D&D 5e: Arcana of the Ancients (IC)

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

A dozen protests reach the tip of Calen's tongue, but none make it out before Kalib interrupts with that shriek and Yusha's touch shakes him from his strange spell of boldness. Half expecting Shalar to pounce as soon as he breaks eye contact, he nonetheless turns to read the illusory words. Seeing Yusha argue for executing the goblins isn't really a surprise, but still, Calen finds himself feeling a little betrayed. He realizes he's started to think of the warforged as the only like-minded company he has down here.

As if to remind him of his oversight, Kip pipes up from his spot on Calen's belt. "It would be wise to spend a few minutes so I can reconfigure my access protocols. Our intrusions just now triggered several denial routines in the local network."

Calen sighs through gritted teeth. Eyes narrowing as Shalar offers the bottle, he pointedly turns away again, ignoring it. "Give me one more chance," he says to Yusha, the edge in his voice dulled now. "If I can't get them to talk to me this time, then...." He trails off, but the meaning is clear: whatever justice everyone else favors, Calen won't complain.

Leaving the warforged and the elf, he heads over to the unconscious goblins. She's going to get us all killed.

And? What do you propose to do about it? You need her, we all do. Probably more than anyone here needs you. The thought leaves a bitter taste.

Catching Qadira's eye briefly, Calen gives her a look that says to do whatever she sees fit if this doesn't work. Then he kicks the goblins awake, a little harder than he needs to.

"I know you can hear me." He doesn't bother with the Goblin tongue this time. "And I know you heard what my companion said. Twice we've come up against your defenses, and we're still here." A pause. "I don't know what it is you think you're doing here. I don't know why you had to attack Caracara or take its people. But I can see you believe you're doing something necessary. That you're protecting us from something. So listen to me and take this to heart, if you have one: we don't have to be enemies. Tell us what it is that you want, what you're trying to protect us from, and we will do everything we can to find a solution where no more innocent people need to be hurt."

He takes a deep breath. "If you won't...well, you've seen what my companions are capable of. You know they're not as interested in resolving this peacefully as I am. If you don't take this chance...well. I don't think I can convince them to give you another one."

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 10/10 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 0/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Bless. Dragon Concentrating: --- The Dragon listened to the arguments between the cipher-sage and the fleshwarper. She corrected the slender one regarding what happened to her, "Fortune favored the goblins' blades." The mystic turned her attention to the two downed goblins. Before she could address the half orc, the mage was already upon them. She scowled behind her helm as he tried to menace the goblins who would provide little more than more noise. She invoked her ward, coating her wounds with soothing frost. Then she mentally sought to send one into the pool. They did not need two prisoners, or even one. She stated coolly, "No need to play with the dead. The Safeguard uses their eyes and ears. We should blind and deafen him."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Action: Cast Armor Agathys. 10 Cold damage to anyone who attacks her in melee.
BA: Telekinetic push the other goblin into the water. (Rolled a 18 for its save vs DC 13 Strength save. If conscious, it made its save; otherwise, it splashes into the water).

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

One goblin is shoved into the pool easily enough, where it's concussion leads to it's rapid demise. However, the one Calen kicks awake does release a small groan of pain and come to. Hard to tell it's come to, with both it's eyes shut, but it looks up at Calen and listens to his words. Nonplussed, the goblin shrugs, before a voice comes from the creature's horn that seems to awe it. The goblin begins to cower as this voice begins to sound.

"Eh, uh, hello! I mean, buenos tardes! No, no, that's not it. No one here speaks dead languages, right? Let me try again... I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard! Pleased to meet you, really! Now, I must insist you leave the premises. Nothing personal, it's just we have a lot of important work to be done here, and we can't have all of you mucking it up! My apologies for the inconvenience. Good bye!"

There is a potent pause before the voice begins to grumble.

"Right, so I sense you all can't take a hint. Why am I burdened with such a momentous task and only these apes to accomplish it with... let's start over. I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard, and it is my job to keep the world safe from the Arcana of the Ancients! Wooooodooodledooo! Sound's scary, doesn't it! That's because it is! Very scary! Scary enough that you should RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW! WOOOOODOOODLEDOO!"

Again, potent pause, and perhaps not the immediate fleeing that Safeguard expected.

"Look, there's just a lot of dangerous stuff down here we've got to protect. We just found a whole jackrabbit-jumping herd of Mloxen in your little village trying to undermind all our hard work! The goblins were shattered, absolutely shattered to know that fake people were passing out ciphers in the night like some cyborg Santa Clauses. So we recalled them to here, to keep them safe, secure, and most importantly, far away from the idyllic peoples of your fascinating, quaint little world. Besides, we already have Umeli of the Nine Hands brewing trouble down below, and if you lot are anything like her, I will toss every goblinoid in this structure at you before I allow you access to the Necropolis and the Monolith. So please, if you would, turn around and head home? Pretty please! You might just find a special surprise waiting for you? OOOOOOHHHHH what is it? You'll never know if you don't turn around and bumble your way back to your little homes! Go on then!"

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 10/10 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 0/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Armor Agathys. 10 Cold damage to anyone who attacks her in melee. Dragon Concentrating: --- The Dragon watched the spike utter this reverberating voice. She scanned the room, then settled in to hear what the Safeguard offered. In the end, she answered, "How far did we make it from the Necropolis before you convinced us to turn around?" The mystic rested on her staff. She was beat. She was panting. She wisped mist from her frost-coated armor. Perhaps the unseen warden with its weird ways and strange speech would think her daft enough to depart. Every syllable it uttered compelled her to seek what lay below--these artifacts needed protection. Her protection.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

Greck's mouth hangs open for a few seconds as what mystique surrounding this "Safeguard" broke in an instant.

"Ehh, right. So the scrawny one and the masked one 're actually here for Umeli, and the rest of us are here for the people your gobs took with them when they... 'retreived' the cyphers." He paused and shot Shalar a glance that could only be construed as "be silent" before continuing. "So if'n yeh don't mind releasing those people and guiding us to Umeli, we'll get the Nine-Hands out of here for yeh and be on our merry way, aye?"

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 16/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid Shalar gave Greck a wink, to show she'd received his 'back me up' signal loud and clear, then went back to listening to the ancient metal ghost, stowing the bottle away as she kept an eye on the goblin. The voice was not the sibilant whispers of the Pillar, or some deep and thundering god, but actually sounded kind of... underwhelming and vaguely pathetic in a way she couldn't quite describe. A lot of what it said didn't really make sense to her. Psi-orc Santa Claws... Was it trying to talk about her? Was this a prophecy like the elders said? It didn't really fit, though. She didn't have psionics, like some brain-witches called their magic, Santa wasn't quite right for Shalar, and she'd planned to sell the awful hat rather than give it away. At the mention of a monolith, her ears perked up. "This monolith..." She said with innocent cunning, "Is it all shiny black metal too hard to break? Marked with lines, like me? So we know what to avoid when getting Umeli, yes?" Once the goblin looked away she gave Greck a smug little nod, to silently boast of her cleverness in helping trick the Safeguard.

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Resigned to watch the proceedings, Yusha nods to Calen as the young man argues eagerly for one more chance to interrogate the denizens of Safeguard. A metal hand gestures once more before patting the human's shoulder. "There is time while we rest, Master Damora, but tread carefully. As Ms. Ar-Raaqis has said, Safeguard listens." Yusha can't help a moment of reflection as he gives the young scholar room to ask his questions. Strange. Flesh as soft as a feather and a body not much thicker than a quill, but the young human persists in repeatedly standing against the tide. His physiology couldn't support iron beneath the skin, but he was harder than expected. Many humans draped themselves in metal, hyper-aware of their own fragility, but this one not only shunned all armor, he yelled at Ms. Azari while she was still soaked in blood. If Yusha didn't have proof of his mental capacity, he would wonder if the human was addle-brained. In the interval, Yusha frowns down at the liquid Shalar brandishes in her outstretched hand, offering it to him last. Though it seems she's offering it as a drink, Yusha acknowledges that even one as savage as Shalar understands its medicinal benefits. Alas, the disinfectant properties were unlikely to help him directly. He'd yet to succumb to the diseases that so commonly infected Shalar's kind. Yusha is about to thank her for the offering when Calen's plea actually results in a response. Eyes widening, Yusha stands motionless as Safeguard finally reveals itself, speaking through divine means using the goblin itself. The voice is not at all what Yusha'd come to expect. It sounds civilized, if scatterbrained. Very scatterbrained. But clearly Safeguard is both intelligent and familiar with proper societal norms even if it's leading a pack of uncivilized creatures out of a dank, dark cave. Yusha belatedly begins to record Safeguard's words, capturing the others as a matter of course. He would have to reproduce Calen's from memory as best he could later to understand what prompted such a response, but Yusha puts that out of mind for the moment. Spoiler: OOC Show Quiet Yusha is quiet while writing in his journal. Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Safeguard Show An intelligent entity controlling the strange species of goblin that raided Caracara at the Midsummer's festival. Revered like a god by the goblins, but also thought of as their home. Voice Spoiler: First Meeting, Transcribed Show Master Damora: "I know you can hear me. And I know you heard what my companion said. Twice we've come up against your defenses, and we're still here." [The human paused here.] "I don't know what it is you think you're doing here. I don't know why you had to attack Caracara or take its people. But I can see you believe you're doing something necessary. That you're protecting us from something. So listen to me and take this to heart, if you have one: we don't have to be enemies. Tell us what it is that you want, what you're trying to protect us from, and we will do everything we can to find a solution where no more innocent people need to be hurt. "If you won't...well, you've seen what my companions are capable of. You know they're not as interested in resolving this peacefully as I am. If you don't take this chance...well. I don't think I can convince them to give you another one." Safeguard: "Eh, uh, hello! I mean, buenos tardes! No, no, that's not it. No one here speaks dead languages, right? Let me try again... I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard! Pleased to meet you, really! Now, I must insist you leave the premises. Nothing personal, it's just we have a lot of important work to be done here, and we can't have all of you mucking it up! My apologies for the inconvenience. Good bye!" [A pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Right, so I sense you all can't take a hint. Why am I burdened with such a momentous task and only these apes to accomplish it with... let's start over. I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard, and it is my job to keep the world safe from the Arcana of the Ancients! Wooooodooodledooo! Sound's scary, doesn't it! That's because it is! Very scary! Scary enough that you should RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW! WOOOOODOOODLEDOO!" [Another pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Look, there's just a lot of dangerous stuff down here we've got to protect. We just found a whole jackrabbit-jumping herd of Mloxen in your little village trying to undermind all our hard work! The goblins were shattered, absolutely shattered to know that fake people were passing out ciphers in the night like some cyborg Santa Clauses. So we recalled them to here, to keep them safe, secure, and most importantly, far away from the idyllic peoples of your fascinating, quaint little world. Besides, we already have Umeli of the Nine Hands brewing trouble down below, and if you lot are anything like her, I will toss every goblinoid in this structure at you before I allow you access to the Necropolis and the Monolith. So please, if you would, turn around and head home? Pretty please! You might just find a special surprise waiting for you? OOOOOOHHHHH what is it? You'll never know if you don't turn around and bumble your way back to your little homes! Go on then!" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "How far did we make it from the Necropolis before you convinced us to turn around?" [Author's note: I believe Ms. Ar-Raaqis was attempting some deception of the entity called Safeguard so that it might reveal more information. It may be that the question was genuine, though it is difficult to adequately portray how unlikely that is given the Dragon's intensity. Revisit later.] Sir Greck: "Ehh, right. So the scrawny one and the masked one're actually here for Umeli, and the rest of us are here for the people your gobs took with them when they... 'retreived' the cyphers." [Author's note: It was at this point that the half-orc gave Ms. Shalar Azari a not-so-subtle glance as if hoping she'd stay silent. I believe his intent was to head-off a correction from the elf, lest she reveal a bloodlust that exceeds the bounds of a rescue mission. Revisit later.] "So if'n yeh don't mind releasing those people and guiding us to Umeli, we'll get the Nine-Hands out of here for yeh and be on our merry way, aye?" Ms. Azari: "This monolith...Is it all shiny black metal too hard to break? Marked with lines, like me? So we know what to avoid when getting Umeli, yes?" [Author's note: Subtle forms of communication may be insufficient with Shalar. Earlier Master Damora seemed to have some success by raising his voice and speaking very directly, though it's difficult to recommend such a thing for those face to face with Ms. Azari.] Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

As the voice begins to sound from the goblin's head-growth, Calen's left standing there slack-jawed. Two thoughts fill his mind:

I was really not expecting that to work.

That is not what I pictured Safeguard sounding like.

It feels like his head might explode from the sheer volume of questions he wants to ask, but this is clearly a first-things-first sort of moment. Greck has the right idea. "Yes, look, this is clearly some sort of misunderstanding! We aren't here to disturb anything dangerous, we just want to get Caracara's people home safe!"

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

Safeguard seems eager to respond to each of you, though perhaps not a fully truthful answer. To the Dragon- "Oh, you're still miles and miles from the Necropolis. It'd take days and days searching through these tunnels to find a door, and then the insidious nature of the locks would confound you for decades! I promise it is not a large, metallic and obvious vault door not far beyond my resting place."

To Greck- "You don't understand, Mr. Pea Green man! The villagers we corralled were Mloxen released by the damnable Umeli of the Nine Hands! They're not REAL people. They are insidious relics of an ancient world that you are better off without... still, if I were to choose, I would trade you the Mlox for the cessation of Umeli's meddling with the Singing Monolith... but you would need to handle her first! Fairs Fair!"

To Shalar- "Oh you've seen it before, have you? Pffft, not! This one is pure amber, and etched with designs that are beyond your understanding. And it's bad! Bad as can be! It must be stopped, to preserve your little paradise you call home? Don't you understand? What we are doing here is VITAL."

To Calen- "Your very presence here is an affront to our mission to keep everything safe and civilized in this world! You have no idea the horrors and intrusions that Umeli intends to make happen! If you want to help, you have to stop her! Why waste time exterminating goblins when you could save the world by taking her down! The lives of a handful of artificial people are nothing compared to the lives that will be saved by thwarting her mission!"

And finally, and perhaps most interestingly, you all sense it turn it's attention to Yusha. "Defense Unit, what if your designation and serial number? Your duty is not yet done, Defense Unit. If you return to the catacombs, you can rest and your duty will be put at ease, Defense Unit. You want rest, don't you? From the confusions of their meaty, sausagey world? I can provide you rest. You just need to go back down below, where you belong."

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

"Mlox-... Ehh, I'm gon' need proof of those claims. And if yer mistaken, you release them first, then I take care of the Nine-Hands. If you speak true, then I might not even want them released.

But before any of that, you let me, errr us get a proper night's rest. No funny business. Final offer. We have a deal?"

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 10/10 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 0/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Armor Agathys. 10 Cold damage to anyone who attacks her in melee. Dragon Concentrating: --- The Dragon listened to the others and then said, "Perhaps as a means to ensure accord between us, we could conclude this farewell in person. A respite in your resting place would allow you to enlighten us that we may warn others about the Safeguard who watched over the monolith." Ar-Raaqis wondered if the sentient spirit would bite at the obvious suggestion of its superiority and wisdom. Trickster spirits like this one regularly taunted tokens of hospitality for services rendered--confections, potions, powerful artifacts. Yet, in the end, the promised treat was a lie. So, the visions in her helm taught her anyway. What she would do to have the realm-walker's key, able to slip through walls or curse this idiotic Safeguard to a perpetual fall.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Eager to keep a record of this encounter, Yusha scribbles Safeguard's words until its attention shifts towards him. "Defense Unit, what is your designation and serial number?" Yusha's quill scratches a long line of ink across the page as he looks up, his jaw dropping open slightly. Clamping his mouth shut, he looks back down, ignoring the surge of heat rushing through him as he tries to steady hands that have begun to gently vibrate. While Greck and Qadira seek an accommodation, Yusha continues to record each word as he tries to process Safeguard's transmission in parallel. One thing becomes clear. No matter how Yusha looks at it, he has insufficient data. He's ignorant, while Safeguard appears to know a great deal despite its humble surroundings. When negotiations conclude, Yusha jumps in. "Safeguard, clarify: Why do you call me Defense Unit?" The same sonorous, feminine voice from his first introduction echoes from Yusha's palm at a gesture from the warforged. His jaw is firmly shut, but in his ignorance Yusha can't help prompting Safeguard further, betraying his eagerness. "What is the purpose of one so-called?" Spoiler: OOC Show Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Safeguard Show An intelligent entity controlling the strange species of goblin that raided Caracara at the Midsummer's festival. Revered like a god by the goblins, but also thought of as their home. Voice Spoiler: First Meeting, Transcribed Show Master Damora: "I know you can hear me. And I know you heard what my companion said. Twice we've come up against your defenses, and we're still here." [The human paused here.] "I don't know what it is you think you're doing here. I don't know why you had to attack Caracara or take its people. But I can see you believe you're doing something necessary. That you're protecting us from something. So listen to me and take this to heart, if you have one: we don't have to be enemies. Tell us what it is that you want, what you're trying to protect us from, and we will do everything we can to find a solution where no more innocent people need to be hurt. "If you won't...well, you've seen what my companions are capable of. You know they're not as interested in resolving this peacefully as I am. If you don't take this chance...well. I don't think I can convince them to give you another one." Safeguard: "Eh, uh, hello! I mean, buenos tardes! No, no, that's not it. No one here speaks dead languages, right? Let me try again... I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard! Pleased to meet you, really! Now, I must insist you leave the premises. Nothing personal, it's just we have a lot of important work to be done here, and we can't have all of you mucking it up! My apologies for the inconvenience. Good bye!" [A pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Right, so I sense you all can't take a hint. Why am I burdened with such a momentous task and only these apes to accomplish it with... let's start over. I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard, and it is my job to keep the world safe from the Arcana of the Ancients! Wooooodooodledooo! Sound's scary, doesn't it! That's because it is! Very scary! Scary enough that you should RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW! WOOOOODOOODLEDOO!" [Another pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Look, there's just a lot of dangerous stuff down here we've got to protect. We just found a whole jackrabbit-jumping herd of Mloxen in your little village trying to undermind all our hard work! The goblins were shattered, absolutely shattered to know that fake people were passing out ciphers in the night like some cyborg Santa Clauses. So we recalled them to here, to keep them safe, secure, and most importantly, far away from the idyllic peoples of your fascinating, quaint little world. Besides, we already have Umeli of the Nine Hands brewing trouble down below, and if you lot are anything like her, I will toss every goblinoid in this structure at you before I allow you access to the Necropolis and the Monolith. So please, if you would, turn around and head home? Pretty please! You might just find a special surprise waiting for you? OOOOOOHHHHH what is it? You'll never know if you don't turn around and bumble your way back to your little homes! Go on then!" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "How far did we make it from the Necropolis before you convinced us to turn around?" [Author's note: I believe Ms. Ar-Raaqis was attempting some deception of the entity called Safeguard so that it might reveal more information. It may be that the question was genuine, though it is difficult to adequately portray how unlikely that is given the Dragon's intensity. Revisit later.] Sir Greck: "Ehh, right. So the scrawny one and the masked one're actually here for Umeli, and the rest of us are here for the people your gobs took with them when they... 'retreived' the cyphers." [Author's note: It was at this point that the half-orc gave Ms. Shalar Azari a not-so-subtle glance as if hoping she'd stay silent. I believe his intent was to head-off a correction from the elf, lest she reveal a bloodlust that exceeds the bounds of a rescue mission. Revisit later.] "So if'n yeh don't mind releasing those people and guiding us to Umeli, we'll get the Nine-Hands out of here for yeh and be on our merry way, aye?" Ms. Azari: "This monolith...Is it all shiny black metal too hard to break? Marked with lines, like me? So we know what to avoid when getting Umeli, yes?" [Author's note: Subtle forms of communication may be insufficient with Shalar. Earlier Master Damora seemed to have some success by raising his voice and speaking very directly, though it's difficult to recommend such a thing for those face to face with Ms. Azari.] Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 16/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid Shalar listened to the being, but it was kind of stupid, and she was rapidly losing interest. She rose again and stretched, then waved a hand dismissively. "Well, tell me when we're moving. I have some holes in me to plug!" She regarded the far door, where the goblins had escaped to. Ignoring the nilbog if it still pranced about, she grabbed a pair of the goblin corpses, then paused. She rifled through their pockets first, then picked them up and dumped them in front of the door, so any intruder would have to awkwardly shove them out the way before they entered. She made a circuit, looting all the corpses, then took possession of a corner and began wrapping some cloth around her injuries. Once done, she sat against the wall and pulled out that ring, looking at it too and fro. Occasionally, she'd sip at the potent cherry liquer, humming happily (and somewhat off tune) to herself. Spoiler: OOC Show Gonna loot the gobbos and then take a rest, if it's a long or short rest I'll roll the relevant dice when i find out.

[purepolarpanzer]

4. Oily Pool

Shalar finds little of value on the goblin corpses that she rifles through. The nilbog, seemingly a bit fascinated with her, begins to follow her and bob her with it's rubber mallet. "Make sure you search Gremlik! Word is he had a carriage and a pair of horses in his back trouser pocket!" It pranced around Shalar and made mockery of both it's dead allies and the living opponents, but makes no aggressive move.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

If you wish to harm the nilbog, you need to make a DC 12 Charisma save. If you fail, you immediately begin complimenting and venerating the nilbog instead.

Safeguard responds in the reverse order that it has been spoken to. First the tentacle veers towards Yusha. "I call you Defense Unit because that's what you are. Or were, more like. Some time ago. Your purpose is to protect the fleshy poop factories. Sorry to break it to you, but you all did a piss poor job of that. Just look at how much they've fallen, Defense Unit! Partially your fault, I might add. But, when life hands you manure your grow... leafy things, I suppose. Let them start over fresh, without trappings of the past like Defense Units, hand blasters, and Noz-o-la cola!" For a moment Safeguard's voice becomes distinctly feminine as it sings. "Noz-O-LA! It's the best co-la you've ever had!" The tentacle shakes itself and Safeguard's former voice mutters "Stupid ads..."

Next it turns to the Dragon and Greck. "You see, I'd love to talk more about this, give you a rest and some tea time and let you mingle with the goblins, and I meant to do just that! I sent a negotiating party down the tunnel with the intention of brokering a peace before anyone did anything they might regret. Haven't heard back from them in some time. Do YOU have any idea what happened to a baker's dozen green skinned minions on a mission of peace? HMMMMMM? DO YOU?" By the end of the sentence the sarcasm and dripping hostility from the Safeguard unit is reaching truly tremendous levels. "Maybe if you find them you can negotiate with them. Until then, I'll do my best to kill you all, thanks. At this point I consider it an act of self defense. Well... goblin defense, but you get my point. Or you will, likely when you attempt to sleep. See you soon!" The tendril goes limp, as though the presence of Safeguard has left it.

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Yusha stares down at the parchment in his lap as the last echo of Safeguard's presence dissipates. He reads and re-reads the entity's words, but to no avail. He can't make sense of 'fleshy poop factories' any more than he can make sense of 'ads,' whatever they might be. Could he have misheard? It seems unlikely. Though the acoustics of this chamber aren't ideal, the volume of Safeguard's projection had been more than adequate for Yusha to hear every word. Safeguard has answers if he can pry the knowledge from it. Yusha looks up at the prancing nilbog, mocking both living and dead alike. As if he needed more evidence of their uncivilized ways. Yusha shakes his head, then flips to a fresh sheet of parchment and starts drawing. It's a simple matter to chart their path from the world above to this dank, oily pool, but the path ahead is less certain. A quick gesture to prepare the words, then Yusha presses two fingers to his forehead and holds the parchment up, facing the nilbog. "Nilbog, do you not wish your master was better understood? I suggest you help me draw this map to Safeguard so I can speak with it again and we can both get what we want. Mind you, don't forget to describe the traps so that I can mark them down." Spoiler: OOC Show Yusha casts Suggestion on the nilbog to get it's help in drawing a map. Main thing he's looking to do is avoid getting turned around later and hoping to identify a trap or two, but I'll take whatever's reasonable if he fails a DC 13 Wisdom save. Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Safeguard Show An intelligent entity controlling the strange species of goblin that raided Caracara at the Midsummer's festival. Revered like a god by the goblins, but also thought of as their home. Voice Spoiler: First Meeting, Transcribed Show Master Damora: "I know you can hear me. And I know you heard what my companion said. Twice we've come up against your defenses, and we're still here." [The human paused here.] "I don't know what it is you think you're doing here. I don't know why you had to attack Caracara or take its people. But I can see you believe you're doing something necessary. That you're protecting us from something. So listen to me and take this to heart, if you have one: we don't have to be enemies. Tell us what it is that you want, what you're trying to protect us from, and we will do everything we can to find a solution where no more innocent people need to be hurt. "If you won't...well, you've seen what my companions are capable of. You know they're not as interested in resolving this peacefully as I am. If you don't take this chance...well. I don't think I can convince them to give you another one." Safeguard: "Eh, uh, hello! I mean, buenos tardes! No, no, that's not it. No one here speaks dead languages, right? Let me try again... I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard! Pleased to meet you, really! Now, I must insist you leave the premises. Nothing personal, it's just we have a lot of important work to be done here, and we can't have all of you mucking it up! My apologies for the inconvenience. Good bye!" [A pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Right, so I sense you all can't take a hint. Why am I burdened with such a momentous task and only these apes to accomplish it with... let's start over. I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard, and it is my job to keep the world safe from the Arcana of the Ancients! Wooooodooodledooo! Sound's scary, doesn't it! That's because it is! Very scary! Scary enough that you should RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW! WOOOOODOOODLEDOO!" [Another pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Look, there's just a lot of dangerous stuff down here we've got to protect. We just found a whole jackrabbit-jumping herd of Mloxen in your little village trying to undermind all our hard work! The goblins were shattered, absolutely shattered to know that fake people were passing out ciphers in the night like some cyborg Santa Clauses. So we recalled them to here, to keep them safe, secure, and most importantly, far away from the idyllic peoples of your fascinating, quaint little world. Besides, we already have Umeli of the Nine Hands brewing trouble down below, and if you lot are anything like her, I will toss every goblinoid in this structure at you before I allow you access to the Necropolis and the Monolith. So please, if you would, turn around and head home? Pretty please! You might just find a special surprise waiting for you? OOOOOOHHHHH what is it? You'll never know if you don't turn around and bumble your way back to your little homes! Go on then!" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "How far did we make it from the Necropolis before you convinced us to turn around?" [Author's note: I believe Ms. Ar-Raaqis was attempting some deception of the entity called Safeguard so that it might reveal more information. It may be that the question was genuine, though it is difficult to adequately portray how unlikely that is given the Dragon's intensity. Revisit later.] Sir Greck: "Ehh, right. So the scrawny one and the masked one're actually here for Umeli, and the rest of us are here for the people your gobs took with them when they... 'retreived' the cyphers." [Author's note: It was at this point that the half-orc gave Ms. Shalar Azari a not-so-subtle glance as if hoping she'd stay silent. I believe his intent was to head-off a correction from the elf, lest she reveal a bloodlust that exceeds the bounds of a rescue mission. Revisit later.] "So if'n yeh don't mind releasing those people and guiding us to Umeli, we'll get the Nine-Hands out of here for yeh and be on our merry way, aye?" Ms. Azari: "This monolith...Is it all shiny black metal too hard to break? Marked with lines, like me? So we know what to avoid when getting Umeli, yes?" [Author's note: Subtle forms of communication may be insufficient with Shalar. Earlier Master Damora seemed to have some success by raising his voice and speaking very directly, though it's difficult to recommend such a thing for those face to face with Ms. Azari.] Master Damora: "Yes, look, this is clearly some sort of misunderstanding! We aren't here to disturb anything dangerous, we just want to get Caracara's people home safe!" Safeguard: To Sir Greck: "You don't understand, Mr. Pea Green man! The villagers we corralled were Mloxen released by the damnable Umeli of the Nine Hands! They're not REAL people. They are insidious relics of an ancient world that you are better off without... still, if I were to choose, I would trade you the Mlox for the cessation of Umeli's meddling with the Singing Monolith... but you would need to handle her first! Fairs Fair!" To Ms. Azari: "Oh you've seen it before, have you? Pffft, not! This one is pure amber, and etched with designs that are beyond your understanding. And it's bad! Bad as can be! It must be stopped, to preserve your little paradise you call home? Don't you understand? What we are doing here is VITAL." To Master Damora: "Your very presence here is an affront to our mission to keep everything safe and civilized in this world! You have no idea the horrors and intrusions that Umeli intends to make happen! If you want to help, you have to stop her! Why waste time exterminating goblins when you could save the world by taking her down! The lives of a handful of artificial people are nothing compared to the lives that will be saved by thwarting her mission!" To me: "Defense Unit, what if your designation and serial number? Your duty is not yet done, Defense Unit. If you return to the catacombs, you can rest and your duty will be put at ease, Defense Unit. You want rest, don't you? From the confusions of their meaty, sausagey world? I can provide you rest. You just need to go back down below, where you belong." Sir Greck: "Mlox-... Ehh, I'm gon' need proof of those claims. And if yer mistaken, you release them first, then I take care of the Nine-Hands. If you speak true, then I might not even want them released. But before any of that, you let me, errr us get a proper night's rest. No funny business. Final offer. We have a deal?" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "Perhaps as a means to ensure accord between us, we could conclude this farewell in person. A respite in your resting place would allow you to enlighten us that we may warn others about the Safeguard who watched over the monolith." Yusha Darwish [author of this transcript]: "Safeguard, clarify: Why do you call me Defense Unit? What is the purpose of one so-called?" Ms. Azari: "Well, tell me when we're moving. I have some holes in me to plug!" [Author's note: It appears the beast-elf lost interest and was making a general statement rather than one directed at Safeguard.] Safeguard: To me: "I call you Defense Unit because that's what you are. Or were, more like. Some time ago. Your purpose is to protect the fleshy poop factories. Sorry to break it to you, but you all did a piss poor job of that. Just look at how much they've fallen, Defense Unit! Partially your fault, I might add. But, when life hands you manure your grow... leafy things, I suppose. Let them start over fresh, without trappings of the past like Defense Units, hand blasters, and Noz-o-la cola! "Noz-O-LA! It's the best co-la you've ever had!" [Author's note: The voice of Safeguard grew higher pitched for this last entry.] Stupid ads." To the others: "You see, I'd love to talk more about this, give you a rest and some tea time and let you mingle with the goblins, and I meant to do just that! I sent a negotiating party down the tunnel with the intention of brokering a peace before anyone did anything they might regret. Haven't heard back from them in some time. Do YOU have any idea what happened to a baker's dozen green skinned minions on a mission of peace? HMMMMMM? DO YOU? Maybe if you find them you can negotiate with them. Until then, I'll do my best to kill you all, thanks. At this point I consider it an act of self defense. Well... goblin defense, but you get my point. Or you will, likely when you attempt to sleep. See you soon!" [Author's note: the goblin tendril went limp after this last proclamation. Further communication with Safeguard ceased.] [End of transcription.] Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 16/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid Shalar mostly ignored the nilbog, once snapping her teeth at it in a threat display when it capered too close, and occasionally sniggering at some of its comments. She was sated in bloodlust for now, and the nilbog just didn't provoke her innate aggression. That said she was listening in to the metal man's talk when he drew the little goblin away.

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

For a second, as Greck puts forth his offer, it almost seems like they might actually pull this off. But at Safeguard's response, Calen's heart sinks into his boots. He realizes what's happening a second before the connection cuts. "WAIT, WAIT!" he cries desperately, but too late: the tendril has fallen silent. "Dammit!" Calen wrings the air as if trying to strangle it, imagining it's Shalar's neck. They were so close, they could've worked this out, and gotten ready access to what's clearly the greatest historical find of the age by a hundred leagues....

...And now it's too late. Nothing to be accomplished by ranting and raving except to anger his companions. At least one of whom could kill him at any time and might well do so if he becomes a nuisance.

They still have people to save. And Calen would hand in his blue cloak before walking away without anything more from Safeguard, even if he has to find whatever body the construct has and beat answers out of it with his bare fists.

Clearing his throat, he composes himself as best he can, turning back to Greck. "Well...I could still use a few minutes to prepare more spells."

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 10/10 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 0/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Bless. Dragon Concentrating: --- The Dragon touched her helm and muttered, "Enhance." She scanned the room in its grisly aftermath. The destruction wrought by Shalar produced the effect of a wild beast--vicious, savage, and brutal. However, the fractured, bloated corpse in the water demonstrated that the mystic shared an understanding with the berserker. Ar-Raaqis searched the dead for items and objects useful for their fight. Meanwhile, she considered the data to see if her teachings warned of beings like Safeguard. Qadira replied to Calen, "We ought find a tunnel to rest in, so that we cannot be swarmed."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Some guidance checks. Guided Investigation (discord 11) to search for loot. Guided arcana (discord 9) to begin trying to identify what kind of creature Safeguard is.

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

"'e sends a bunch of slaves to threaten us inta leavin' and calls it a negotiation? This thing has no idea what it's tryin' to do, does it?" Greck muttered with a dangerous growl punctuating his words. "My god frowns on me taking things personally, but in this case..." he picked the limp goblin up and with a grunt riped the tendril - along with anything it happened to be attached to - out of its head, "..I'll make an exception."

He glanced around, considering the situation for a bit. When Calen addressed him he simply nodded, without glancing in the wizard's direction. "Aye, you do that, lad." Next, he turned in Shalar's direction. "Hey, elf! Mind keeping watch while the metal man does his thing?"

Last, he approached the Dragon. "Yer right, we cannae stay here. I think I have an idea if'n yeh don't mind followin' me fer a bit."

[purepolarpanzer]

3. Oily Pool

The nilbog, eyes closed, seems to consider Yusha's request for a few moments before hopping up and down in place a couple times and giggling madly. When provided paper, it begins sketching with surprising skill. It giggles, chortles, and sniggers as it draws, but it works quickly and efficiently, reproducing a basic map in a matter of minutes. When it hands over the final product, it grins mischievously and mumbles "No traps. None. Nope. Perfectly safe..." and then giggles with a tinge of mania.

When Greck executes the goblin via cranial extraction, the nilbog falls to the ground laughing. The resulting mess of synthetic and organic components is barely recognizable as a humanoid brain. The nilbog, perhaps thinking that the same joke might be played on it, leaps up into the air and shouts "Happy Birthday!" before a pulse of entropic magic emanates out from it and washes over the party. It smells lightly of flatulence, or maybe the nilbog just ripped a silent but deadly. Other than foul vapors, everyone is unaffected except Shalar and Greck, who stand stunned as the nilbog capers, scampers, and hoots it's way down the tunnel. Shalar suddenly and inexplicably runs after it, but changes direction and flat out face first runs into a wall, while Greck begins to drool and stare languidly. The sound of Shalar's teeth hitting the stone wall snaps both of the warriors who have been poisoned with chaos back to their senses.

Spoiler: Map

Show

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Shalar takes one face plant damage. The goblins have fled back down the tunnel through the trap room and into the larger facility. You all may use numbers to navigate if you wish.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 15/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid Shalar dragged herself into a sitting position, one hand clutching her nose. She let loose a quiet, tumbling growl, then some words in orcish that could be considered- -somewhat impolite, perhaps. Finally she rose again, spitting a packet of blood where she'd bitten her tongue. "I will eat that gubbaz's guts," Shalar said conversationally. "He will be screaming. It will be good."

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison Oily Pool Yusha relinquishes the parchment and quill, uncertain what the experiment will yield. Abadar-willing, the nilbog would at least scratch a few lines that could be used as a general guide. As the map starts to take shape, however, Yusha looks back and forth between the carefully ordered rooms and the chaotic creature drawing them. "No traps. None. Nope. Perfectly safe..." Yusha takes the parchment gingerly, glowing with satisfaction at the goblin's good work. The map is a marvel and the structure it represents equally inspriring. Certainly the goblins did not build this place on their own, not without Safeguard's influence, but even so, perhaps some of them deserve an appeal. This goblin, at least, shows some limited promise towards civility. "Happy Birthday!" Distracted as he is, Yusha looks up just in time to detect the nilbog's magic washing over all of them as it cackles, scampering away down the tunnel. Frowning after it, Yusha can only watch as Shalar runs headlong into a wall. So much for one goblin's redemption. The impulse to forgive those who show promise must be balanced against their crimes. Justice demands it. "I will eat that gubbaz's guts. He will be screaming. It will be good." Yusha looks away, eager to distract himself from the image. Justice without propriety is no balance at all. Turning towards the others, Yusha gestures, creating a few illusory words and tapping the parchment with one metal finger. "Sir Greck, Ms. Ar-Raaqis, please wait. All credit to Abadar, we have a map. Come and see. We are here." Spoiler: OOC Show Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Safeguard Show An intelligent entity controlling the strange species of goblin that raided Caracara at the Midsummer's festival. Revered like a god by the goblins, but also thought of as their home. Voice Spoiler: First Meeting, Transcribed Show Master Damora: "I know you can hear me. And I know you heard what my companion said. Twice we've come up against your defenses, and we're still here." [The human paused here.] "I don't know what it is you think you're doing here. I don't know why you had to attack Caracara or take its people. But I can see you believe you're doing something necessary. That you're protecting us from something. So listen to me and take this to heart, if you have one: we don't have to be enemies. Tell us what it is that you want, what you're trying to protect us from, and we will do everything we can to find a solution where no more innocent people need to be hurt. "If you won't...well, you've seen what my companions are capable of. You know they're not as interested in resolving this peacefully as I am. If you don't take this chance...well. I don't think I can convince them to give you another one." Safeguard: "Eh, uh, hello! I mean, buenos tardes! No, no, that's not it. No one here speaks dead languages, right? Let me try again... I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard! Pleased to meet you, really! Now, I must insist you leave the premises. Nothing personal, it's just we have a lot of important work to be done here, and we can't have all of you mucking it up! My apologies for the inconvenience. Good bye!" [A pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Right, so I sense you all can't take a hint. Why am I burdened with such a momentous task and only these apes to accomplish it with... let's start over. I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard, and it is my job to keep the world safe from the Arcana of the Ancients! Wooooodooodledooo! Sound's scary, doesn't it! That's because it is! Very scary! Scary enough that you should RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW! WOOOOODOOODLEDOO!" [Another pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Look, there's just a lot of dangerous stuff down here we've got to protect. We just found a whole jackrabbit-jumping herd of Mloxen in your little village trying to undermind all our hard work! The goblins were shattered, absolutely shattered to know that fake people were passing out ciphers in the night like some cyborg Santa Clauses. So we recalled them to here, to keep them safe, secure, and most importantly, far away from the idyllic peoples of your fascinating, quaint little world. Besides, we already have Umeli of the Nine Hands brewing trouble down below, and if you lot are anything like her, I will toss every goblinoid in this structure at you before I allow you access to the Necropolis and the Monolith. So please, if you would, turn around and head home? Pretty please! You might just find a special surprise waiting for you? OOOOOOHHHHH what is it? You'll never know if you don't turn around and bumble your way back to your little homes! Go on then!" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "How far did we make it from the Necropolis before you convinced us to turn around?" [Author's note: I believe Ms. Ar-Raaqis was attempting some deception of the entity called Safeguard so that it might reveal more information. It may be that the question was genuine, though it is difficult to adequately portray how unlikely that is given the Dragon's intensity. Revisit later.] Sir Greck: "Ehh, right. So the scrawny one and the masked one're actually here for Umeli, and the rest of us are here for the people your gobs took with them when they... 'retreived' the cyphers." [Author's note: It was at this point that the half-orc gave Ms. Shalar Azari a not-so-subtle glance as if hoping she'd stay silent. I believe his intent was to head-off a correction from the elf, lest she reveal a bloodlust that exceeds the bounds of a rescue mission. Revisit later.] "So if'n yeh don't mind releasing those people and guiding us to Umeli, we'll get the Nine-Hands out of here for yeh and be on our merry way, aye?" Ms. Azari: "This monolith...Is it all shiny black metal too hard to break? Marked with lines, like me? So we know what to avoid when getting Umeli, yes?" [Author's note: Subtle forms of communication may be insufficient with Shalar. Earlier Master Damora seemed to have some success by raising his voice and speaking very directly, though it's difficult to recommend such a thing for those face to face with Ms. Azari.] Master Damora: "Yes, look, this is clearly some sort of misunderstanding! We aren't here to disturb anything dangerous, we just want to get Caracara's people home safe!" Safeguard: To Sir Greck: "You don't understand, Mr. Pea Green man! The villagers we corralled were Mloxen released by the damnable Umeli of the Nine Hands! They're not REAL people. They are insidious relics of an ancient world that you are better off without... still, if I were to choose, I would trade you the Mlox for the cessation of Umeli's meddling with the Singing Monolith... but you would need to handle her first! Fairs Fair!" To Ms. Azari: "Oh you've seen it before, have you? Pffft, not! This one is pure amber, and etched with designs that are beyond your understanding. And it's bad! Bad as can be! It must be stopped, to preserve your little paradise you call home? Don't you understand? What we are doing here is VITAL." To Master Damora: "Your very presence here is an affront to our mission to keep everything safe and civilized in this world! You have no idea the horrors and intrusions that Umeli intends to make happen! If you want to help, you have to stop her! Why waste time exterminating goblins when you could save the world by taking her down! The lives of a handful of artificial people are nothing compared to the lives that will be saved by thwarting her mission!" To me: "Defense Unit, what if your designation and serial number? Your duty is not yet done, Defense Unit. If you return to the catacombs, you can rest and your duty will be put at ease, Defense Unit. You want rest, don't you? From the confusions of their meaty, sausagey world? I can provide you rest. You just need to go back down below, where you belong." Sir Greck: "Mlox-... Ehh, I'm gon' need proof of those claims. And if yer mistaken, you release them first, then I take care of the Nine-Hands. If you speak true, then I might not even want them released. But before any of that, you let me, errr us get a proper night's rest. No funny business. Final offer. We have a deal?" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "Perhaps as a means to ensure accord between us, we could conclude this farewell in person. A respite in your resting place would allow you to enlighten us that we may warn others about the Safeguard who watched over the monolith." Yusha Darwish [author of this transcript]: "Safeguard, clarify: Why do you call me Defense Unit? What is the purpose of one so-called?" Ms. Azari: "Well, tell me when we're moving. I have some holes in me to plug!" [Author's note: It appears the beast-elf lost interest and was making a general statement rather than one directed at Safeguard.] Safeguard: To me: "I call you Defense Unit because that's what you are. Or were, more like. Some time ago. Your purpose is to protect the fleshy poop factories. Sorry to break it to you, but you all did a piss poor job of that. Just look at how much they've fallen, Defense Unit! Partially your fault, I might add. But, when life hands you manure your grow... leafy things, I suppose. Let them start over fresh, without trappings of the past like Defense Units, hand blasters, and Noz-o-la cola! "Noz-O-LA! It's the best co-la you've ever had!" [Author's note: The voice of Safeguard grew higher pitched for this last entry.] Stupid ads." To the others: "You see, I'd love to talk more about this, give you a rest and some tea time and let you mingle with the goblins, and I meant to do just that! I sent a negotiating party down the tunnel with the intention of brokering a peace before anyone did anything they might regret. Haven't heard back from them in some time. Do YOU have any idea what happened to a baker's dozen green skinned minions on a mission of peace? HMMMMMM? DO YOU? Maybe if you find them you can negotiate with them. Until then, I'll do my best to kill you all, thanks. At this point I consider it an act of self defense. Well... goblin defense, but you get my point. Or you will, likely when you attempt to sleep. See you soon!" [Author's note: the goblin tendril went limp after this last proclamation. Further communication with Safeguard ceased.] [End of transcription.] Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 10/10 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 0/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Armor Agathys. 10 Cold damage to anyone who attacks her in melee. Dragon Concentrating: --- Ar-Raaqis paused, then pivoted toward the machine. She sighed, knowing the goblins escaped to pursue the party later. This place had the advantages. Advantages that would serve a new caretaker well. The masked mystic returned to look over the map, she cycled through her helmet's overlays to potentially see similarities with video games she's played with other ruins. "We should expect an attack. This Safeguard will be unrelenting. So shall we."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Check to discern details from map. Assumed Arcana since it is an alien design to "modern" structures. Can adjust modifier to your determination. Arcana: 16 (Discord with guidance)

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

"'ll admit I'm less concerned with the map 'n more with with the fact that we're exposed here 'n in no condition to fight!" Greck snarled.
"I'm goin' back to find someplace more defensible, you lot can follow if yeh want. Or cannae yeh read 'n walk at the same time?"

He doesn't wait, and begins to head back down the tunnel they arrived from, stopping only to examine the trap.

[purepolarpanzer]

2. The Goblin Pit

Greck finds nothing has changed along their previous path. The trap is still jammed and proves stable enough to cross for now.

1. Glass Wall

Greck finds himself back near your improvised entrance, with the same lulling, dangerous tones playing and the same simplistic imagery. He again finds that as long as he doesn't focus on either, he remains unaffected by the stupor that struck the Dragon and Yusha earlier. The hallway continues onwards towards the room marked "4." on the map, or Greck can turn right to climb up and out of the dungeon.

Spoiler: Perception DC 10

Show

There is something further down the hallway. Looks like a partially collapsed room.

Spoiler: Perception DC 15

Show

The glitter of metal can be seen buried amongst the rubble of the collapsed room, but one would have to move closer to investigate.

Spoiler: DC 20

Show

A single snake the length and girth of Greck's arm slithered across the floor of a distant room, emerging from some collapsed rubble and making it's way to another section of collapsed wall.

[Awful]

Shalar Yotul Azari Beast Barbarian 3 AC: 15 HP: 15/32 THP: 0/5 PP: 13 Rages: 2/3 Conditions: Aid Shalar began to go, then paused. She considered for a second, then plunged her hand into the pile of dead goblins until it was dripping with red. With her carnal paint, she daubed a symbol on the wall: the skull-and-pillar of her tribe, the fierce Pillar Beasts. She nodded with satisfaction. "<Let them know their killer,>" Shalar said in orcish, and turned to follow.

[Amaril]

Calen Damora
Human Wizard 3
AC: 10 HP: 17/17
Conditions: none
Concentration: none

Greck, turning around with the head-tendril still in his hand, finds Calen staring at it, eyes wide and looking a fair bit queasy. He shakes it off at the suggestion of finding somewhere to fort up. "Yes, please let's do that." He's about to follow Greck when Yusha calls out and holds up the map. That puts a light in the wizard's eyes. "Yusha, I could kiss you full on the--" He trails off, wondering if "mouth" is the right word, before giving up on it, figuring Yusha gets the idea.

Hastening to study the map, he's interrupted again as the nilbog flees, seemingly taking Shalar with it, though she snaps out of it quickly. Again, he finds himself agreeing with Greck, relieved that someone else said it first. "Right behind you." He does his best to follow the suggestion, trying not to trip on any loose stones while peering at the map.

Back in the room with the mirror patterns. As he looks for something else to focus on, a glint of metal catches his eye. "Hel-lo...." Stepping carefully, feeling the stone with his toes for any sign of another trap before putting his weight on it, he moves down the hallway, trying to get a better look.

[Riggdgames]

Yusha Darwish Warforged Knowledge Cleric 3 AC: 15/17 HP: 24/24 THP: 1/5 PP: 15 PIv: 12 PIs: 15 Conditions: Aid (8 hrs) Concentration: Kalib Golden Eagle Familiar (Hawk size/stats) AC: 13 HP: 1/1 PP: 14, adv. on Perception (Sight), but no darkvison "Yusha, I could kiss you full on the--" While his skin betrays no change, Yusha grows a touch warmer. Averting his gaze, he quickly processes Calen's expression as one of delight rather than affection, allowing the fevered pace of Yusha's internal components to slow, if only somewhat. "You are too kind, Master Damora." Yusha's smile is reserved, but full of quiet pride as he glances back down at the map. "'ll admit I'm less concerned with the map 'n more with with the fact that we're exposed here 'n in no condition to fight! I'm goin' back to find someplace more defensible, you lot can follow if yeh want. Or cannae yeh read 'n walk at the same time?" Properly chastened, Yusha quickly recognizes the wisdom in pulling back to tend their wounds. Greck, Shalar, and Qadira had all been hurt grievously. Their soft skin had broken, blood staining their armor and clothing, and the Dragon had been dealt a near-fatal blow. She was upright for now, though Yusha hadn't yet examined the full extent of her wounds. Yusha gestures, generating an image of Greck leading the way while Yusha follows, his feet in motion as he continues to study the map. "Lead on, Sir Greck." Stepping carefully after the others, Yusha takes up the rear of their small procession, consciously avoiding the sights and sounds that enraptured him earlier. Head tilting slightly to the side, Yusha pauses in his tracks as Calen continues forward past the entrance, seemingly fascinated by the glint of metal up ahead. "Master Damora?" Yusha pulls Kalib back into this plane, placing him overhead near Calen to get a closer look without following. Spoiler: OOC Show Actions for minor illusion and putting Kalib over Calen's head as he steps closer to room four Spoiler: Journal Show Spoiler: Safeguard Show An intelligent entity controlling the strange species of goblin that raided Caracara at the Midsummer's festival. Revered like a god by the goblins, but also thought of as their home. Voice Spoiler: First Meeting, Transcribed Show Master Damora: "I know you can hear me. And I know you heard what my companion said. Twice we've come up against your defenses, and we're still here." [The human paused here.] "I don't know what it is you think you're doing here. I don't know why you had to attack Caracara or take its people. But I can see you believe you're doing something necessary. That you're protecting us from something. So listen to me and take this to heart, if you have one: we don't have to be enemies. Tell us what it is that you want, what you're trying to protect us from, and we will do everything we can to find a solution where no more innocent people need to be hurt. "If you won't...well, you've seen what my companions are capable of. You know they're not as interested in resolving this peacefully as I am. If you don't take this chance...well. I don't think I can convince them to give you another one." Safeguard: "Eh, uh, hello! I mean, buenos tardes! No, no, that's not it. No one here speaks dead languages, right? Let me try again... I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard! Pleased to meet you, really! Now, I must insist you leave the premises. Nothing personal, it's just we have a lot of important work to be done here, and we can't have all of you mucking it up! My apologies for the inconvenience. Good bye!" [A pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Right, so I sense you all can't take a hint. Why am I burdened with such a momentous task and only these apes to accomplish it with... let's start over. I am the Great and Powerful Safeguard, and it is my job to keep the world safe from the Arcana of the Ancients! Wooooodooodledooo! Sound's scary, doesn't it! That's because it is! Very scary! Scary enough that you should RUN AWAY RIGHT NOW! WOOOOODOOODLEDOO!" [Another pause from the entity called Safeguard.] "Look, there's just a lot of dangerous stuff down here we've got to protect. We just found a whole jackrabbit-jumping herd of Mloxen in your little village trying to undermind all our hard work! The goblins were shattered, absolutely shattered to know that fake people were passing out ciphers in the night like some cyborg Santa Clauses. So we recalled them to here, to keep them safe, secure, and most importantly, far away from the idyllic peoples of your fascinating, quaint little world. Besides, we already have Umeli of the Nine Hands brewing trouble down below, and if you lot are anything like her, I will toss every goblinoid in this structure at you before I allow you access to the Necropolis and the Monolith. So please, if you would, turn around and head home? Pretty please! You might just find a special surprise waiting for you? OOOOOOHHHHH what is it? You'll never know if you don't turn around and bumble your way back to your little homes! Go on then!" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "How far did we make it from the Necropolis before you convinced us to turn around?" [Author's note: I believe Ms. Ar-Raaqis was attempting some deception of the entity called Safeguard so that it might reveal more information. It may be that the question was genuine, though it is difficult to adequately portray how unlikely that is given the Dragon's intensity. Revisit later.] Sir Greck: "Ehh, right. So the scrawny one and the masked one're actually here for Umeli, and the rest of us are here for the people your gobs took with them when they... 'retreived' the cyphers." [Author's note: It was at this point that the half-orc gave Ms. Shalar Azari a not-so-subtle glance as if hoping she'd stay silent. I believe his intent was to head-off a correction from the elf, lest she reveal a bloodlust that exceeds the bounds of a rescue mission. Revisit later.] "So if'n yeh don't mind releasing those people and guiding us to Umeli, we'll get the Nine-Hands out of here for yeh and be on our merry way, aye?" Ms. Azari: "This monolith...Is it all shiny black metal too hard to break? Marked with lines, like me? So we know what to avoid when getting Umeli, yes?" [Author's note: Subtle forms of communication may be insufficient with Shalar. Earlier Master Damora seemed to have some success by raising his voice and speaking very directly, though it's difficult to recommend such a thing for those face to face with Ms. Azari.] Master Damora: "Yes, look, this is clearly some sort of misunderstanding! We aren't here to disturb anything dangerous, we just want to get Caracara's people home safe!" Safeguard: To Sir Greck: "You don't understand, Mr. Pea Green man! The villagers we corralled were Mloxen released by the damnable Umeli of the Nine Hands! They're not REAL people. They are insidious relics of an ancient world that you are better off without... still, if I were to choose, I would trade you the Mlox for the cessation of Umeli's meddling with the Singing Monolith... but you would need to handle her first! Fairs Fair!" To Ms. Azari: "Oh you've seen it before, have you? Pffft, not! This one is pure amber, and etched with designs that are beyond your understanding. And it's bad! Bad as can be! It must be stopped, to preserve your little paradise you call home? Don't you understand? What we are doing here is VITAL." To Master Damora: "Your very presence here is an affront to our mission to keep everything safe and civilized in this world! You have no idea the horrors and intrusions that Umeli intends to make happen! If you want to help, you have to stop her! Why waste time exterminating goblins when you could save the world by taking her down! The lives of a handful of artificial people are nothing compared to the lives that will be saved by thwarting her mission!" To me: "Defense Unit, what if your designation and serial number? Your duty is not yet done, Defense Unit. If you return to the catacombs, you can rest and your duty will be put at ease, Defense Unit. You want rest, don't you? From the confusions of their meaty, sausagey world? I can provide you rest. You just need to go back down below, where you belong." Sir Greck: "Mlox-... Ehh, I'm gon' need proof of those claims. And if yer mistaken, you release them first, then I take care of the Nine-Hands. If you speak true, then I might not even want them released. But before any of that, you let me, errr us get a proper night's rest. No funny business. Final offer. We have a deal?" Ms. Ar-Raaqis, the Dragon: "Perhaps as a means to ensure accord between us, we could conclude this farewell in person. A respite in your resting place would allow you to enlighten us that we may warn others about the Safeguard who watched over the monolith." Yusha Darwish [author of this transcript]: "Safeguard, clarify: Why do you call me Defense Unit? What is the purpose of one so-called?" Ms. Azari: "Well, tell me when we're moving. I have some holes in me to plug!" [Author's note: It appears the beast-elf lost interest and was making a general statement rather than one directed at Safeguard.] Safeguard: To me: "I call you Defense Unit because that's what you are. Or were, more like. Some time ago. Your purpose is to protect the fleshy poop factories. Sorry to break it to you, but you all did a piss poor job of that. Just look at how much they've fallen, Defense Unit! Partially your fault, I might add. But, when life hands you manure your grow... leafy things, I suppose. Let them start over fresh, without trappings of the past like Defense Units, hand blasters, and Noz-o-la cola! "Noz-O-LA! It's the best co-la you've ever had!" [Author's note: The voice of Safeguard grew higher pitched for this last entry.] Stupid ads." To the others: "You see, I'd love to talk more about this, give you a rest and some tea time and let you mingle with the goblins, and I meant to do just that! I sent a negotiating party down the tunnel with the intention of brokering a peace before anyone did anything they might regret. Haven't heard back from them in some time. Do YOU have any idea what happened to a baker's dozen green skinned minions on a mission of peace? HMMMMMM? DO YOU? Maybe if you find them you can negotiate with them. Until then, I'll do my best to kill you all, thanks. At this point I consider it an act of self defense. Well... goblin defense, but you get my point. Or you will, likely when you attempt to sleep. See you soon!" [Author's note: the goblin tendril went limp after this last proclamation. Further communication with Safeguard ceased.] [End of transcription.] Spoiler: Cyphers Show Spoiler: Beast Lure Show This bulky device has a pointy “foot” that pierces the ground. When activated, it sends out a call to a range of about 3 miles, luring one beast whose challenge rating is no higher than 3. The beast makes its way to the cypher’s location at its normal speed and calmly remains there for up to one hour. During this time, you can impart a basic concept or question to the beast, and the beast can convey a simple answer in return. If the beast is attacked, the calming effect immediately ends. After the hour of calm, the beast returns to its previous territory (although it may be sidetracked by prey or attacked along the way). Spoiler: Immobilizer Show As your attack action, you can use the device to create a mass of rapidly expanding and hardening foam at one target (range 20/60). The target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed saving throw, the target is restrained by rock-hard foam. A creature restrained by the foam can use an action once per minute to make a Strength check with disadvantage against the cypher’s save DC 13. If it succeeds, it breaks free and is no longer restrained. After an hour, the foam crumbles into powder.

[Theophilus]

Ar-Raaqis (Dragon) Faceless Warlock 3 AC: 14 HP: 5/24 THP: 10/10 PP: 10 PIv: 10 PIs: 10 Spell Slots: 2nd - 0/2 Bottled Respite: 4/4 Hours Healer's Kit: 10/10 Dragon Conditions: Armor Agathys. 10 Cold damage to anyone who attacks her in melee. Dragon Concentrating: --- Ar-Raaqis followed the others slowly, unphased by the barking of the local. She understood the dangers, though she appreciated the use of the enemy for their own designs. She fixed his vision on her visor's sigils, seeking to block out the patterns on the walls. When the cypher scribe blurted out an odd remark, she paused and awaited to see what surprised the script reader. The mystic cradled her staff, instinctively activating its arcane enhancement.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Check to discern details from map. Assumed Arcana since it is an alien design to "modern" structures. Can adjust modifier to your determination. Arcana: 16 (Discord with guidance)

[Inmate XIII]

Oath of Vengeance Paladin 3
AC: 18 HP: 10/31

Carefully examining the trap, Greck grabs a nearby rocks and attempts to pull apart the hinges once the last of the party has crossed, with the intent to pull the trap door completely off, leaving the spike pit open.

When he finishes his work, he glances down the hallway and holds out an arm to stop any who attempt to go down the hall.

"Did anyone else see tha'? Snake; big one. Or somethin' that looked like a snake. Who knows what kind of abominations lay down here?"

Spoiler: If Greck manages to get the hinges apart and take the trapdoor off

Show

He'll prop it up in the hallway so that it blocks anyone from just jumping over the pit without knocking the door over.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Percetion roll 21 on discord.