IC II Toes In The Water

[Zman]

Natalia recognizes the ancient symbol of Boccob, and the description of the book matches the description of the Tome of Ancient Lore, allegedly penned by Boccob himself.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia is completely lost for words. She turns to shout Mithril awake, but the mage is already asleep. Instead, she sputters out, "This--this--it! Tome of Ancient Lore...In Boccob's own pen!" What the hell was it doing here?!

What did she hear about it? "Every...Spell...Ever..." The room seems to swirl around Natalia; she needs to lie down. Soon after she does, she falls asleep (and cue nightmares and sleep paralysis).

[Cavelcade]

Kurt smiles a little as the wall crumbles under his assault, then hands the mace back to Miriam. "Thank you. This will be useful for your plans, I think." Stepping aside so she can see the money gathered there. He yawns, then, going to find a nice flat piece of ground to lay out on. He quickly falls into a deep slumber - if his dreams are disturbed, he gives no sign of it through the night.

[CoffeeIncluded]

The next morning, assuming an uneventful night, when Mithril has a moment (probably the moment she wakes up), Natalia goes over to her and practically shoves the book into her hands while babbling, "Boccob's book! Every...Spell...Ever!" A nightmare-fueled night did absolutely nothing to quell the rogue's shock and excitement.

[Athedia]

Mithril sat up and felt around for Whiskers. The night had been long and harrowing, but now she was feeling better. As she moved, Natalia jumped over to her and showed her what the group had found. "What?..." Her mind still blurry she was having trouble comprehending what the significance of the find was. She fetched out her spellbook and dropped it abruptly. "Wait! His book?" Grabbing the book from Natalia's hands she turned it over carefully, examining Boccobs symbol adorning the front.

Spoiler

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Knowledge Religion (1d20+3)[11]
Also making an Arcana check because it may fall under ancient mysteries/magical traditions
Knowledge Arcana (1d20+10)[20]

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Tome of Ancient Lore!" Natalia says, scrambling beside Mithril to read over her shoulder. "Every...spell ever...Hidden here!" But why?

[Zman]

When Kurt returns the broken Mace to Miriam, she frowns for a second before setting it aside, "It belonged to..him...it's right to set it aside.". Miriam proceeds to strip off her armor and shield and set them aside as she curls up and sleeps.

Hours later...

Mithril instinctively knows what she holds is indeed attuned to Boccob, it practically makes her body humm. Mithril is unable to open the book a s if it was held shut by the force of a mountain. Whiskers scurries up her are and perches himself near the Tome. When the young Wizardess sees Whiskers she is reminded of the beautiful human high priestess of Boccob and her promise to bring back any lost knowledge to the temple. The white Weasel simply licks the Tome and nusles closer to Mithril.

[Athedia]

Mithril stroked Whiskers, as he rested next to her. The white of his coat would be a constant reminder of her debt to Boccob. "I promised to return with any knowledge I held. And now I hold all knowledge." She laughed a little sadly. "I thought this was just a legend."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Why so sad?" Natalia asks. "Legends...Start with truth. And...Don't know everything." She lets a note of pride slip into her voice. "Magic...coupled with machines. Spells and swords together too."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"I promised to return with any knowledge I held. And now I hold all knowledge."

Surprisingly enough from Natalia, she quickly agrees, saying, "Of course. Knowledge...Useless if locked away, best when shared!"

While the casters prepare their spells for the day, Natalia begins writing a note to attach to the raven to send to Linwood. As she can revise ink, her writing holds much more clarity than her speech, though it still contains several metaphors and odd sentence structures. She passes the first person who finishes their meditation or studying the note as she asks, "Thoughts?"

The note reads: To Henry, Max, Mayor, people of Linwood:

Found Alabaster's abode, carved out long ago. A treasure trove of powerful magic was tucked away, as was a secret passage. We can sneak attack from behind, and return to Linwood then.

Orcs work with ogres, powerful mages collaborate. Hulburg's guards hold the orcs at bay--once they leave, the orcs will come. One told us himself.

Keep the bird for us, defend yourselves. We'll attack from the shade, step into the sun at dawn.

Natalia, Valen, Mithril, Miriam, Shiny, and Kurt

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia revises the note to read:

To people of Linwood,

We stumbled on solution of Max's mystery kin. We hindered orcs, pulled some of their fangs. They're allied with ogres, but kept at bay by Hulburg soldiers, and Hulburg soldiers only. We'll stay, further weaken them. This raven flies ahead of us, gives hope of our swift flight back as well.

Friends of Linwood.

[Athedia]

Coming out of her meditation, Mithril read the note. Nodding that she approved of the message she gathered up the items they had found.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"With me, to...See it off?" she asks. Whether or not Mithril agrees, Natalia takes a torch, carefully makes her way to the entrance of the cave, easily bypasses her own trap (and shows Mithril where to step if she comes along), then ties the note to the raven's leg. She whispers, "To Linwood, Max's pub," conjures a strong mental image of the outside of the pub and its direction from here, then lets the bird go.

[Admiral]

Shiny wakes up, stands, and stretches while waiting for the others to finish preparing their spells. He rubs his hands together, relishing the feel of the ring newly worn on his left hand.

"So... today we go on the attack?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Learn and plan, then strike?" Natalia asks, fiddling with her new dagger and making the final revisions to the note. She looks over at Miriam with concern; the cleric had been acting especially strangely since last night but didn't say much when asked.

Spoiler

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This is before sending the note to Linwood.

[Admiral]

"If you want to learn what we're up against... I've got a new spell I'm just itching to try. It'll let me walk right into the orc camp without anyone even seeing me."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia blinks. "What?" A spell like that...She shudders at the havoc an invisible Shiny could wreak. And what about the havoc an invisible Natalia, who's already all but invisible, could wreak?

[Zman]

Valen wakes up and watches the young Wizardess examine the Tome. It took him a while, but he was far less hungry than normal and his sleep broken. The affects of the worn ring would begin to take hold over the next few days.

Looking to the young rogue and devious gnome, "I'm not opposed to attacking th Orcs. We have a chance to take the head of the serpent whilst it sleeps."

Valen grips the two foot solid steel rod and channels his arcane protections through it.

Spoiler

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Extended Mage Armor

[Zman]

It takes Natalia around an hour and a half to make the first cave entrence, avoiding the pit trap narrowly, making her way to the original entrence where she speaks the sim and word, and calls the raven by its name. A glistening metallic bird takes form and comes to life, taking the message it begins flying southwest towards Linwood.

Natalia returns without incidence.

[Zman]

A short while after the rogue leaves to set the Raven off towards Linwood. Miriam and Mithril hear some faint sounds through the second entrence, unfortunately neither of them can see what has made it.

Spoiler

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It's late morning. Natalia is still off to Snd the Raven.

Listen
Miriam(d20+3)[21]
Kurt(d20)[7]
Shiny(d20-2)[9]
Natalia(d20+7)[19]
Mithril(d20+3)[23]
Valen(d20+3)[17]

[Cavelcade]

Kurt yawns as he stands up from his prayers, a silent meditation to free his spirit of doubt and worry, then starts stretching and relaxing himself before he breaks his fast.

"I doubt it sleeps anymore. Not that that should hold us back." He quickly loads his crossbow, then, slipping on the glove of holding he focuses, making the crossbow shrink into the glove, nodding in pleasure.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Done," Natalia says as she makes her way back.

Spoiler

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The crossbow trap was undisturbed, right?

[Zman]

Miriam, finishing her prayers turns her head sharply towards the second entrance, she gets up and gens the nearest weapon, and old walking stick Alabaster must have used a century ago.

"I believe an Orc has returned. We should proceed carefully..."

Spoiler

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I hope Achnca is ok with my RPing of Miriam.

[Cavelcade]

"Hm?" Kurt grabs his axe and swiftly goes to the exit looking out on the orc's side, peering through while being careful to stay behind the illusion.

Spoiler

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(1d20)[5]Spot.

[Athedia]

Mithril stood up. Putting her books back into her pack she looked toward the second entrance. "Kurt can you peek through that doorway? I can't see anything, but I think someone is there."

[Cavelcade]

He shakes his head at that, frowning. "Maybe...I don't see anything moving out there."

[Zman]

Kurt manages to see with his Darkvision, a robed humanoid just across the chasm, but is unable o make out any details.

[Cavelcade]

He's just about to turn away from the opening when he spots the robes moving, then freezes, staring hard for a moment before gesturing for Shiny to come over if he's awake, or tellign someone to go wake him. "We might have the robed one right out there." He seems excited, almost, though nervous as well.

[Admiral]

Shiny steps over and looks for himself.

Spoiler

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Still avoiding ranks in spot, which I think is actually reasonable in character:

Spot: (1d20-2)[12]

[Zman]

As Shiny peers out into the darkness he too sees the robed figure, about 40' away, which may be the half orc. The humanoid is facing the abyss with one hand near his throat in a pensive pose.