Shards of Terna [IC]

[DracoDei]

"Not egg... rock." says Serol dropping the smoothed stone he had found.

[Tavar]

Having done as much as it can without actually entering the nest, the snake returns, ready to relay what it was able to find.

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To be clear about what it found: there were quite a bit of ratish things: they didn't smell exactly like rats as the serpent knows them, however. If they noticed him, then they didn't care.

[Milo v3]

"There are things in that nest, they look like rats. But based on smell they appear to be another form of beast.

They don't seem hostile though. So it should be safe."

[DracoDei]

"Well, rather than getting attacked from the rear by what may be a lurking mother, I suggest we go investigate whatever it was that Varden and Chōṛā hu'ā detected. If you know where about it was?"

[Milo v3]

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What did serol detect????

[Milo v3]

"It was likely the rat things. Scampering within the nest."

Varden starts taking a few steps towards the makeshift nest.

[DracoDei]

"Mirra, would you care to lead the way as I previously described?"

[Necroticplague]

Solooze, after hearing its teamates debate about the nest, decides to do some exploring on its own for a little bit. It moves towards the smaller side door, and then moves under it to the other side, wondering why it remains intact though the front door is smashed.

[DracoDei]

Kajal and Serol share a few whispers as they both notice what Solooze is doing, deciding the odd being must sense something and not wishing to alert whatever it is that they are investigating, they simply follow along on either side of it.

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Kajal has is chain out FWIW.

[Tavar]

The ooze doesn't make it halfway to the nest before there is a reaction. The almost perfect silence is broken by a mass of squeaks and chittering. The torches along the walls light, producing a low, blue light over the scene. A mound rises from the nest, and you can feel a fell presence trying to insinuate itself in your minds.

Before long the mound resolves itself into the shape of a gigantic rat, the smaller rats that make it up constantly crawling over each other, giving it the appearance of having constantly writhing skin.

The squeaks and chittering die down, only to come back redoubled, but now forming words, thought none recognize the tongue.

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will saves. DC 17 failure means you are under a detect thoughts spell.
Knowlege history or local to recognize the language.

[DracoDei]

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Kajal Pala
Spellcraft to try to ID spell based on its (attempted?) effect on me, if that is possible (1d20+3)[21]
Will Save (1d20+6)[19] (Due having a +0 base save at the moment)

I'm assuming that the knowledge checks can't be attempted untrained?

Still continuing to provide the bonuses to will-saves...

((Hope the following doesn't assume I made the save.))
"Well, that's rude, everyone get close so I can protect you a bit while we try to work this out... Can anyone tell what it is saying? If not, try a different language..."

[Milo v3]

The Durzite heeds Pala's words, slowly moving towards him.

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Ouroboros's Will Save: (1d20+6)[21]
Varden's Will Save: (1d20+10)[20]
Knowledge (Arcana) (To identify creature or effect): (1d20+7)[11]
Knowledge (Planes) (To identify creature or effect): (1d20+10)[21]
Knowledge (Religious) (To identify creature or effect): (1d20+9)[12]
Spellcraft (To identify effect): (1d20+8)[13]

[Necroticplague]

Solooze shakes a little out of surprise and takes a step back, assessing this creature.

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Will:(1d20+3)[16]
Know (Arcana):(1d20+13)[30]
Know (Geography):(1d20+13)[19]
Know (the Planes):(1d20+13)[17]
Spellcraft:(1d20+13)[33]

[Tavar]

"Ah. So languages have shifted over the year. Who are you? And why have you entered my home?"
The voice still has odd distortions, but now it speaks in regular common.

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15+ on the Spellcraft roll, and you know it is similar to Detect Thoughts.

Should have clarified: the nest is over 30 yards distant.

Sense motive rolls, I guess.

[Necroticplague]

Solooze replies to the beast's (beasts'?) question consicely and quickly, before posing one of its own.
"I'm Solooze.We're explorers from a very distant land. Given that the only other things in this place are dead, we figured it was ancient, abandoned ruins to explore. Although, I do have to wonder why you're asking, since I can sense you're reading our minds, making asking us questions nothing more than a formality or a test of honesty."

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Sense motive:(1d20-1)[15]

[DracoDei]

Kajal Pala looks around with frequent glances at the creature while speaking to Solooze:
"I believe the effect our new acquaintance was using would not give him such detailed information. It does appear to have given him our language though, so I could be wrong."

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Sense Motive (1d20+5)[7]

EDIT:
Then to the creature:
"I will also point out in our defense that we didn't ASSUME the place was abandoned by intelligent creatures, or we would have simply moved over to your nest and have exchanged blows with you by now."

EDIT^2 GM ONLY:

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Do I know, IC, if I made my save?
Regardless, depending on how fast you want to say my character's brain works, I might be feeding it the following concept by accident.

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Ask the name of its kind later, that way we can check it against the listing of Anathema... of course it could easily lie about that.

[Milo v3]

"You are a strange gesalt. Most cannot form a singular voice. I wonder if you are one being."

My eyes glow with a green light, and the souls of those nearby enter my vision. With this sight I view upon the creature, checking if they have multiple souls or one.

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Sense Motive: (1d20+5)[15]

[SamBurke]

Serol stares at the beast with deadened eyes. "What." Scratching warily on the ancient halls, his short, still human nose twitches visibly, as his brows furrow. "Can... eat? What is it?" The twin sentences -by far the longest words said- are more than pensive. For some reason, he seems afraid of the beast or its form.

In fact, he steps back for a moment as one of the smaller rats in the swarm leaps out. Baring his flat man's teeth, Serol snarls gutturally at the thing. "What you? What you?"

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I am gonna fail this sense motive, but...

SenseMotive - (1d20-2)[5]

[Tavar]

The mass of rodents looks vaguely affronted, though it answers.

"I? I am Rautjarvi, the last living being in this fort. A series of spells interacted and forced me to take this shape.

And I did not accuse you: but it has been many long years since I've seen anyone. Though...now that live ones are here, perhaps you'll help me out?"

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Sense motive again.
Knowledge History to check facts.

[SamBurke]

"Help what?" Serol asks, no longer retreating. He still digs his hand-claws deep into the ground, ceasing his guttural threats. The words of the... thing are a puzzle, and don't quite make sense to his twisted mind.

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I'm gonna with hold Sense Motive and just have him be confused, and I don't have K: History.

[Milo v3]

"So magic turned you into a swarm of beasts? I don't believe I heard of such a thing. Why should we believe anything you say?"

As he talks he twists his left hand, making his palm face himself. Then he starts tracing a symbol upon it. A faint blue trail in left, leaving the sigil.

He wanted to make sure if a battle broke out, Ouroboros would remain unharmed.

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I just used Gate of Souls, using my palm as the surface.

[DracoDei]

"You don't like it when people look ready to fight because you are don't look like them Serol? I don't think he likes it either. Not to say we should trust him, but you need to let us figure it out before you do anything rash."

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Was a second sense motive called for? If so, here it is.
(1d20+5)[6]

[Tavar]

"Many strange and warped magics, interacting with the fraying of the world. Part of the problem is that the wards now see me as a sort of magical beast, and do not allow me to pass. If you could damage them, then I could leave this tomb. And if you wish a reward, well, there are plenty of secrets here, that I know."

[SamBurke]

"Why wards here?" Serol steps closer to the rat with one carefully placed foot, and stares deeply at it. Not attacking. Safe...? Appears twisted as well. Always twisted.

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Wondering about the use of a flashback...

[Tavar]

"Ah, well the wards were meant to keep certain classes of beings from crossing them, and in my current state I qualify."

If anything, it looks embarrassed. Well, as embarrassed as a horde of rats in the shape of a larger rat can look.

[Necroticplague]

"Just to clarify, are the wards deeper within the keep, or back out the way we came?"

[Tavar]

"There are certainly wards deeper, around the city and such, but I only care about the ones on leading to the surface: I wish freedom, not more imprisonment."

[DracoDei]

((Waiting for the answer IC, NOT going to slow things down by waiting OOC.))
"Your current state? What was your previous state and how did you come to be in this state?"

[Tavar]

"I told you how I became this: interaction of spells, causing a backlash. As for what I was before...I was a Warrior-Mage of this Fort and the City below..."
The thing pauses, several rats detaching themselves from the mass to root around in the nest, until one returns, a small, circular object connected to a chain.
"Ah, yes. 2000 years."

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Sense motive please.

[Milo v3]

"Interesting. What are these wards? Artefacts of some kind? Beings which serve as focuses?"

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Any reason why we need to keep making these sense motive checks? I thought you only had to do it once per conversation.