Cormyr - The Tearing of the Wave

[razorback]

Savin, sitting back and satiated from his meal, nearly explodes with laughter at Axara's quip.

"Well, Peach, if your camel is still in there, let me know, as I'd like to see it. I've never seen one of these beasts. " A crooked grin splashes across his face, seemingly out of place on his normally rocky composure.
"In the mean time, I'm thinking we should get back to what we were at, before any wayward company arrives."

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryxikor awakens early the next morning, he dresses and gets downstairs before most any of the others. He takes this time to thoroughly clean his weapons, boots, and other equipment. Once the elf eats with the others, he heads out to help seel the loot. The only purchases he makes are some potions, healing potions are always helpful.

Once everyone meets at the entrance to the temple, and they unlock the doors with the keys, Ryx heads towards the inner temple. After Maesyn told the group of his findngs, Ryx wants to use the keys to see if any unlock the altar.

[Ouroborosi]

Mordiun keeps the name calling of a new nickname no mind. The good nature of the party annoys him a little considering the recent events.

He looks at Axara "I did. But it feels kinda offensive when asking about protection from magic"

as he leaves to check on his camel he parts with these odd words "If you guys are making up nick names, please make then relevant."

[LtPowers]

Maesyn comes down looking and feeling considerably better than he did when he arrived at the inn earlier that morning.

He cannot help but notice the looks Baerill is giving him. "M'Lady," he says as he approaches her with a kind smile. "I do apologize for declining to perform early this morning. I was frankly exhausted and I assure you that my performance would not have been up to my usual standards. Quite honestly, I was surprised to find you and your sister still awake so late in the night... you must both work quite hard."

If asked, he regrets that he has additional business to attend to and cannot stay for a song, but that he looks forward to performing again when time permits.

He does ask Baerill if she has recommendations for trustworthy armorers, smiths, and purveyors of magical goods.

--

To his companions, Maesyn suggests that they try to find Kevrin before he wakes from his drunken slumber, and get him to accompany them to the Purple Dragons.


Maesyn Silverhair

[achinca]

Savin picks on Axara’s latest nickname for Mordiun. The dwarf looks at them as if they are simply insane. Axara starts pointing toward the face of the dwarf and then changes her mind. ‘Never mind ….’

When Mordiun mentions his uneasiness with worshipping Mystra, Axara smiles and turns serious. ‘It is OK. It will take time. Mystra knows that not all magic is used for good. And she is quite accepting of other who used to worship other gods and goddesses. Trust me on this! ’

Mordiun and Savin decides to go see Mordiun’s camel in the stables then we will go shopping.

Ryxikor decides to go shopping alone.

Maesyn comes down and apologize to Baerill and promises to perform later. The Innkeeper is first speechless then turns red before saying … Thank you, Sir. I would really appreciate it. Asanta and I work long hours but we usually take a nap during the day at different time.’

‘In term of armor, go to Haerldoun’s Helms and Shields. But don’t get tricked in hearing her war stories and drooling on her chainmail bikini. Make sure you don’t get taken advantage of.’ Her tone has turned angry. ‘For weapon, the best place is Slowtooth’s Weaponry. He has the best collection of magic weapon and braggers in town. For other magic items, look no further than Hanno Herbs and Medicines. Don’t let his jovial look trick you. He is a reformed thief.’

As Maesyn leaves, Axara said ‘I have nothing to sell so I will wait here for you guys to come back from your shopping. Just give me the 40 gold and change which are mine. .

----------------------------------------------------------------

The group returns after a successful morning of purchasing, having stocked on healing potions which make the priest of Chauntea at the Harvest Hall very happy.

Mordiun is undoubtedly upset that his camel had escaped. When Maesyn comes back, Axara who was in a deep discussion with Asanta starts giggling and pretty soon both women are laughing hysterically. If someone asks, they will reply ‘Nothing. It is nothing.’ and starts laughing hysterically.

The group arrives at the entrance of the (fake) Temple of Mystra which they closed last night, thanks to the keys they took from Shan Thar. A group of a dozen tourists and parishioners are standing there, trying to pry open the doors, worrying openly what is going on.

From the inside, they can hear an obvious drunk Kevrin sings some of the raunchiest and dirtiest songs ever sang in a sailor’s brothel. When is a start a new one, Axara says 'I love that one and starts singing at full lungs. Suddenly she stops, turning red. ’Oops. Sorry. I know. Mystra clerics don’t sing that. Sorry. Then she starts nodding her head as if she is singing the song silently.

[razorback]

Savin, feeling a bit of apprehension, continues with the group towards the temple.
Seeing the group milling about the front of the gate, he looks at the others and says "Best be on your way. Seems as if some bad food has made it's way into the temple. We had to bring another Mystran priestess in to help but it will be a few days at least before we can open the gates to the public. Mystra's blessing upon all of you." he says as he makes a shooing motion, as if he were herding livestock on the plains.

[Ouroborosi]

Mordiun had wissled a few times when they left the stables in the hope his camel would return to him.

Sadded he lost a part of his small family, already. He could confront himself with the thought she was free. But the comments about Camel delicacies had him worried. As the companions arrived at the temple his first instinct was drawing his blades after seeing the people infront of it. But quickly changes his mind as he hears a familiar voice from the temple.

He let's out a deep sigh of releave now knowing a fellow worshipper of Mystra is yet save.

Ignoring Axara's "musical" outburst he walks to the front door

As he gets the keychain to open the door Kevrin starts singing his next ballade.

With common as his secondary language he has a hard time making sense of most of the lyrics.

"Odd i never heard that word before" the ranger spoke as he turned the key.

[puffmagicdragon]

As the group stands outside and hears Kevrin singing, Ryxikor tries to what song is being sung, then is surprised when Axara joins in. He looks at her suspiciously, trying to remember if he has heard of the song and how a priestess might know of such raunchy songs. The elf looks to the others to see what reaction they have on thier face.

Spoiler

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I've already kinda mentioned how Ryx hangs out in brothels, does he know this song

[puffmagicdragon]

Once Mordiun opens the doors with the keys obtained from the fake Mystrans, and the group enters the temple together, Ryxikor takes this time to thoroughly investigate all areas, since last time he had entered this temple, a fight had already ensued, and he was searching out Aust. This time however, he knows the true nature and origin of the evil occupants of this fake Mystran temple, therefore decides to check every room for anything of interest that may help their cause in finding these 'petitioners' and Mordiun's sister, also to search out anything of value from these false priests to help full his own purse.

Once he is finished looting/securing the unsecured rooms, Ryx grabs another everburning torch so the group has two and accompanies the others at the altar.

[razorback]

As Ryxikor begins his search of the rooms, Savin closes the gate and bars it from any else entering once the group is in.
He then searches out Kevrin, to see if he can sober the man up.
"Shouldn't be hard and we might need his help." he says to the others.

[achinca]

Savin, using Axara and a decoy and his warrior build as an intimidation tools tries to disperse the people in front of the temple. Axara gives them some basic ritual blessing to send them on their way. There is a little resistance but finally the group of parishioners, tourists and curious finally goes back to Wheloon, ready to fuel the gossip and rumor mill.

Mordiun opens the door and the group enters. They see an semi dressed Kevrin sitting in the middle of the courtyard, smiling and singing while holding a bottle in each hand.
With Savin making sure no one trips to slips in, Mordiun locks the door behind the group.

Ryxikor recognizes the song that Kevrin sang and Axara joined in. It is a very crude song about a main on a pirate ship and how she used her natural assets to convince all the sailors over time to make her captain. This is a song that likely only brothels clients or providers would know.

Kevrin starts another crude song which brings a smile to Axara ‘Oh. The queen and the donkey! A classic!. Now, how about we go rest and sing in your place?’ She lifts Kevrin and with Savin’s help brings her to his quarters. A few time, the drunk sorcerer tries to grab the armor covered breast of the cleric but she always easily avoid them, as if she has experience in bringing drunk men to their bed.

Savin proposes to sober him up. Axara shakes her head.’ I will not was a spell on him. Men like that need to drink their liquor to forget. He won’t hurt himself or anybody while he sleeps. May be cutting his supplies of alcohol would be good but I would hate to waste such high quality liquor. ’

Maesyn observes the scene at a distance. As he bard he is doubly offended: first the crudeness of the song is an attempt against his musical taste and second, Kevrin is singing out of tune that Measyn nearly bleeds from his ears. He is glad to see Axara and Savin taking him back to his quarters.

While this is happening, Ryxikor inspects the courtyard. He only finds the altars and the food offering that have started to decompose. He then looks around the middle temple and finds that the guards have taken all their belonging. The rest of the rooms are privies and kitchen and storage room. Nothing of any really value is in the middle temple.

The next room is the inner temple where the ritual took place and the altar where Maesyn saw evidence of magic.

[Ouroborosi]

Mordiun covers his face with the palm of one of his hands in disbelieve. When he hears Ryx's suggestion.

"Singing songs that barely pass as common in a temple is one thing. But stealing from a Mystran in her more or less appointed temple is no go."

He waits with his arms crossed when Ryx handles the altar.

"Do we really have time for this? People are counting on us."

He remember the tales of his comrades about Fembrys and the orb and looks on his key ring and it's second yet unused key that once belonged to Fembrys.

When Ryx gets his lockpicks he hands him the key.

[Ouroborosi]

"And what if these purple dragons are infiltrated by Shar agents aswell? Evidence won't do us any good if they prevent us from seeing the right people."

the dwarf tabs his feet impatiently

"My sister and gods know who else are bound between this realm and the weave possibly being drained and tortured ......" for half a minute he mumbles to himself as he turns pale and frightened. He recover quickly and continues as if he never stopped the conversation with the elf. "There not invited at a pick nick where they drink tea and snack on biscuits with a benevolent goddess."

He looks at Ryx with disappointed "You can rob the place clean after where done"

[LtPowers]

"Anything's possible," Maesyn points out, "but the Purple Dragons will be coming around sooner rather than later, and we'd best have a credible explanation prepared when they do."


Maesyn Silverhair

[achinca]

Ryxikor suggests taking away the alcohol from Kevrin and giving it to him. Axara just shrugs and ignore him. Mordiun however is offended by the idea and expresses his displeasure to Ryxikor.

Ryxikor is taking is time looking in every nook and corner, delaying the group and finds nothing. The slowness of his search is getting to Mordiun who is impatient to find his sister.

As they are arguing with one another, Ryxikor claiming for proof and Mordiun unsure if the Purple Dragons are infiltrated or not, Maesyn tries to bring in common sense by indicating that the rumor mill will reach the Purple Dragons and they better have a plausible explanation ready for their action inside the temple.

While all 3 discuss, Axara comes out of Kevrin’s quarters and empties the bottle in the courtyard.

Mordiun calls Ryxikor a thief and the elf takes it personally. Axara steps in ‘Can you guys stops with the elf-dwarf cliché conflict? Ryxikor, based on the skills you have shown with lock picks, I am sure you do not mind getting taking stuff sometimes. And please don’t call him Peach. I came up with the nickname and I am the only one who can use it. Mordiun, I know your sister went through there but rushing in only got you killed. Mystra will not be around a second time. May be we should check the altar.'

Ryxikor identifies that the source of the magic is inside the altar. Using one of the key that Mordiun identified as being unused yet, they open the altar and see the Starry Gnosis. It is a grapefruit-sized crystal sphere with a dark inner heart. No light can pierce it, but tiny points of light, like stars, twinkle within the globe at the periphery of the dark core.

[razorback]

Savin points to the Starry Gnosis and says "That is the item that they used to control me'" as he spits on the ground "A foul creation, used by the foul spawns of Shar."
A glint of hard steel shows in his eyes as he continues "My thinking is that this creation from hell should be destroyed."

[LtPowers]

Maesyn considers the orb, recalling the results of his detect magic spell. "It is a dangerous item indeed, though I would guess it's harmless enough just sitting here," he says. "But I would advise against destroying it at this time; if nothing else, I expect officials of the Mystran church would be interested in studying it. They may conclude it's just a totem infused with a simple charm spell... or it may be unique to the worship of Shar in some way, and it could provide insights into the workings of that cult."


Maesyn Silverhair

[razorback]

"Maybe..." Savin says darkly, looking at the orb with disdain.
"But I doubt if any good will become of that. Death strife will follow that thing. Bah. So, what do we do with it for now? And do we continue onward?"

[puffmagicdragon]

"Yes, we move on."

Turning to Axara, "Could you watch over the orb, for safe keeping, until we can take it to show the purple dargons. We could always just stash it back there in the altar, check out those last rooms, then take all we have found to the authorities."

Ryx waits til someone takes them back down to check the bottom levels. He suggests the person leading taking the torch, then Ryx asks Axara to carry a torch.

Spoiler

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Ryx counts all the everburning torches, in the temple, he suggtests they carry two, and he'll sell the rest.

[achinca]

Savin recognizes the globe that Fembrys used to dominate him. He also noticed that the stars in it are much duller then when Fembrys first took out the orb. He propose to destroy the orb.

Maesyn objects, indicating that the Church of Mystra could probably benefit from studying such an object, given the conflict between Mystra Weave and Shar Shadow Weave.

Savin is not convinced but opened to the suggestion. He wonders what to do next.

Ryxikor proposes to keep it in the altar and takes it back later. His call to Axara to watch it is ignored by the priestess.

She approaches the Starry Gnosis and examines it. ‘Well, this does ring too many bells but from my studying, this is what I remember. Before this dark globe became a powerful item of mental domination, it was originally I believe a jewel adorning a massive statue of Shar in the Temple of Old Night in Calimport.’

I think that we should keep it locked in the Altar until we are sure the temple is safe. After that, I believe that the higher elders in the Church of Mystra would be quite interested by it..

Ryxikor in the mean goes into another looting spree, looking for ever burning torch but he does not find any other one than the two he picked up earlier in the inner temple.

Axra looks at the group ‘So we keep the Starry Gnosis safe in the altar until we are done cleansing this fake temple. What do we do next?

[razorback]

"I suggest I take the lead, as I can reach out further with my chain. Either Axara with the torch and someone with a bow behind me or both side-by-side?"

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryx follows Savin with an arrow knocked

[achinca]

The group lead by Savin with Ryxikor next to him, followed by Maesyn, Mordiun and finally Axara moves forward. They go down the first landing then the second, being careful and attentive.

They go past the trophy room, then the statue hallway back to the room were they fought Lady Arthas. Nothing look like it was moved of touched.

In addition to Lady Arthas quarters that the group searched, there are two doors on the south wall and the permanent image that the displacer serpent went through and Mordiun knows his sister when through.

Spoiler

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If you want to do someting in the various rooms you are going through, feel free to post

[razorback]

"Do we clear the rooms before moving on?" he says to everyone but looks at Mordiun.

[puffmagicdragon]

Ryxikor carefully listens to each door, he then steps back as he remembers someoen else has the keys. He puts his elvish shortbow away, with the arrow. He unsheathes organripper and waits for the dwarf to open the door.

Spoiler

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listen east door: (1d20+2)[6]
listen west door: (1d20+2)[4]

[Ouroborosi]

Mordiun takes a deep sigh "We won't get any closer opening these doors my sister trail goes through the illusion" he points at the the big Shar symbol.

He stands there for a minute until he gets his key ring and tries to open the less eventful door. (if no key fits he tries the other door)

Lives at stake and a world ending and here they are playing robbers. It makes the young dwarves stomach turn in disapproval.

[achinca]

Savin asks about inspecting the room before moving deeper inside the fake temple bowels.

Ryxikor listens to each door and hear nothing. He is confident there is no one inside.

Mordiun resents the delay but still opens the doors using the keys he found.

Axara taps him on the shoulders ‘Master Peach, I know you think this is a waste of time in light of your sister disappearance but we should make sure there are no bad surprise in these rooms which could pop up and stop our retreat in case we need to do so.’

The door farthest east on the southern wall was not locked and opens to a small room, 15 by 15 with three Spartan cots lined against the eastern wall, a small chest beneath each.

The door right across from the doors to Lady Arthas room was locked and Mordiun used a key he found in Lady Arthas’ belonging to open it. The foul odor of rotting flesh assaults the group as soon as Mordiun opens the door. A variety of well-used d torture equipment is installed in this cold stone chamber: racks, iron maidens, s tocks, and other machines of pain. Three contain the naked, headless, rotting, .and rat-gnawed corpses of their last victims, disjointed and broken -boned. In one corner lies a pile of cast-off clothing.

[puffmagicdragon]

As the door creaks open, and the small barracks room is revealed, Ryx looks in to investigate. He slides in carefully, sheathing his dagger, he eventually flips up the three cots to expose anything underneath. He then pulls the three chests out, checking to see if they are unlocked to check their contents. If they are locked, he checks for traps, disarming any he finds, then picks the locks if needed.

If the rogue is unable to pick any of the locks, he gets a crowbar out of his new backpack, and yells for one of his comrades, "Savin, could you give me a hand?" He gives the bigger man the crowbar, which will make breaking the chest's lid open easier. "Let's check in these, just to not over look anything."

Spoiler

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chest 1:
search for traps: (1d20+9)[27]
disarm if needed: (1d20+9)[15]
pick lock: (1d20+10)[18]

chest 2:
search for traps: (1d20+9)[21]
disarm if needed: (1d20+9)[17]
pick lock: (1d20+10)[13]

chest 3:
search for traps: (1d20+9)[15]
disarm if needed: (1d20+9)[15]
pick lock: (1d20+10)[27]

ooc: crowbar gives +2 to STR check

[LtPowers]

Spoiler

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Bardic Knowledge check on "Starry Gnosis" (I neglected to roll this when Savin first mentioned it): (1d20+9)[10]

While Ryxikor and Savin investigate the chests, Maesyn takes the time to examine the permanent image more closely. He is puzzled how an illusion -- which this clearly registered as when he cast detect magic -- could also serve as a gateway. Was the illusion hiding a teleportation effect? A portal perhaps? Or was this a new type of illusion magic that held other effects?

Spoiler

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Knowledge (arcana) check: (1d20+9)[19]

When the second door is opened, Maesyn recoils, and it is all his delicate Elven constitution can do to keep his breakfast in his stomach.


Maesyn Silverhair

[razorback]

As Ryx gets to work, Savin smiles to himself as he swings his chain<If he thinks the toothpick is better...>

As he keeps an eye out for danger, he takes a step back, remember the last time a party lockpick misjudged a trap.