Chapter 2: Where evil lurks

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

| AC 14 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 06 - Will 09  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6)

---

"The one remaining and active Sphere is as stubborn as a Goristro rampage." Carmine replied to Kerapsis.

"I remember this one Goristro, I think his name was Gorbash or something... We were caught up in some skirmish of the Bloodwar back before I ascended to Lilitu. Terrible temper. Stunk to high heaven. Somehow the poor bastard convinced himself that being smelly would attract Hound Archons and he rather liked they way they crunched when he broke them."

"There was this incubus, prissy even for one of us, took offense and used a minor cantrip to clean Gorbash. Quite offended, Gorbash chased the incubus through our lines, smashing everything in his path, and on into the devil's fortifications, knocking over walls, barricades and anything in his path."

"Won the day for us." Carmine dusts his hands off as he enters the other chamber. "They killed him, of course. But while they were distracted, we launched an assault that completely destroyed their defenses and took the hill, as the saying goes. We skinned Gorbash and used his rotting fur as a battle standard."

"On any road, the spheres seem to feel, if magic has a feeling, familiar. Something akin to the soul powered stones of our home. It is possible they perform a similar function." Carmine gestured to the darkened spheres. "If so, then these have been unattended for a long time to have burnt out. Or maybe they were never filled. Really no way to tell without expended time and effort we do not posses, and the answer is currently one which helps us not at all."

"I doubt it will do little more than chip at the corners of the ice, but let us see what pure eldritch power can do to this ice."

With that said, Carmine tosses a bolt at the icy door.

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude.

Detect Magic is Active

Goristro on Forgotten Realms Wiki

Was supposed to be +5, not +3 so attack was a 9 and hoping that there is some bonus for large and stationary target.

Damage of 3. Maybe it will scratch it. More interested in if there is a reaction to being attacked.

 

 

[TheFred]

 

Molgrug yawns loudly and proceeds past Carmine and the sphere to the cold room where Nizell and Kerapsis are still considering how to open a door.

He watches, expectantly, as if waiting for the others to start chipping away at the ice (but definitely not offering to help).

 

 

 

 

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

[Enkhoffer]

The Archon taps the ice surface with the tip of his blade.

He givesd a small chuckle.

 

"The hellfire feels quite distant from me at the moment. Should we break through?"

 

Show OOC

I'm good with going by force. Does anyone here have some fire magic?

Show Statblock

Brandisher

Paladin of Tyranny lvl 2

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision;

HP 3/24;

AC: 20; Touch: 11; Flat-Footed: 19;

Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +7;

Resist Electricity 5; Resist Acid 10; Immune to Poison

[Michael]

(moving things along)

A few of the fiends start to chip away at the ice bound door. Fairly quickly fiendish impatience and anger turns to an all out assault, and the door is hammered by weapon and claw. Unable to weather the attack the door suddenly bursts asunder, sending chips of frozen wood and metal into the room beyond.

The new room is circular, it's walls ceiling and floors coated in ice and frost. The source of this cold is the imposing, high back throne that sits at the centre of the room, though it too is so encrusted with ice that it is hard to tell what material it is made of. Sitting upon the throne is a gaunt, almost skeletal humanoid...possibly goblinoid...figure. It's head is bowed, with the left hand clenched and ice-entombed upon the throne's arm rest, and the right hand clutching a purple-black spindle shard from which emanates a smoky haze.

Two more ice bound doors mark further exits from the room.

The throne, corpse upon it and shard all radiate their own powerful magics, the intertwined tapestry radiates all schools.

[Roughtrade]

Considering my contribution to the door destruction was a ranged attack and others are closer.

Carmine is not the first in the room. I am just not waiting to post.

Carmine

| AC 14 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 06 - Will 09  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6)

---

With the wave of cold rolling out into the room, Carmine shivers. Reacting to the environment like a mortal is part of the game when the main task is subverting them while staying unnoticed among them. Hands filled with eldritch energy, ready to contribute to further mayhem if required, Carmine slides directly to the right after entering and pauses to study the room.

"Magic. Lots of it." Carmine comments. "Too many auras. Too powerful. Overlapping. All of it centered on our seated king, his seat and the object in his hand."

"This reminds me of this time in Faerûn when some fool took a jest I made too far." Carmine continues to study the "king" on his throne. "They have this very odd magical hierarchy involving murdering one another for the title of Magistrate or something. I made a comment to this one fellow over drinks."

"Well, to shorten the story a bit; by the end of the night fourteen of the fools had murdered one another. And, pertinent to our situation, the number of conflicting auras was very similar to this situation, except these seem more.... Permanent."

Carmine sighs.

"The real tragedy was that I really liked that tavern. Soft beds and a large wine cellar. One really cannot ask for much more from a mortal establishment."

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude.

Detect Magic is Active

Studying the room. But particularly.... The King's regalia (clothing and crown and such) and of course, the little spindle in the King's hand. Does it look like it might fit with the broken sword or the stone that Molgrug snatched? While I suppose actual "jig-saw" fitting will require closer inspection, in general - are their any obvious similarities?

 

 

 

 

[Michael]

The creature on the throne wears a frozen nondescript grey robe. It might have been better looking a millennia ago, but, as with the rest of this complex, time has not been kind. It bears no other clothing or regalia.

The shard is definitely a cousin to the rose one Molgrug appropriated. In addition, it very much fits the description of the dark shard you were sent here for in the first place. There's sadly no clear relationship between sword fragment and dark shard, at least not from cautiously distant observation.

[TheFred]

 

 

"Well, that piece of crystal there looks interesting," Molgrug says, indicating the smoking shard. He frowns. "Though, I wonder if "crystal" is the correct classification. It certain appears to be mineral in its constitution... I say, Brandisher, why don't you grab it?"

 

 

 

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

[Grand Poobah]

"Now we are getting interesting, I wounder what magic could be drained from him?"

Nizell moved forward halving the distance from the door to the creature on the thrown, circling about it

"Then again it may well not be ...tottaly absent if it's cold is somehow keeping him on ice until unsuspecting adventurers stumble on him?"

Telepathicly : "Hello in there anyone home"

 

Edited March 6 by Grand Poobah (see edit history)

[Michael]

A telepathic voice replies to Nizell's enquiry. Despite being telepathic it manages to convey a dry crackling aged whisper, much like one might suspect the clearly not actually dead desiccated frozen corpse on the throne might sound like if it spoke.

In response to the telepathic question from Nizell (which the DM assumes was in common, as per house rules on languages), the creature responds in a harsh guttural language, possibly orcish or goblin.

There's also the faintest suggestion it is trying to move its arms.

 

 

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

| AC 14 |  Fort 04 - Reflex 06 - Will 11  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6)

---

"Curious." Carmine remarks aloud, raising one eyebrow and looking askance at the throne. "It seems to believe we can be bribed by coins and baubles. Perhaps it has never seen a true fiend before."

"Rather than ripping the crystal out of his grasp, I might convince it to explain more of what is going on by feigning interest in the bribe."

Pausing a moment, Carmine adds. "If anyone has specific information they are interested in, please try to not turn this into a shouting match. From the lack of reaction at our entrance, it would be unlikely Dash'ken is aware of physical disturbance, but it is always a possibility."

And then, engaging in telepathic conversation with the figure frozen to the throne...

"Riches you say? What sort of riches can a lone figure, captive and isolated, possibly offer? Tell me of this Empire of which I see no evidence except a forgotten tomb."

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Will.

Detect Magic is Active

I am going to try just teasing information, seeing what the Dash'ken will talk about.

Does anyone have anything they were interested in for me to steer the conversation towards?

 

 

[TheFred]

 

"Are you able to communicate with it?" Molgrug asks, looking from Nizell to Carmine. "Alas, my own telepathic abilities feel somewhat fuzzy after our ordeal and I cannot make out anything coherent. It reminds me of that time I took a trip to Pandemonium with a yagaloth called Gozo. His problem, you see, was that he wasn't at all prepared for the trip. Well, that wasn't his only problem. He also had terrible bunions. I said to him: if that's your problem, you should soak your feet for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes in a nice warm solution made by mixing saltpetre, blue vitriol, and a little alum - does wonders for exfoliation, I always find!"

 

 

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

[Grand Poobah]

While they were starting to shift towards some level of "trust" with each other it was not natural to not resist relying on it.

In Draconic and then in Abysay Nizell says "Is there another tounge we can converse in? Maybe outload if you are able?"

[Roughtrade]

"It speaks the same language as the goblin corpse we found earlier." Caremine replies. "And please, let us not all go badgering the being at the same time. That usually goes nowhere."

---

Seriously. We got it talking. I have found these Q&A sessions become exhausting and end no where when five people try to question an NPC at the same time.

[Michael]

With Carmine acting as intermediary translator, the group listens telepathically to the frozen figure as it goes through the stages of grief...denial, anger...more denial, and then some more anger, as it comes to terms with having being out of touch with the world for several millennia. It's thoughts come thick and fast, and assume a rich understanding of a long dead era, which none of you have. Clearly ages ago this land was ruled by goblins, who waged a war with some kind of extra planar creatures..not fiends, something else.. and at some stage during that Dash'ken was betrayed and imprisoned.

Eventually Carmine is able to get a thought in edge-ways into the vitriolic diatribe, causing the creature to pause for several minutes. It then says in a more measured mental tone

I need my regalia returned to me. Sceptre, orb, crown. I am sure there is a currency I can use as payment that will interest you, be it riches, knowledge or power.

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

| AC 14 |  Fort 04 - Reflex 06 - Will 11  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6)

---

 

Carmine begins with a faithful translation, but it does not take long to devolve into a sort of

"...My strength was unchallenged... Blah, blah, blah... This imprisonment is inconceivable, blah, blah, blah.... Many enemies fell, blah blah, blah... How could they do this to me, blah, blah, blah... I took their wives and made them watch as I .. Oh, I don't think I need to translate that bit...."

"Really, I think the only item of interest is the enemy which defeated him." Carmine says during the pause at the end of the ranting dead goblin. "But in keeping faith as a translator, Dath'ken again offers payment for restoring him. Power, money, knowledge. The usual things."

"He requires us to fetch the regalia of his office, scepter, orb and crown."

"I assume they are useful, and that he will have no idea of their location. And I would be most interested in what he knows of these outer plane beings. Not devils, nor angels or he would have recognized them as such. Uncovering their nature might lead to why we are so far from our own source of power."

 

"Such powerful objects will surely be guarded by your enemies. It might aid our recovery in your name if you could tell us more about them. The powers they grant, the traitors which took them. ... ... ... What they look like."

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Will.

Detect Magic is Active

 

Again, if anyone has a specific thing they want to get it talking about, let me know.