Cauldron, Part 9
1/4/08
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Rayne looks over to Jiona and says, "Can you refind the trail?"
Tass moves to look at what everyone else is gathered around.
Jiona, having finally concluded to leave the rod alone - although anyone else is welcome to take it themselves - nods to Rayne and attempts once more to find a trail, although so far all evidence indicates that it stopped here, implying that the trail may need to be followed in the other direction.
* Jiona rolls 1f20+12: 12,12 = 24.
Calico says, "I'll take it. figure what it says later."
Ethkin wonders, "What does what say?"
Rayne asks, "May I see it?"
Calico looks around, "I was tracking someone who might be one of these corpses."
Calico hands the rod to Rayne.
Tillandor says, "The characters are gnomish."
Rayne examines the rod.
Ethkin eyes the game board, "From way over there?"
* Rayne rolls 1f20+4: 17,4 = 21.
Tillandor asks, "Jiona, were you also following the trail of one of these shadow men?"
Rayne mutters, "Wish I had a comprehend languages spell handy... Hey Tillandor?"
Tillandor says, "I'm fairly certain you asked me that not a half-hour gone."
Rayne says, "No, I asked you about a read magic spell."
Calico says, "I could have comprehend languages tomorrow."
Rayne raises an eyebrow.
Tillandor half-grins. "And while a few minutes might make a dramatic change, this happens not to be one."
Rayne shares Tillandor's grin and chuckles in mirth.
Rayne says, "Well, I find I wonder if this has anything to do with the doors..."
Calico says, "I had read magic until I spent the energy on healing."
Rayne says, "I have it myself, but I don't believe I am as well studied in those arts as you two."
Ethkin wonders, "What are we all refering to?"
Tillandor says, "Rayne or I could read the magic, could we read the symbols with which it was written."
Tillandor says, "The rod Jiona found is scribed with gnomish runes."
Rayne says, "Well in principle we could figure out the glyphs on these doors, but as of yet I have been unable to discern their meaning."
Rayne shrugs helplessly.
Ethkin asks, "Oh. What rod?"
Rayne holds the rod up in one hand.
Tillandor frowns at the blind man. "The one that Jiona found."
Jiona finishes sampling the air and poking around, only afterwards responding to Tillandor's question, as well as Rayne's. "There's really not much of anything here, except for us. Those... whatever they were... have been in here long enough to not leave a trail I can still pick out. I would guess that this is is a dead end, as far as what we've been chasing."
Tillandor asks, "Can you not match the scent to them?"
Rayne frowns, looking at the corpses of their dangerous foes.
Rayne says, "Well if we have no trail, then we have no choice but to proceed onward."
Ethkin says, "Or back. There's a few passages we didn't take yet."
Jiona nods emphatically, "I can, and I'll know that scent if I come across it again. It just doesn't lead out. Nor did the creepers come this way."
Calico says, "several passages we passed up. a regular maze down here."
Tass asks, "I wonder,I admit not to knowing much about magic myself, but does anyone think that the rod's and doors are connected somehow?"
Tillandor says, "Huh. So these shadow men did not make the trail. Perhaps our quarry entered this room and then left."
Tillandor says, "Through the same door."
Calico asks, "passed us where we diverted to the forest?"
Rayne asks, "Perhaps another exit from the hall we came from?"
Jiona suggests, "If we backtrack, I can try to pick it up again."
Rayne nods and motions for Jiona to lead the way.
Tillandor says, "Also pay heed for a scent of humans aside from ourselves, as it may be the children we seek."
Calico says, "the creaper may or may not be related to thye kidnappers, but tracking them is as good a lead as we have."
Ethkin hmmms, "Hey Ladies, did these things that I could 'see' but you all could not leave a scent?"
Ethkin asks, "Are they the same as the creepers?"
Rayne shakes his head. "Those were something... else."
Calico checks the scent of the unburnt creature.
Rayne says, "At least in appearance."
Tillandor answers Tass, "I do not believe there is any such connection, save that both are made by ancient gnomish hands."
Rayne says, "Made?" and looks astonished.
Jiona doesn't have an answer for Tass; that kind of magic is far outside of her experience, and she can only shrug a bit. To Rayne and Tillandor, she nods, and begins heading north, replying to Ethkin's query along the way, "I did say they left a scent. It's just not one that leads out of this room."
Ethkin hmmms.
Tillandor blinks at Rayne. "Well they were not fashioned by the gods."
Rayne asks, "So.... those were guardians left in the room?"
Rayne follows Jiona.
Ethkin follows Rayne.
Calico says, "I expect answers lay elsewhere."
Tass follows the group.
Calico heads back out towaqrds the junction.
Rayne asks, "Catch anything?"
Calico considers, "Ethkin, mind taking the lead?"
Rayne shakes his head at the idea of the blind monk leading the group, chuckling at the irony. "Blind leading the blind." he mutters.
Ethkin nods, "As long as someone has a hand, or paw, on my shoulder."
Jiona briefly halts at the junction, her nose pointed upwards, sniffing a bit both ways. "More creeper... north and west." She hesitates, then admits, "I think the smell of the forest was distracting me earlier. The smell, illusion or not, is quite potent, and hard to scent through."
Calico has difficulty reaching Ethkin's shoulder.
Ethkin passes Rayne, "I need no light at all, and can see things you could only guess at, my friend."
Ethkin's voice is grim, but he is grinning in the darkness...
Ethkin asks, "Jiona? Could you take my shoulder then?"
Rayne says, "Well we know the creepers were up the tunnel from our previous encounter, lets try through the other room."
Ethkin grins, "You had it right the first time."
Calico says, "just decide a path and go already."
Rayne shakes his head and says, "There is only one direction we haven't been that I can see. I think the path is obvious, although I still don't trust that room."
Rayne says, "I suggest we make our way through it quickly."
Tass follows the group, keeping an eye all around, since he is taking the back guard possition.
Calico asks, "south or west through the forest?"
Jiona nods to Ethkin, has to remind herself again that he can't see her nod, and does as he requests. Making up her mind, she heads back towards the illusory forest, reasoning aloud, "We've been north, and they were definitely to the west. Maybe I can still track them if I keep focused on their scent."
Tillandor says, "Or even North."
Calico says, "west migh connect back to where we've been before."
Rayne asks, "Lets see if we can track them to a direction?"
Ethkin shrugs, "Tell me which way to turn and as ling as I sense a passage, we'll go that way."
Jiona seems skeptical at that. "If it lead back to that room, Calico, I should have picked up on it."
Rayne gently prods Jiona and Ethkin forward. "I think we will find our answers soon enough." he says, trying not to sound impatient.
The DM marks the trail Jiona scents with red.
Ethkin says, "Perhaps they realized they're dealing with good noses."
Calico says, "south leadfs to a dining hall, and who knows from there."
Calico ventures into the forest, her nose active.
Ethkin stops, "Wait."
Tass follows, looking around again at the illision around him.
Calico trails scent towards the north door, then pauses.
Jiona wanders around a little, keeping more or less to a path, and finally settles on the area of the northern passage.
* The brambled archway to the north leads to a downward stair case leading into the darkness.
Rayne follows close behind Jiona and Ethkin, wary and alert.
Ethkin thinks of his 'mental map', "Didn't the tunnel that lead us here go _through_ here!?"
Calico holds her candle while it lasts.
Tillandor says, "I have the same perception."
Tass says, "We must be going below it."
Rayne looks at the floor.
Jiona peers down the descending trail, and answers Ethkin, "I think this goes underneath the tunnel we passed through."
Ethkin thinks... "I... guess you're right."
Calico peers down the stairs.
Rayne asks, "Jiona? How is the scent?"
* The stair seems to end some distance down in the darkness. There is little light to see much farther.
Jiona pauses, suddenly seeming uncertain of her previous statement, her ears twitching visibly. "...Yeah, pretty sure," she murmurs quietly, then shakes herself. She looks over her shoulder at Rayne, and takes a couple steps into the passageway, sampling the air again.
Calico walks down a few steps to see if the scent trail continues.
Calico says, "they didn't go this way. more gnomish machinery from the smell."
Jiona's nose flares, and she tilts her head, puzzled. "No creeper, but something new. Could be... something mechanical. It smells... sharp. Like metal, perhaps with oil."
Tillandor asks, "Whence does the trail proceed?"
* Jiona rolls 1f20+8: 4,8 = 12.
Rayne says, "Probably gnomish then."
Calico returns to the forest and continues tracking scent towards the corner.
Jiona gives the passage another distrustful look, then resumes scouting the scent trail, pausing at the north-west corner with a stance of unmistakable puzzlement.
Rayne says, "What is it?"
Ethkin asks, "Perhaps they either camped here, or they blocked the tunnel they dug?"
Calico starts pawing at brush in the corner looking for a hidden passage.
Jiona assists Calico, also prodding at anything on the wall that stands out.
Tillandor asks, "Jiona, might you sense the stone to pierce this illusion?"
Calico attempts to identify the brush, knowledge (nature).
* Calico rolls 1f20+4: 18,4 = 22.
Jiona stops, looking over at Tillandor with a startled look, then smiles wryly. "That's a good idea, Till." She moves back a little way to allow Calico to continue working, then closes her eyes, concentrating to get a 'feel' of this area.
Tass watches the proceedings intently from a distance.
Calico says, "hedge maze in a maze."
Rayne asks, "Pardon?"
Ethkin asks, "Hedge maze?"
Ethkin says, "I only sense the stone labyrinth in here."
Calico says, "this brush is popular for hedge mazes. And this whole place feels like a maze."
Rayne blinks.
Calico asks, "you don't see the brush here?"
Rayne says, "I suspect he doesn't 'see' anything 'visible.'"
Tillandor says, "All the greenery here is false."
Rayne says, "Although how he sees at all is a mystery to me..."
* Rayne rolls 1f20+4: 12,4 = 16.
Jiona reopens her eyes. "There's a room to the west, on the other side of that wall," she says. "For what it's worth, the tunnel we passed through is above the passageway to the stairs."
Tass Is visably taken aback about the concept of being in a maze. "Our quest could be very difficult indeed if that is the case."
Calico wanders to the west passaged and looks through.
Ethkin truns to Rayne, "Honestly? It's all new to me as well."
Rayne ponders Ethkins words for a moment, then says, "Perhaps we can discuss this in more detail later. Tillandor might be interested in such a discussion as well I would guess."
Tillandor follows Calico to the door, and examines it.
Rayne turns to Tillandor to see if his guess meets with approval.
Jiona volunteers, "I wouldn't mind listening in either." To Ethkin in particular, she comments, "Some of your skills seem similar to mine, although in different branches." She watches Tillandor wander over to the door, satisified to keep a safe distance herself.
Tillandor half-turns back to Rayne. "Hmm? Oh, perhaps. I don't find it a great mystery though."
Rayne shakes his head in amusement. Somehow everyone picked up on it but him.
Ethkin turns to the half-elf, "You all right there, Tass?"
Tass is warry of the door, remebering the last time he got too close to one.
Calico frowns, "closed door this way."
Tillandor puts his arm across Calico. "Don't touch."
* The sky above the trees is slowly turning a dusk shade of pink. The birds are quiet now.
Calico keeps her distance after the last time.
Jiona has a sudden thought, and moves over to Tillandor.
Tass Looks tense. "I am just wary of the door. Would you like a sholder over there to follow the others?"
Rayne takes out the rod and compares it to the door.
Ethkin says, "Thanks. I prob'ly could'a made it, but thanks."
Calico looks up at the 'sky', "is it evening already?"
Ethkin takes Tass's shoulder.
Jiona wonders aloud, "Would the door's traps still function if the runes were damaged?"
Ethkin blinks, "Is it?"
Tass walks slowly, carefull of treeroots and other such hazards.
Calico says, "If you want to test that, I suggest the door from the dining hall."
Ethkin sniffs the air...
Rayne blinks,.
Tillandor says, "Yes, it would most certainly still function."
Rayne walks over to the dining hall.
Tillandor says, "The runes only serve to tell us how to open the door."
Calico follows to the dining hall, and looks over the chandeliers to see if they might be lit.
Tillandor says, "Like most gnomish tricks, there is little if any arcana involved. Merely gears and oil and iron."
Ethkin says, "Try the rod."
Jiona nods her understanding, continuing to contemplate the door. "I rather thought as much, but I wanted to voice the possibility."
Ethkin visibly shudders at the idea of a Gnomish Magus.
Rayne calls out from the other room, "Hey everyone, come check this out!"
* You see what was once a dining hall, this chamber contains only the wreckage of once-fine furniture. Some iron chandeliers hang from the ceiling, while a third - rope severed - lies in a heap on the floor, ruined. There are two round doors on either side of the room, all with different runes. At the south is a passage going into a hall.
Tass picks up the pace to meet Rayne.
Tillandor enters the dining hall, and comes to stand beside Rayne.
Rayne holds the rod and points to the rune on the rod and to the rune on the door.
Ethkin keeps pace with Tass, muttering, "What did her get into now?"
Jiona follows alongside Tillandor at the call.
Rayne says, "These are the same."
Rayne inserts the rod into the hole on the right side of the door.
Calico looks at the runes above the doors.
Tillandor steps back.
* A smooth clatter and the door simply rolls away to the left. You can see into what looks like a small pantry.
Rayne grins.
The DM says, "I amend that... Large pantry."
The DM says, "Veerrry big."
Rayne steps inside and looks around, hand near the handle of his large sword.
Tillandor says, "Ah, clever work there."
Calico asks, "Ethkin, any invisible nasties in there?"
Jiona also steps back at Rayne's actions, then grins. "I'm glad to see having part of a cabinet fall on me ended up being useful."
Rayne chuckles.
Rayne says, "We should keep our eyes open for more of those."
Rayne examines the room he stepped into.
* There are a few scatter jars and baskets on the shelves, some casks on the floor and a few loaves of dry bread. A stink fills the northeastern part of the room.
Ethkin opens his senses, not as far as he might having used up all his useful points for now.
Rayne's nose wrinkles in disgust as he looks towards the source of the stench.
Calico tries to identify the stench without getting any closer.
* A whitish mold grows in the very corner of the room where a small puddle of clear liquid is. It's about three feet wide and two feet tall.
Tass wrinkles his nose at the smell and sets about preening himself, trying to get more of the blood off of his front.
Calico heads back to the dining hall, seeing nothing of interest in the pantry.
Tillandor enters the pantry, and glances at the mold.
Calico says, "probably best to leave the mold alone."
Ethkin nods.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+10: 2,10 = 12.
Rayne looks around the room searching for something that might be of use, such as another rod.
Calico looks through the south passage.
Rayne says, "Hey Calico?" and motions for her to join him.
Tillandor looks about for a small jar with a lid.
Tass hangs back at the doorway, not intrested in getting any closser to the source of the smell.
Jiona contents herself with only poking her head into the pantry, not inclined to risk impacting her sense of smell she's using to try to keep tracking these creepers. Speaking of... she also tries to determine if any of them ever passed through here recently. By scent or otherwise.
Calico sees what Rayne has.
Rayne points to the baskets containing dried leaves.
Rayne asks, "Do you know what those might be?"
Calico looks over the leaves, knowledge nature.
* Calico rolls 1f20+4: 6,4 = 10.
Calico sniffs.
Tillandor finds no such jar, but sniffs at some casks.
Ethkin is still waiting for the DM to tell him what if anything he senses.
Ethkin says, "We're safe in this room."
Ethkin asks, "What's the stinky thing in the corner?"
Jiona finishes poking around while Tillandor and some of the others investigate the pantry. "Curious," she remarks to anyone that's listening and within earshot. "They haven't come here at all. Not ever, so far as I can tell."
Tillandor wrinkles his nose. "Nothing of interest here. Safe from what?"
Tillandor says, "I might posit that they've never come here because they don't have the key."
Calico says, "common herbs. I don't recognize these reddish seed pods, but the smell good."
Ethkin says, "Yet, someone had to dig those side tunnels."
Calico takes a couple of the seed pods for her spice pouch.
Ethkin asks, "IF it was the creeps, why not dig around the Gnome's trapped doors?"
The DM says, "The passage to the south in the dining room is not one of those dug tunnels, by the way."
Rayne starts searching and sifting through the many baskets in the room.
Calico returns to the south end of the dining hall.
- Overhearing Tillandor, Jiona comments, "They've avoided this area outside as well. Which wasn't locked against them."
Tass pokes his head in the room for the first time to see if there might be something of intrest to him.
Ethkin shrugs, "Perhaps they had no need of these rooms, then..."
Calico looks and sniffs at the south passage.
Ethkin steps aside for Tass.
Ethkin follows the cat.
Calico says, "don't think anyone's been this way for awhile."
Rayne finishes raiding the pantry and steps back outside.
Ethkin thinks his senses would give him a _little_ more fidelity than DM is showing...
Jiona goes to see what Ethkin and Calico have discovered.
Tass walks around the room, and picks up a few forks and things, attempts to polish them up, but puts them down to move on with the others.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+14: 15,14 = 29.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+10: 7,10 = 17.
Calico wanders to the middle of the room and compares the runes above the doors.
* A loan moan echoes through the rooms.
* You see before you a rather bland hallway.
Tillandor steps closer to Jiona.
Calico pauses.
Ethkin suspects the wind, but has no Air to conferm...
Jiona looks up, startled, and tries to figure out from what direction the noise came from.
Tass moves closer, attracted by the noise.
Ethkin thinks aloud, "...either that or more Gnome illusions..."
Rayne puts his hand on his sword, looking towards the source of the sound.
Jiona spends a few moments glancing around, her ears moving independently, and her gaze settles northward. "I think... it came from over there. Whatever it is."
Calico compares the moan against any natural sound she knows.
* The sound is rather hard to pin point now that it is done... and since it rather echoed through the area.
* Calico rolls 1f20+4: 12,4 = 16.
Calico asks, "wind through passages?"
Ethkin nods, "That's what I thought."
Ethkin says, "Or the Gnomes again."
Rayne shakes his head, liking this place less and less.
Calico says, "those gnomish illusions are unsettling."
Calico says, "especially without a friendly population living here."
Rayne nods.
Calico asks, "where to from here?"
Tillandor asks, "Has any new scent presented itself?"
Jiona hopes it was indeed only the wind, but there haven't been much in the way of drafts down here. "Well," she says, "We should decide if we want to continue following the trail westward. I think I could make one more passage, but if there's another unpassable door, it'd be a while before I could create any more gaps."
Rayne looks around the room.
Tillandor says, "Better than than to wander aimlessly."
Tillandor corrects, "Better that than to wander aimlessly."
Jiona starts to answer Tillandor's question, but her nose suddenly lifts up, involuntarily. "Wait... what's that?"
Calico curls her nose, and tries to follow a new scent.
Rayne walks up to a cabinet and opens it cautiously.
Ethkin perks at the girls' perking, and tries to sense...
Jiona's muzzle wrinkles a little. "It smells... like a privy, honestly."
Ethkin rolls his eyes, "Oh, is that all..."
Calico nods in agreement, "which means someone has used it."
Ethkin blinks, "Oh, right."
* There is a clatter of metal against stone, a shout, and then silence.
Ethkin whirls!!!
Calico turns to face the noise.
* Sounded like it came from the forest room
Jiona's ears perk up again, and her grip on her spear tightens. "That was no draft."
Ethkin exclaims, "Nope!"
Tass tenses, and takes a stronger stance.
Calico dashes to look into the forest room.
Tillandor moves cautiously toward the forest room.
Ethkin follows the cat...
Rayne pulls his sword free from its holster on his back, turning away from the cabinet and readying himself for what awaits.
* Clang, clang, clang.... kerrrr-sklunk!
Jiona does the same, taking care to be just ahead of Tillandor.
Rayne moves next to Calico, sword at the ready.
Tass remembers afterward that he has a dager now, draws it and follow.
* Looking into the forested room, nothing seems to have changed, but the air seems a little more tense.
Jiona readies her spear. Not taking what she can see for granted, she takes another healthy sniff of the area.
Calico has a dagger ready to throw if anything comes this way.
* Muttering comes from the northern hall, more sounds of metal against metal.
Ethkin turns and puts his back to the wall on the west side of the door way. He tries to sense anything that wasn't in there before...
Rayne gets a gleam in his eyes.
Calico takes position by the left side of the door to the forest.
Rayne moves in the direction of the north hall, striding quickly.
Ethkin feels a cat rubbing his leg.
Calico prepares to cast entangle through the door should a target present itself.
Jiona also steps into the forest, frowning at what she can scent again, more strongly than before.
Rayne moves to the stairs at the north end.
* A hurried shout comes from down the stairs, and then scrambling.
Rayne steps to the side with his sword ready.
* Silence falls over the grassy room.
Jiona points with her spear towards the stairwell, then takes up a stance on the other side of the northern passage.
Tass lopes along behind, readying himself.
Calico stands behind Rayne.
Tillandor sticks close beside Jiona.
Ethkin follows Tass, as he got no answers from the DM...
Rayne points to his eyes with two fingers, then points at Ethkin and nods to Tass.
* The silence is broken by a tick tack tick sound coming from the stairwell.
Jiona continues sniffing at the air, although very quietly, as she stands there with her weapon readied.
Tass takes note of Rayne's motion and looks from him to Ethkin.
* A terse and quiet curse, and the ticking sounds end.
Rayne nods towards the stairwell.
Ethkin hears it, and mentally curses himself, out of his range.
Calico asks, "would some light down there help?"
Tass moves closer to the hallway entrence, weaving around the trees.
Rayne peeks into the passageway and down the stairs.
Ethkin puts his back to the 'tree', and tries to sense again...
Jiona watches Rayne carefully as he checks the hallway.
Ethkin skirts the 'tree' and runs up to Rayne.
Rayne pulls his head back and shakes his head.
Rayne mouths "Its too dark."
Tass crouches down, and eases over to Calico's position.
Jiona nods to Rayne, then peeks herself, her eyes being more adaptable to dark conditions.
Calico asks, "shall I shed a little light down there?"
Ethkin gets a brain storm, and spends a point of Fire, to try and sense heat signatures...
Rayne nods.
Rayne points at Jiona and mouths, "Wait for her first."
Calico says, "Tass, a sling bullet please."
Rayne rereadies his sword.
Tass reaches to his belt and brings back a bullet to Calico.
Calico mumbles a bit, is cat, and casts light on the slight bullet before tossing is down the stairs.
- light on the sling bullet.
Rayne peeks down the stairs.
* You see a room, with some rubble strewn across the floor. You see what you think are bones.
Rayne moves out into the stairwell and moves down cautiously
* The lit stone rests just inside the room, lighting the entire room.
Jiona peers a bit closer, flinching a little as the bright stone goes whizzing past, but finally says in a very quiet voice, "Seems clear at the moment." She follows after Rayne.
Rayne listens carefully as he moves, intent on trying to catch any sign of their quarry.
Calico follows.
Tass eases on after, takeing his time.
Ethkin slips down the hall after Rayne and Calico, hugging the wall.
* There is no sound but the sound of your own footsteps. A scent of metal and oil lingers in the air.
* The bones, on closer inspection, appear to be rat bones from probably several rats.
Ethkin slips around Calico, and down the stairs.
Jiona gives the bones a cursory glance, then moves on when she determines what they are of.
Rayne looks at the rat bones as he passes.
* You hear a shout, "Taral yan zyggek!" echo through the room.
Tass mutters, "More dead small animals? I thought the spiders were bad enough."
Calico glances at the bones in passing.
The DM says, "Initiative"
* Jiona rolls 1f20+3: 17,3 = 20.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+2: 16,2 = 18.
* Rayne rolls 1f20+3: 2,3 = 5.
* Calico rolls 1f20+dex: 7,5 = 12.
* Ethkin rolls 1f20+3: 2,3 = 5.
* Tass rolls 1f20+4: 7,4 = 11.
* DM rolls 1f20: 15.
The DM says, "Go Jiona"
- Reaching the end of the hall, spear still readied in hand, Jiona pokes he head into the corridor and looks both left and right.
The DM says, "Yellow is Calico's light."
The DM says, "Go Tillandor"
* A five foot wide circular tunnel breaches the west wall of this chamber. Another punches through the east wall. The rubble left by the excavation of these tunnels has been pushed into the north east part of the room, leaving the rest of the chamber clear. A few rat bones litter the floor, but otherwise the room appears empty.
Tillandor holds his action, waiting for the undetectable creature which must be nearby to reveal itself.
* A large metal lobsterlike object appears out of nowhere and swings a heavy spiked arm at Jiona. The swing glances off the corner of the wall and misses.
The DM says, "Go calico"
Calico chants something in cat and casts Entangle to fill the room and hopefully slow the mechanical beast.
The DM says, "Um."
The DM says, "Entangle only works in areas already containing vegetation."
Calico says, "oh, nevermind."
The DM says, "Sorry. That's why it's a first level spell."
The DM says, "Tillandor, you gonna use your action/"
Calico desperately claws the beast before falling back again behind Rayne.
The DM asks, "Or Jiona?"
Jiona will act.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+10: 13,10 = 23.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+14: 12,14 = 26.
Jiona barely manages to leap back from the slash, and throws out her free hand, concentrating. An arc of lightning jumps from her hand to the metal contraption, followed by the distinct smell of ozone.
* Jiona rolls 2f4+2: 6,6,2 = 14.
The DM asks, "2f4?"
Ethkin winces at the *crack* Jiona's discharge made, and flares his nostrals at the ozone.
The DM says, "I'll take that as 4,4,2"
Jiona says, "Better be a +1. I don't have the Improved MP Bonus."
Tillandor shouts "Taral yan zyggek!"
Ethkin turns an incredulous expression in Till's direction!...
* When struck with Jiona's bolt, the machine shudders and lurches a bit. A loud pop comes from inside the thing.
* At Tillandor's shout, the machine pauses and stops moving.
Tillandor grins.
Rayne looks at Tillandor in amazement.
Ethkin misses the grin, and hasn't made the 'command word' connection yet...
Tass a look of fear washes over Tass's face brifly at the show of power.
Rayne asks, "Is it... is it safe to pass?"
Tillandor peeks around for other danger.
Calico watches the beast carefully.
Jiona looks pleased with herself at the distinct pop it makes, then looks back at Tillandor with equal amazement when it stops, following the mysterious phrase he shouted. "Well," she says after a moment, "There's no denying that school was good for you, Till. Very impressive."
Tillandor explains, "This is a gnomish construct, which can be commanded if you know the words."
The DM says, "We can skip initiative order now."
Rayne asks, "So it will let us pass now?"
Tillandor says, "It appears so."
Calico asks, "Is it safe to approach?"
Jiona warily tries to move around it.
Rayne cautiously moves into the room.
Calico looks for the lighted bullet under where the beast stands.
Tass follows behind, skirting the oppisite wall from the contraption.
Rayne stands looking north then west, trying to ascertain some kind of direction to follow.
Calico recalls the cursing, "suppose the someone we heard down here set this on us?"
Tillandor says, "Oh, with certainty."
Calico picks up the glowing sling bullet.
* The device stands almost the height of a human, has two large arms, both fitted with thick-spiked pummeling hammers
Tillandor looks for a way to permanently disable it.
Calico looks around the room for other passages.
Tillandor runs his fingers along some script engraved on the construct.
Rayne ponders that for a moment before responding, "Jiona, any trace of whatever just came in here ahead of us?"
Tass edges around the room to inspect the hallway to the east.
Calico heads for the west opening and sniffs.
Ethkin heads for the East passage, and tries to sense... whatever he may find.
Jiona glances at Rayne prior to scenting for trails, then blinks in confusion. "Um... Rayne?"
Ethkin AAACKs as he dissapears!
The DM says, "Tass, Ethkin and Rayne all cannot be seen."
The DM says, "They seem to have vanished. Even to themselves."
Jiona looks around, more deeply startled to see that everyone except Tillandor is nowhere to be seen. Worried, she scents the air for them, having grown pretty familiar with their own smells by now.
Rayne says, "Well this is odd..."
The DM leaves them at 15% visibility for the purpose of allowing them to move their own pieces.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+14: -10,14 = 4.
The DM says, "OW."
Ethkin doesn't think he should be susseptable to that... what ever it is...
Tillandor frowns, and shakes his head. "What...?"
Tass fells up and down his body, looking for himself. "where did I go?"
Rayne steps back towards Jiona.
The DM says, "Rayne appears out of nowhere."
Rayne says, "I see...."
Calico looks around, "where'd everyone go?"
Tass moves twards Rayne.
Jiona sniffs the air again, calming down slightly. "Rayne, I can smell you, but I can't-- whoa!" She moves back as Rayne appears just as abruptly.
* Tillandor vanishes
Tillandor says, "Well this explains why we could not see the construct."
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+10: -10,10 = 0.
Rayne points to the gnomish contraption and to the corner he emerged from. "I suspect that's.... yes took the words right out of my mouth Tillandor."
Calico thinks she's heard of this kind of magic, knowledge spellcraft.
* Calico rolls 1f20+1: 18,1 = 19.
* Rayne rolls 1f20+4: 9,4 = 13.
Calico says, "invisibility sphere, not working quite right."
Tillandor shakes his head to clear the fog, and returns to investigating the construct.
Ethkin invisably moves next to Rayne, "What are you all talking about? I can see you all as well as I ever did."
Rayne asks, "Meaning it was supposed to follow the contruct?"
* Ethkin appears out of nowhere as he speaks.
Rayne shudders at the thought.
Calico puzzles exactly how the sphere isn't quite right.
* Calico rolls 1f20+1: 15,1 = 16.
Jiona unreadies her spear, shaking her head at everyone's bizarre disappearances and reappearances. "I'm going to have to start following my nose more than my eyes around here," she mutters. "Too many illusions and disguises."
Rayne nods his head in agreement.
Ethkin smirks at Jiona, "Good idea, I never trusted mine."
Rayne says, "Wish I could borrow your nose for a while..."
Rayne looks wistful.
Tillandor looks up.
Rayne says, "Most of the magics I have seen are fairly powerful. It would have taken a strong wizard to set these in place."
Tillandor asks, "Jiona, would you make sure we're as alone as we think we are in here?"
Ethkin turns to Tass, "You alright. You feel, distressed."
Tillandor asks, "Or better yet, perhaps, Ethkin?"
Calico says, "invisibility shouldn't have effected us walking into it. attached to that beast was a likely intent, but that didn't work right. and it should dissipate at some point."
Jiona smiles a bit wryly at Rayne. "You'd look silly with my nose. Unless you were also as I was, but believe me when I say that adds a number of complications to life." She turns to Tillandor, and considers. "I can sense... spaces, that way. Not so much living things."
Rayne suddenly realizes the implications of Tillandor's words and readies his sword, turned to the space he just came from, then lowering it as he thinks about Ethkin.
Tass exclaims, "oh! I didn't see you!"
Tass to Ethkin.
Tass asks, "Yes, is there a way out of this thing?"
Tillandor says, "I meant by smell, though Ethkin's sense would be more sure."
Rayne says, "I think our blind friend would have alerted us if he knew something was there."
Calico, finished with the puzzle in invisibility, returns to looking for scent.
Ethkin shrugs, "So far, I sense only us, though I still don't know who started up that thing."
Tass moves farther over, twards Ethkin.
Tillandor says, "Tass, if you walk toward us you will return."
The DM marks the apparent effect of the invisibility, just for sanity's sake.
Tass exclaims, "Ah, here I am!"
Ethkin obliviously heads west to try and sense there...
Tass continues his original plan and moves east ward to inspect the tunnel with Calico.
Jiona sniffs around, and she drops her spear into a readied position again. "One of those shadow-creatures was here not long ago."
Rayne asks, "Can you point the direction it went?"
* Jiona rolls 1f20+12: -10,12 = 2.
Ethkin moves North to see what he can 'see' there.
Tillandor is now Active. (ACT)
Tillandor says, "Break time."
Rayne is now Active. (ACT)
Tillandor is now In-Character. (IC)
Ethkin is balanced on the end of his upright staff, standing on one foot, the other hooked behind his knee, ans he folds his hands in fron of his chest in a prayer gesture.
Ethkin goes Away From Keyboard. (AFK) [cookies]
Rayne is now In-Character. (IC)
Ethkin is now Active. (ACT)
Ethkin is now In-Character. (IC)
Tillandor is now In-Character. (ICK)
Tass is now In-Character. (IC)
The DM is back and In-Charge. {EYE SEE!}
Jiona checks for a direction for the creature, but shakes her head to Rayne. "Not this time. I think the smell of the contraption is interfering."
Rayne calls out, "Calico? Any luck tracking the thing?"
Tillandor asks, "Might I suggest that it went west?"
Calico looks and sniffs down the east passage.
Tillandor says, "Since the construct came from that direction, it would stand to reason."
Ethkin tries to sense through the door. He knows he managed it a few times before.
Calico looks around a corner.
Tass follows behind Calico to back her.
Rayne follows Calico.
Rayne asks, "Did you find it?"
Calico says, "just looking so far."
Ethkin runs as quickly and quietly as a Monk can back down the hall, "There's someone, or at least something beyond the door to the north."
Rayne's ears perk up at the sound of Ethkin's appraisal and moves towards the northern hallway.
Calico says, "Looks like it connects back to a passage we've seen before."
Tillandor gets a mischievous grin.
Tillandor says, "Let's knock on the door, and then hide in the spheres."
Calico hurries to where she can see the door, hidden.
Jiona gives Tillandor an uncertain look at his grin, and can't quite hold back a giggle at his suggestion. "Tempting," she agrees, "Although I think Calico had a bad experience with knocking on these doors."
Ethkin puzzles, "What spheres?"
Tillandor says, "Eh. Though I guess they know we're here."
Rayne says, "Except that might set off the trap though..."
Tillandor says, "Right right. Fun, but impractical."
Tass moves back into main room.
Rayne points to the door. "Its glyphed...."
Jiona wonders, "Do they match the rod - well, key, I suppose - we have?"
Tillandor says, "Maybe the corridor to the west goes around to the next room."
Rayne says, "I think the rod is still in the hole back at the pantry room."
The DM accidentally move Calico
The DM says, "Not sure where she was."
Calico asks, "someone want to grab the key?"
Ethkin asks again, "What spheres."
Tillandor says, "The spheres of invisibility Calico mentioned."
Jiona blinks at Rayne, then shakes her head at the foolishness. "I'll get it," she volunteers.
Calico sits for a moments rest, nicely hidden.
- Barring any interruptions along the way, Jiona will dash back south to the pantry door, grab the rod, then run back here.
Tillandor continues to investigate the construct in the mean time.
- After a few minutes, Jiona returns, looking quite irritated. "Someone stole the key," she announces once she returns. "I checked the lock to be sure. It's not there anymore."
Tillandor asks, "Did you catch any scent of the thief?"
Rayne looks just as irritated...
Calico recalls the scent they were investigating before being drawn here by sounds.
Calico asks, "think the thief went somewhere into the south passage?"
Jiona opens her mouth, then looks a bit embarrassed, if still irritated. "I should have thought of that," she admits. "Give me another minute." She dashes back south again.
Tillandor reaches out his hand as Jiona runs off. "I don't know it's that important..."
Ethkin moves next to Calico and sits.
Calico says, "honestly, we don't know where down here the children are, and one direction is as good as another unless we have something to follow."
Tass moves out of the invisablity, promted by mentions of moving on.
Ethkin murmers to Calico...
Jiona returns again after a couple more minutes, looking more confused than irritated this time, and she's now holding the rod in her other hand.
Tillandor asks, "What?"
Calico looks confused at the rod in Jiona's hand.
Calico asks, "does it match the rune on this door?"
Jiona explains, "It was lying on the floor, near the door. It must have fallen out of the keyhole. I'm pretty sure Rayne was the last to touch it." She quickly checks the markings against the door, and shakes her head. "No match. But I'll hang onto this, just in case."
Ethkin invisably stands.
Tillandor peeks around the corner of the west corridor.
Calico asks, "where to now? west or south?"
Ethkin follows Till.
Jiona offers, "West is my choice. We know there's someone around here. The scent of the creepers stopped at a wall there wasn't any obvious way through." With that said, she also catches up to Tillandor.
Tillandor waits for someone with more muscle to lead the way.
Calico slips through ahead of Tillander.
Jiona warns, "More of those shadow things went down this way."
Tass moves to folow the party, eyeing the lobster thing one last time as they move on.
Calico waits for Rayne or Ethkin to lead.
Ethkin slips past him to follow the cat.
Calico looks, listens, and sniffs.
Ethkin thnnks we're waiting for Rayne...
Calico makes mental note that those invisibility spheres would make decent places to camp.
Ethkin sighs and takes the lead...
Ethkin whispers, "Calico, west or north-east..."
Jiona starts to run after Ethkin, startled, then hangs back, continuing to sniff the air cautiously. Maybe the blind guy can handle more of those invisible monsters, but she's not going to recklessly lead Tillandor into one of them.
Ethkin stops at a fork.
Calico looks and sniffs both directions.
Tass follows in the back, yet again.
Ethkin whispers again, "There *were* somethings in the room beyond that door. I sense a room now, in that direction."
Calico says, "dark critter north."
Calico edges along the wall that direction.
Ethkin asks, "Do we wanna take this one alive, ask it some questions?"
Calico says, "info is good."
Tillandor says, "If you like."
Ethkin votes we discuss it and let DM catch up.
Jiona keeps her voice low as she answers, "I don't really care, as long as it doesn't hit me again like that. That hurt." She keeps her spear readied as she slowly moves along, using her nose more than her eyes to track the thing.
Rayne has disconnected.
Tass pipes up "I could follow behind you Jiona, I have some skill with a rope if we plan to take it alive."
Rayne has connected.
Rayne is now In-Character. (IC)
Ethkin ooc yays!
Jiona replies quietly to Tass, "If we can see the thing to capture it, that'd be very useful. If you have any skill with fighting blind, that'd be even better."
The DM pulls Rayne into the group.
Ethkin hears Jiona and Tass, and mentally 'DOHs', as he can see these things, but can't use rope, while others can, but can't see the critters.
Jiona continues inching north. Might as well deal with it now, after all.
Tillandor, as usual, sticks close to Jiona.
Calico peaks around the bend in the tunnel.
Tass says, "I do not have blind fighting, but I do see well in the dark."
Tass Tass moves up in the group twards Jiona.
* This dark room has exits in the north and southwest walls, plus gear doors set into the south and east walls. A stone oven fills the northwest corner. Iron tongs hang from a hook nearby. Bottles, flasks, and pottery clutter shelves and tables haphazardly pushed against the bare walls. Shards of broken glass and ceramic cover the floor such that you think it would be difficult to cross the room without stepping on them.
Tass pulls out his silken rope, readying himself.
Jiona continues moving closer, following her nose, although not so far as into the room just yet.
Rayne taps Tass, waving his hand in a denial motion, then goes into his backpack to pull out a set of manacles and a lock.
Tillandor tries to keep Tass between himself and the westward corridor.
Ethkin, oblivious to the dangers of the floor to his bare feet, inches with Jiona and Calico, sending out the senses he has...
Ethkin whispers in a voice he hopes only Calico and maybe Jiona will hear...
Tass whispers to Rayne, "Will you take care of it then? Shouldn't you prepare yourself for battle?"
Rayne hands the manacle and lock to Tass. "Here use these. They should hold better than rope."
Tass nods and takes the manacles, putting away his rope.
Rayne draws his sword and moves in behind Jiona.
Ethkin whispers, "Someone tall in there, across the room from us, along this wall... the south one." to you and Calico.
Ethkin hopes to Kord those manacles are NOT clinking.
Jiona perks her ears to Ethkin, nodding carefully, then moves a bit closer to him and whispers something back.
Calico whispers, "near the door?" to Ethkin, you and DM.
You whisper, "There's broken glass and other stuff on the floor. Be careful where you step." to Ethkin and DM.
Ethkin whispers, "Aye. And he knows we're after him. Knows we're coming." to you and Calico.
Tass readys himself, straining to see through the darkness, doing his best to hold the manacles still and silent.
Ethkin stops, crest fallen...
Calico whispers, "if I threw something at the door..." to Ethkin, you and DM.
Jiona also looks very worried at what Ethkin finally mentions. She motions for everyone to stop and hold still.
Ethkin rewhispers for the DM, if no one else has...
Jiona makes a gesture, spending some Air, then says in a whisper to everyone, "We can speak safely for a few minutes, as long as you keep your voice to a whisper. Ethkin warned Calico and I that there's a tall someone in there, along the south wall, and he's waiting for us."
Tillandor holds still, eyes wide and watching for any movement ahead.
Ethkin makes a mental prayer of appology to the Great God DM...
Ethkin nods in the darkness and whispers, "And he *is* afraid of us."
Rayne whispers back, "You, Calico and Ethkin are probably best suited to know where he is. I can join in once the foe has been located."
Rayne pats the side of his greatsword.
Calico says, "I could detect his presence, but not where he is well enough to hit him. but if he's near the door I could use that trap against him."
Tass follows close to those best able to see the enemy.
Ethkin whispers, "How dark is it in there?"
Jiona adds in a whisper, "There's broken glass on the ground if you didn't see it, so watch where you step, everyone."
Tillandor says, "Ooh, how near a door is he? Anyone with a projectile could trigger the trap."
Rayne chuckles. "We do want him alive correct?"
Tillandor shrugs. "Alive ish."
Rayne says, "Although we assume we can understand his language."
Tass whispers "I still have Calico's bullets."
Tillandor says, "I could probably talk to him. They seem to know undercommon."
Rayne whispers, "watch for broken glass moving on the ground if he attempts to move I am thinking."
Ethkin asks again, "How, dark is, it, in, there?"
Tillandor says, "He hardly needs his skin to talk, and the less he has the easier for us to leave him afterward."
Calico says, "I still have the glowing sling bullet."
Ethkin is getting frustrated...
Calico looks how dark it is in the room.
Ethkin is assuming it is pitch dark in this tunnel...
The DM says, "It's rather dark."
The DM says, "Only light here is what you brought with you."
The DM asks, "I think someone had a candle?"
Calico says, "ok, I toss in a light, Tass hits the door with a bullet, and..."
Calico asks, "then what?"
Rayne says, "I hit him with the sword."
Calico says, "if he catches fire."
The DM says, "Hold it... it's totally dark here."
The DM asks, "The candle is out... how are you guys seeing?"
Rayne has a hooded lantern....
Tass Tass move's to the front, pulling out a bullet.
The DM says, "Best anyone has is low-light vision..."
Calico asks, "Is it 30 minutes since the last fight?"
The DM says, "Yeah, just about."
Rayne says, "Well we do have a light missile..."
Calico says, "then the bullet is about out."
The DM says, "Okay, then the light on the bullet is out."
Tillandor looks back and forth in the dark. "Anybody have a torch? A ball of ice?"
The DM says, "It JUST went out."
Rayne fumbles around in his backpack.
Calico gets a second candle out and fumbles in the dark to light it.
* A voice comes from the other room, taunting.
Tass says, "I still have several candles, but no hands to hold it in."
Rayne says, "I have a hooded lantern we can use, if someone can hold it for me."
Jiona admits, "I can do ice... in about a half-hour."
Ethkin squares his shoulders invisably in the dark and heads up the tunnel.
Calico asks, "retreat to the forest?"
Tillandor says, "Oh, now he's taunting us."
Ethkin gets to the mouth of the tunnel and 'looks' right at the mystery creature.
Jiona rolls her eyes. "Let him." She considers for a moment, reaches into her backpack, and hands a fresh torch to Tillandor.
* The creature speaks again asking something.
Calico says, "we get a chance, I'm getting one of those everburning torches."
* The creatures laughs, and says something.
Tillandor says, "Does anyone have any flint? I fear I've left mine behind."
Calico hands Tillander her flint and steel.
Jiona shows a nearly invisible smile in the dark, and starts to pull out her own, but Calico beats her to it.
* The voice asks a question, seeming disapponited.
Tillandor asks, "Our voices are still concealed, no?"
Ethkin remembers his fire walking days, and knows we have Calico, and walks right up to It, "I'm not afraid of you. I just want to ask you something."
Ethkin walks across the broken glass and pottery to our 'friend'.
Tillandor laughs. "Oh, what a pretty pile of fools we be."
Jiona confirms, "For another several minutes. Ten, in total. I... oh, dear," she interrupts herself upon hearing Ethkin.
Tillandor calls out in a language unknown to his companions.
Ethkin says, "If that's how you want it friend..."
Tass runs his hands through his hair in frustration, grimicing at the cercimstances.
Calico says, "I do think retreat to the forest is a good idea about now."
Tillandor says, "Ethkin, give us a moment if you please."
Jiona says in one last whisper, "I'm dropping the spell," and makes another quick gesture, ending it.
Tillandor steps forward, and continues to speak in the strange tongue.
Rayne says, "I don't think he can..." he cuts off ask Jiona undoes her spell.
Rayne follows behind Tillandor.
Jiona stays close to Tillandor as he moves up.
* The voice continues speaking to Tillandor.
Tass steps quickly to keep up.
Tillandor likewise continues the strange discourse.
* The creature speaks again.
Ethkin drops the defensive stance and steps calmly crunch-crunch after it... mostly to keep himself between it and Till.
Jiona steps a bit more into the room, cautiously dropping her spear from its readied position. She has no idea what is being said, but an attack does not seem imminent.
Rayne steps besides Jiona, sword still ready.
Tillandor does not seem terribly frightened as he continues to converse, and the tone is not threatening.
* The voice pauses, considering, then asks a question in the strange language.
Calico asks, "someone care to translate?"
Rayne relaxes his sword to rest the flat of his blade upon his shoulder, held by one hand on the hilt.
Jiona makes a gesture to Rayne, and murmurs, "I... think you can put it away. Listen to them. It's not aggression in their voices."
* The voice speaks again, then lights a torch, lighting the room rather well. You see a tall thin creature, looking much like the dark creatures you saw before, but taller. However, he is ghostlike, translucent.
Tass lets his hands fall to his sides, but makes no move to put the manacals away just yet.
Tillandor approaches the creature, stepping carefully to avoid the debris.
* The creature speaks again, holding one hand foward.
Calico looks over the creature, wondering what it is.
Rayne looks the creature up and down in examination, carefully appraising it while watching from the back of the room.
Jiona blinks, reflexively holding up a hand to her eyes at the sudden light, but adjusts quickly. She looks closely at the creature, although tries to keep threat out of her expression. She does move aside just a little so that other party members can move by, but otherwise remains fairly still.
Tillandor frowns concernedly, speaking with the creature.
* The creature grimaces and speaks sadly.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+14: 4,14 = 18.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+10: 17,10 = 27.
Calico walk into the room, sweeping aside debree in a path to Ethkin.
Tillandor turns to his companions.
Jiona looks back at Tillandor expectantly.
Tillandor says, "He is not in league with the kidnappers."
Ethkin supposes he lost maybe A hit point to the floor.
Rayne asks, "What.... exactly is he?"
Tillandor says, "He wishes only to be left alone, as one might expect, and may help us in the rescue of the children."
* The tall thin creature looks somewhat wary of such a large group, and he subconciously backs up a little into the hall.
* Tillandor rolls 1f20+10: 11,10 = 21.
Rayne slowly eases the sword back into his holster after Tillandor's remarks.
Jiona stays where she is, nodding thoughtfully. "I'll certainly accept the help, if you believe what he says. Not knowing that language, I can't judge for myself... but he didn't attack us first, and was willing to talk, which counts for a lot."
Tass hangs back, not trusting the creature, but is ready to take him if it attempts to flee.
Tillandor says, "He is a denizen of the underdark, as you may have guessed. Similar in some ways to the shadow men we encountered earlier."
Rayne nods.
Tillandor says, "But... he is afflicted with the Vanishing."
Rayne asks, "Any help would be appreciated. Although I wonder, why is he here?"
Calico asks, "vanishing?"
Rayne says, "The rumored cause for disappearances."
Tillandor says, "Yes, the self-same cursed disease which emptied Jzadirune of old."
Rayne asks, "Does he know what it was, perhaps how to stop it from happening again?"
Tillandor says, "Alas, the removal of such things was never my field of study."
Calico says, "He'll need a better cleric than I."
Jiona's eyes widen a little. "Is that why he's so difficult to see, then?"
* The creature watches you discuss amongst yourselves, showing no signs of impatience.
Tillandor says, "But if any of you can remove the curse, he will help us."
Tass takes keen note of the conversation.
Tillandor says, "Yes, he is not long for this world I fear, without help."
Calico recalls the warning from where the entered the city, "did he take anything of value from the gnomish city?"
Tillandor raises an eyebrow. "Have we?"
Rayne says, "Not that I am aware of."
Ethkin blinks, "The key rod?"
Rayne asks, "Although those little malachite statues were supposedly from there, were they not?"
Calico says, "the warning against looting the city."
Jiona also wonders aloud, "Does it count as taken if we're still within its borders?"
Tillandor says, "This is only speculation."
Tillandor says, "I am interested only in the removal of the disease."
Ethkin says, "On the other hand, if that halfling is to be believed, the Gnomes dissappeared first."
Rayne asks, "I for one, would not want to test such things. However, how do we remove such a curse?"
Tillandor asks, "Is this a gift the followers of Kord may persuade him to grant?"
Calico wonders if lesser restoration would help.
Rayne glances at Ethkin.
* Calico rolls 1f20+1: 4,1 = 5.
Jiona slowly nods to Tillandor; speculation only, and pretty useless at that. To Rayne, she can only shake her head. "That's far beyond the reaches of my knowledge."
Ethkin murmers to Tillandor, "Ask him if he knows his way around here well."
* Rayne rolls 1f20+4: 12,4 = 16.
* Rayne rolls 1f20+6: -10,6 = -4.
Tillandor says, "I will assume that he does for the moment. If possible, I'd like to fulfill our end of the bargain before entreating him to fulfill his."
Ethkin asks, "And our end would be?"
Tillandor says, "To do our best to remove his curse."
Rayne asks, "What will he do when his curse is lifted?"
Calico says, "to cure the vanishing, A task beyond us. Unless maybe we bring him to a better cleric above ground."
Ethkin asks, "Would he be willing to go up to the serface with us?"
Rayne asks, "Can he go up to the surface?"
Ethkin sounds doubtfull.
Tillandor says, "He will provide what help he can in our quest. No, I do not expect he will be willing to do that."
Calico says, "Tillander can ask."
Jiona mulls over the complexity of what is being asked for. "It's an understandable request," she murmurs. "He's potentially facing the end of his life. I can not think of how we could really help him, though, aside from bringing him to the temple. Investigating a cure may take considerable time."
Calico considers the healing potions they were given, whether one of those would help.
Tillandor asks, "For what purpose would you ask it?"
Tillandor says, "Oh, to cure him. Missed that."
* Calico rolls 1f20+1: 30,1 = 31.
Calico says, "forget the healing potions, useless against the vanishings."
Rayne asks, "What about cure disease?"
Rayne says, "That might do it."
Ethkin says, "I was thinking so that we could take him to St. Cuth."
Tillandor turns to the creature. "Is it possible for you to venture forth from the earth? There are those in our city who may have the means to cure you."
Rayne asks, "Does it understand our language?"
Jiona nods to Ethkin. "I think we have two possibilities. We try to take him there - which means out of here and to the surface, which he may not approve of... and even they may not want to be involved with the... underdark. Or he follows along with us, while we see if we can figure anything out along the way. Which is far riskier for us, in the event that we are being misled."
Tillandor blinks, and speaks in the other language.
Rayne says, "Or, we try and bring someone down here."
Ethkin nods in total agreement with Jiona.
Tillandor says, "I would not count on his lack of understanding our tongue."
* The creature replies to Tillandor.
Calico reviews her skills, "I'd like to help, but this is beyond me."
Tillandor says, "He would rather not, but can do so while the sun is down."
Rayne says, "Unfortunately, should I return back to the surface now, I may be inundated with questions regarding Ghelve and not able to return for some time."
Jiona contemplates Rayne's comment. "That's a valid suggestion. I prefer it to abandoning him to his fate. To include a bit of selfishness... knowledge of a cure may prove being useful for us at some point as well."
Ethkin is also thinking that if the 'garden' is to be believed, it is getting towards night, and some of us need to recharge their various batteries, magical and otherwise.
Rayne asks, "Nothing selfish at all. What would happen if those we are to rescue become stricken with the malady?"
Calico asks, "Indeed, I could use some rest. Is there someplace safe?"
Tillandor speaks with the creature.
Tass, uninvolved with the current conversation, stops to preen, working to get more blood off his shirt, and retusseling his hair.
Jiona looks around at everyone. "While we may not know how to help at this moment... I think we've concluded that we should try." She shows a quick smile, acknowledging Calico's question. "But definitely after some rest."
Rayne, seeing no need for use of the manacles, walks over to Tass and with his body positioned between Tass and the spectre to block its view, requests the manacles back.
* The creature nods and speaks back to Tillandor it its tongue.
Tass hands them back willingly.
Rayne takes the manacles and lock and puts them back in his backpack.
The DM puts on the brakes.
Tillandor gestures to the northern passage. "There is an undisturbed forge down yon corridor. He..."
Tillandor asks a quick question of the creature.
Tillandor resumes, "Yuathyb has offered to set a guard for us while we rest."
The DM says, "This should do."