Random Banter D&D 3.5e Campaign IC, Thread II

[LaZodiac]

"No, not that I have seen, but it was worth a mention." Bela answers.

------

Alphonse will think if he knows anything regarding those dragons, considering going to explore other places to report back to Tass and Bela.

Spoiler: rolls

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Knowledge History: (1d20+4)[24]

[AtlanteanTroll]

Niro knocks on his chest. I suspect Adamantine is less tasty than flesh. If not, it is certainly much less brittle than bone.

[Teddy]

Well, several people believe someone is out to assassinate you tonight, and so far, the signs have been pretty ominous. Your guards have been poisoned, and we earlier caught a hired pixie acting suspicious in the courtyard.

Tass pauses for a moment looking at the antitoxin vials.

I've got a spell. It won't give you immunity, but it will prevent any poisons from taking effect until the end of the evening. Not even the strongest toxins can get through it, and I have the means to detect and cure any substances you may have become affected by over the duration.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

Spoiler: Alphonse

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You've definitely heard all of those names before. All three are centuries-old dragons.

Techrytryx Avrae - an old brass dragon who lives in Capel Kerig. She has a reputation for being gruff and curt, but those that know her well say she's good-natured. Techrytryx has a fondness for explosives that's gotten her in trouble with the city guard before, and traditionally puts on a fireworks show at the docks for major celebrations.

Pyo the Berserker - an old white dragon with a reputation for razing villages and eating would-be dragon-slayers. When he was younger and less powerful, he moved around a lot to avoid territorial disputes, but nowadays he could probably fight off most intruders. You yourself have heard some of the stories that the marquess is talking about - notably that Pyo earned the title "the Berserker" for whipping himself up to a terrifying frenzy in combat - frothing at the mouth and spraying lightning and spittle in all directions.

Diacaedr Moonbeam - an ancient silver dragon known for being aloof, easily angered, and generally unwilling to pay his debts. Not necessarily sadistic or evil, per se, but certainly capricious and irritable. There is an open bounty on Diacaedr's head in some parts of southern Cymru for eating livestock, though no one has claimed it yet as far as you know.

Niro
Aye, probably more like hard toffee. Difficult to bend, even harder to break, but sweet on the inside once you have warmed it up! Well, now I'm hungry. I will be right back! Lady Mary grins playfully, and darts off towards the nearest dessert table.

Victor smirks, and pushes his wine aside. Well, if you aim to go dragon-slaying, I can give you some advice. The most important part is, unfortunately, the hardest to guarantee in real life - you want to fight dragons underground, but away from their lairs. Fighting them in the open air lets them kite you with magic and their breath, or run away should they start to lose - older dragons may be clumsy fliers, but it won't matter how long it takes them to turn around if they do it outside of your range. Fighting them in their lairs gives them the terrain advantage, which is not as bad, but still very dangerous.

But what you really need is gear. Magic-resistant and energy-resistant armor or warding charms are absolutely necessary, as are dragon-bane weapons, or at least energy weapons that are effective against the dragon in question. He leans back and stretches his left arm behind his head. You may or may not have heard me offering Alphonse and his company here a job - for which I intended to pay in land or some magic trinkets. If you aim to take up dragon-slaying, I have a sizeable collection of suitable gear I can look through for your payment. You're a sword and shield fighter, is that right?

--
The Banquet Hall
Wusfrea opens his mouth to respond, but his mother grabs him by the ear and pulls his head down. "You'll do exactly what this lady says, and don't you dare complain about it." The prince nods slowly. Once you've cast the spell, Jacinth lets him go. "I'm going to send the rest of my personal detail over to watch you." She turns to you and gives you a worried smile. "Thank you, Lady...? Sorry, I don't think I ever got your name."

[LaZodiac]

"Also, Sir Niro, I imagine of these three Diacaedr might be the most likely. Pyo has a habit of eating those who come to kill him, so I imagine you wouldn't be here if he killed you, because I presume his beserking wouldn't stop him from at least trying. That being said Lady Avrae lives in Capel Kerig, I imagine you could ask her if she knows which dragon bares your ill will. She's quite nice...though her love of fireworks has gotten her in trouble with the guard." Alphonse explains.

------

Bela will scout around the rooms a little, looking for anything interesting with his invisibility seeing sight before it wears off. He'll also try, slightly, to talk to any ghosts that seem like they could know something.

[Teddy]

Oh, sorry, it's Tass.

She pauses for a somewhat too awkward moment.

I'm going to sweep the premises and find something to eat.

Tass breaks off to do exactly that, except in reverse order. After having gotten something to eat, she'll head out into the garden again.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Niro turns to Alphonse, If my sources are to be believed, it is quite possible Avrae is responsible. Returning to Victor. I am. Once we finish our current work and I cut some ties, I'd be more than interested.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

Alphonse and Niro
The marquess nods. Certainly! Take your time. We won't be staying in town, but I gave Alphonse a little charm that will get you to the Black River Vale much faster than riding.

--
The Garden

Tass
The pixie doesn't show itself when you come back to the garden, and you can't hear any signs of its presence either - it must be off doing something elsewhere.

--
The Great Hall

Bela
The palace ghosts largely ignore you - they seem to be barely aware of the living inhabitants and guests. One ghost, a tall, thin man with a disproportionately tall, pointy crown, does stare at you for a little longer than you're comfortable. After eventually getting bored or unnerved, you look away - when you look back, the figure is gone.

-------------------------
Some time passes...

Alphonse and Niro
You exchange stories with the Marquess for a while. He slowly gets drunker as the night wears on, and eventually tosses his tankard into the bushes, declaring that he's had enough to drink.

Tass
The clergy of Cygnus who were rehearsing in the garden eventually get up and leave. A sweet, warm smell floats through the air - it seems someone has put out fresh pastries and cake.

Bela
Two older priests in blood-red robes approach the princess, bow, and leave the palace.

------------------------
21:00

BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONNNNNNG!.......

The palace's bell chimes nine times. The half-moon rises higher in the sky. The guard changes.

--
The Garden

Spoiler: Tass

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Out of the corner of your eye, you notice something moving on the bell tower. A figure in a black cloak runs up the side of the building - occasionally stopping to rest in a window or outcropping of stone. It's too far away to pick out any details, but the figure looks humanoid.

--
The Courtyard

Spoiler: Bela

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You're walking through the courtyard when the bell tolls. You notice a patch of suspicious purple flowers on the ground next to and beneath one of the hedges - closer inspection reveals them to be fae blossoms!

Of course, from this distance, you can see more - something pale underneath the blue "flowers" catches your eye.

Alphonse and Niro
The musicians set their instruments down and take a break, and the dancers clear the courtyard and make for the tables. Victor stands up to get some food - leaving the two of you alone at the table.

Across the courtyard, you see Bela looking at a hedgerow.

[LaZodiac]

"Ah, Sir Bela, how goes the evening?" Alphonse asks as he approaches Bela.

"We found a pixie that wanted to put a fey sourced blood sucking flower in the hair of the prince and there's a bunch of them right there. There's a pale thing underneath it but I do not want to touch it seeing as how it is likely a corpse. Poke it with a stick." Bela answers, pointing towards the "flowers". "Also, try and get some real fire so we can burn them."

Alphonse will oblige Bela, moving so that he's obscured by Niro and Bela and taking out his cold-iron longsword that he forgot to bind and carefully poking at the Fey Blossoms, trying to move them aside or cut them so they can see what the pale thing under them is. Given it's cold iron, Alphonse figures it'll do something to these fey creatures.

[Teddy]

Tass fixates her eyes on the figure and turns herself into an eagle, taking to the skies. She swoops in to fully survey the roofs and the presumed intruder.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Spot check: (1d20+17)[23]
Listen check: (1d20+17)[32]

Move Silently check: (1d20+2)[20]

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

Alphonse and Bela
The blossoms shy away from your sword, revealing a gnarled, claw-like hand, and the white cuffs of a high-ranking officer's uniform. Some of the skin has been eaten away, and blue blood feebly seeps from the exposed flesh, pulsing at irregular intervals.

--
Above the Palace

Spoiler: Tass

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Dame Borgia wasn't kidding when she said the guard was thin. You count 11 guards in total atop all the walls and towers. One of these guards is in the bell tower.

The cloaked figure scaling the bell tower is definitely humanoid. When it nears the top of the tower, it perches underneath the parapets and waits. When the guard turns his back, it jumps up - and suddenly the top of the tower is filled with black smoke. You hear the sound of metal clanging against stone - like someone dropped a sword - coughing, and several muffled *thumps*. Then silence.

[LaZodiac]

"Mr Niro. Find someone in charge and some fire. We may have need of a quarantine. Alphonse, stand guard...and try to prune the poor man." Bela says. He'll then carefully study the creatures to see if he can tell how they'd spread.

Spoiler

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I will roll my roll for this tomorrow I just want to get this post out here while I can.

Also I think Cuth is back for good so once he catches up on the thread he can play Bela again.

[Teddy]

Tass will wait for a minut to see if the intruder leaves the tower again (or the smoke disperses), otherwise she'll swoop in to land on the parapet.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

Spoiler: Alphonse, Bela, and Niro

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Pulling the blossoms off of the arm on the ground is slow work, but you eventually manage to produce a decent-sized pile of distressed and colour-changing "flowers", and one body in a blood-stained general's uniform. You don't see who it is until you remove the blossoms from the man's face - it's General Holtti! He's even paler than usual, a condition currently being exacerbated by his ongoing blood loss. Whatever you're using to pull off the parasites is absolutely covered in bright blue blood.

OOC: Oh, can I get a spot check from you guys? :D

Spoiler: Spot DC 10

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Out of the corner of your eye, you catch one of the servants staring at you in horror - when he notices you looking at him, he bolts.

--
The Bell Tower

Spoiler: Tass

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The smoke clears soon enough, and you land on the parapets. The cloaked intruder is gone, as are the guard's weapons. The guard himself is lying face-down, unconscious.

As for the top of the bell tower itself - there isn't much up here. A large brass bell hangs on a wooden frame, which is littered with cobwebs. You spy a trapdoor leading to the inside of the tower underneath the unconscious guard's body - the padlock used to fasten it is lying on the ground near the wall, open and unlocked.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Garden

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Alphonse is super bummed out. Though the blue blood is curious. Rolling my spot checks and then making more of a scene depending on the results.

Alphonse quickly sheathes his sword "Sir Niro, Sir Bela, a servant has spotted us and ran off. It appears we will be tonight's assassins if we're not careful. I shall tell him what happened, you two stay here and guard the body so nothing worse happens. Someone try and get a healer as well." Alphonse will then run after the servant, though he won't shout so as to try not to draw too much attention to himself...given his outfit this will likely be difficult. If push comes to shove he'll use Sudden Leap to try and cut off the servant by jumping in front of him.

Bela lets out a heavy sigh.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Alphonse Spot: (1d20-1)[16]

Bela Spot: (1d20-1)[0]

[Cuthalion]

Spoiler: Garden

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Béla swears lightly under his breath in Elvish, and covers his face with his hands briefly.

Niro --whatever they are, and I don't know if I want to know-- I think the parasite things can't harm you. Keep that in mind.

He looks down at Holtti again, then pulls out a strip of leather and casts a spell as the leather withers and fades away.

Spoiler: Spellcasting

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Mage Armor, lasts 7 hours

[Teddy]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Tass steps off the parapet and returns to her elven form mid step. She hurries over to the bell and pulls the rope, sounding it 16 times while keeping her eyes on the hatch. She'll then draw her sword and open the hatch to the tower interior, peering down.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Great Hall

Spoiler: Alphonse

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You're easily able to keep up with the servant, but the crowd of guests and your unfamiliarity with the palace's layout prevents you from closing with him. When he reaches the great hall, the servant flags down one of the guards - a tall, armored lady with a hooked polearm. He gestures frantically, and points at you. You hear part of the servant's explanation as you approach.

"...there with a body in the bushes! It was him, that metal guy, and some elf!"
The guard puts her hand on the servant's shoulder. "Whoa, calm down. It'd be irresponsible to just arrest everyone. I'm sure there's a rational explanation for this. " She turns to you as you approach. "Dame Lilith Borgia, acting guard captain. You seem like an upstanding sort of fellow - but I need to ma-"

She's suddenly cut off by loud ringing from the bell tower - the bell tolls sixteen times in quick succession. The servants and guests look around in confusion, and whisper quietly amongst themselves. Dame Borgia grabs your hand and points towards a narrow hallway away from the guests. "Something's wrong - I need to go to the bell tower. Come with me. You can explain on the way."

--
The Courtyard

Spoiler: Bela and Niro

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The general glows briefly as the magical armor coalesces. Some of the guests are giving you odd looks, though Alphonse running after the panicking servant drew away most of their attention.

Suddenly, the bell tolls again - sixteen times, in quick succession. Everyone's eyes are drawn upward to the bell tower, and the crowd murmurs confusedly.

Holtti continues to bleed feebly.

Spoiler: Niro

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When you look back to General Holtti after the bell tolls again, you notice that the pile of fae blossoms is gone. All that remains on the ground where they were is a small puddle of the general's bright blue blood.

--
The Bell Tower

Spoiler: Tass

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The rope is heavy, but you're able to put your weight into it and toll the bell easily. The sound resonates out from the tower, and your keen ears catch a sudden silence, then confused murmuring from the courtyard and garden below.

Opening the hatch reveals the dark interior of the tower - your eyes quickly adjust, and you see a steep wooden staircase that has landings at the tower's corners. Rope hangs down in the space between the stairs from underneath the bell all the way down to the ground, perhaps 120ft below.

A half-full (or is it half-empty?) jar of some clear liquid is sitting in the middle of the highest landing. You can see the surface ripple, resonating from the vibrations of the bell.

[LaZodiac]

The Great Hall

Spoiler

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"Dame Lilith, I come baring a warning. Myself, Sir Niro, Sir Bela, and Lady Tass were hired in secret to act as bodyguards for the Prince and General Holtti. Sir Bela managed to prevent a fairy from putting a fey creature in the shape of a flower on the Prince, but we were unable to help General Holtti who is currently bleeding out in the Courtyard. I managed to cut the creatures off with my sword, and assuming my allies are attentive they should keep them from spreading to other guests. They can only be killed by a natural fire." Alphonse quickly explains, trying to keep pace with her as they run. He also adds "Also the General's blood was blue. Is...that normal?"

[AtlanteanTroll]

Spoiler: The Courtyard

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Niro kneels down over Holtti, and lays his hand on the General's chest. Guarire! Turning to Bela, Good to know that I may be immune, but the parasites have disappeared.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Healing Holtti with the belt (1 charge): (3d8)[11]

[Teddy]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Tass retrieves her magical lantern and shines it down the shaft, attempting to discern anything she couldn't before.

[Amidus Drexel]

Servants' Corridors

Spoiler: Alphonse

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You run with Lilith through a maze of narrow tunnels, and soon reach the base of the bell tower. Two guards are busy trying to force the door open.

"Dame Borgia! The lock is broken - it just won't budge!"

The acting guard commander nods. "Friends! Sir Alphonse and I will take care of this - you two go to the courtyard. General Holtti needs medical attention immediately, and whoever attacked him is probably still in the palace. Alert the other guards, and keep an eye out for anyone that looks like a fairy - that's our culprit." The two guards bow, then run off the way you came.

Once they're gone, she turns to you. "No, blue blood is weird - but that's not important right now. We need to get to the tower!"

--
The Courtyard

Spoiler: Niro and Bela

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Some of Holtti's wounds close, and he begins to stir. "Who the... oh, it's you. Am I... bleeding?"

--
The Bell Tower

Spoiler: Tass

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When you look back with the lamp, you get a much better view of the interior of the tower. What draws your attention, however, is a brown-skinned elf with green hair that is placing another jar two landings down. He sets the jar at the edge of the stairs, looks up at you, and scowls.

Before either of you can say anything, however, you hear a loud banging sound coming from the base of the tower. The man jumps over to the opposite wall, and slides down it to the stairs below - he now stands 60ft below you.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler

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"Yes, lets! I'll open this door!" Alphonse says, and he'll try to kick open the door.

Strength check VS A Door: (1d20+4)[19]

[Teddy]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Tass shouts down to the elf below.

Hey, you! Stop that, what are you doing?!

[Cuthalion]

Spoiler: Courtyard

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Bela is facing away from him and towards the nearest entrance, watching around and up, but glances over his shoulder at Holtti.

Yes. Stay still. Do you know what happened?

[Amidus Drexel]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler: Tass

Show

The banging at the base of the tower stops for a second, then there is a loud *thud*, accompanied by the sound of splintering wood. Another *thud*, and something snaps. You see Alphonse and the acting guard captain run in, all the way at the base of the tower. Dame Borgia draws her weapon, and points Alphonse at the stairs.

The strange elf leans out into the center of the tower, and calls up to you. Earning a name, elf girl! What are you doing?

OOC: Can I get a Sense Motive check from Tass?

Spoiler: Alphonse

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The door splinters, then breaks and flies open, leaving the lock in place against the wall. You and Dame Borgia rush in, and look up. Steep wooden stairs run along the sides of the tower, broken only by small landings in the tower's corners. A thick rope hangs down in the center, presumably to toll the bell from the base of the tower.

A few glass windows let light filter in from outside, but the main source of illumination here is a bright light shining down from the top of the tower. You see a cloaked figure jump through the light, and hear a familiar voice call down from the top of the tower:

"Hey, you! Stop that, what are you doing?!"

The figure leans out into the center of the tower, and calls up. Earning a name, elf girl! What are you doing?

Dame Borgia draws her weapon and nods to the stairs. She whispers, "If we go quietly, we might get the drop on them. After you."

OOC: Can I get a Sense Motive check from Alphonse?

--
The Courtyard

Spoiler: Bela and Niro

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"No... the last thing I remem... ber was sitting in... in my office..."

Before Holtti can continue, two of the palace guards approach you, weapons drawn. One of them shouts at you, "Alright, fairy scum! You come quietly and nobody gets hurt. Hands in the air!"

OOC: Can I get Sense Motive checks from both of you?

[LaZodiac]

Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Alphonse nods and tenses himself to get ready.

Sense Motive: (1d20-1)[4]

[Cuthalion]

Spoiler: Courtyard

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Bela puts his hands in front of him and looks into the eyes of the one who spoke.

We aren't fey. We found the general here and removed some parasitic flowers from his body. We won't fight you, but can you please try to help him? Either help us move him to a safe place, try to heal him, or if you don't want to do either, help guard him while one of us goes for someone who can help.

Spoiler: Sense Motive

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(1d20-1)[11]

[Teddy]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Tass swings herself down the ladder as nimbly as her armour lets her, landing on the platform with the first jar.

What does it look like? I'm following you to figure out what you're doing!

[AtlanteanTroll]

Spoiler: The Courtyard

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Niro stands defensively tall over the general at his intimidating height of six foot nine. Do I look like a fairy?

Spoiler

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Sense Motive: (1d20)[6]