Re: Zilean's Revenge

A1C Bronymous Sun Oct 28, 2012 4:40 am

"At least you haven't seen any yet. It's been less than a day and I've already been in more dark, dank, psychologically infuriating tunnels then I ever hoped to see." Horizon brings up the rear once again, maintaining a firm grip on his weapons as he goes.

Zarhon Sun Oct 28, 2012 5:51 pm

The party backtracks their way to the the tunnel they haven't traversed through. Apart from ringing, nothing of note occurs.

This tunnel is drastically different from the others. It is blackened in areas. Its wooden supports appear damaged from something. There are a lot of side tunnels here, but a majority of them appear to have been partially crumbled and buried in, while others are featureless.

Perception -> 4 (R), 14 (H), 20 (S), 16 (J), 3 (Z)

Horizon can tell that there was obviously a fight of some sort here. The black markings are similar to those left behind by alchemist fires, long after they're extinguished, and some of the lanterns that were hanging on the roof appear to have been knocked down and broken by some force, its metal bent and dented.

Jeraylia notices bits of torn, smelly cloths around the tunnel. Some of them appear to have been snagged on the pillars, others were half-buried in soil.

Skitter's eye catches something unusual in one of the walls. At first glance, it appears to be a small speck of rock. On closer inspection, it appears to be part of something larger, a white, solid material of some sort, barely protruding from the dirt wall.

He also takes note of the tunnel itself: Bits of soil are dripping from the sections of roof near the damaged pillars as they walk past. Several of the damaged pillars aren't actually supporting the roof anymore.

Another room beckons at the end of the tunnel. You can't see inside of it from here.

Ramsus Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:05 pm

Skitter tries to scrape some of the dirt away from the white thing to try and get a better idea of what it is.

Zarhon Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:40 pm

Skitter claws at the soil a bit, finding it surprisingly simple to dig through. He uncovers what appears to be a small bone. There appear to be more within the soil.

A1C Bronymous Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:16 pm

"Well, something got torn up in here. Doesn't necessarily mean we're going the right way." Horizon draws his weapons and pushes forward to the front of the group. "But as the odds of survival decrease, odds of finding what we're after tend to increase, so let's hurry up and find this coffin so we can get topside.

Ramsus Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:25 pm

Skitter figures Horizon has the right idea and would take out his sword if he weren't already holding it like he had been the entire time since they came down here. He abandons the bones, now that he knows they're just more bones and if they're important they probably aren't going anywhere, and continues forwards.

Broken Logic Sun Oct 28, 2012 7:48 pm

Seeing the bones and the scraps of cloth, Jeraylia easily connects the dots. She turns to the dragonborn with a cheerless face. "Zthulan, how long would it take for you to get some spirits to answer a few questions?"

Azarune Sun Oct 28, 2012 10:41 pm

With a nod at Jeraylia's request Zthulan makes him way to the bones, "it depends on what they want to say, depending on how much the dead wish to be involved is another factor, but I shall see what I can do." With a cleansing breath he kneels towards the remains. "What questions do you wish to ask them?"

Rolling Nature: 13+8=21

Broken Logic Mon Oct 29, 2012 5:55 am

"Let's start with the big one," Jeraylia replied as the dust swirled across the floor, impelled by a wind that failed to brush their skins. The darkness seemed to grow, and even her magically powered sunrod flickered a touch. She brought the diminished light source to her face to cast even more shadows, and, with her eyes wide and glowing, she uttered to the dragonborn in a gravely tone, "What killed them?"

Zarhon Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:35 pm

Using his spiritual affinity, Zthulan attempts to coax the spirit of whatever the bones were to materialize in his presence. After a series of chants and spells, the bones glow slightly and a small, feeble-looking spirit of a kobold drifts out of the wall. It stares at Zthulan with a resigned expression, its energy swirling as though breathing deeply and slowly. Zthulan relays Jeraylia's question to it. It says nothing at first, but then it wails an answer in draconic, with a wheezing voice:

"...Greed..."

Lyntermas Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:48 pm

"If it's in a talking mood, ask it if the corpse in the locked coffin said anything to them." said Rolf.

Obilgatory TvTropes Page.

A1C Bronymous Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:56 pm

It's just Zthulan who can interact with this thing, right? The rest of us can't see or hear it?

Azarune Mon Oct 29, 2012 10:14 pm

Bronymous wrote:It's just Zthulan who can interact with this thing, right? The rest of us can't see or hear it?

I would assume only Zthulan would be able to see and hear them, though it might also be how powerful the ghost/spirit is as well. So perhaps you could feel the fact a spirit is around, or that Zthulan is just crazy. Now to do something incredibly tacky.

Looking at the kobold with a sympathetic nod he relays the answer. "Greed is what killed them, I can assume that means their desire for treasure caused them to dig deeper, eventually releasing Zilean, but hopefully the dead will feel accommodating." Focusing back to the spirit Zthulan asks Rolf's question.

Nature Roll: 18+8=26

Zarhon Tue Oct 30, 2012 10:32 pm

Yes, the spirit pretty much is only visible/audible to Zthulan, who knows how to tune into the veil in which spirits are visible. Unless it is in a form capable of interacting with its surroundings (in other words, a ghost or similar undead creature), the only way for the others to hear what is says would be to have the spirit possess a corpse/body and try speaking, but the success of such depends on the spirits willingness to do so, actual ability to do so and the state of the body/corpse... The presence of a powerful spirit is capable of making a subliminal affect on certain non-sensitive creatures, though: Animals might get unnerved, people might feel tingly, or something like that.

Zthulan relays Rolf's question. The spirit once again wheezes, in a much more woeful way:

"...Yes... ...magic... ...curses..."

The spirit shimmers slightly and becomes a bit more transparent in Zthulan's eyes, as its connection to this world weakens. It won't stay for much longer.

Azarune Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:28 pm

"Find peace and contentment with the primal powers of the earth, fight against the anarchy of daemons and the dictatorship of gods." Turning to Rolf Zthulan speaks. "Something about magic and curses, the connection is weakening, so I will allow him tranquility. Turning back to the spirit, Zthulan helps it move on.

Is that a roll?

A1C Bronymous Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:38 pm

"Magic and Curses? That's my favorite thing!" Horizon deadpans. "Hand that ghost an award. That answer told us both nothing, and at the same time everything we were already expecting. Can we go now? I feel like stabbing a dead guy."

Azarune Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:56 pm

"However Horizon, it may not have given us an answer, but our suspicions have been reinforced." With shrug Zthulan gets up, "so, shall we continue further?"

Ramsus Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:57 pm

Technically Skitter already went on ahead a while ago.

Lyntermas Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:59 am

"Well, the coffin should up ahead. Then we can head back. Who knows, maybe he scrawled his master plan on the inside of the lid while he was trapped in there for who knows how many years." Rolf started to head further down the tunnel.

A1C Bronymous Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:43 am

Horizon allows them to pass by before following along. "Next time make sure to ask the ghost for directions."

Lack of description aside, Jeraylia has been given form, complete with pet Mimic.

Broken Logic Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:45 am

Eh, it's good enough. Wait a second... she's not actually purple XD
Next you'll draw Skitter as a rat Razz

"Ah well, shouldn't have expected the dead to lend a hand," said Jeraylia, shrugging her shoulders. "Even if they don't need it anymore." She pulled a face at where she thought the spirit might be, but the wraith had already departed.

A1C Bronymous Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:02 pm

Well quit saying she's purple. Now she's greyish-purple.

Personally, I think Purple looked better.

Edit: While we're on the subject, what color is Zthulan? And Rolf, for that matter.

Azarune Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:43 pm

His face appears to be more angular than the blunt faces most dragonborn have. His scales are just a basic tan, sandstone is probably the closest color and wears modest open robe that is a dark brown. Besides that he keeps most of his various items along a belt. He carries what appears to be a simple quarter staff in one hand and in the other is holding on to a slung over the shoulder backpack. His "hair" just reaches a little below the shoulders.

Straight from an initial post.

Uh for clothes basic travel gear and robes. Cause robes are AWESOME. Hood included Very Happy

A1C Bronymous Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:46 pm

You'll get what you get, head-wise. Not much to work with.

Zarhon Wed Oct 31, 2012 5:55 pm

Zthulan performs a draconic funeral ritual, easing the spirits transition from this realm. As both Zthulan and the spirit perform a mutual, ritualistic hand gesture, it vanishes.

The rest of the party then proceeds into the next room.

Perception rolls:
On the roof of this room is a large, rectangular hole, that extends half a meter before ending in dirt. Below it is a large rectangular object, covered in a cloth of rough bag-weave. Most of the features in the room appear to be blackened by something, with exception of the cloth covering the object in the room. Several pickaxes are on the floor, its handles almost completely missing. There are what appear to be bones of some creature in a one corner of the room, partially covered in dirt and the remains of a support pillar that fell over. The room itself is supported by a wooden pillar, roughly positioned near the entrance into this room. The pillar is barely standing: Most of its wood appears to be missing and its a wonder it hasn't broken in half already. The entrance, as well as most of the room, is sized so that a average-sized creature would have to bend slightly to move properly.

What are you making the character portraits with exactly, Brony?

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