New Friends, No Axes IC

[Athedia]

The narrow path leads a good couple miles into the woods, the trees and bushes growing over it in sections. After about an hour of walking it opens up into a clearing with a stream running by one side and a large stone mausoleum in the center. The front of the crypt is carved with images of forest animals. Two carved grottoes sit on either side of a large central one each of the small grottoes holding a carved figurine. A deer. A swallow. A frog. A fish.

In ancient form of common, one that only exists in old texts and is barely understood, is a poem. It is carved onto the surface above the central grotto.

Catch me
Born of water, and yet drowns
Its mouth needs no air
but dies without
Bones buried beneath
its winters home
Fire baked and through heat alive

[aReallyGreatAxe]

Laurel looks at the mausoleum with interest, but the stream with joy. "You investigate this for a bit, I need to go wash off being buried alive."

With that, she marches off downstream.

Spoiler: Knowledge?

Show

knowledge?
Arcana: (1d20+11)[16]
Religion: (1d20+6)[16]
History: (1d20+8)[21]
Also detect magic [necromancy] on the building.
Take what you need, ignore the rest.

Laurel's not going too far downstream, just enough for privacy. She knows she smells bad.

[Table Flipper]

The narrow path leads a good couple miles into the woods, the trees and bushes growing over it in sections. After about an hour of walking it opens up into a clearing with a stream running by one side and a large stone mausoleum in the center. The front of the crypt is carved with images of forest animals. Two carved grottoes sit on either side of a large central one each of the small grottoes holding a carved figurine. A deer. A swallow. A frog. A fish.

In ancient form of common, one that only exists in old texts and is barely understood, is a poem. It is carved onto the surface above the central grotto.

Catch me
Born of water, and yet drowns
Its mouth needs no air
but dies without
Bones buried beneath
its winters home
Fire baked and through heat alive

Braxton examines the poem. "Hmm. Maybe the poem describes one of these four animals? Kind of a weird description, I suppose, though not surprising given the language. Regardless, if it's born of water, we might be able to find it in that stream."

Braxton heads to a part of the stream not near Laurel and looks into the water.

Spoiler: Roll and OOC Note

Show

Perception: (1d20+4)[21]

Knowledge Nature anyone (Terrach?)?

[SirCatBeard]

The narrow path leads a good couple miles into the woods, the trees and bushes growing over it in sections. After about an hour of walking it opens up into a clearing with a stream running by one side and a large stone mausoleum in the center. The front of the crypt is carved with images of forest animals. Two carved grottoes sit on either side of a large central one each of the small grottoes holding a carved figurine. A deer. A swallow. A frog. A fish.

In ancient form of common, one that only exists in old texts and is barely understood, is a poem. It is carved onto the surface above the central grotto.

Catch me
Born of water, and yet drowns
Its mouth needs no air
but dies without
Bones buried beneath
its winters home
Fire baked and through heat alive

Terrach mutters to himself something about "bloody riddles" and examines the mausoleum. Particularly looking at the figurines and the central grotto. "Hm. Is it talking about catching some living thing, or taking one of these figurines? And what would happen if we do? I'm generally not one to go around obeying strange, ancient riddles." He frowns, "If it's one of these statues, it sounds like the frog, but the last few lines make no sense. 'bones buried beneath', what is this 'winter's home'? None of those hibernate. Nor do any have to do with 'fire baking' or come alive through heat."

Spoiler

Show

Perception: (1d20+8)[27]
Knowledge Nature: (1d20+7)[20]

[Athedia]

Spoiler: Terrach

Show

Actually you know that some species of frogs do hibernate. (real life fact)

[CoffeeIncluded]

The narrow path leads a good couple miles into the woods, the trees and bushes growing over it in sections. After about an hour of walking it opens up into a clearing with a stream running by one side and a large stone mausoleum in the center. The front of the crypt is carved with images of forest animals. Two carved grottoes sit on either side of a large central one each of the small grottoes holding a carved figurine. A deer. A swallow. A frog. A fish.

In ancient form of common, one that only exists in old texts and is barely understood, is a poem. It is carved onto the surface above the central grotto.

Catch me
Born of water, and yet drowns
Its mouth needs no air
but dies without
Bones buried beneath
its winters home
Fire baked and through heat alive

Zinnia groans. "I hate riddles. I hate twisting words." She looks at the poem again. "Well, it's talking about elements. Think it has something to do with that creepy elemental cult thing?" She inspects the figurines.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Perception: (d20+11)[23]
Knowledge (Local): (d20+10)[14]
General Intelligence roll: (d20+3)[13]

[SirCatBeard]

Terrach mutters to himself something about "bloody riddles" and examines the mausoleum. Particularly looking at the figurines and the central grotto. "Hm. Is it talking about catching some living thing, or taking one of these figurines? And what would happen if we do? I'm generally not one to go around obeying strange, ancient riddles." He frowns, "If it's one of these statues, it sounds like the frog, but the last few lines make no sense. 'bones buried beneath', what is this 'winter's home'? None of those hibernate. Nor do any have to do with 'fire baking' or come alive through heat."

Spoiler

Show

Perception: [roll0]
Knowledge Nature: [roll1]

Terrach's eyes drift into the middle-distance as he becomes lost in thought. After a few moments, his eyes focus again. "No...frogs do hibernate, at least some of them. Alistair also mentioned something about some breathing water through their skin while they hibernate. That could cover the line about its 'mouth needing no air'. 'Born of water' as tadpoles. 'Bones buried beneath its winters home'? This is a mausoleum, so bones are buried. But are they beneath the frog statue and in that grotto? Or do we have to find where some real frogs hibernate? The last line still makes no sense, 'fire baked'? 'Through heat alive'?" His eyes light up slightly and he says dryly, "Suppose we could burn the statue."

Spoiler: Athedia

Show

If I said too much frog knowledge, let me know. That is literally only the first blurb that comes up when I google "frogs hibernate" Terrach would possibly know it, if it is known. And given the roll of 20 knowledge nature, I am confident enough saying it. But if it is not known, I will change it. I didn't know these things, cool.

[Athedia]

Braxton examines the poem. "Hmm. Maybe the poem describes one of these four animals? Kind of a weird description, I suppose, though not surprising given the language. Regardless, if it's born of water, we might be able to find it in that stream."

Braxton heads to a part of the stream not near Laurel and looks into the water.

Spoiler: Roll and OOC Note

Show

Perception: [roll0]

Knowledge Nature anyone (Terrach?)?

'

As Braxton looks in the water he sees a reddish bottom to the ground, a deeper red-brown than mud.

Laurel looks at the mausoleum with interest, but the stream with joy. "You investigate this for a bit, I need to go wash off being buried alive."

With that, she marches off downstream.
]

The water, even as it flows, quickly turns disgusting. But Laurel manages to become quite clean, in fact she never felt like had ever had such a refreshing bath. Except for the fact her feet are covered in a quick drying mud that hardens when she gets out that is.

[aReallyGreatAxe]

Laurel trudges back upstream to rejoin the party, smelling much better. She reads the riddle, then picks up the deer and turns it over in her hands. "Well, does anyone see a place to put a statue, whether we're burning it or not? Otherwise this whole message is just an overgrown 'Rest in Peace'." She looks at the central grotto. "Maybe in there?"

[Table Flipper]

Well, nothing interesting in there.

He regards the central grove. "Might be that will work, though what that means exactly I'm not sure. I also can't help but wonder if the correct statue or the central grotto is trapped in some way."

[Athedia]

The mausoleum does not appear to be trapped in any way and the figurines look movable. As Laurel walks back Terrach notices the red clay already drying on her legs and flaking off, the same color as the figures.

[SirCatBeard]

"No, not burning the statue," Terrach breathes, staring at Laurel's feet. "Burn the clay to make the statue. The stream is full of clay. The statues are made of clay." He turns to Laurel: "Put the blasted deer back. If we are to do anything with the one of the statues, it is the frog one." Terrach walks over to the frog's grotto and takes a few steps inside, looking around for anything of interest.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Perception: (1d20+8)[21] (+2 in regards to stonework, I am unsure whether the grottos are dirt or stone.)
Knowledge Dungeoneering?: (1d20+6)[20]

[Athedia]

As Terrach stands in front of the statue, noticing that it appears to be well made but not a masterwork. It isn't attached to the plinth but didn't look like it has been moved. Other than that he notices nothing new.

[aReallyGreatAxe]

Laurel puts the deer statue back carefully, making sure it faces the same direction that it had. "Well, makes more sense than setting a clay statue on fire, I'll give you that. Let's see if your frog works."

[SirCatBeard]

Terrach picks up the clay frog and carries it to the central grotto, looking for a place to put it. Freya sniffs at Laurel's clay-caked legs.

[Athedia]

As Terrach sets the statute on the plinth in the center grotto, there started a loud groaning from behind him as if ancient gears were being reminded (most likely through some mixture of mechanics and magic) that they had a job to do. Laurel and Freya quickly abandoned the groaning ground they stood on, the entire group standing back to watch as what must have been decades, if not centuries of tree roots, dirt, grass and other miscellaneous items from forest floors tumbled down to coat a slowly descending staircase. A final CLANK! and the stairs stopped. They were made of stone, finely carved but in designs that did not match any that were in use today.

[CoffeeIncluded]

As the ground opens up and the forest floor topples into the now-exposed stairwell, Zinnia nearly drops the figurine she's fiddling with. It bobbles in her claws and she only barely manages to snag it before it shatters onto the stonework at her feet.

"Well, I guess that was the answer. A clay frog? What's the air thing about though?" She slips the figurine into her pocket as she peers into the darkness. "So, who first?"

[aReallyGreatAxe]

"Well, I guess that was the answer. A clay frog? What's the air thing about though?" She slips the figurine into her pocket as she peers into the darkness. "So, who first?"

"Not me," Laurel says, kicking a pebble down the stairs and listening to it clatter down among the debris. She frowns and turns to Terrach. "You and your cat can see in the dark, right? Why don't you go first?"

[SirCatBeard]

"Not me," Laurel says, kicking a pebble down the stairs and listening to it clatter down among the debris. She frowns and turns to Terrach. "You and your cat can see in the dark, right? Why don't you go first?"

"Of course. Suppose it makes sense. Especially since we figured it out." Terrach crouches and extends his hand to Freya, who trots towards him to ram her head into his hand and knee. He rises and starts down the newly-revealed, old stairs.

Spoiler: Note--Athedia

Show

Terrach has Darkvision (60ft); Freya has Low-Light Vision. Not sure if there is any significant difference in this case, but that is how it stands.

[Athedia]

As Terrach and Freya venture down the steps they encounter a set of closed doors at the bottom. The doors look like they sealed very recently. As Terrach investigates he is able to figure out that they are part of an airlock system that will only open once the stairs are retracted, and there appears to be a button to do just that.

As Zinnia attempts to follow Terrach down the steps she finds herself walking in the air where the ground used to be. Try as she might she can't set foot on the steps.

[SirCatBeard]

As Terrach and Freya venture down the steps they encounter a set of closed doors at the bottom. The doors look like they sealed very recently. As Terrach investigates he is able to figure out that they are part of an airlock system that will only open once the stairs are retracted, and there appears to be a button to do just that.

As Zinnia attempts to follow Terrach down the steps she finds herself walking in the air where the ground used to be. Try as she might she can't set foot on the steps.

Terrach turns and calls back up the steps. "Someone's down here. Went through this door when we opened the stairs. Looks like we can't go further without closing up the stai-" His eyes fall on the floating bird-girl. "Um...that's not how you go down stairs. And how are you flying without moving your wings?"

[Athedia]

Terrach turns and calls back up the steps. "Someone's been down here recently. Looks like we can't go further without closing up the stai-" His eyes fall on the floating bird-girl. "Um...that's not how you go down stairs. And how are you flying without moving your wings"

Spoiler: Terrach

Show

Ah sorry, very recently as in "literally just as the stairs went down"

[Table Flipper]

Braxton looks down the stairway and sees what's going on. "Uh... Should I try to come down yet? Terrach, how come you could go down the stairs and Zinnia can't?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Terrach turns and calls back up the steps. "Someone's down here. Went through this door when we opened the stairs. Looks like we can't go further without closing up the stai-" His eyes fall on the floating bird-girl. "Um...that's not how you go down stairs. And how are you flying without moving your wings?"

"Uh...I don't...Nnrrgh!" Zinnia waves her amrs and tries to force her legs down to the ground. She shoves, kicks, and even jumps a few times. "I mean I've been trying to learn to fly but I don't think this counts!" Zinnia reaches down and tries to touch the ground with her hands.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Zinnia walks to the end of the stairs, then back to the door. She runs back to the end of the stairs and if she's still walking on air punches he ground a few times. She takes a bit of food from her bag and drops it to see if it falls.

If that doesn't work she mutters, "****!" and runs back to the entrance and takes several large steps back. Zinnia then takes a running start to try and leap off the stairs and fling herself to the bottom of the staircase.

[Athedia]

There is no sound as Zinnia punches the ground, but it certainly hurts. The door was a good 20 feet below her and completely inaccessible. As she dropped the scrap of food it fell down, bonking Freya on her head.

As Zinnia leapt toward the open gap she flew through the air, graceful, elegant and then SLAM! She faceplanted on the flat pane of air.

(1d4)[1] Nonlethal damage

[aReallyGreatAxe]

Laurel chuckles a little, and walks to the edge of the depression. She offers a hand to Zinnia, taking care not to fall in the pit herself. "Look, why don't you come back to solid ground? We can figure this out in some way that doesn't involve attacking the air. Do you have anything to help you fly? It might be malfunctioning."

[CoffeeIncluded]

There is no sound as Zinnia punches the ground, but it certainly hurts. The door was a good 20 feet below her and completely inaccessible. As she dropped the scrap of food it fell down, bonking Freya on her head.

As Zinnia leapt toward the open gap she flew through the air, graceful, elegant and then SLAM! She faceplanted on the flat pane of air.

[roll0] Nonlethal damage

Laurel chuckles a little, and walks to the edge of the depression. She offers a hand to Zinnia, taking care not to fall in the pit herself. "Look, why don't you come back to solid ground? We can figure this out in some way that doesn't involve attacking the air. Do you have anything to help you fly? It might be malfunctioning."

"Ow!" Zinnia clutches her now bruised beak and wipes some blood off her cere. "I don't think so," she says as she takes Laurel's hand. The tengu's feathers are smooth and sleek. "I mean, I don't have anything that can help me fly, unfortunately. Unless this thing is glitched?" She takes out the bird statue from outside that she pocketed before attempting to descend and shows it to Laurel.

[aReallyGreatAxe]

"Ow!" Zinnia clutches her now bruised beak and wipes some blood off her cere. "I don't think so," she says as she takes Laurel's hand. The tengu's feathers are smooth and sleek. "I mean, I don't have anything that can help me fly, unfortunately. Unless this thing is glitched?" She takes out the bird statue from outside that she pocketed before attempting to descend and shows it to Laurel.

"Oh, you brought it with?" Laurel takes the statue from Zinnia's hand.

[Athedia]

"Oh, you brought it with?" Laurel takes the statue from Zinnia's hand.

As soon as Laurel takes the statuette from Zinnia's hand, the invisible supports under the rogue disappeared. 20 feet later Zinnia crashed down onto the ground next to Freya and Terrach.

(1d6)[2]nonlethal