Cormyr - The Tearing of the Wave

[achinca]

Axara turns around towards Mordiun 'Don't you go calling me Princess, dwarf, if you do not want me to call you name you won't like. You should show respect to a Priestess of Mystra. I am trying to figure out what is going on. What kind of disappearances are you talking about? How did they make people disappear? That is new to me..

She stops and notices Ryxikor tinkering with the door. 'Not bad either, not bad at all. A little androgynous like all elf but surely some great eye candy. It beats having to look at that dwarf.

[puffmagicdragon]

As the Ryxikor sees the hallway, he turns and heads back to the southern most door at I4, and performs his usual routine, listen, search, disarm and pic.

Holding his main dagger in his right hand, he looks to Maesyn, standing beside him, and points to the half-human's rapier with the point of his own dagger, "You can use that to help, or you could bolster our efforts with your playing bard."

The elven warrior looks out from under the wide brim of his hat at the door, then begins.

listen: (1d20+2)[7]
search for traps: (1d20+6)[24]
disarm trap: (1d20+9)[24]
pick lock: (1d20+10)[24]

[razorback]

Savin watches while the newcomer banters back with the dwarf, preparing to intercede if it becomes to heated. Having no blood-sister, he could only imagine what one would do to protect her.

As he rustles through his pack to dig out some rations, he watches out of the corner of his eye what is unfolding before him. When done, and feeling satiated, he wipes the hands together to wipe away the crumbs and picks up his chain as he makes a small circle with his head, eyes closed, as the others hear the cracking from where they stand.

"If we are going to be on with it, then let us be on with it."

[puffmagicdragon]

When Axara gets the healing scroll

"Axara, could you kindly use the scroll Marlae gave you to heal me?" Ryx asks before they get too involved in another skirmish.

"And maybe a massage later, to work some of this soreness out." he adds with a wink.

[achinca]

Axara looks at Savin 'You are right warrior but let's see what we have here first.'

When Ryxikor asks for help, she approaches him. 'I can help you elf ... man .... you are a boy right?' she says with a mischievous smile. 'Elves can be so androgynous at time....'

She grabs his arms and checks his muscles as she starts whispering divine words of prayers. Her silver holy symbol lights up and Ryxikor wounds heal partially.

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Ryxikor: +8HP - Currently at 20/24

Axara: Drops Divine favor for spontaneous casting of CLW

'Here you go Sir Elf. You should be good for a few more adventures. As for your massage, it will not be given but earned! she says with a smile. 'Anyone else needs healing?'

Ryxikor listens and hears nothing. He checks and finds no trap. However the door is locked. He tried to open it but fails.

Axara shakes her head 'the door is locked. Interesting! Anyone has an idea where the key could be?'

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryx stands up from kneeling before the door, with a sarcastic grin across his angular elven features, "It's been a while since i've been bested by a lock."

He looks to Axara and accepts the healing, his biceps and triceps tensing as she grabs his arm, "Thanks priestess. I believe a ring of keys was found upstairs."

[Ouroborosi]

"Elf" Mordiun speaks to catch Ryxikor's attention "Maybe one of these might fit" he underhand throws the keys that where on Fembrys body toward the rogue.

He looks tired toward the Mystra priestess "You want the run down? Fine."

He points toward Maesyn and Savin "Your already familiar with them"
He points toward Ryxikor "The "getleman" elf has joined the team of his own accord after arresting the "dirty" elf for attempted... rape"
he pauses "the drunkard and the guards are possibly criminals who try to atone for there misdeeds. Who where promised they could atone by serving Mystra in this temple instructed by Fembrys, the man you found gutted." the dwarf grins his teeth for a few seconds before he continues "The group and I managed to capture him alive in the hope that we could find some answers but his second was regrettably slain."

"There where no clues upstairs so we headed here encountered a magical construct and humans that unnatural can see within total darkness."

ooc: Mordiun wisely holds back his near dead encounter his companion have a hard time believing him. So a total stranger has even less success to beconfince

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryx catches the key ring and begins trying each key, if one doesn't work he tyies the next, Hmm, keys, different for me the rogue confesses to himself. He continues til he hopefully finds the correct key, if he does, he tosses the key ring back to Mordiun and prepares to enter the room.

if a key works
Ryx will stand against the wall, not in front of the door, grasps the door handle and turns it, slowly opening the door.

[LtPowers]

Maesyn looks on helplessly. "I'm afraid I'd only get in the way," he admits to Ryxikor.

He nods as the priestess identifies one of the tomes. "It is consistent with what we know for them to have researched the basics of Mystra's faith," he points out. "Enough to make it sound good to the public during nightly services. But not enough to fool a true Mystran such as Tunaster or Zarien."

To Axara he explains, "In addition to the Dwarf's sister, Marlae and I heard from an older woman in the town whose husband disappeared while looking into this temple's activities. Fembrys and Shan Thar had been inviting service attendees to participate in a ritual known as 'Mystra's Sacred Trust'. Are you familiar with it?"


Maesyn Silverhair

[achinca]

Ryxikor is surprised to be stopped by a lock. This has not happened in a long time. He asks for the key rings that Mordiun took from Fembrys and the dwarf gives it to him.

Mordiun then explains the situation to Axara. She look at him like he has two heads or is mentally ill. When the others nod in agreement, she makes a disgusted face. 'So Tunaster hired a .... rapist?' It is obvious that it is hard for her to say the word.

She is confused about who is what in Mordiun's explaination until he brings in the latest fight. 'Yep, I notice that the guards and the earth thing has some kind of a dark aura around them. Not sure what it is.'

Maesyn explains his theory and she nods and smiles at him. 'That would make sense. Just enough knowledge to fake it in a part of the Realm where Mystra is not well known.'

Her mood turns darker as the bard mentions disappearance 'I don't like the idea of people disappearing. There is no reason to disappear following the teaching of the Lady of Mystery.'

When he mentions 'Mystra's Sacred Trust', she shakes her head 'I have never ever heard of it. I am familiar with all the rituals for parishioners and this one makes no sense. In all my teaching, I have never been subject to such a thing, even when I got ordained. What is this ritual?'

In the mean time, Ryxikor opens the lock then the door. When he opens to is scary sight. It is 30 by 15 feet room. It is obviously a bedroom. In addition to a neat bed, two chairs, a coffee table, a bureau and a desk, the room contains eight heads mounted on the wall like trophies. Glass eyes stare from their yellowed flesh, and the acrid odor of preservative hangs in the air. A long table stands against the wall, next to a large upright wooden cabinet.

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryxikor snaps his head to the side as the acrid smell invades his senses. He looks to the group, "Does anyone have any soap?" he asks as he reraches into his backpack and pulling out a piece of cloth. If anyone produces any soap, Ryx will rub two fingers across the soap and wipe it below his nostrils, then tying the cloth over his nose, for a makeshift mask to hopefully help him from getting nauseated and sick from the smell. This reminds me too much of what I experienced in the underdark.

Once ready, the masked elf moves into the grotesque room, wondering how anyone could possibly sleep in this horror. Ryx takes his chances on the desk first. The elf searches thoroughly throughout the desk, searching for hidden compartments in the process. Afterwards, he checks the bureau, looking for anything of interest or value, looking for hidden compartments here too. He continues with the bed, looking under the mattress and moving the bed and looking under it.

search desk: (1d20+6)[24]
search for hidden compartment: (1d20+6)[25]

search bureau: (1d20+6)[12]
search for hidden compartment: (1d20+6)[18]

search bed: (1d20+6)[11]

[Ouroborosi]

"I suggest we move the body of Fembrys in here before Kevrin awakes and finds the body. He has been through enough unpleasant things." Mordiun said.

[razorback]

Savin looks into the newly opened room and sees the eight heads posted. He has seen battle before but this was savage and evil. Still, he hardened himself and proceeded in, careful not to disturb anything.

Spoiler

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Do any of the heads look like the description of Amnic?

[achinca]

Axara is a total shock after Ryxikor opens the door. Between the smell and the horrific trophy wall, the cleric has lost all her perkiness and flirtiness. Without thinking much she lends her soap to Ryxikor.

The elf covers his mouth and enters the room. He founds no hidden compartment but the following things in the desk: journal like: rants against the atrocity of pretending to worship Mystra. While the “true one" must remain hidden. One piece of paper indicates that "The latest set of petitioners awaits disposition down in the river dungeon – Don’t steal any of these for your sad hobby, Fembrys, or you’ll find your own head on a wall." This missive is signed "Arthas."

He finds no hidden compartment in the cabinet, only supplies a taxidermist might find useful.

The searching of the bed yields nothing.

Mordiun proposes to move Fembrys body back into his room. No one second the idea as of yet.

Savin looks at the room and the trophies, seeing if he can get a clue or not.

Spot Check on the trophies

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DC10:

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Some head are newer than the other

DC15:

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A newer head has blonde hair and green glass for eyes

DC20:

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The new blond head with green glass eyes has a scar under his left eyes

Handling a head reduce the DC to 5

[Ouroborosi]

ooc: Mordiun has nothing to respond to. He doesn't see the letters nor does he know the description of the one Savin is looking for.

But Mordiun takes his Thunder Twin feat to find the direction of his sister.

[razorback]

Savin walks up to the heads but doesn't touch them in his search for clues.
As he sees Axara and Ryxikor using the soap, he scoffs a bit to himself and mutters Soft to himself.

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Spot
(1d20+4)[11](15)

After he he is convinced that he can find no other clues, he looks at Mordiun and says "Come, master dwarf, I will help you move the body."

[puffmagicdragon]

"Ah, here is something." Ryxikor says as he holds up the documents, "They mention 'the true one'. This one mentions petitioners awaiting disposition down in the river dungeon." Ryx looks to Mordiun, "Think you could find it?" he asks about the river dungeon.

He hands the paperwork over to someone standing in the doorway"They're signed by Arthas.". As he walks over to look at the heads, near Savon, Ryx ignores the scoffing, "They remind me of a trappers trophies."

spot: (1d20+2)[4]

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryx stands for a moment, not able to distinguish one head from another. He rubs his eyes and looks again, but the elf isn't even sure if the heads are from humans or what.

The elf moves to the door in the corner, I1, and checks for traps and locks, picking the lock in needed.

listen: (1d20+2)[18]
search for traps: (1d20+6)[23]
disarm trap: (1d20+9)[11]
pick lock: (1d20+10)[24]

[LtPowers]

To answer the priestess's query, Maesyn can only respond, "The ritual, as Fembrys conducted it, consisted of three days of fasting, no doubt intended to weaken the victims, followed by a private meeting in the inner sanctum. I'm not entirely sure what happened in that space, but Savin here emerged from the room under Fembrys' command, and it took quite a bit of doing to release him from the spell."


Maesyn is nearly overcome by the odor. He casts prestidigitation to mask the scent of decay for an hour.

That done, he can take the time to look -- though not without trepidation -- at the mounted heads.

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Spot check: (1d20+1)[14]

As Ryxikor reveals the letter and hands it to him, Maesyn tries to recall if he's heard the name "Arthas" before.

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Bardic Knowledge check: (1d20+9)[22]

Maesyn Silverhair

[achinca]

Mordiun takes his thunder feat and finds that his sister direction is through the hallway that Ryxikor opened on the western wall.

Savin does notice the newer head with blond hair and green eyes. He goes with Mordiun to get Fembrys body. They find the body gutted and mutilated. They put it in the bed in the trophy room.

Ryxikor explains the group what he found and asks Mordiun to look for the river dungeon. He correctly identifies the stuffed heads as trophies. He opens the doors in I1. The first leads to a privy and the other one to the sewers.

Maesyn explains the Mystra’s Sacred Trust ritual to Axara who shakes her head ‘Yep. This is definitively a made-up ritual. Why would we want to weaken our parishioners?’

She then asks Savin ‘Can you tell me more about what happened in the inner sanctum?’

Maesyn just realizes that some stuffed head are newer than the others.

Maysen realizes who Arthas is. She is the Mystran priestess named Lady of Mystery Naedaenya Arthas who convinced Lord Sarp Redbeard to host a temple of Mystra. She supervised its construction. She was the ones that Tunaster insisted on meeting which led to Fembrys ordering the guards to fire arrows at him.

[razorback]

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achinca, were any heads female or were they call male? Also, does the blonde haired/green eyed head have a scar under it's left eye?

After Savin return with Mordiun from taking care of Fembrys' body, he looks for a rag to wipe his hands off with. As he is doing this, Axara asks her question.
Spitting in the rag for a little moisture, he continues wiping his hands.
"They had us fast for what seems like an eternity but was really only about 3 days. After that, they said that we proved ourselves and that we could look upon the Starry Gnosis, which I'm assuming is this black crystal ball they brought out. It was like looking up at the sky at night... all dark with tiny, shining points of light. I felt something in the dark recesses of my mind, creeping about. Then I heard Fembrys' voice in my head saying 'You are mine'... from that point, I could see what was going on but I couldn't control myself as that hateful creature ordered me to attack my allies. That foul, evil laugh in my mind will haunt me to my death, I fear." Savin spat again, this time on the ground. "Warriors and men of honor do not fight in this fashion. The world is in our debt for relieving it of such a creature, I should think. If not for the timely entrance of Mordiun and Ryxikor" he continues as he nods to each in turn "I fear I would still be under his control and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

[achinca]

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If Savin decides to take the head he noticed to be newer with blond hair and green glass for eyes, he will know if there is a scar.

Axara looks perplexedly at SAvin. "A black crystal ball, called Starry Gnosis? This is not Mystran. He used it to control you. Interesting. Do you know where this ball is? Tunaster was right. Something wrong is taking place in Mystra's name."

[Ouroborosi]

Mordiun searches the room his bond to his sister appointed

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ooc: (taking 20 =24) i have a bit of trouble getting what door it was

[LtPowers]

"To be honest, I haven't looked into the inner sanctum yet," Maesyn admits to Axara's question. "I was busy interrogating Fembrys until Mordiun discovered this stairwell and got into a bit of trouble. I believe Ryxikor was looking around in there, though. If we found this orb, it might be further evidence that malfeasance was occurring here."


Maesyn Silverhair

[achinca]

Axara nods at Maesyn 'I would be interested in seeing that orb to get a sense with what we are dealing with.'

For Mordiun

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Door is in the west wall. It opens to a dark hallways with statues. Map tonight to help.

[puffmagicdragon]

Walking out of the grotesque room, Ryx jabs a thumb over his shoulder, Those heads should be a start to prove those people's evil-doings, and the decay should show that was done before we got here."

The elf looks to Axara and Maesyn, "I've not seen an orb to match that description."

Able to see the anxiousness on the dwarf, to be off finding his sister, Ryxikor asks what is next, "It looks as though we have two options, go back upstairs and look for the orb, or follow Mordiun. Maybe that hallway leads to this river dungeon, that was written about, there could be petitioners still there." he says as he takes off his makeshift mask.

[achinca]

Axara thinks at what Ryxikor just said and nods her head 'I would like to see the orb, to ensure it stops being use to enslave others. You might be right about time being the essence. If you have not find the orb, it is probably hard to find which makes it less likely to be found. On the other hand, Mordiun sister might not have the luxury of time ..."

[Ouroborosi]

"Don't forget the others" the dwarf said. "Arthas' letter wasn't singular in that that regard" looks a bit down ashamed as he isn't really worried about the other abjucties at the moment only his twin.

"In any event we shouldn't split up. We know our enemies can see in the dark and with Mystra as my witness and don't want to fight them alone once again."

he points toward the open door at the west wall

"I sense that my sister was moved there."

[achinca]

Map

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[achinca]

Axara looks at the group and finishes by Mordiun 'Are you sure she is alive? We could save her and others to clear Mystra's name. And dwarf, I have never heard a dwarf in the Realms swear by Mystra. Interesting choice of words...'