Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (IC): Thread 2

[Skjaldbakka]

Tell will pick up "Jaroo" by the throat as he regains consciousness. "What did you do with Jaroo?" he will growl at him through clenched teeth.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor meanwhile just stands guard. While he can understand the sentiment, he still finds manhandling prisoners distasteful. That is something the bad guys do. If the man is a fanatic, even torture isn't going to loosen his tongue and then you would still have committed torture.

But well, it is not his place to judge. So he keeps quiet and just frowns.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Mid-afternoon

“Jaroo” takes a moment to focus on what is going on. “I… uh… got beaten. By you.” He looks around the room, taking obvious note of Elmo’s presence. “What are you talking about?”

Elmo stares at the prisoner for several seconds before slowly stating, “I think we are going to have to have a chat with Burne and Rufus. If you are really Jaroo, you know that will not be a problem. If you are an imposter, things could get… uncomfortable.”

[Skjaldbakka]

"You dare to continue in this deception!" Tell will drag Jaroo down through the trapdoor to the basement. "Perhaps then you can explain the state of your apprentice!"

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Mid-afternoon

Elmo follows Megiddo and “Jaroo” to the cellar. As they go down the stairs, Megiddo feels a similar buzzing in his head to the one he felt earlier when first talking to “Jaroo” and his guests. (( Will save: 1d20+8=28, success. ))

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor just stays behind with Tell to guard the other captives. Right now there is nothing else for him to do until Elmo can wrap his mind around the fact that these people are evil and need to be taken care of.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Mid-afternoon

Megiddo doesn’t pay the buzz much mind as they reach the cellar.

Jaroo simply gazes in silence at Yundi’s remains for about a minute. Suddenly, he shakes his head as if to free himself from some mental burden. He slowly, and sadly states, “They did this. I couldn’t stop them. They even killed the boy’s wolf, Wyst.”

[Skjaldbakka]

"Is that so? We saw no evidence of enchantments. How were they able to control you?"

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor can't help but roll his eyes and look at 'Jaroo' with disgust.

"You know you are doomed yet you try those weak lies. Pathetic! Doesn't evil have standards any more..."

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Mid-afternoon

Jaroo responds to Megiddo with a shudder, “Subtler methods…” He ignores Grigor.

Elmo, still obviously stunned by all this looks on with a pained look of indecision.

[Skjaldbakka]

"It would be best to keep him under lock and key. We will find out if that is for our protection or his when we get to the bottom of this cult."

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Mid-afternoon

After a moment’s hesitation, Elmo agrees. “Yes, let’s take everyone up to Burne and Rufus’s. I think it is best we hold them there.”

Jaroo shakes his head and softly says, “I don’t blame you, my friend.”

After returning to the first level of the lodge, Elmo gives instructions to Redithidoor for him to summon several militia members to help transport the prisoners. After the militia members arrive with shackles and gags (for the spellcasters) Elmo tells Megiddo, Tell, Grigor, and Redithidoor, “You can either accompany us to the keep, or you can wait here. Either way, I expect to talk to you about what occurred here.”

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

"Best to take them in so you can get your bearings about these... persons." Grigor responds, "And I say we better come along to the keep. Nothing left to do here right now."

[Skjaldbakka]

"I agree. We will come with you."

[Shhalahr Windrider]

(( Okay, gonna dispense with detailed descriptions for now, ‘cause we’re going to a place not detailed in the module, it’s getting late on my end, and the damn thing isn’t coming to me anyway. If you need a specific detail, ask and I’ll try and roll with it anyway. ))

The Keep: Planting 10, Late-afternoon

Before letting any of the militia members into the lodge, Elmo warns them about the possibility of Jaroo being an impostor. One of the responding members is Haunor, and he brought some shackles, with which the spellcaster and swordsman are fitted. Jaroo is not shackled so as to avoid a spectacle on the way to the keep.

The prisoners are marched to the keep on the edge of the village. They put up surprisingly little resistance. Guards at the keep let everyone in, but Elmo asks Grigor, Megiddo, and Tell to wait in the courtyard as he goes inside to talk with Burne and Rufus.

Elmo is inside the keep for a long time before returning with Rufus and several more keep guards. Rufus is a burly man, though he appears to be somewhat past his prime. He takes a look over the three adventurers before commenting, “So you’re are the useful idiots been giving Elmo here so much trouble? Yet you also done some…” he glances at Jaroo for a moment, “…good. I guess.” Suddenly, Rufus’s frown turns into a grin before adding, “Well, you’re still his problem anyway. He’ll take you from here.”

With that, the guards take the prisoners into the keep and Rufus follows. Leaving the party with Elmo and the rest of the militia.

Elmo sighs, “I suppose we should head back to the lodge and pick things up from there.”

[Skjaldbakka]

To Rufus: "Are you confident that you will be able to hold these people? I am sure Elmo has warned you that at least one of them is a spellcaster, and that there is also a possibility of there being either shapechanging or mind control magic at work as well, potentially from an outside source?"

Spoiler

Show

Sense Motive on Rufus: (1d20)[16]

To Elmo: "I suppose everything we can do here, we have done. We should therefore return to the lodge."

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor watches with a frown as the prisoners are taken away. Rufus doesn't seem to take this very serious. This might cause trouble later...

When Megiddo suggests returning to the lodge he replies "I suppose we could search the place more thoroughly. maybe we do find some clues. They may have been too arrogant to really cover their tracks."

Grigor is ready to move out.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Late-afternoon

Rufus stops in his tracks and looks over his shoulder at Megiddo.“Elmo has briefed us on everything,” he assures the cerebremancer, “And I do mean everything.”

The group returns to the lodge and begins to take another look over things.

(( Anything in particular you want to pay attention to? ))

[Skjaldbakka]

Megiddo will perform his usual thorough aura scans.

Edit- I will also take 10 on a Search check looking through, which gives me a 16. Not really looking for anything specific. I guess looking for ritualistic stuff that isn't Druid-y, or secret doors, mostly.

[Lycar]

Grigir, human cleric

"Okay so you also know about the cultists we found in the dungeon under the old moat house? Very well, we look for a connection between them and these imposters here. Let's look."

Grigor goes ahead and helps Megiddo look for clues.

Spoiler

Show

Aid Another on a search check: (1d20+2)[15]

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Late-afternoon

It appears that in the excitement of post-battle Megiddo missed a faint abjuration aura (( Yeah, I forgot about it… )) underneath Jaroo’s bed. Upon closer examination, it belongs to yet another locked chest.

As for the rest of the lodge: it is surprisingly sparse. Elmo is alarmed over several missing keepsakes that he knew Jaroo to take good care of. Most of what remains is basic furniture, clothing, some basic foods and a supply of herbs and medicinal plants. That’s what the party can get to anyway.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

When Elmo mentions missing keepsakes, this prompts Grigor to ask about them.

"Keepsakes? Huh, tell us more about them, maybe they provide a clue. At the very least we can confront 'Jaroo' about them and see if he cracks."

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Late-afternoon

“Jaroo spent some time as an adventurer before settling down here in Hommlet. He was never one to collect too much, like most adventurers he did wind up with the occasional trophy now and then. Mostly gifts from the the people he helped—like bone-and-woodchip necklace a young girl gave him. He never wore it, so it should be here, but it isn’t. The place looks to be cleared out.”

[Skjaldbakka]

"It would appear that whoever cleared them out, left behind a magically warded box."

Megiddo will examine the magic on the box more closely, to try and determine what it is.

Spoiler

Show

DC 20+spell level: Identify a spell that’s already in place and in effect. You must be able to see or detect the effects of the spell. No action required. No retry.

If that applies here, (1d20+17)[33] Spellcraft

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Late-afternoon

The effect is not currently active. It is waiting for some sort of trigger. As an abjuration, this would indicate some sort of ward. Most likely a simple glyph of warding.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Grigor just watches as Megiddo examine the box since things arcane are not his area of expertise.

[Skjaldbakka]

"Based on the aura, I would suspect it is some type of warding glyph. I could try to open it, but it might destroy whatever is inside the box, depending on what kind of spell was used."

He looks over towards Elmo. "Unless the city guard has taken to providing training in the disarming of magical traps?"

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Jaroo’s Lodge: Planting 10, Late-afternoon

Elmo shrugs. “I’d have to scrounge around to see if there is anyone able and willing.”

[Skjaldbakka]

Megiddo will wave everyone out of the room, then use Control Object on the key to the chest to open it remotely, hopefully outside the area of whatever magical trap is on the chest.

[Lycar]

Grigor, human cleric

Again, Grigor gets out of the way to let Megiddo do his thing. And if anything goes awry, well, praying to the gods for some healing is his job.