their previous mission had been a whole lot of nothing and perhaps there was a small, remote chance of things being linked. Stranger things had happened before, haven't they?

She then fishes out the famer's coin purse. She reaches in and takes all but a single silver out. She tosses the pouch with the remaining silver and the five gold pieces on to an end table. "Five silvers a piece for coming here and we'll take that meal before we leave. If we bring something back that fixes the boy, we'll take the rest of the deal plus any expenses incurred." She began separating the twenty-five silvers in her hand into piles of five and handed them out to the others nonchalantly.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick looks slightly embarrassed. She should have spent more time and effort on the course of study under her gnomish guardian, but ever since she could read and write, she obsessively studied anything and everything she could get her hands on regarding her parentage.
Nevertheless, she closely studies the brick hoping that she would remember something that could shine light on the magical origin of the boy's curse:


[roll0] for Arcana
[roll1] for History

[markodore64]

Selig's regained his impassive composure. Without even looking at the coins Dorrine handed him, Selig drops the five silver pieces carefully back into the coin purse on the table. "No one speaks for me," he says drily, and leaves to join Tori on the porch.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rhogar takes a quick look at the brick... "Might pay to take this wit' us" he says tossing the brick lightly in his hand.

His eyes tracking Selig after his little outburst, That's a strange one he thinks to himself before shrugging and pocketing his coins. Picking up his weapon and shield he then makes his way downstairs and back to the open space outside.

Once outside he motions to Tori, passing the brick over "Ye recognise this scriblin'? Th' boy took it from th' woods."

History: [roll0]
Arcana: [roll1]

[ianricks58]

Worried that Selig might object to the money changing hands and insist on its return, Ellywick grabs her share of coins and shoves them in her pouch.

[Tyeal]

Looking up from his maintennence, Tori watches Selig emerge, looking unhappy to say the least. When Dorrine emerges, he accepts the few silver they apparently took as payment for coming to see the farmer's son, slipping them into his pouch. His brow furrowed when Rhogar passed him a solid block of stone with a symbol on it. He took it and studied the sun carefully, commenting, "Seems familiar. I've been around a bit, and this is striking a chord in my brain..."


Kn: History [roll0]
Kn: Religion [roll1]

[Filtro]

@ Selig, Rhogar, Tori

You recognize the symbol of the sun god, Pelor.

@ Ellywick

When searching your memory for anything related to the Merthington Woods, and after recognizing the symbol on the brick, you recall reading about a temple built 110 years ago around these parts. The cult was called the Heralds of the Morning, a sect cleaved to a mostly-forgotten prophecy of rebirth, in which an avatar of Pelor was destined to enter the world and rout the forces of darkness.

You also recall reading some ancient astrologer-mathematicians' studies who calculated the date of this miracle, called the New Morning to be 116 years in the future (6 years from the current time)

[ianricks58]

A second glance at the brick stirred some memories of studying in a library far from here. It was one of the rare occasions that her guardian's lessons coincided with her obsession.

"We will return after our investigation" she says to the farmer's family as she leaves. She hurries outside to tell everyone the information she remembered.

I am assuming I don't have to repeat this info, but I will if I need to.

[markodore64]

Nope, no need to repeat. :smallsmile:
Selig is surprised when Ellywick, telling of the sun-cult she'd read about, actually appears engaged in the task at hand. A distinct contrast to Rhogar and Dorrine — and Tori, more interested in watching the birds from the porch... Perhaps Selig had more in common with this tiefling — she spent time in study? Like himself? She could read? — than he had in common even with these other humans, he wondered...

[Tyeal]

Passing the brick back as he gave his two bits, he listened to Ellywick and what she was able to deduce from the stone.

"Guess that means it'll be a well lit temple, if nothing else." He commented with a chuckle. Standing up and stretching, he sheathed his weapons and collected his tools, adding, "Let's get moving then. We make it back before dusk, I'll even pitch in and help with dinner."

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine finished checking her weapons and adjusting straps on her pack. It had become more apparent that they would be leaving before the farmer fed them their meal. She sighed and stepped off the porch and looked the direction they were going. She felt confident that the directions given to them were easily followed. East until a stream, deeper in. Then north. The problem seemed that perhaps the boy's extremely straightforward directions to his sister were more of a general area and he had done more but didn't think it'd be necessary for her to ever go there.

She sighed again. Hopefully the boy would've at least left a trail. She doubted he would have it in him to hide his passage, even if he felt the need for it.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick heard rumors of Tori's cooking back at Master Ludwig's. That was all she needed. With the expectation of good food Ellywick giggles and says, "Then let us go with haste! I would run there and back to see a Tori in a kitchen!" She giggles again. "I am going to pay for that sooner or later, hopefully later"

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Pelor. Why would something in a sun god's temple hurt the boy? Pulling open the top of his pack, Rhogar found some space for the brick and slides it in, fastening everything tightly shut again. A grin passing over his face as the image of Tori in a apron flashed through his mind. Throwing his pack over his shoulders, he was ready to go find some answers.

[Psy-Knight]

Everyone seemingly ready to go, Dorrine sets off towards the forest. Ruins and stuff with deities always made her uneasy. Theres always more than meets the eye and it ends up taking longer. She really didn't feel like rations again that day, and was hoping that they would indeed be back for Tori to grave an apron.

She doubted they would be all that quick going through the forest. And something had caused that prick on the boys hand and she sure didn't want to have whatever affected him affect her. She sighed at the thought. Caution would be best.

Stale, dry and old or old, stale and dry for dinner today? Choices, choices, choices, she mutters to herself.

[Filtro]

The farmer walks down the stairs and enters a room. Deducing from the sounds of plates and closets opening and closing, it seems to be the kitchen. When he comes back, he offers some bread, cheese and some drink to each one of you. - "I am sorry for the poor welcoming, but I won't ask my wife to cook while she is crying, and I never learned to cook myself. Although, you are free to use the kitchen and cook for yourselves before you go."

[Tyeal]

Tori had a sneaking suspicion, after Ellywick's comment, that they were all interested in seeing him in a kitchen making food. For one reason or another. He had been one of the helping hands back at the main lodge, certainly, but he never advertised it. He shrugged and was about to throw his pack on when the farmer came out with a modest plate of bred, cheese, and what looked to be cheap wine. Given there wasn't a label on the dark-colored bottle.

Smiling some, he accepted the plate and divided up the food among the group, saying with a grin, "I'll hang on to the wine. Could make something fantastic with this stuff. Even bottom of the barrel wine can be used in good food." And slipped it into his pack.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick's silver eyes sparkled when the farmer offered his kitchen to the group, the opposite happened when Tori took the food and distributed it among the group. "Maybe I heard wrong at the lodge," Ellywick thought. "I suppose we can eat while we explore..."
"After you, Selig" she said, inviting him to take the lead.

[Filtro]

After you eat(or not) and rest for a while, you decide to follow the child's directions to the stream.

Please inform me of your marching order (who's in front,who's middle, and who stays back), traveling speed and any other rolls/anything you might be doing while you make your way to the stream.

[markodore64]

Selig didn't realize how hungry he was until he saw the bread, cheese, and wine. "Do not trouble yourself with us, good farmer," he spoke reflexively, being in the habit of suppressing his own needs. "You rightly attend to your family and to your own pain."

"We have rations for the road," he continued, "and not knowing what afflicts your son, we know not how much, or how little, time we have." As he spoke he gestured to Tori to ensure the rogue didn't pass him by. He took a chunk each of bread and cheese and raised them to the farmer.

"I break bread with you in gratitude and good will. Please, eat with us."

Selig takes a single bite of the bread and secures the rest in his pack. At Ellywick's invitation, he appears uncertain, but he only nods and starts off after Dorrine.

[markodore64]

Selig walked stoic and silent in the woods, seeming lost in concentration. He had only once been able to settle his mind and trust his senses enough to guess — know, somehow — accurately, while blindfolded, the location of a consecrated vestment, hidden in the monastery by his mentor. This is what he concentrated on now, and in truth, it tired him.

Selig uses Divine Sense, once a little ways into the woods, and again if/when we reach the stream.

Marching Order: Doesn't matter to him; he'd gravitate toward the middle.

Speed: 30

[ianricks58]

Ellywick will march toward the back but not the very back since her passive perception score is embarrassingly low. Since Tori is worried about getting ambushed we should probably travel at normal pace i.e=30, so the party doesn't incur a perception penalty. I am not opposed to travelling slow if the party wants to be stealthy. (though since the farmer didn't stop anyone else on the road and the boy has been asleep for three days, there probably isn't anyone in the area.

Ellywick eats her food and heads to the back of the line getting ready to march.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Increasing his pace to get near the front of the group, Rhogar looks around at everyone "Ye know," he says around a mouthful of bread, while gesturing in the air with the remainder as he walked "Temple's be paved in gold 'n silver. Now say 'twere some 'o that was to find 'tis way home wit' us, we could put it to better use than decoratin' a forest's floor."

Rhogar will be in the second rank, with someone beefier in front of him, while still being close enough to the front to spot any danger, and react with his hammer if need be.

Speed: 30ft
Passive Perception: 15

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine will take the lead unless Tori wants it. She'll switch between leaving a larger gap and closing in relaying anything she may see.

Speed = 30'
Passive Perception = 14

Dorrine laughs at Rhogar's comment about the temple's gold and silver, "But haven't you heard? Redistributing lost wealth from a fallen temple casts a curse upon oneself and draws the ire of the deity. Perhaps that's simply all that is the matter with the boy! He took a few copper slivers to feed his family and now grand Pelor has seen it fit to smite him with his affliction." She laughs at herself, and the thought of Selig most likely bristling. She thought of the dragonborn's words though. One can only hope.

Dorrine had thought of eating the bread and cheese immediately, but decided what they really needed was some meat. And they would need to stop eventually, so she unslung her bow. Perhaps the others would simply think she was being cautious. It wouldn't take much to feed the five, a small deer would be more than enough. Or so she thought.

The next time she allows the party to catch up, she calls back to Rhogar, "Hey Scales, how much do your kind eat?"

[Tyeal]

Tori will bring up the rear. If need be, he can be Stealthing among foliage, rocks, and whatnot. Otherwise, his eyes and ears are open as he keeps a watch out for whatever may come their way, or use his stellar Acrobatics for a vantage point, or use his Survival skills to do a bit of tracking.
Passive Perception = 14

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Ah if th' sun god cared fer it, he wouldn't 'ave left it to fall to ruins," he says dismissing the thought outwardly with a wave of his bread. Might let someone else test that theory first though, he thinks to himself. He wouldn't be much use to his clan stuck in a magical slumber for the rest of his days.

****

Scales?! Cocking his head to the side and eyeing the ranger with a look of consternation on his face. Must be a joke. Laughing to himself he nods back in her direction "One soft-skinned human, 'bout yay big." he replies indicating a height to match Dorrine's with a wink. "Keep me fed fer a week i reckon, but I be not a fussy eater. If ye can't find me one 'o them, any meat'll do th' trick."

[markodore64]

Selig is oblivious to Rhogar and Dorrine's potentially bristling conversation. Though his chain mail looks too large for his lean frame, he seems unfazed by its certain weight, his posture straight and unresting. His eyes, though, show mental weariness.

He looked up curiously as Dorrine unslung her bow, and he seemed suddenly aware of Rhogar to his front and Ellywick to his back. He sighs, seeing the conversation remains preoccupied with food. He looks at Ellywick curiously before returning his gaze to the path ahead of them.

"Pelor has a unique relationship with my order of Pholtus." He addresses none in particular, though he falls back a little so that he is closer to Ellywick than Rhogar. His tone is thoughtful. "Pelor's followers do not benefit from the structure and guidance of law - that is their shortcoming. Some friction is anticipated."

"I find it hard to believe," he finishes with concern, "that even Pelor's followers could be so imprudent as to be involved in the boy's suffering."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have Dorrine, Rhogar, Selig, Ellywick, Tori.

Also, it took a minute to realize "unslang" could not be right. :smallbiggrin:

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine laughs at Rhogar's reply. At least one of them has a sense of humour.

"Scales, Tails and the Soft-Skinned Three." She calls out while laughing, "the grandest quintet you ever did see." Her voice almost chanted the second line of the rhyme. "Now we have a name and the beginnings of our epic ballad, bards from here to the furthest reachest will sing about us." She laughed again and made a mental note to at least write a small chorus out the next time she was able to take out her lyre.

Her mirthed quieted as Selig spoke. She trusted him with the manner of gods and religions and would take his word for what he said. "Perhaps then, it is a deity with a rather strong distaste for Pelor? Are there any among the dark-aligned mortal-meddlers that would find it necessary or even just amusing to blaspheme a more remote temple, such as this one?"

That's what I have as well.

[ianricks58]

She laughed loudly at Dorinne's comment, and unconsciously covered her mouth to mute the noise. "Tails... at least its better than what they called me back at the library" Ellywick thought. The party's mood had improved since the waste of time at the tower. She didn't want to bring the mood back down. "Hopefully Selig will enjoy this levity, no one's heart should be so heavy"

I have the same marching order. Speed of 30

[markodore64]

Selig looks surprised when he realizes Dorrine is speaking to him. What’s more, Selig was surprised at the idea of his knowing anything but the slightest of the followers of Pelor. “Why would I know such things?” — he seems offended but calms almost immediately.

“I can tell you clerics of Pelor have often served as arbiters between the orders of Pholtus and those of St. Cuthbert. The Communicants of the Chapeaux in particular are mindlessly violent, on top of being spiritually misguided by Cuthbertine vulgarity...” The young paladin is getting worked up by his tangent.

He looks up again at Dorrine, calm returning once more. “Why would I study anything but Pholtus’s truth?”

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine shrugs to Selig, slightly amused that he didn't know the answer to a religion question, "Know thy enemy and all that? Friendly working relationships? All holy books are the same with different covers? I don't know, figured you would be most knowledgable on this situation." She laughed inwardly, knowing she probably angered him with that. "Don't all the similar deities get together once a month for a brunch or something and smack-talk the ones of opposing views? I figured maybe their followers did the same."

[markodore64]

Blood rushed in Selig’s ears, his immaturity now overpowering his disciplined training. “I am not ashamed of my ignorance!” he shot back at Dorrine, his voice trembling with anger, his accent more pronounced. He broke off from the group, moved some seven feet to the side onto uneven ground, covered with rocks and acorns, noisily pushing through low-hanging branches.

"https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/621544/persian.PNG!" he mumbles through clenched teeth, grabbing one of the branches in his fist. It gives quickly with a loud crack from the old tree, and he swings it wildly, two-handed like a greatsword, against the next tree's trunk. Now it's a short sword.

He stomps along, keeping pace with the group but maintaining his distance despite the rough going, the shattered remains of the branch still in hand. Its torn, rough end shows hints of green; this was no brittle, dead branch. And it's thick. Selig is apparently much stronger than he looks.

Haha, Dorrine's a firecracker, 'ey? "All holy books are the same with different covers" — said to a fundamentalist — ouch. :small amused: That needed a big reaction.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine tries not to laugh out loud, though she is slightly shocked and not only the extent of the outburst, but also the strength of the scrawny boy. Good to know what his limits are. She thought perhaps Rhogar would be slightly amused as well, but didn't want to make the other two too uneasy, so decided she wouldn't push him again for a while.

She turns walking backwards, looking at the group. "What about your god?" She says to Rhogar. "Does the Master of Storms and Pelor get along? Seems to me that may not be the case with Talos blocking out his precious sun, all the time."

Haha, yeah, that was the line I was thinking would get a response. Poor tree. You have harmed an innocent! Haha. And yeah, Dorrine is new for me as a character type. I'm generally the quiet, LG, stick-in-the-mud.

I actually like the immature part of Selig. It's different than the sagely "gooder-than-thou" that you see. And I noticed his 18 STR on character sheet, so now we have new battle plan. With his temper we now have a raging, holy fury with ogre-like strength to throw at our enemies. Your move BBEG

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rhogar watches Selig approvingly from the corner of his eye as he goes about his rage and destruction. The Storm Lord loved destruction and raw power, both of which Selig was demonstrating with skill unexpected from his small frame. Perhaps Rhogar could encourage those tendencies during his time at Master Ludwig's, adventuring is a violent occupation after all.

His thoughts pulled back to the present at Dorrine's question and it takes him a second to form an answer, "Th' Destroyer dont get along wit' most, but he dont need to. Them other gods be too caught up wastin' time makin' rules 'n tryin' to control everythin', it dont work like that." gesturing into the tree's and Selig "Ye need to live while ye can 'n do what ye want."

[Filtro]

@ Dorrine and Tori

An hour has past since you entered the forest. You know you have walked for about one mile and a half, and the scenario had been changing quite a bit.

For a few minutes now, you have been finding the quiet loneliness of the woods, the lack of birdsong and the dusky gloom that covers the trees to be disturbing...

@ Selig

You found no evidence of any evil presence so far.

[Tyeal]

Tori made sure his dagger was close at hand when he heard the forest go quiet. He never did well when there was silence; It put him on edge. Especially in places that should have plenty of noise to make. He had been debating whether or not to get involved with the argument Dorrine and Selig were having, religion not being his strongest realm of knowledge. But, he wasn't too keen on having a seemingly powerful person like Selig fighting angry. Fighting angry made you fight blindly.

Sighing in his head, he made a motion with his hand to try and grab Selig's attention, saying first, "Eyes and ears sharp, everyone. I'm not liking how quiet everything has been. Make sure your weapons are clear, just to be safe. Selig, a moment?"

[ianricks58]

Ellywick readies her crossbow in response to Tyeal's observation, and continues marching as before, but she pays more attention to the surroundings. She looks for tracks and listens to the silence.


Passive perception= 9

[ianricks58]

I forgot to roll for checking for tracks
Survival = [roll0]
Perception = [roll1]

[Psy-Knight]

Noticing the change in the surroundings, Dorrine decides it's past time for idle chatter and her mood turns serious. Things around them were definitely not natural. She returns her bow back to her back and pulls out her two shortswords, preparing herself in case they came across something suddenly. Or something came across them.

Wisdom (Survival) [roll0] looking for anything out of place.

Also, it looks like you halved speed for difficult terrain. Dorrine's Ranger ability Natural Explorer (Forest) would actually grant the party full movement through the forest while she leads them. Here's the wording;

Natural Explorer: At first level, you can travel overland (non-combat) through a specific type of terrain of your choice (forests, arctic, desert, ect) without becoming lost and without your party being slowed by difficult terrain. You also have other miscellaneous features in this terrain, such as better foraging, alertness while tracking, improved tracking, and so on. You gain additional terrain types at 6th and 10th level.

Also the better alertness and tracking, though those don't give specific bonuses. (Maybe advantage on rolls? +5 to passive perception)

Also, her favoured enemy selection gives her advantage on knowledge and tracking rolls, pertaining to goblin and orcs as well. If that comes in to play in here.

[markodore64]

When Tori points out the woods' silence, Selig noisily halts, ashamed of how much noise he has been making. He stands a moment, head back and mouth open, staring up into the silent canopy. He looks over immediately when Tori says his name.

Sheepishly, making his best effort to be quiet —and failing, the snap of twigs underfoot making him cringe — Selig steps out of the underbrush and wordlessly joins Tori, his gaze down.

Funny how the tantrum made Selig more likable, haha. If my playing out his immaturity is ever just plain annoying, for us as players I mean, please let me know; I try to keep it balanced.

Dorrine: Ha! I'm playing against my usual type as well. I'm more the wizardy, easygoing-rogue kind of guy. As I was telling Ellywick, I kept putting off getting my character's armor and weapons onto his sheet, because they never really mattered to me before, ha!

[Filtro]

@ Dorrine

You notice several sets of human footprints going back and forth on the same path. You are sure these are the boy's tracks. At some point, they branch off from Abella's directions into another path, through the woods.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine motions for the group to stop and gather. She shows them the tracks as well as taking a closer look at the path going off to the side, "It looks like he went along the same route and that the boy wasn't completely honest with his sister as to where he went exactly. Whether simply he didn't feel like explaining or was hiding something is anybody's guess."

Deciding that she wasn't likely to bother hunting in the forseeable future, she pulls out her portion of bread and cheese from the farmer, lowers her backpack to the ground and leans against a tree, beginning to eat. "I think it's a good time to further discuss our plan here. Should one of us scout ahead? Should we all simply go cautiously? Should we return the way we came and call this mission futile? I think it's obvious to everyone there's something more than just a sick, foolish, boy here. Deities and curses are a job worth far more than this simple farmer can pay."

[Tyeal]

@Selig

He sighs softly and gives his armored shoulder a light smack. "'Let my rage be strength to carry me through the battle, and grant me clarity when it is over.' I understand that speaking of gods and those you follow can be a touchy subject, Selig. But you have to work on keeping that anger in check, lest it get the best of you at the worst possible time."

At the sound of Dorrine speaking up, he slips around to the front and says, "Let me scout ahead. I won't go too far; I'll keep within line of sight. While I doubt there's a force of any kind waiting there, it's best to know if we're facing undead, gnoll squaters, moved-in brigands, or some other such unsavory force."

[ianricks58]

Ellywick sits down near a tree, wrapping her tail over her legs as she rests. "Regardless of what we are getting into, we accepted the task. The farmer needs our help." she says stating her opinion on the matter. She drinks from her waterskin and continues, If there are more than one set of tracks, maybe the boy took more than one trip to the temple. Maybe he was playing the role of adventurer. He wouldn't have dared to tell his father of his escapades. These tracks are probably a shortcut. We could split up and follow both paths, send a scout to follow the tracks, or we can follow the girl's directions. Whatever we do, I am against going back without at least investigating the temple."

This post was supposed to be before Selig's. I just took toooo long typing it.

[markodore64]

Selig finally threw the branch away, suddenly feeling like a kid with a pretend sword. "I confess I harbored a false impression of you," he responds flatly to Tori. "I accept your wisdom with gratitude." He bowed his head slightly.

When Dorrine stopped the group and Tori moved off, Selig readjusted his armor and mumbled under his breath, "That vulgar woman."

Rejoining the others, he looked curiously at Ellywick's tail upon her lap. He felt wholly out of sorts, in part because of his own outburst, and in part because the mood was different now. Something about footprints while some were relaxing while Tori was going on about undead? Gnolls? He frowned, looking at the footprints as if trying to read them like a book. Nothing.

"We will explore both paths. Perhaps we will split up." His tone was noncommittal, searching for guidance.

"Yes," he says at Tori's suggestion. He draws his sword. "I will keep you in my sight."

I think you meant to say before Tori's post...? Or I'm not following, and ignore this comment. I post with wine tonight. :)

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Can't be anythin' here to bad if th' laddie made it in 'n out wit' all his limbs still workin'," Rhogar ventures wondering why everyone's getting all paranoid over some footprints, "Th' birds prolly all stopped chirpin' cause young Selig here was stompin' through their bushes," he says with a nod of approval in Selig's direction.

Though he says all this, you notice his shield is no longer dangling at his side, but is held up higher to cover his vital organs. "I reckon we follow th' footprints, if that leads to nothin', we just find th' stream 'n follow it north to th' temple right?"

[Psy-Knight]

"I see little reason to follow the girl's directions, seeing as we have clear evidence the boy lied to her. That being said, splitting the party to follow both seems foolish. We should either allow Tori to scout the boy's trail, as he offered, or we all follow the boy's trail, together."

Dorrine's tone was plain and business-like without any of the teasing sarcasm that had been there since the beginning of the day. She had slid down to a cross-legged sitting position against the tree, finishing her bread and cheese with a drink from her waterskin.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick stands and dusts herself off. "I think we should follow the tracks together. These tracks belong to the boy. Strength in numbers after all."

[Tyeal]

He folded his arms and drummed his fingers against his bicep as he listened to the group debate their options. These tracks would certainly lead them to something, he just had not clue what. He piped up and said, "I vote we follow the tracks as well, but let me go on ahead about a hundred feet or so. At least then I can act as something of an early warning in case there are anything that wishes to cause harm at the end of this path."

[Filtro]

One hour through the shortcut and Tori finally sighted the Temple, sitting in an overgrown clearing in the woods. The building was three stories high, covered in vines, and rose to a stone dome. The only markings revealing its religious dedication were on the gate-doors outside - two faced suns, as the adventurers recognized as symbols of Pelor, the Sun God.

[Filtro]

@ Selig

As soon as you see the temple, you get an uneasy feeling about the place. No signs and no presence of any Sun or Light-driven magic or god.

I assume you used your second Divine Sense as you reached the temple.

[markodore64]

Selig listened to everyone's opinions attentively. His self-righteous detachment had returned, though inside it was a strain to maintain this demeanor at Rhogar's mention of Selig's tantrum. But was that approval in Rhogar's tone? Invisibily, Selig's mind spun.

"The boy was not speaking for himself. I hesitate to disparage him a liar." Selig offered no argument for any of the party's suggestions, but he stood as before, his sword drawn, ready to shadow Tori's scouting.

When the ruin came into view, Selig frowned to see any holy place in disrepair. A step closer, he shuddered. "I think ..." — his voice was doubtful — "That is Pelor's symbol, but this is not a sun shrine."

Yep, thanks!

[Tyeal]

Tori spotted their temple and waited for the rest of the group to catch up with him before making their next move."Dunno if that's good or bad then, Selig." He comments as he stands up, dagger in hand. "Second verse, same as the first. Lemme give the front door a knock and I'll wave you all over if I see things look clear." This time he didn't wait for a response from the group, and started moving up to the front of the temple, darting in and out of cover until he could look inside.

[roll0]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"While he's doin' that, I be goin' to invoke a wee bit 'o help. Don't want to step on somethin' that'll explode in ye face," Rhogar says to the group as Tori starts to scout.
Moving a small way from the party, he lowers himself into a cross-legged position with his back to a tree, his shield laid on the ground in front of him with his warhammer in his lap. He then pulls free a chain from around his neck, revealing the holy symbol of Talos, a lightning bolt exploding against the ground, and begins to chant softly.

Rhogar is going to cast as a ritual Detect Magic - doesn't use up a spell slot when cast as a ritual, but it takes 10min to cast.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick looks around on the ground to see if she can find where the brick came from. As she does so, she also tries to be aware of her surroundings as well.
checks
Survival=[roll0] or Investigation=[roll1] for the search,
Perception=[roll2]

She pulls out her paper and ink and starts recording her findings. She grabs a suitable stick on the ground that and carefully chars it with a wave of her hands. "Perfect! This will work great for sketching the temple! The library may pay me for detailed accounts of this discovery."

I am not sure if I can use my fire bolt cantrip like that.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine allows the others to go about their business at the temple. She decides to take a look around the perimeter. She places her pack carefully on the ground, and begins circling staying closer to the treeline rather than the temple. She moves slow and careful, hoping to not be caught unaware by whatever had struck the boy with the dart.

[spoiler=Rolls] Wisdom (Perception) [roll0]
Dexterity (Stealth) [roll1]

[markodore64]

Selig was determined not to be distracted. As much as he was curious about what Rhogar meant by "invoking", he kept his attention full on Tori and the shrine's doors, ready to move at Tori's signal — or the undead's signal? or the gnolls...?

Making a perception roll just 'cause I feel left out not making a roll. :smallbiggrin: [roll0]

[Filtro]

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EDIT THE MAP IMAGES ON PAINT OR SOMETHING TO EXEMPLIFY WHERE YOU ARE

@ Tori

You moved quietly to the front doors through an overgrown path, emerging from a thicket of briars into a small clearing in front of the crumbling building, containing a pool filled with stagnant water. The path continued up to a large stone door leading into the building.

The pool emitted a terrible stench of rotting meat as you approached it.

Besides the faced suns, you could now see a strange warning etched in Common, written on the door, below the symbols: "Danger! Entry Forbidden! All Hail the New Morning!"

http://i.imgur.com/PefW4Or.png

@ Rhogar

10 minutes passed and the cleric found no traces of magical activity nearby.

@ Ellywick

Seeing the crumbling ruined building, you realize the brick came from any one of it's walls.

@ Dorrine

You found nothing unusual around the temple, not sure if that's good or bad, since you're in the woods...

[Tyeal]

Tori gave a 'whew!' when the stagnant water assaulted his nose. He made a look around and didn't see anything else of note aside from the message on he ground. 'This New Morning may be real after all. Or it could just be fanatics living here.'

His inspection over, he steps out and holds his dagger up, using it to catch the light and signal the rest of he group that there wasn't any immediate threats.

[Psy-Knight]

Having circled the temple, Dorrine retrieves her pack and joins Tori by the entrance. The lack of anything living was rather unsettling. Worse, it didn't seem as if their two religious types were going to be any extra help. Whatever they were going to face, she doubted it would be easy. She thought of mentioning turning back again, but doubted any of the others would agree. Figuring she's not going to like what Tori finds inside, she doesn't ask anything and rather waits for the others once she just outside the entrance herself.

[markodore64]

Selig responds immediately to Tori’s signal. "We move,” he says flatly, meant to signal Ellywick and Rhogar, as he moves to join Tori.

Selig nods as he and Dorrine reach the entrance. He sheaths his sword as he passes through the gates, a habit of reverence he realizes is misplaced, as the odor of the pool assaults him. He covers his nose and mouth with his forearm.

Lowering his arm and suppressing his disgust, he moves toward the pool, when he notices the etched warning — he frowns. “We might have our disagreements with Pelor, but I can not believe the New Morning is the danger we are not meant to see.” He looks the stone door leading into the building up and down, then looks to Tori as if expecting Tori to again lead the way.

While he waits, he peers into the water curiously to see if he can identify the cause of the stench.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rising from his position on the ground, Rhogar walks to the gate and looks it over, satisfied that it was free from any magical taint, "Dont seem to be any magic around," he states as he moves through into the courtyard.

Ungh what a smell. Taking shallow breaths trying his best to not breathe in the putrid air, he moves up to take a better look at the well and find out what's causing the stench.

Perception: [roll0]
Investigation: [roll1]

Map Link (https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1TyY3dZATtp94gPt4r_yroLFWOaqV2Lj4XTddElmHZdM/edit)

[Tyeal]

"Glad the rest of you are as taken with this place as me." He comments dryly, breathing through his mouth as he does so. Making sure everyone is accounted for, he goes to try to doors leading further into the temple. Pushing them open (hopefully) and taking to the shadows once more.

[roll0]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick wandered over to the pool and noticed the acrid smell as well, "I wonder..." Walking over to the pool, she noticed Rhogar's interest in the pool and slyly waved her hand in the pool's direction. Harmless tremors cause ripples to form on the pond's surface, stirring its contents.

This was mostly a joke to startle Rhogar, but we can see what stirs up.

[ianricks58]

Investigation = [roll0]
Perception = [roll1]

[markodore64]

Selig is not curious enough to outweigh the smell. He moves to make room for Rhogar and Ellywick. He turns to the temple door as Tori tries to slip in. Selig draws his sword tentatively. "God of light, forgive me," he says solemnly. "I draw my sword not to defile your temple, but to restore it." Selig remains outside the doors, looking in to watch for Tori.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rhogar jumps back with a start as the water begins to move, his hand going to the weapons at his side. When nothing emerges he relaxes and lets out he breath he was holding, looking around sheepishly to make sure no one had seen his reaction. Seeing the tiefling looking at him slightly amused, his eyes narrow suspecting she had something to do with it and lets out a hrmph! looking away from her.
Turning back to face the temple door, he moves around the side of the pool, his hand trailing idly along the rim before pausing again to force himself to look again at the waters.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine shakes her head watching everyone. "So we're here. The smell of death clinging around us already. This site thriced cursed by the looks of it. And with little reason to suspect that somehow we'll find something to free the boy. If we're dead by the end of the day, I'm haunting the lot of you for eternity. If we're not, someone better be buying me enough drinks to forget the smell." Her tone had a humorous resignation to it, then turning business like again she adds, "I'm not as able a scout underground, Tori should take point and I'll bring the rear. We should get started as quickly as possible. I doubt we want to be in there when night falls."

[Filtro]

As you "un-stealthily" passed by and examined the pool, a huge water snake emerges from the pool!

Please roll initiative and head over to the OOC thread so we plan out this thing on GoogleDocs. I never done it before. Hoping to learn from this.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Looking back into the murky water, did he see movement down there? Was Ellywick playing with him again? He turned to shoot her another look, when something broke the surface of the water. Holding his shield before him, he braced himself ready for action.

Initiative: [roll0]

[markodore64]

[roll0]. . . . . . .

[Tyeal]

Initiative Roll![roll0]

[Psy-Knight]

Damned Hells. Dorrine curses while dropping her backpack and pulling out her bow. She definitely wanted to fight up close to something that lived in that smell, if it could be helped.

[roll0]

[ianricks58]

[roll0]LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Flicking his warhammer free from it's resting place in a loop on his belt, he uses it to motion Ellywick to back away.
Then uttering a small prayer for Talos to witness the battle, he swings his warhammer with a roar at the huge snake.

Warhammer @ the Snake
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] bludgeoning damage

If the snake hits Rhogar, he'll use his reaction to activate his Wrath of the Storm power, causing the snake to roll a DEX save vs DC13; Taking 2d8 Thunder damage on a failed save; half on a successful

[Tyeal]

(So, crazy side note on Rogue Sneak Attack: If I have Advantage, I get my +1d6 of damage, as well as getting it by flanking.)

Hearing the rush of water and the roar of a clearly hostile beast, Tori curses himself for letting his gear cause that much noise. He could've sworn he tied his pot down more securely! Dropping his pack, he moved into position behind the serpent, drawing a rapier as he moved. Seeing it distracted by Rhogar, he takes careful aim and thrusts forward, trying to aim between the serpent's scales.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Sneak Attack: [roll2]

[markodore64]

Selig was so focused on watching Tori's back, he didn't realize anything was happening behind him until Tori dropped his pack. As the rogue seemed to glide past him, Selig's gaze followed, until the giant serpent came into view.

Selig froze a moment, expressionless. Suddenly realizing his sword was already drawn, he ran down to the right of the others, planning to slash the snake with his scimitar.

attack [roll0]
damage [roll1]

[Filtro]

Rhogar bashed the snake in the face, followed by Tori who stabbed it from behind, between its scale. The snake bled and spazzed, but still lived, until a second attack from Tori delivered the killing blow.

Damn, nice rolls, guys. Everyone gets 10 EXP. The snake is dead.

[ianricks58]

"By the Fateful Coins of Tymora!" Ellywick curses, surprised by the results of her little prank. "Rhogar, first and foremost I am sorry to have pulled such a childish prank on you, and to everyone else I am sorry that I brought unnecessary danger across our path! First round will be on me at the first tavern we get to after this!" Hoping to avoid any further confrontation, she approaches the door to the temple and examines it closely. To further hide her embarrassment Ellywick pulls out her paper to sketch what she sees.


[roll0]

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine had brought up her bow to shoot, but with her the strong strikes of her fellow party members, the thing was writhing in death throes before she fired a shot. At least I won't have to retrieve an arrow out of that.

Returning her arrow to its place, she walks to the entrance, laughing at Elly's comment, "Well then, let's be done with this place quickly so we can make good on that promise."

[Tyeal]

Tori breathed a sigh of relief when the serpent fell so quickly to their combined might. Wiping off his weapon before sheathing it, and grabbing his pack, he stood by Ellywick at the doors leading further in, saying as he laid a hand on them both, "Let's keep moving. Sooner we find what we're after, the sooner we can leave."

And with a grunt, started to push the doors inward.

[markodore64]

Selig never had a chance to swing his blade, the snake felled by Rhogar and Tori’s impressive displays of skill. Selig stared at the dead creature.

He didn’t understand Ellywick’s apology. “I do not visit taverns,” he said flatly.

Selig was pleased when Dorrine showed commitment to her word, even if she was perhaps in too much a rush — “No!” he exclaimed, when Tori began to push on the door — but it was already too late. “Should we let this incident lower our guard?” he protested, overwhelmed by the sudden chain of events. “It has only drawn attention to us,” he finished, remembering his noisy rush through the wood.

Seeing that it was too late, he moved to follow after Tori as before, his blade before him.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Yes! The stinking snake was dead. Dropping his hammer into his belt loop then grabbing hold of the dead beast then dragging it further out so it's head was resting on the ground, Rhogar placed a boot firmly below the snake's mouth and took his dagger from boot. Prying open the mouth he cut free one of the fangs, careful to avoid cutting himself. Wiping the worst of the gore off on some weeds nearby, he placed his trophy carefully in his pack. Wont be needing this then he thought, removing the brick the girl had given them and tossing it into the pool. Pulling his pack back on, he followed after the other's as they started to approach the doors, his hand flying again to his waist at Selig's cry.

[Filtro]

A close inspection of the door reveals an obvious poison needle trap, inserted into the stone beside the door, triggered when someone lifted the iron ring that serves as the door’s handle – and it had been triggered, probablyy by the boy.
The needle itself was on the floor and smeared in a viscous gray-green substance.

The door is locked and the lock has rusted, making it impossible to pick it.

[markodore64]

Easily distracted, Selig turned to see Rhogar perform a disgusting dental extraction, followed by a casual disposal of the boy's brick.

Selig is relieved when the door wouldn't budge.

[markodore64]

Selig looks at Rhogar in a different light. He points at the door. "Break it down," he commands Rhogar, authoritatively.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine's face seem impressed at Selig's command of Rhogar. But interjects, "Wait and have a look at the dart. See if there's any symbol or residue that would show us what is affecting the boy. If we can figure it out, we may not need to enter this cursed place and risk anymore unneeded danger on ourselves. And save the boy."

I sat thinking about her character sheet for a long time wondering if I should have Dorrine had bought a portable ram instead of something else, but didn't see how hauling a 35lb stump would really be feasible... She may have to curse the merchant who tried selling her one for being right! Haha

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Didn't think you'd be so quick to desecrate with a temple lad," says Rhogar moving to the front of the group to get at the door. Ignoring Selig's order he bends down and picks up the needle on the edge of his dagger. "What I need to be knowin' be; why trap ye temple door?" he asks displaying the poisoned needle "I'm all fer takin' a looksee, but who knows what other nasties be waitin' inside."

[markodore64]

Selig gestures at the mutilated corpse of the unnaturally large snake. "I think we can safely no longer call this a temple of Pelor." He watches blankly as Dorrine and Rhogar discuss the poison and the trap and, impatiently, moves to investigate the door itself.

He sheathes his blade and with his knuckle cautiously touches the stone. Decisively, he presses his whole body against the door, testing its strength, applies pressure.

Are there specific rules for opening doors? I'm gonna hit the book, but in the meantime if it's simply a Strength check to try to force the door: [roll0]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick took a couple steps back and looked at the temple. "While they try to break the door down, I will see if I can find a back door..." Ellywick searches the bushes for a way through to see if she can find a way in.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2](cause they're bushes?)

[Tyeal]

"Hang on Ellywick." Tori comments, leaving the rusted door to the beefier of their team as he heads off after her. His expertise was with working locks, after all. "Buddy system and all that. Never wise to go out on your own, y'know. At the very least the two of us can make an escape if we come across something bad. Or outright kill it if we team up on it."

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine lowers her pack and rummages through it. She pulls out a grappling hook and begins tying the end of the rope off her pack to the hook. She then turns to Selig. "Do you think your righteous wrath can hoist this to the steeple and make it catch? Maybe Scales can give you a lift if you think you'll need it."

How high approximately is the top of the ruins?

[Filtro]

@ Selig

You realize the door would be easily tackled in with some help.

@ Ellywick and Tori

Like Dorrine, the only thing of interest you can find is the lack of animals and insects.

@ Dorrine

The only spot where you could climb is about 20 feet high.

[Tyeal]

Tori returned with Ellywick, sighing softly and shaking his head. "So much for that. Was hoping we'd find something at least." He stopped in front of the door, watching the rest of the group trying to work through this door still. Feeling a bit helpless at this point.

[markodore64]

Selig is about to speak when Dorrine makes her request. Wordlessly, he takes the grappling hook and, looking up at the height of the building and taking a few uncertain steps backward, he makes the attempt.


strength [roll0]
dexterity, to see if he pokes an eye out :smallbiggrin: [roll1]


Selig's passive Str score is 14, which beats his lousy roll earlier, but should cover his continued attempts to force the door. As I understand it, we'd need a ram to combine efforts? Or no?

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Opening his tinderbox, Rhogar carefully slips the poisoned needle into the case before snapping it shut and tucking it back away in his belt pouch. Learning how to replicate that poison could prove profitable knowledge for his clan and he supposed finding an antidote could have it's uses to.

"Well it be lookin' like Selig's idea gunna be th' one," he replies to the news that there was no back door. Positioning himself in front of the rusted lock, he taps it with his warhammer before pulling back for a full swing hoping to bust the rusted metal apart.

Assumed automatic hit, it's a not trying to dodge after all.
Damage: [roll0]

If that doesn't bust it loose and there are no noises coming from inside after the first hit, he'll just whack it a few more times til it breaks.

[Filtro]

Selig throws the hook and fails to fix it and it comes back down.

Rhogar hits the door and it breaks open into a large dusty entrancehall. A wooden staircase with a polished banister curves upwards around the room. In the gloom of the ceiling above the centre of the room is a golden chandelier that glints in the dim light filtering in from outside. Passages lead from the chamber to the north, east and west.

http://i.imgur.com/J42q5bo.png

Everyone roll Perception checks, please.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine coils her rope and places it and the grappling hook back. She didn't like smashing down the door of a cursed temple, letting everything inside know they were there, then waltzing right in. But it seemed to be the only way in at this point. Tori seemed more able scouting inside like this, so Dorrine decides to wait and take the rear.

[roll0]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Easy done," Rhogar says with satisfaction at his handiwork pushing open the doors as the lock falls to the ground and looking around inside.

Perception: [roll0]

[ianricks58]

"Nicely done!" Ellywick says. She looks inside the door and something at the back of her mind telling her that something was wrong.


[roll0]

[Tyeal]

Tori gave an approving nod at Rhogar's handiwork, stepping into the next room with the rest of the group. He frowned deeply at the chandelier overhead, commenting as he pointed up, "That's awfully well-maintained for a supposedly abandoned temple. THe lock was rusted shut. Why does that look pristine in comparison?" Making sure his dagger was close at hand still, he made a scan of the area, giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the dimmer light.

[roll0]


EDIT: Woo! Scout's eyes are workin' great!

[Filtro]

@ Tori

You notice that there is a large circular area in the centre of the room, directly beneath the chandelier, that is not covered by dust.

[Tyeal]

His eyes fell to the area directly below the well-kept chandelier, furrowing his brow in thought as he walked over to the area below it. "Hmm, now that's interesting. This spot under the ceiling decoration up there is very clean. No dust or dirt anywhere." He began tapping on the stone floor with the handle of his dagger, listening for any odd sounds or seeing if any of the stone moved at all from his probing.

[markodore64]

Hey gang, not feeling this game's a good match for me, so I'm writing Selig out of the game here. Good gaming to you all!


Selig stops suddenly, turning to Rhogar. "I have become distracted by the challenge of that door, and now that I am past it, I question my path here. Our main concern is the farmer's boy. I should return to him, with the sample of the poison, and take all opportunity to restore his health."

He asks Rhogar for the sample. "Or perhaps you can help me collect another one."

Without allowing for any argument, Selig bows his head to the others and takes his leave.

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine looks almost stunned at Selig. Hadn't she said that very same thing only a few minutes before? "Finally someone with some sense." But there seemed to be a change in the man and she didn't like that. Holy stiffs were supposed to be constant, where they not? Maybe he got a message from his god to lay off. She mutters to herself and lets the man walk past her.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rhogar looks at Selig with a confused look, they were an adventure company, not a 'save the kiddie' charity group. And now they'd come across a temple that hadn't been accessed for the last hundred years or so going by the state of the lock. While stealing from a temple, as tempting as it might be, usually isn't a great idea. Scouting out and exploring the building, piecing together what had happened and taking the knowledge back with them was what Ludwig paid them to do. But he'd just get us killed if he stayed, not focusing on the task.

Fishing out his tinderbox anyway "Don't be forgettin' to take note 'o what it be. Could be handy to be knowin'," he says as he passes the whole thing over.

[ianricks58]

"Safe travels on the way back. Keep an eye out for any dangers!" Ellywick says to Selig.

Ellywick steps inside the temple, careful to avoid the area underneath the chandelier that Tori pointed out. "Scales--erm...Rhogar, would it be possible to see if the floor is magic? We could try tossing an extra torch on that area to see what happens..." Ellywick would normally had thrown the torch without asking, but after startling the snake in its resting grounds and endangering the group, she was reluctant act on her callow curiousity. "Maybe the master librarian was right about my being so impulsive..." she thought to herself.

The thought of her guardian reminded her of her notes and sketches of the temple. Ellywick pulls out her charcoal and paper. "The chandelier would be a good subject to start with." She walks around the edge of the room and stops at the base of the staircase and looks up not only to get a good view of the chandelier, but Ellywick also looks up the staircase from time to time to keep a lookout for any hostile temple defenders.

[Filtro]

An illusionary patch of floor covers a 10 ft. deep circular pit in the middle of the room. The illusion is purely visual and objects pass straight through it.

[Tyeal]

Tori watched as his dagger not only created no noise on the stone circle, but also pass right through it. Braced on the floor, he poked his head through the illusory circle and saw just a pit behind it. He stood back up and sheathed his dagger. "Thought so. This circle, everyone, is completely fake. It's covering a pit so watch your step walking near it."

[Psy-Knight]

Illusionary floors and losing a party member, all while being in a cursed temple. "We need to stop and plan this through. We can't run in there recklessly. Someone will end up dead." Dorrine took the two lanterns off her pack and began digging out oil.

"Firstly, I agree with Selig, before he even agreed with himself, I may add. We have the dart, with it we may or may not be able to cure the boy or may not. Will further exploration truly find us any more information. So what will exploring it actually prove? Something that can curse a goodly god's temple doesn't seem to be worth the effort and risk. Especially seeing as we're not getting paid."

Dorrine wouldn't leave the others to the temple and have their fates on her conscious, but she would try to get them to think things through completely.

[Tyeal]

"Exploring may provide us with further answers, Dorrine. Maybe not to the boy's ailment, but what's inhabiting this place and causing these bad events to happen. And I'm quite curious as to what exactly wrote that bloody message past the front door! Aren't you?!"Tori was on his feet, finding himself catching his voice from getting too loud. While he was all for gathering treasure and loot, he also valued information. 'An intelligent man was never without a weapon', his father would tell him.

[ianricks58]

Still trying to sketch the chandelier, Ellywick considers Dorinne's argument. "Selig took the needle so that he could get the poison on it analyzed. We know the journey back is less dangerous, so he should be safe to travel by himself" Ellywick reasons. COLOR="#800080"][/COLOR]"I am not too familiar with Pelor, but this temple is devoted to him, a god of light and life. He may disapprove of a fatal trap, even if an interloper were to try to rob the place. I feel that trap's effect is likely to be everlasting, but not fatal. Pelor's priests inside most likely have the antidote ready in case to cure some innocent wayfarer triggered it inadvertently."

"It may take Selig days to find someone with enough expertise to analyze the compound and days more to create an antidote. If Selig does find an apothecary or some herbalist of one kind or another, they will want payment as well. The farmer and his family cannot afford to pay for such fees. He was lucky to chance upon us. Any treasure we find could be used to help finance a cure for the boy." Ellywick continues. She hoped that Dorinne was convinced. Ellywick adds, "And if Selig fails to find help by the time we get back, and if we find a cure, there will be no need to use the treasure to pay for a cure; we could present it to Master Ludwig or keep it for ourselves."

Ellywick, satisfied with her argument pauses for a bit to check some details on her sketch. She really hopes that the party decides to stay. She could not stand to leave this temple unexplored with so many questions unanswered. "I think our best shot is to stay here and explore as best as we can." Ellywick hoped her line of reasoning sufficed. "Dorinne, you are right about coming up with a plan. Danger may lurk around any corner, it would be best to have a strategy in place while exploring."

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine nods, not fully convinced but knowing that the others were enough and so she would go. She begins filling to two lamps with oil. "Should we gather a long branch or something to check our way in front of us? I must admit, abandoned temples aren't exactly what I am used to. Messing around with battling deities seems especially foolish and I believe we should take any... holy precautions available to us."

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Aye, either that or we can stop every ten minutes fer me to cast a ritual," he replies to Dorrine, his gaze locked on the golden chandelier hanging above them. Wonder if that's an illusion too. "If we don't want to still be here at nightfall, th' stick be th' way."

Ellywicks mention of priests being inside had him doubtful. Anything in here was surely dead by now unless there was another entrance somewhere. "I be not convinced 'tis whole Pelor thin' aint just a cover to keep th' villagers happy all them years ago. Th' warnin', th' trap. Like it was all in place to keep people from pokin' their noses inside."

[Filtro]

When you're ready to move forward, choose one of the paths and let me know.

[ianricks58]

"Let's take the east door," Ellywick suggests as she stows her sketches. "We should probably make it a habit to check each door for traps. I can open doors that are not locked from a distance, if we find a trap that we cannot disarm with my magic."

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rhogar shrugs and starts to move towards the east skirting around the invisible hole in the ground. He wanted to explore this entire place, so it didn't matter where they started, and east was as good a direction as any. As he approached the door he gives it a good look over as best he could without touching it, not wanting to get poked with a possible poison needle and put into a magical sleep or more simply exploded into pieces.

Checking for traps...
Perception: [roll0]
Investigation: [roll1]

Also whats our visibility like in here? Are there windows about letting in light or will we need torches/magic to see?

[Filtro]

You can look into the room, but you notice there's a sparkling transparent barrier covering the entrance. You also notice a small symbol etched in the stone above the entrance - a golden phoenix surrounded by a sunburst halo.

http://imgur.com/bqx4q3m

Inside the room, you can see eight wooden desks and chairs arranged neatly for work in this chamber, covered in undisturbed thick dust. Several alcoves reach from floor to ceiling around the walls and within each are shelves piled high with scrolls.

[Tyeal]

(Traps are for the Rogue to find, not the Healer)

Giving a shrug and having no objection either way, Tori follows the group. His brow furrows when they encounter a magic barrier preventing them from getting into this next room, one that looked like it has been sealed off for awhile given how grey everything looked. He scanned the are around the door and checked the barrier itself, curious to see what it would do. Testing its power by chucking a stone at it.

Perception: [roll0]
Investigation: [roll1]

[ianricks58]

"A dining room, or perhaps a conference room, maybe?" Ellywick suggests. "If we can't get through the barrier, we could try a different way and come back to it..." She really wanted to see what happened to the stone that Tori threw before changing anyone's mind though.

[Filtro]

The rock bounces back as it reaches the barrier. You can't seem to find any way to deactivate it or disenchant it. There must be some other way to cross this barrier.

[Tyeal]

'Well, it didn't disintegrate at least.'He thought to himself as the stone bounced off the quite solid barrier. He made a closer inspection of the surrounding frame into this room, and spied the symbol over the doorway. "Hey Ellywick." He started. "Can you tell if that symbol up there is magic or not? Could be what's keeping the barrier up. It'd be pretty inconvenient if this was being maintained from a great distance. What's in that can't be that important or valuable."

[ianricks58]

"That is beyond my limits magically, but not beyond Scales's. From the looks of it, I think I can see another way in to that room. Maybe we can try going around... Let me think for a moment" There had to be something important in the room if it was protected with a barrier. She pulls out her paper and starts to sketch the symbol, hoping to dredge up any forgotten memories that may help out here.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Psy-Knight]

Noticed I'm the only one not using a colour for speech, so switch for me to conform! Haha

"It doesn't appear that anything we would need would be in the room anyways. I, for one, don't need a new furniture set anywhere. Let's go north and try that. Perhaps we'll uncover the arming mechanism for the door elsewhere and we can admire their taste in furniture later." Dorrine moves around from the east door to stand by the entrance to the north. She half hoped barriers would be blocking the other two ways in and they'd have to turn around

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Rhogar grunts in agreement with Dorrine. "Can already see that it be magical, all me spells would do would confirm it. It aint goin' anywhere, we can have a go' breakin' it down on th' way out," he says turning away from the door and looking at their other options. Traps and spells and 100 years of rust and dust. Rhogar smiles to himself, sure in the fact that someone wouldn't go to the trouble of setting all these protections if there wasn't something valuable they were trying to keep.

[ianricks58]

"North it is." Ellywick stows her sketches and carefully avoids the pit as she approaches the northern exit.

[Tyeal]

He was somewhat annoyed that they were just leaving this room, but there didn't seem to be much that could be done to break their way in. There was clearly a reason why this room had been blocked off for a very long time, and he wanted to see why. Sighing in rejection, he hoisted his pack further up on his shoulders and followed the rest of the group north, taking the lead again and keeping his eyes open for any more traps.

[roll0]

[Filtro]

http://i.imgur.com/pg8C3MU.png
Remember there's still a door to the eastern unexplored area, in room 1

You see a corridor with 2 doors and one entrance similar to the previous one, leading to room 3, covered by the same magical barrier.
Both the doors are open.

Room 4 - Kitchen and Pantry: Two long wooden tables dominate the center of this room. Bowls, chopping boards and other kitchen implements are arranged on the tables and hanging from the walls.

The overall impression is one of neatness and order, though the thick layer of dust that covers all the surfaces suggest that whoever arranged this room has not been back for a very long time.

Two staircases lead out of the room, one downwards and one upwards.

Room 5 - Dining Area:A feast is laid out on a long table before you. 15 places have been set, and the table piled high with a side of pork, roasted vegetables, stews and a tureen of a greenish soup. Despite the covering of dust, wafts of steam still float up from the soup, and the food smelss excellent.

[Psy-Knight]

"Something here isn't right or natural." Dorrine says while moving past the dining table. She had decided that there would be no way she would eat anything from it, no matter how good it smelled.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick's stomach growled. "That food looks really good! Why is it still steaming? Could it be enchanted with longevity?" She grabs a spoon and tries the soup.


In case its poisoned
[roll0]

[Filtro]

The food is warm, nourishing and very tasty indeed.

[ianricks58]

"Hey, this food is edible! If our investigation takes an unplanned turn and we need to rest we won't need to use our rations." Ellywick says. She looks at the table to see if there is anything else of value (monetary or otherwise) "Why would they have food enchanted to last the ages, we haven't seen anyone here that could eat it! ...something to do with the prophesied miracle in six years perhaps, maybe the priests are coming back in six years..." Ellywick mutters.

[Filtro]

You find two silver candlesticks on the table.

[Tyeal]

Tori ignores the dining area, not trusting the enchanted food either, and decides to investigate the kitchen. Even covered in dust, chefs usually had some very good knives. Maybe he could swipe one for himself to add to his cooking arsenal, or even one he could use in combat. Grabbing a lit torch from the dining area, he takes it with him into the kitchen to help him better see the place. And makes a note to check either pantry.

[roll0]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Eyeing Ellywick as she eats the food and watching for any ill effects, when she announces it is edible, he leans forward and sniffs at it uncertainly still not trusting it. "Hope to be gone afore we get that hungry," he says moving away from the food without touching any of it. He'd take a bite if he was hungry later and if Ellywick hadn't collapsed by then.

Taking another look back at the table he counts out the plates set out around it and turns back to Ellywick "Though maybe th' priests haven't left 'n ye just ate their dinner," he says teasingly, before following Tori through into the other room.

[Filtro]

@ Tori

More food can be found on shelves in the alcoves, mostly grain and root vegetables. There is nothing else of value here.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick grabs the two candlesticks and stows them in her pack. "To finance a cure if we can't find it... Should we head downstairs or upstairs?"

[Psy-Knight]

"Up seems like it would be safer. So I imagine we're going to run down as danger obviously means the answer lies there." Dorrine chimes in dryly. "Bets on how long it takes for Tales to go down poisoned or enchanted or somehow cursed due to eating the food?" She then adds grinning towards Rhogar before turning to Elly and giving a wink.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Five silver says she'll be throwin' up before we're done here," Rhogar replies with a laugh eyeing up the staircases. "Though 'tis a temple to a sun god... th' interestin' stuff bound to be upstairs whar th' sun can get to it right?"

[Tyeal]

Sighing in disappointment, Tori emerges form the kitchen in time to hear of a little bet being made between Rhogar and Dorrain. He shook his head and gave them a rap with his knuckle on the backs of their heads. "If either of those happen I'll be faaaaar away. Not exactly kind to hope for ill tidings on an ally y'know." Still bearing the torch, he followed towards the front of the group once more, ascending further upwards into the temple and hoping for some actual answers on this new floor.

[ianricks58]

"Five silvers on nothing happening..." Ellywick says hopefully, fully embarrassed at her lack of foresight, again. "At least I hope nothing will happen..." She mentally checks herself, hoping that her assumptions about this place are accurate. "Hoping my hypotheses are true won't do anything to make them true."

Ellywick pulls out her paper and starts sketching. "I'm ready to go when everyone else is."

[Filtro]

http://i.imgur.com/gTt1GAf.png

A set of rotten couches and meditation stools are arranged haphazardly around this room, whilst light streams through dirty windows. It looks like it has been abandoned for some time and contains nothing of value. A short corridor leads around the staircase to a corridor, of which there are three small cells.

[Psy-Knight]

"Rhogar has five silvers for sickness, Elly for it to be completely safe and I'll go with some sort of mind and body control." Dorrine chuckles as she looks around the near area. She looks into the cells carefully from the outside.

[roll0]

[ianricks58]

While Dorinne was checking out the three small rooms, Ellywick decides to check the doors for traps.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Filtro]

The cells are empty.
You find no traps or anything hidden.
Ellywick is fine and feels fine.

The two doors leading north give access to the outside balconies. You arrived in the night, I believe. (Correct me if I'm wrong).
There's also two doors leading south.

[ianricks58]

Since she didn't detect any trap, Ellywick decides to try to open the south-eastern door.
It's the door furthest away from the outside balconies.

[Filtro]

That door is locked. Assuming you try the other door (south-western one):

As you open this door, an unseen ringing bell starts to sound constantly. You notice this might be some kind of alarm spell...

Inside the room, bright light floods from two glowing globes hanging from the ceiling and a verdant, earthy scent wafts out of this room. Plants and creepers have overgrown the chamber, covering every available surface. Shattered glass covers the floor. On one table an intact alembic still stands, nestled by the green
fronds, containing an effervescing pink liquid.

There also another door in this room, leading further south.
I'll update the map tomorrow.

[Tyeal]

Tori had only been vaguely interested in what little they were finding on the top floor. The balcony did let them know that night was settling in, and was glad he brought the lit torch with him, illuminating any of the rooms they were entering. He watched Elly enter a room to the south, furrowing his brow as light came out from the room. He walked over to her and slipped inside with her, sniffing the air as his gaze fell to the alchemical table. "Yeesh. Someone left their brew going a few dozen years too long. What is this stuff?" He walks over and examines the pink liquid, careful not to pick it up.

Perception: [roll0]
Investigation: [roll1]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Well if anyone's alive in here, it be knowin' visitors have arrived," he says following Tori towards the room and stopping in the doorway, Rhogar starts to smile again at the sight of the liquid and looks towards Ellywick wondering if perhaps she was thirsty. "One 'o them globes might be handy wit' it gettin' dark 'n all," he indicates pointing up at the lights while keeping in the doorway and listening in case the sounds of anything responding to the alarm could be heard.

Perception: [roll0]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick looked at the swirling pink liquid. It reminded her that she was thirsty. She circled the alembic and licked her lips. Picking it up, she swirled the liquid. She took a drink of water from her waterskin after setting the liquid back on the table and examined the liquid inside more closely. "Could this liquid be an antidote? Tori, are those oils flasks empty? We could use them to store some of this liquid." Ellywick continued her examination of the liquid to determine its true nature. Afterwards, she helps the others search the laboratory for research notes.


[roll0] to see what the liquid is
[roll1] to search the lab

While searching the laboratory, Ellywick asks, "Would it be better to close the door to prevent be being surprised? At least if we close the door we can ready ourselves when we hear the door open."

[Filtro]

http://i.imgur.com/hpoKVqt.png

@ Tori and Ellywick

The liquid in the alembic is magical and counts as 2 potions of healing. You will need something to transport it.

Bundles of notes charting plant growth and herbal experiments can be found in a drawer in one of the tables here. Embedded in the notes is a short piece of text describing the manufacture of an antidote to the sleeping draught. It requires a combination of leaves from three plants (Rosemary, Blackvine and Sundew), each of which can be found in this room. The leaves should be pounded in a spotless silver bowl with a drop of human or animal blood, and left to rest in sunlight for five minutes.

@ Rhogar

You hear voices and steps coming from the east, heading in the south door's direction.

Everyone please roll initiative and other skill checks and/or spells

[Tyeal]

Upon the two of them reaching their conclusion over what was in the alembic, Tori commented as he poured it out into a pair of empty vials he had on his person, "Convenient for us, that's for sure. We'll take this recipe with us and just copy it for that family and their son." He rolled up the recipe and tucked it away, along with the two vials of pink liquid.

It was at that point he heard footsteps, and saw Rhogar's reaction. Prompting him to hide behind the door and draw his dagger.

Initiative: [roll0]
Stealth: [roll1]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Somethin's comin' 'tis way," Rhogar hisses into the room at the others, stepping through the doorway and quickly checking over his equipment making sure he was ready in case whatever was coming to investigate didn't want to talk. "Can't make out what speak they be usin' yet, but looks like 'tis place isn't so abandoned as we thought."

Initiative: [roll0]

[ianricks58]

"I was hoping that we had more time for our search." Ellywick thought. She moves away from the open door. Hoping to scare her intruders, she magically creates the sound of a roaring lion. She readies her crossbow, loads a bolt and aims it at the door, ready to shoot it at the first intruder.

I was hoping to scare the people away or at least give them a reason to hesitate with a loud noise. This lasts for one minute. I don't know how long it will take for them to get here. Ellywick won't recast it if they don't arrive in time.
[roll0]


[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine audibly grumbles as she sets down her pack and draws her two short swords. She moves next to the doorway, hiding as best she can and listening to see if she can tell what's coming down the hall.

Wisdom (Perception/Listen) [roll0] -Languages: Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, Orcish, Goblin-
Dexterity (Stealth) [roll1]
Initiative [roll2]

[Filtro]

The door opens and two humanoid creatures enter the room, completely ignoring the lion. You all notice a couple more of them follow these two...
They are definitely human, but they seem dead - not rotten like zombies - but pallid white and empty eyes. You also notice they have Pelor's symbols hanging from pendants around their necks.

You all get a surprise round.

[ianricks58]

Ellywick aims her crossbow at the first defender and pulls the trigger. Even though they wore the symbol of Pelor, they were moving unnaturally. "Are they magically preserved zombies? I hope they didn't die from eating the bewitched food!"Ellywick exclaims, hoping that the same thing won't happen to her.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

He was prepared to possibly talk to whatever was coming towards them, but when the door opened and Ellywick's bolt went flying through the door... Oh well this is simpler, he thought, moving in front of the door way and drawing a huge breath into his lungs, his neck bugling and flashing from within, turning the normally dark blue scales of his throat a light blue. He then exhales with a torrent of lightning infused breath through the door shouting "Talos take you!" at the approaching figures.

Firstly: Lion? Huh? Did i miss something?

Rhogar will move in front of the door and use his breath attack to try catch as many of them as possible in its line.
Dex Save vs DC 12 for half damage or creatures in a 30ft line take [roll0] lightning damage
Then draw his warhammer.

[Psy-Knight]

"Should've avoided it like the rest of us." Dorrine calls back to Elly with a grin, though she really hoped that wasn't what caused it. Dorrine steps behind the completed breath attack from Rhogar and attacks the closest creature with her swords.

The Lion is due to magic from Elly trying to scare them away.

Main attack- [roll0], damage if hit- [roll1]
Bonus attack- [roll2]. damage if hit- [roll3]
Additional die of damage if either are critical- 1st att- [roll4], 2nd att- [roll5]

[Filtro]

Ellywick shoots and arrow but misses the humanoid.

Rhogar steps in and spits thunder at the two already inside and one still outside.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Filtro]

Herald 1 takes 8 damage.
Herald 2 and 3 take 4 damage.

Dorrine steps in and slashes Herald 1 with both swords (14 damage), cutting an arm off and cutting across his chest.

The first herald falls, but he does not react - He seems to feel no pain.

Initiative stack

Surprise round - Tori

1 - Ellywick
2 - Herald 3
3 - Dorrine
4 - Heralds 1 ("dead"), 2 and 4
5 - Tori and Rhogar

[Tyeal]

Tori watches from behind the door as these human-like figures wander in. Their pale flesh and dead expressions making it clear to him these things weren't entirely human. He watches as one goes down thanks to the efforts of the group, and feels he should act to possibly ensure it doesn't gent back up. Darting from behind the door, he jams his dagger dead center in its forehead, hoping that will keep it down as he faces the rest from the kicked-closed door behind him.

I can't imagine I need an attack to hit this thing as it is, so I'll just roll damage on it.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick's eyes shine with magic, three magic missile hurtle towards the three remaining humanoids. Each hit simultaneously.


[roll0]
I'm not sure if my magic modifier is added. If so, add +4 to total.

[Filtro]

Tori stabs Herald 1's head as he lies on the floor. No reaction.

Ellywick's missiles strike the three heralds as they continue to move through the door. They don't seem to feel anything, although the force blasts force them to stop for a moment.

Herald 3 moves ahead of the others towards Rhogar and tries to punch him in the face with abnormal strength.
[roll0]
[roll1]

1 - Ellywick - done
2 - Herald 3 - done
3 - Dorrine
4 - Heralds 2 and 4
5 - Tori and Rhogar

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine rushes to Rhogar's aid, with a grunt and lashes out with both blades viciously.

Main attack- [roll0], damage if hit- [roll1]
Bonus attack- [roll2]. damage if hit- [roll3]
Additional die of damage if either are critical- 1st att- [roll4], 2nd att- [roll5]

[Filtro]

Surprisingly, both Dorrine's clumsy attacks hit the Herald and for the first time they react - this one grunted and seemed weakened. (He takes 9 damage)

Herald 2 tries to punch Dorrine
[roll0]
[roll1]

Herald 4 attacks Rhogar
[roll2]
[roll3]

1 - Ellywick - done
2 - Herald 3 - done
3 - Dorrine - done
4 - Heralds 2 and 4 - done
5 - Tori and Rhogar

[Filtro]

Herald 2's crit damage
[roll0]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

The indignity of being casually smacked in the face was humiliating to say the least and Rhogar wasn't feeling to sharp after taking those hits either. Talos mend my wounds, so i can rip these things to pieces. he prays silently seeking his gods aid in battle.

Rhogar casts Cure Wounds on himself.
Healing: [roll0]hp, taking him back to full hp @ 10/10hp

[Tyeal]

'Dammit I wish I grabbed a club or something...' Tori laments to himself as he takes aim with his rapier and attempts to jab it through the skull of the creature Dorrine laid into.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Sneak Attack: [roll2]

[Filtro]

Rhogar heals himself. Feeling good!

Tori stabs Herald 3 through the eye. It falls and doesn't seem to be moving.


1 - Ellywick and Dorrine
2 - Heralds 2 and 4
5 - Tori and Rhogar

[Psy-Knight]

With Rhogar seemingly fine, Dorrine focuses her attention on the creature that attacked her. She lets out a pair of attacks, once again.

Against Herald 2
Main attack- [roll0], damage if hit- [roll1]
Bonus attack- [roll2]. damage if hit- [roll3]
Additional die of damage if either are critical- 1st att- [roll4], 2nd att- [roll5]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick's eyes again glow bright with magic, after an arcane chant, she points at the closest enemy.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Filtro]

Ellywicks burns Herald 4 alive. Although it doesn't make a noise, he seems disoriented, waving his arms as he falls on the floor in flames.
Dorrine slashes Herald 2, but not enough to bring him down.

Herald 2 responds with a punch to her face
[roll0]
[roll=damage]1d5+1

1 - Ellywick and Dorrine - done
2 - Herald 2 - done
5 - Tori and Rhogar

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Stepping one foot back and fending off the remaining thing with his shield, Rhogar draws free his warhammer and brings it to bear in a underhand blow at the creatures chin.

Warhammer @ Herald 2

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Filtro]

Rhogar bashes the last Herald's head in and smashes it.

All Heralds are down. Each of you gains 50XP

- Herald 1 - stabbed in the head by Tori
- Herald 2 - Head smashed by Rhogar
- Herald 3 - stabbed in the head by Tori
- Herald 4 - Burned "alive" by Ellywick

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Bending over forward to follow the herald to the ground, Rhogar lets loose with a few more swings of his hammer for good measure then angrily kicks the corpse. "What th' hell be these?" he asks the others hoping for some insight but not really expecting any answers. Stepping through the doorway he listens again to make sure no more are on their way.

Perception: [roll0]

[ianricks58]

"Would these guards have access to the room downstairs?" Ellywick wonders. She grabs a necklace from one of the guards. She examines it.

[roll0]

"Do we have time for one of your rituals, Rhogar? These might have some magic properties."

[Filtro]

Rhogar hears nothing that indicates more of these things coming your way.

Although not sure, Ellywick thinks this necklaces could be the key to pass through the barrier, or at least, it's worth a try.

[Psy-Knight]

"Whatever these things are, they obviously work for Pelor and it would seem we've angered a god. Do whatever you're going to do and quickly, we have what we need, and let's get out of here."
She stands ready by the door the creatures came from, though leaving as much space as possible with the fallen ones, not trusting them to stay down.

[roll0]

[ianricks58]

"Perhaps these guards are victims of some sort of evil, and we are just witnesses to its effects. Maybe they suffer the same effects as the farmer's son. We know that the boy will sleep forever in a sort of stasis. These bodies were preserved, so maybe they were poisoned the same way. If someone killed them and then turned them into undead, then they wouldn't decay like corpses normally would." Ellywick theorizes aloud. "They wear the symbol of Pelor and have no weapons, so they may have been priests or acolytes. But if they were victims of evil intent, why didn't the poison kill them, wouldn't Pelor's enemies want the priests dead?". Ellywick mulls over this conundrum, she picks up the necklaces and hands one to each person.

[Tyeal]

"I suggest we walk and talk." Tori comments aloud, sheathing his weapons. "I'd rather not be here should these things get back up, given how much they look like undeath." He motions to the door, hinting to have everyone leave, and he'll take the time to re-secure the lock with his tool kit.

To re-work lock without breaking it: [roll0]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick follows Tori's cue and leaves the room, being careful not to attract the attention of any stray priests.

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Taking one last look longingly in the direction the priests had come from, Rhogar turns and leaves the room allowing Tori to work the lock before starting to make his way back downstairs.

[Filtro]

You make your way back downstairs, through the kitchen and to the temple's entrance.

As soon as you step outside, you see 7 whiterobed humanoids with Pelor's symbols, like the ones before.
Another figure kneels before the temple, dressed in a golden robe. It turns his face as he feels your presence, revealing a face with desiccated skin drawn tight over the skull. Eyeless sockets stare at you, as it grabs a gleaming mace and stands up.

Roll initiative.

[Psy-Knight]

Cursing at seeing the large group, Dorrine draws her bow from the rear of the group.

[/spoiler=Initiative][roll0][/spoiler]

[Foodle]

Rhogar's Initiative: [roll0]

[Tyeal]

Tori swears under his breath at the meeting of more of these things, drawing his rapier and slipping into the shadows to try and get a better vantage on them.

Initiative: [roll0]
Stealth: [roll1]

[Filtro]

That Stealth Crit!
The heralds do not even imagine Tori could be anywhere near here.
Tori gets a surprise round.

[Filtro]

Herald 1[roll0]
Herald 2[roll1]
Herald 3[roll2]
Herald 4[roll3]
Herald 5[roll4]
Herald 6[roll5]
Herald 7[roll6]
Herald Leader[roll7]

[Tyeal]

Tori finds himself almost blanketed by the darkness with this group, having a brief moment of pride he vanished so completely. Making his way around slowly, he reaches into a belt pouch to produce a small bag. Opening it up, he flings it outwards and scatters hundreds of small metal orbs at the group of Pelor priests. He grinned to himself as he tucked the small, empty bag away, setting his rapier down gently on the floor and readying an arrow to be notched in his bow.

(Grease, basically. DC 10 Acrobatics to move through without falling, half speed = no check)

[ianricks58]

[roll0]
Ellywick curses as the zombie(?) Heralds approach.

[Filtro]

Tori covers the ground in front of the Heralds with metal spheres.

Initiative Stack

1 - Rhogar
2 - Herald 7
3 - Dorrine and Ellywick
4 - Heralds 2 and 3
5 - Tori
6 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 and Leader

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Groaning inwardly at the sight of all the corrupted Pelorian priest things waiting for them, Rhogar resolved to try be more careful the next time he poked around a long forgotten temple. Motioning for the others to stay back and keep the high ground, he drops his warhammer into it's loop at his side and begins to weave symbols in the air with one of his clawed fingers, praying softly to Talos under his breath.
A plume of radiant fire comes to life in the air above the heralds and then streaks towards their leader.

Action
Sacred Flame @ the Herald Leader
Leader needs to make a DEX save against DC 13, or take [roll0] radiant damage

Reaction
Should Rhogar be hit with a melee attack from one of the enemies, he'll use his Wrath of the Storm ability, causing them to make a DEX save against DC 13 or take [roll1] thunder damage. Or half damage if they succeed.

[Filtro]

to dodge the sacred flame[roll0]
moving to dodge the flame[roll1]

[Filtro]

The Herald in the golden robe easily dodges Rhogar's strike of radiant light. "Fools! How dare you desecrate this holy place?! Seize them!"

Herald 7 walkes over to Rhogar, if he can...[roll0]

[Filtro]

Herald 7 falls prone on the ground.

1 - Rhogar - done
2 - Herald 7 - done
3 - Dorrine and Ellywick
4 - Heralds 2 and 3
5 - Tori
6 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 and Leader

[ianricks58]

Ellywick aims her crossbow at the closest Herald and fires.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine mutters to herself about not trying to hide and ambush as well. With a fluid motion she aims at the closest standing Herald and lets and arrow fly

Rolls- Attack [roll0], Damage on Hit [roll1], Bonus Damage on Critical [roll2]

[Filtro]

1 - Rhogar - done
2 - Herald 7 - done
3 - Dorrine and Ellywick - done
4 - Heralds 2 and 3 - done
5 - Tori
6 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 and Leader

Ellywick barely misses one of the heralds.
Dorrine shoots an arrow at Herald 1 and pierces his arm.

Two Heralds start moving towards Rhogar, but both trip and fall prone on the ground.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Tyeal]

Seeing two of the creatures hit the floor, Tori drops his arrow and slides from the shadows towards them, drawing his rapier and a dagger. Attempting to bring them down into the foreheads of the creatures before they could get up.

Rapier: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Dagger: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]
Sneak Attack: [roll4]

[Filtro]

Tori stabbed the two heralds that went down through their heads. They stopped moving and stayed down.
Seeing this, the Herald Leader pointed at Tori, and started chanting in an unknown language.
He's casting Hold Person on you, Tori. Roll a Wisdom check or be paralyzed.

The other 4 Heralds moved in Rhogar's direction, if they can...
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

One of the heralds manages to keep up and punch Rhogar. The other 3 fall prone.
roll in next post

1 - Rhogar
2 - Herald 7 (down)
3 - Dorrine, Ellywick and Tori
4 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 (all down except 1) and Leader

[Filtro]

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Tyeal]

Tori grins to himself as he extracts his weapons from the dead creature's skulls, and stops smiling when the leader pointed at him, and felt a paralyzing force trying to overtake him. He snarls and fights back against the incantation, knowing that no bonds of any kind could hold him. Physical or magical.

[roll0]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

Ducking out of the way from the clumsy punch, Rhogar pulls free his warhammer and returns the gesture with evident glee.

Warhammer @ Herald 1

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Filtro]

Rhogar breaks some of Herald 1's bones, but he still moves.

Herald 7 gets up and tries to move again towards Rhogar. He falls again.
[roll0]

1 - Rhogar - done
2 - Herald 7 (down) - done
3 - Dorrine, Ellywick and Tori
4 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 (all down except 1) and Leader

[Psy-Knight]

Dorrine nocks a second arrow and let's it fly at the staggering creature, Rhogar had hit. (Herald 1)

Rolls- Attack [roll0], Damage on Hit [roll1], Bonus Damage on Critical [roll2]

[ianricks58]

Ellywick's eyes glow with magic after she mutters arcane words. Three magic missiles hurtle towards the leader of the group.
[roll0] (+4 if skill modifier applies)

[Tyeal]

The Rogue watched as the other creatures quickly fell, settling his sights on the one that tried to paralyze him. He darted in close and struck with his weapons; The Rapier going for its face and dagger aiming for the side of its neck.

Rapier: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Dagger: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]
Sneak Attack: [roll4]

[Filtro]

Tori, you must make an acrobatics check for that.

[Filtro]

Tori tastes some of his own venom and falls prone, quickly getting up afterwards.

Herald 1 attacks Rhogar once again

[roll1]

The other three heralds try to get back up, so they can join his companion on bringing down the armored dragonborn.
[roll2]
[roll=acrobatics 5]1d20-2)
[roll3]

[Filtro]

dammit...[roll0]

[Filtro]

The other three heralds manage to stay up somehow. Seeing Tori has approached them, one of them moves towards him.
Herald 4 attacks Rhogar [roll0] [roll1]
Herald 5 attacks Rhogar [roll2] [roll3]
Herald 6 attacks Tori [roll4] [roll5]

Rhogar and Tori both hear a voice on their heads. "You will die, today, infidel!"
The Leader is casting Fear on both of you. Roll a DC 11 WIS saving throw. If you fail, you drop whatever you are holding and become frightened for the duration of the spell (concentration maintains)
"While frightened by this spell, a creature must take the Dash action and move away from the caster by the safest available route on each of its turns, unless there is nowhere to move. If the creature ends its turn in a location where it doesn't have line of sight to the caster, the creature can make a Wisdom saving throw. On a
successful save, the spell ends for that creature.

1 - Rhogar
2 - Herald 7 (down)
3 - Dorrine, Ellywick and Tori
4 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 and Leader

[Tyeal]

Tori grumbles to himself as he tries to swiftly recover from his fall, taking a ready position instead. Hearing the voice echo inside his head, he steels his mind against the encroaching fear building up inside him.

[roll0]

[Foodle]

Rhogar, Dragonborn Cleric

"Ye curr!" Rhogar snarls at the herald before him as he takes a solid hit. Then attempts to shake off the foreign voices in his head, doing so with ease he shoots a hateful glare towards the leader. Swinging again with his warhammer as he tries to put the first creature onto the ground.

Wisdom Save: [roll0]

Warhammer @ Herald 1

Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]

Rhogar will also use his reaction if he is hit in melee by anything to use this Wrath of the Storm ability
Causing [roll3] thunder damage

[Filtro]

Tori starts running away from the heralds, in what seems a panic attack.
Herald 1 gets his head smashed and goes down.
Herald 7 gets up and tries to move once again in Rhogar's direction [roll0] but falls once again.

1 - Rhogar
2 - Herald 7 (down)
3 - Dorrine, Ellywick and Tori (Running in Fear)
4 - Heralds 1, 4, 5, 6 and Leader

[Psy-Knight]

Seeing the group focus on Rhogar and hearing the words of the leader, Dorrine drops her bow and rushes the creature that cast the spell, drawing her swords and strikes out.

Main Hand
Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]
Potential Critical [roll2]

Off Hand
Attack [roll3]
Damage [roll4]
Potential Critical [roll5]

[Filtro]

Dorrine, please roll acrobatics DC 10

[Psy-Knight]

[roll0] And some extra words to keep the forum gods from getting mad

[Tyeal]

He thought he was prepared for that whelling fear, but it hit him all at once. He turn and ran from their leader, hearing the screams of dying friends, burning homes, seeing himself sneaking through the ex-baron's castle avoiding detection. He wasn't ready for it.