TAG. The Adventurers Guild. IC

[Pyrophilios]

"Alright, maybe you can tell me the tune I should play to get you over to our side? There are some books around here too. Maybe we just need to hit the right tune to get you in phase or something. Drek, I should have listened to my mother."

Despite the fatigue, Lanius redoubled his efforts to get a quick and steady beat going.

[Estralita]

The prisoner frowned."The drums aren't magic, just regular handmade drums from home.. Unless you're a bard too, you playing on the drums shouldn't do anything..."

She trailed off. HER drums weren't supposed to be magical. She knew that,even if she didn't know how. But a different memory tugged on her as well...

"Okay, even I think this is a bit weird, but when I was little,I used to imagine what it would be like to get shrunk and placed inside a drum. Don't ask me why or how I know, but I think that's what's happening here."

[Pyrophilios]

"You want to tell us, that you are actually inside these drums? Does that mean I should cut them open?"
Lanius frowned, hovering his dagger above the felt of the drum.

[Holy-hunter]

Not all great discoveries are uncovered deliberately, mistakes, when they are not deadly or dangerous, may occasionally birth progress.
Like the one Lanius just made.

Either from beating the drum too hard, a loose hand on the dagger or simply losing his grip and dropping it, one way or another the object broke.
A sudden silence filled the room as the constant echoing drumming ended and the girl on the altar vanished.
For a moment there was a very real possibility that they had destroyed the only key to rescuing her.
That fear vanished a second later as she materialised on the stone slab before them. Unbound and free.

The drum apparently some key to a pocket dimension that was either built to look like the room they were standing in or vice-versa. But Now with it damaged that pocket dimension no longer existed.

———————————

After greeting and such,
Feel free to RP this bit for as long as you wish.
When ready to move on.

———————————

Despite the door behind you, everyone is mystically drawn to the stairway. As if pulled or sheparded by some unseen intrigue. An unheard call swaying your decision. ((Will Dave DC 17 to ignore and go to the door.))

The stairwells are short and merge at the bottom in some sort of entry room. 20ft by 20ft
The once darkness instantly vanishes as you pass over an invisible line. A soft even light being cast from what appears to be the torso of an old warforged propped on a thick pole held steady by a wide heavy wooden base. It sits just beside the entrance. Cobwebs covering much of it’s decrepit body. One eyes is naught but an empty dark hole in which a DC 12 Perception will reveal signs that the socket is now home to at least one mouse.
One arm has crude simple repairs from the elbow down giving the warforged fragile pinchers in place of a left hand.

Beside it sat an ornate shoe rack, length enough for a dozen shoes. Three old pairs remained. Along the corner to your left, behind the warforged torso a clothes rack holds a few old tattered dark robes.
Meanwhile the right wall holds a trough of running water, silently cascading down a finely crafted stone statuette of a tree above, with four out stretched hands in place of roots that gifts the falling water to the fine basin below.
A feature clearly designed for people to wash their hands and feet.

Two cupboards sat on the back wall each perched beside a wooden door of simple design. Security seemingly given up beyond the last magical door. On each cupboard are empty bowls of silverware.

”G, greee, t,t. T‘ings” the warforged managed to say as it abruptly whirred to life amongst the sudden clicking and grinding of many tiny gears and tightening strings. An odd interrupting shudder to his movements as its torso and head swivel to look upon you. His voice was strained and mechanical. A cloud of stale dust falling from its body with its slight motion.

[Pyrophilios]

"Ups." Lanius looked at the drum that he had inadvertendly destroyed. His dismay vanished when he saw the girl appear.
"Welcome in the land of the living. Before we talk about anything else: Are you a cruel and twisted abomination intending to instill a false sense of security in the two of us, only to betray, capture, torture and finally perform unspeakable rites to our bodies as a sacrifice to your eldritch master?
If so, please let me have a good nights sleep beforehand. I'm done with drek like this for the day."
With a sigh he added: "I'm Lanius, by the way. And that's Aelia. Nice to meet you."

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Aelia gives Lanius a look for his out of nowhere and rather too specific questioning. For her part she offers the woman a hand to get to a standing position and says, "Yes, as he said, I'm Aelia Smith. Interesting to meet you." Spoiler Show I'm voluntarily having Aelia fail that will save. Does Aelia think the warforged can be healed/repaired?

[Estralita]

The woman, suddenly freed without warning, blinked several times in surprise and looked vaguely about the room. The man- Lanius- drew her attention back to the pair, and she giggled at his words. " 'Fraid not. I'm just your ordinary, friendly half-orc, half-something else bard, Kara. Speaking of which, did you say you had my drums?"

[Pyrophilios]

"Had is the operative word here. You were kind of trapped in them, so... well we aktually had to break you out, destroying your drums in the process.
But we should keep the introductions short - we are still in an incredibly creepy underground temple of a self professed good sect that think nothing of torturing people.
That said, this staircase looks extremely interesting, let's have a look."

Lanius said, getting distracted by a strange compulsion to go there.

Seeing the dilapidated Warforged he said: "Hello there."

"Who are you and what is all that?"

[Holy-hunter]

Without thorough inspection it’s hard to tell if the warforged can be ‘healed’. Not knowing its original design or if it still holds any of its base intelligence.
This could be a mere moving corpse.

Nonetheless it sure can use some repairs though, many within the skill and spell set of Aelia.


It takes three attempts for it to line its gaze up with Lanius. Drawn to his question, its movements jerking and jarring.

“W, wh, elcome sirrr .” it manages to say although its one eye drifts off over his shoulder.

”aH mm, miss Kara.
It seems to recognise and becomes frustrated by the flaws in its own speech and slows its words down. The tone slightly dropping as it does.

”god. to. see. you. a.gain. ”

A crunching of crying machine parts and ancient dirt comes from the stand as the warforged is spun around to face the clothes rack. The horrible dry grinding repeats in reverse as he is flung back around to face you now holding an ancient robe. Seemingly unaware of it fraying away and falling to pieces right before your very eyes. The only thing to have truly survived is the gold cord from the neckline with its ornate solid clasp.

The warforged holds it out between his hand and pincher.

”Pleaae. Un.un.dress.” it says to Lanius. Offering the once lavish robes that are now barely rags.

[Pyrophilios]

"Gods, that's hard to stomach. Let me clean that up a bit at least."
Lanius made a gesture and spoke a word and the remains of the warforged began to clean itself. He repeated the process three times to also include the rags.
"My armor might not be in good shape, but I think I'll keep it on nonetheless. Thank you very much."

Spoiler

Show

Using Prestidigitation to clean the Warforged, so at least it won't grate so much anymore.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Fascinating." Aelia comments, looking over the warforged. After a bit she adds, "I might be able to fix it if we take it with us. At the very least I'd feel bad just leaving it here to rot." Then after a bit she adds, "You know, I've been thinking of making something sort of like this for a while. Though not so much a person as a guardian or animal companion."

[Pyrophilios]

"Well, I for one would appreciate a little mechanical buddy to take half the blows that get bandied about here. So, what are we doing with this thing here? It seems to think that we are here for a ceremony or something. By the way, I could use another nap right now. Those zaps haven't exactly improved my overall well being."

Lanius replied, still marveling over whats going on with this place

[Holy-hunter]

The machine moves and talks a bit smoother after its cleaning but continues to be persistent about the robes.

”Shoes on the rack, clothes in the cupboard, wash and then you may proceed.”

The fact that you are not doing this seems to make the mechanoid uneasy. It grows somewhat confused and anxious as things continue to deviate away from its usual routine experience.

[Pyrophilios]

"First tell me why - what is this all about?"
Lanius insisted to the warforged. His patience growing thinner and thinner.

[Holy-hunter]

"First tell me why - what is this all about?"
Lanius insisted to the warforged. His patience growing thinner and thinner.

“This. This is about.

This is the process. You change into robe, wash, then enter beyond. I... i wait here to greet, give clothes and open the door to friends. Kara is friend, you are Kara’s guests. Now please, put this robe on.”

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius looked at Kara: "You wouldn't happen to know what is beyond this vestry? Do I really need to disrobe?"

[Estralita]

Kara had missed much of the conversation, instead focusing on gathering her things, or at least what was left of them. Seeing one of her drums in such a state certainly held her up. She had had those drums since... well she knew it was a long time, and a mended drums still never quite sounded the same.

Lanius's questions drew her attention back to the group, although she still seemed distracted."Disrobe?I don't know why you would, although I won't stop you if you want to. Honestly,I don't seem to know much of anything right now. I only remembered my name because you asked.Maybe you should ask me more questions, and I'll know that answer without thinking, too."

She paused for a moment, considering this problem, then brightened upon seeing the automaton. "Or we could just ask you! I'm so sorry I missed you earlier, I'm still a bit all over the place. And it looks like I've lost most of my memories, so if you could introduce yourself and explain where we are, that would be a great help!"

[Holy-hunter]

” “


”I am...“ the warforged begins before pausing with a twisted mix of puzzlement and confusion. ”I am not sure...“ he says with an unworried realisation.
”I appear to have lost some of my own memories, or never had those ones.“
His head falls down and he looks over his body for a moment before his gaze returns to the party.
”I think I am Greeter, I greet the sisters and their guests here at the entrance to the temple. I’m sorry that I cannot say what is beyond that door, I imagine it is a big place full of many people though, for all the guests the sisters take in with them never leave.“

He stares at the door longingly for a moment. A gleam of curiosity and wonder in his one mechanical eye.

”Now please take this and undress.” he tries to push the robe upon you all again. ”Shoes on the rack, clothes in the cupboard, wash and then you may proceed“

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Could you close your eyes while we do that please?" Aelia asks, attempting to spare anyone from having to actually go through the motions any further.

[Estralita]

"Sounds like a good idea to me!"Kara glances at her saviors."After all, I can't go around wearing this," she adds, gesturing to her bloodstained outfit.

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius finally took the filthy piece of rag and nodded: "Yeah, close your eyes, please."
He certainly didn't intend to get out of his armor, but having the robe couldn't hurt - unless it was enchanted to make its wearers helpless once they were in the room that was obviously a sacrificial chamber.
"Gods, I hate this place."

[Holy-hunter]

Greeter takes a moment to consider your request, unable to follow your reasoning, but he obliges anyway, taking a hand and placing it over his eye.

As the clasp of the tattered cloak is closed its magic flares to life. Rolling down from the neck the attire is made clean and new, all signs of damage or age disappearing as it is rebuilt. The repaired hood pulls itself up over your head and an illusionary plain white expressionless mask slowly appears, covering your face.

Once everyone has these on, the far door clicks with the sound of a heavy lock opening.

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius sighed and moved towards the door, by now resigned to his fate.

[Estralita]

Kara finished changing into her clean (though admittedly not very practical) outfit with a whirl."That's much better!"

She then turned and saw the transformation of the ragged cloak. " Oh, interesting." Kara grabbed one of her own and put it on as well.

Once the room opened up, she gestured towards it with a flourish. Now onward to victory! Or escape, or maybe more rescues? Whatever comes our way, we'll be ready for it!"

[Holy-hunter]

Some semblance of sorrow or longing takes Greeter’s mechanical face as you leave the room.
Beyond the door ghostly blue magic bubbles float in the air offering a dim glowing light. The air is a buzz with magical energy. The hallway before you is tidy and made of quality stone. It is vastly superior in quality and design compared to what you have travelled through so far. You can see 3 alcoves along the side of each wall. They appear to hold coffins. After about 80ft the hallway veers off to the right on a 45 degree angle but not before giving way to a large iron bar door. You can’t see what the room holds from here.

A faint whisper resonates in her head. The voice, dry, raspy, weak and desperate.
“Come”

[Holy-hunter]

Greeter was a bit reluctant at first, greeting people and the inside of this room is all he has ever known, but he didn’t need much convincing and was soon overly eager.

He was however stuck in place.
Aelia quickly discovers that the base is secured to the ground and connected to the door via cogs and pipes. With a little tinkering you manage to remove him from the contraption, taking unnecessary parts of it with him.

He asks you to not disturb the mouse hiding in his eye socket as the two have apparently bonded and become friends.
You catch glimpses of the little brown fur ball and occasionally hear its squeaks but it mostly stays hidden.


Greeter
Warforged (torso) Non-classed
170lbs, small, 10ft crawl
AC 10, HP 19,

Str 13, Dex 8, Con 15, Wis 8, Int 12, Cha 14,
Proficiencies:
Simply weapons, light armor,
Dragon chess, cards, calligrapher tools.
Skills:
Diplomacy, Insight, Perception

Spoiler: Current Conditions

Show

No legs:
Reduced movement (crawl)
Reduced size
Reduced Dex

Missing eye:
Disadvantage on visual perception
Gains empty socket

Makeshift arm:
Reduced crawl speed
Very basic functionality

Unclean separation:
Needs both arms to balance self
Weight increased

[Pyrophilios]

"It sounds very much like some undead is waiting in here." Lanius whispered to his two and a half companions. "Be very careful and have your weapons ready."
Taking his own advice, he pulled out his rapier, while advancing before stopping in front of the iron door:

"Who are you and what do you want from us?"

[Holy-hunter]

Lanius passes the coffins and approaches the iron door, it is already ajar. Inside the room beyond there appears to be a cell of sorts, built into the stone. Skeletal remains tell of a creature trapped here for a very long time. The cell is mostly barren except for a stone bench carved into the wall and the remains of what could have been a wooden bucket.
The rest of the room holds a table and chairs, a torture rack and an iron maiden, a chest of drawers.

The room holds the repugnant stench of decay, be it from the long deceased body or the excessive mould clinging to the table and almost hiding the forgotten cutlery beneath. A few books and parchments lay scattered about.

*Perception checks*

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

Show

Perception
Disadvantage
(1d20)[5]/(1d20)[19]+7

Tired, Lanius looked around.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Drawing her mace is a little bit more cumbersome with Greeter on her back, but she agrees with Lanius' read of the situation enough to be prepared. Spoiler Show Perception: (1d20+1)[21]