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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Evendur
Evendur followed the group that explored the courtyard and beyond. When they find the armory, he explores it carefully, digging up and recovering any usable armour and weapons. Bringing as much of it back to the main area as possible, he remembers that he's the one who borrowed the axe and returns it, "Oh, of course. Thank you for letting me use it."
He makes as many trips back and forth as needed, bringing all the old gear over and sorting it into piles of different armour and weapons. "I think we'll be able to arm ourselves again with these," he says.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Kazz
Kazz tries making a torch from a plank of wood, but fails to grasp the idea of wrapping something more flammible about the top, so gives up on it. Her eyes gloss over the assembled equipment, but without much interest. What kind of people would have kept weapons like this?
The barricade is particularly upsetting. She knows what's out there, and wonders if it ever got in. She is absolutely inexperienced, but ancient instincts are running at full-bore.
She finally asks Harsk, "Whose things are these? Why did they leave their weapons and armor behind, were they worth so little?"
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Harsk
He thanks Evendur for his axe then muses over the strange lady's question while tending the fire. He finally comes up with several explanations. "Could be they're not worth anything, 'ts hard to tell cause the stuffs so old. Considering the barricade its more likely the armor was left behind when whoever was here decided to flee. Armors heavy and slows ye down. Or could be that they never got a chance to put it on before theys was all killed. Lets just hope it wasn't the last one."
After getting the fire started, he helps the others carry back more gear from the armory, while also looking around for anything useful or something that could clue them into what happened.
Spoiler
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Perception for the armory [roll0]
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Davek
At this point I'd say beggars can't be chosers, Davek remarks to Harsk, though I concede it's not exactly ideal. Either way we've all got a means of defending ourselves, which is a step above where we were a minute ago. Would one of you two fine gentlemen (referring to Fizahn and Callos) give that door heading towards the keep a try? It could be that it only opens for the keep's owner.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Harsk realizes that building a fire within the chamber of shrines would only fill the relatively low ceilinged chamber with smoke. Instead, he follows Ginevra's suggestion and soon has a fire roaring in the kitchen's large, but long unused hearth.
Grynde shakily gets to his feet and walks over to the kitchen area where he settles down to bind his wounds as best he can.
The warmth from the hearth fire soon drives away the winter chill. Several of you make trips back and forth to and from the armory with gear as well as wood. On one of those trips, Harsk discovers the outline of a cunningly disguised secret passageway.
When Fizahn walks over to examine the locked double doors in the fountain courtyard, they open easily for him. A series of patios connected by steps leads to a small square keep nestled into the mountainside.
OOC: As blackfox suggested, your characters are now equipped with their "starting equipment".
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Tiriel
Tiriel sorts through the abandoned armor and weapons until she finds a large serviceable sword and a set of plate armor. Both have seen better days, but the sword is rust free and can be sharpened, and the armor polished, later.
She buckles on the sword which to too long to wear at the waist, instead she wears it over her shoulder. I couldn't do that before, not with my wings... she thinks to herself. The sword makes her feel more secure and she follows Fizahn to the doors in the courtyard.
"So if the doors opened for you, does that mean that this one is yours?" She asks him gesturing to the keep above.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Darros
After reclaiming his dagger, Darros assists Grynde in binding his wounds as much as the human will allow, compassion evident on his face. When Grynde appears to be able to move around comfortably, he follows Fizahn out onto one of the nearby patios. Drawing out his crystal orb, Darros sits cross-legged, staring out at the storm. Meditating on the power of the spectacle, the orb rises out of his lap of its own accord, arcane lightning dancing within it.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Grynde
He shrugs Darros off as he fixes himself up. Feeling much better, he dons his new, heavy armour, and inspects the two different spiked flails he took from the armory. To his annoyance he had been unable to find a short sword that fit his hand as he remembered, but he vaguely recalls a half-orc trying to trip a demigod with similar instruments and decides to try them out. He gives them a few experimental swings, smiles, and slings the heavier one across his back and the lighter one around his waist in such a way that the spikes would not cause him discomfort.
Standing slightly away from the group, he practices drawing them both and attacking as quickly as he can, familiarising himself with his new toys.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Retay
The northerner helps to ferry things from the armoury to the warmth of kitchen. Among them he is surprised to find a large axe, rather like the one he lost. Deciding it is much better than trying to tackle every foe he meets, he takes the weapon for his own.
On the other hand, he cannot find any armour resembling his old hides and furs, which he preferred for their lightness and flexibility. He eventually settles on a heavy scale armour, knowing that these days he is more likely to be fighting for his life in one place than hunting game across the tundra.
Thus armed, he settles in the kitchen and begins to stare into the flames.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Patash (Dragonborn Cleric)
After Patash collects the broken furniture, he then moves into the kitchen any useable table chairs. Once finished he sits in one and stares into the fire.
Bahamut, grant me the wisdom to understand your purpose in sending me to this place with these people he thinks to himself.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Harsk
Well hello, what do we have here... the dwarf notes as he notices the hidden passageway. Better check this out, although maybe I should get some backup first. Wouldn't want to run into anything alone...
He deposits his last load of armor and weapons in the kitchen, then mentions the secret passage. "Whilst carrying this here stuff I noticed a hidden door, I was gonna go inspect it, if'n any of ye wants to follow."
Harsk then goes back to the armory with crossbow in hand, expecting the worst, and any volunteers in tow, and checks the passage for traps before entering.
Spoiler
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Perception[roll0]
Thievery[roll1] in case of traps
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Davek lets his curosity get the better of him and agrees to go along.
Could be interesting, he says, though unless we all sign up I think it best to not stray too far from the group. We still don't know what's lurking in these halls, and the more of us there are the better chance we have of bringing down any wandering plant monsters.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Patash (Dragonborn Cleric)
Patash says "I'll go gladly, it is a chance for some action and some exsertion should warm us up!" as he follows Harsk.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Kavri
Kavri goes along with the general searching of the castle including the armory. When the manual labor starts up, Kavri ignores it dutifully. Heavy lifting is not the kind of excitement he's looking for. When Harsk reports to the group about the hidden door, Kavri is slightly intrigued. It could be interesting I guess. He follows Harsk to the door and waits impatiently for the dwarf to finish his search.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Elthan
Glancing through the armory, Elthan spies nothing of interest; Armor, sharp objects of different variety, some less civilized in appearance than others. He watches as Grynde whips out his flail multiple times, rolling his eyes, I'd never be caught dead swinging something that silly around.
On entering the kitchen, he catches the dwarfs mention of investigating a secret passage. "Well, if you're going to investigate anyway," he says as he slurks into the kitchen from behind the dwarf, "I think I'll just tag along. Maybe something interesting will pop up."
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Evendur
The paladin carefully searches through the piles and comes out with a long sword and some armour and a shield. As he buckles the sword around his waist, he vaguely remembers long ago using sword and shield to fight... something big. The memory fades again. Shaking his head, he picks up the shield and follows the group looking around the hidden door.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Kazz
Kazz remains in the kitchen following the first trip to the armory, more interested in warmth than digging up the ghosts of this place. She watches the pile of reclaimed gear grow larger and larger, but leaves it where it is, electing to stay out of the way of those who would willingly place themselves in danger.
A party assembles to investigate Harsk's secret door, and she decides to join them. "With any luck, the monster won't be able to find the hidden door," she offers.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Kazz and Elthan find little of interest in the armory. Borrowing Mazom's sunrod, they join the small group assembling by the secret passage.
Harsk slings his axe over his back as he crouches by the stone door. He runs his fingers along the block's edges. Grunting with satisfaction, he pushes the block inward and it swings open almost noiselessly. The opening is only about 4 feet high and wide.
Kavri, shifts his blue cloak over his shoulders. His keen elven eyes peer into the passage. Neither he nor Harsk see anything.
Evendur edjusts his armor and the sword in its sheath at his waist. His shield is old, but sturdy, its blazon long faded and unrecognizable. He is still bothered by his disconnection from Sune.
Davek leans forward, his leather armor creaking softly. He has a dagger at his waist, but he keeps his hands free. "Shall we check it out?"
Patash is almost too large to fit through the opening. His chainmail scrapes against stone as he squeezes in. (Studying him closely, Elthan notes that Patash doesn't have a tail, and in other ways does not resemble Ssathiya the lizardman. Elthan wonders whether Patash might be some type of yuan-ti variant?)
The passage is low and narrow, ending in another block of stone. Harsk pulls this one inward and emerges into a 40' x 40' chamber.
The dwarf instantly recognizes the room as a forge. A large chimney rises up from the center of the room. Solid oak doors are set in the walls to the left and straight ahead. A dark iron anvil and assorted tools are lined up neatly on wooden tables and benches. A large metal tub sits in one corner, filled with dark water.
A block of stone sits against the wall to the left. It resembles the blocks of stone in the chamber of shrines. Harsk notes a hammer inscribed on its face. Two iron rings are set into the sides of the block.
Each door leads to a different 40' x 40' room. Both rooms are empty with no clues as to their purpose. Both of the empty rooms open into a fourth room.
The fourth room is also 40' x 40', but its walls are covered from flagstone floor to oak-beamed ceiling with bookshelves. The shelves sag under the weight of hundreds of books. Two long tables in the center of the room are also covered in books as well as glass bottles, tin containers and other arcana.
Elthan's eyes light up and he quickly examines the tables and shelves with a searching eye. Gathering up a sheaf of parchment, he studies them carefully, finding them both familiar and yet somehow alien. The half-elf picks up a frosted crystal sphere, similar to though not as elegant as the one Darros channels his wizardry through. He holds it up to his face then releases it, watching with satisfaction as it hovers in place before him.
The four rooms appear to have served as a sort of hidden retreat. They connect to each other by simple wooden doors, but the only exit appears to be the secret passage to the armory ...
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Fizahn:
Fizahn shrugs at Tiriel. "Guess it is my castle. Well, my castle is your castle. Help yourself to whatever's in there... although, please check with me before you take anything." With his door opened, Fizahn goes to where the equipment has all been found. He sorts through it all until he finds equipment that fits his gnome stature. With new weapons in hand, he returns his dagger to the person he borrowed it from. He considers the secret passage that Harsk has found, but shakes his head. "I'm off to explore my castle. I think that's more important."
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Ginevra
Ginevra warms herself in front of the fire, shivering. She had gathered a few weapons from the armory, and she twirls a dagger between her fingers.
[hr]
She follows the group in their exploration of the keep, her eyes wide. "Why would Fizahn's tower have a library full of magic?"
She remembers suddenly that she still has a borrowed sling. "Hey, Patash... I still have your sling." She holds out the weapon and the pouch of sling stones to him.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Retay
Retay watches in dismay as his tribe disintegrates. They'd just set up a warm and safe place to spend the night, and half of them started climbing towards the keep, while the other half left to explore some passage!
Still, I suppose I can see why. It's pretty neat how the door looks like part of the wall. Couldn't be convenient, though - how would new people know it was there? It doesn't enter the barbarian's mind that maybe it was supposed to be secret. How could a stone building be secret?
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Elthan
Elthan strolls through the library, gently easing each book out of its resting place and skimming over it with curious eyes. His face is blank, though not in the sense as it is usually. While his stolid face likes to hide his emotions, it can genuinely be said that as his eyes crept back and forward over the dusty pages, he truely was too busy to care for his expression. He stands silent, reading intently before uttering in a dusty manner of his own, "I think I'll be here for a while... Tell Callos there's a library would you? I think we'll have some research to do.."
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Patash (Dragonborn Cleric)
Patash takes the sling and bullets from Ginevra, "Thank you, if you have a need of it just ask and I will gladly loan it again. Just as you are welcome to continue using the bed roll until you no longer need it."
He then searches the forge room for any fuel to use to light the forge in order to heat the room complex.
Spoiler
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Perception check to find any fuel and a nature check to identify the black liquid.
Perception: [roll0]
Nature: [roll1]
After the fire is started or if he finds no fuel, Patash joins the others in the book room, "Fizahn, may I examine the texts for clues about this world and how it differs from my own?" he asks respectfully. If the response is positive Patash begins his searches for information about this world and how it differs from what Patash knows.
Spoiler
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Patash searches for history, geography, and religous texts to try to determine the differences.
History: [roll2]
Religion: [roll3]
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Elthan
"Your world?", Elthan asks, indicating subtle shock, "You mean this isn't? I had thought, seeing as you must have climbed the mountain to become petrified, you must be native."
The half-elf thinks on this, of if perhaps the strange new folk with him might be in the very same dilemma as his companions. It didn't match up in his head, but further question would reveal all. Though, as long as the subject was on hand, he thought to pose a lingering question. "On a tangent, just what are you Patash? I'm tempted to say Lizardkin since I knew one before, but you lack a tail and your coloration is much different. I'd further suppose a Yaun-ti, half-blooded I believe the fitting type would be called. However, you don't posses that certain smell of deception that inevitably creeps forward..."
Elthan waves his hand around, as if preemptively dispersing the vapors while shutting his current book closed on his thumb, leaving his page marked. Before his next thought he chuckles slightly, "I'll say I"m tempted too to call you half-dragon, but such I feel you are not. Perhaps in some manner draconic, but not a direct breeding. Your features are more subtle, and again, your coloration does not match a distinct type. I suppose I could ramble on a bit more on a few extra variations of dragon that walk about, but what exactly are you? I've not seen or heard of a species such as yours, leaving me even more in the thought I am in fact not in Faerun any more."
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Harsk
The forge and symbol of Moradin warm the dwarf's heart a little. Clearly whoever built this secret passage revered the Soul Forger more then those other frail deities. He spends several minutes wandering the forge before entering the study. The book laden shelves offer him little interest, so instead he focuses on the variety of trinkets on the tables. He grunts with laughter under his breath when the half-elf questions Patash, Bumbling fool doesn't recognize a dragonborn when he sees one. Maybe they are telling the truth. Wouldn't be the weirdest thing I've heard of.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Kavri
The elf is not at all interested in the forge. He looks around awhile, but becomes bored in a matter of seconds. He returns to the fire and warms himself beside, giving up the searching for now.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Kazz
Kazz pokes around among the bottles and tins, wary of anything that smells too strong or seems otherwise suspicious. She leafs through a few books, curious as to what might be hidden within.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Davek
The hidden forge is little more than a curiosity to Davek. The sign of Moradin is interesting but not out of place in a forge, and is the only thing Davek bothers to examine. The library on the otherf hand captures a bit more of his attention. He realizes that searching for a given topic in here without some sort of index would likely be an exercise in futility and madness, so he checks the long tables and the rest of the room for any clue as to the library's organization. Regardless of his success, he speaks up a few minutes later:
If we were to make camp for the night, I'd vote we do it here over any of the other locations we've seen so far. That hidden door reduces our chances of being found while we rest and makes an excellent choke point if we do in fact have to fight something off. Those empty rooms make for a easy place to set up camp as well.
If we're to keep moving I'd suggest any mages grab what they need and go. We can always return here later, and I for one would be happy to do so.
Spoiler
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Perception, if needed: [roll0]
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Callos
As the others finally found things resembling equipment that used to be their own, Callos returned from the entry-way to the minotaur hallway and watched quietly as the others picked out things for themselves. The ex-necromancer, for his part, waited until they were finished before picking through the things himself and holding up a wickedly edged dagger that he stuck confidently into his belt before gathering more mundane supplies into a backpack and setting it off to the side away from the other's belongings.
It was the next gathering at the entry way to the small passage way that drew his eye next, had him shuffling softly down the hidden passageway until he reached the library. He gazed around appreciatively, realizing that here he would likely find his answers even as his eye was drawn to an orb as well. It took a moment to notice it, snugged behind several books as it was, but it only took a moment or two for the man to wedge the ebony orb out from the darkness to hold appreciatively in his hand.
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Re: NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep
Patash (Dragonborn Cleric)
"Elthan, I did climb a mountain seeking shelter from a storm and was turned to stone, but when I awoke here this is not the mountain I climbed, this maybe another part of my world or another world all together. I am hoping this library might provide some clues." Patash explains as he scouts the library looking for a likely area to start his research.
Spoiler
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Perception check to find the history, geography or religion section
Perception: [roll0]
After deciding on a spot he skims several books trying to determine their subjects. Looking over at Elthan he continues, "I am of a race called Dragonborn in my land and are not related to lizardkin or Yaun-ti. Though I am not a Half Dragon, the Dragonborn share a kinship with Dragons, maybe second cousins, once removed, if I understand the concept correctly. If you are really interested I would be happy to relate the Gospels of Bahamut concerning the creation of the Dragons and Dragonborn after I have had a chance to search the Library. Also I have not heard of the land of Faerun, is that where you are from?" He listens quietly to the response while continuing to search through the books. Patash continues to check different areas unless he finds the subjects he is looking for.
Upon hearing Davek's idea of where to camp Patash says, Davek that is a fine suggestion. I agree that this makes a good camp. I think we should rest until morning and explore when it is brighter and maybe warmer."