Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
"better be cheap if they move that slow."
Swamp Trek III: The Search for Ter-raen
covaithe
Explorer
"Oh, the runners are cheap," Fewtrell explains on his way out of the room. "It's the divines who do the truth magics. No matter how much they raise their fees, they never seem to keep up with demand. Or maybe they just get sick of being called away from their work to serve as witnesses."
Presently the elf from the front door comes in with a steaming teapot and a crystal decanter of water on a silver platter, along with an assortment of cups, saucers, spoons, sweeteners, and cream. He looks like he just smelled something very unpleasant. He sets the platter down and leaves the room without a word, never quite meeting anyone's eye.
Mercifully, the wait is much shorter than several hours. Fewtrell returns not fifteen minutes later, rubbing his hands with satisfaction. "Well, we're in luck. Father Eustan was available, and Master Thorne has cleared his schedule. If you'll follow me, please?"
He leads you up a flight of wide, comfortable steps to a large office, where Alvar Thorne stands conversing with a tall, stoop-shouldered man in gray robes. A holy symbol of Zephos hangs from his plain leather belt. Alvar Thorne is a heavy-set man, not quite so tall as the gray-robed man, but still above average for humans. His close-cropped brown hair and well-kept beard are speckled with gray.
"Come in, come in," Thorne's slightly-too-loud voice booms. "Gildrim, isn't it? I remember you, sure enough. But these others, I don't recall seeing. Fewtrell, I thought you said... but, never mind. I'm sure you'll explain it all in a few minutes. Mustn't keep Father Euston waiting, ha ha! Are you ready to tell your tale, or do you need a moment to prepare?"
Presently the elf from the front door comes in with a steaming teapot and a crystal decanter of water on a silver platter, along with an assortment of cups, saucers, spoons, sweeteners, and cream. He looks like he just smelled something very unpleasant. He sets the platter down and leaves the room without a word, never quite meeting anyone's eye.
Mercifully, the wait is much shorter than several hours. Fewtrell returns not fifteen minutes later, rubbing his hands with satisfaction. "Well, we're in luck. Father Eustan was available, and Master Thorne has cleared his schedule. If you'll follow me, please?"
He leads you up a flight of wide, comfortable steps to a large office, where Alvar Thorne stands conversing with a tall, stoop-shouldered man in gray robes. A holy symbol of Zephos hangs from his plain leather belt. Alvar Thorne is a heavy-set man, not quite so tall as the gray-robed man, but still above average for humans. His close-cropped brown hair and well-kept beard are speckled with gray.
"Come in, come in," Thorne's slightly-too-loud voice booms. "Gildrim, isn't it? I remember you, sure enough. But these others, I don't recall seeing. Fewtrell, I thought you said... but, never mind. I'm sure you'll explain it all in a few minutes. Mustn't keep Father Euston waiting, ha ha! Are you ready to tell your tale, or do you need a moment to prepare?"
Trouvere
Explorer
The elf's silent visit puts Gildrim into what might be mistaken for a good mood. He makes sure to leave several grimy thumbprints on the crockery.
But his spirits darken when Fewtrell returns, and he follows without speaking further. He greets Thorne with a perfunctory bow.
"Nae reason tae wait," he says. He thrusts his chin forward and stares at the priest. After a few seconds, he sniffs.
Slowly, with a challenging air, he grasps his holy symbol and casts his own spell.
"Gie oan wi' it. Whit dae Ah dae? Empty mah heid?"[sblock=Spellcraft DC 16]Gildrim has cast protection from evil.[/sblock]
But his spirits darken when Fewtrell returns, and he follows without speaking further. He greets Thorne with a perfunctory bow.
"Nae reason tae wait," he says. He thrusts his chin forward and stares at the priest. After a few seconds, he sniffs.
Slowly, with a challenging air, he grasps his holy symbol and casts his own spell.
"Gie oan wi' it. Whit dae Ah dae? Empty mah heid?"[sblock=Spellcraft DC 16]Gildrim has cast protection from evil.[/sblock]
Weel Naxel, human cleric
Weel keeps his mouth closed, not sure what might help or harm his new companion in the interview. As the dwarf begins to incant, Weel turns his focus to the casting. It seems very familiar, but he can't quite place the specific invocation.
((Spellcraft check (1d20+4=14)
Weel keeps his mouth closed, not sure what might help or harm his new companion in the interview. As the dwarf begins to incant, Weel turns his focus to the casting. It seems very familiar, but he can't quite place the specific invocation.
((Spellcraft check (1d20+4=14)
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
Magic. Not Karl's forte' at all. He just gets his tea from when the elf brought it in, after all he was never told to leave in the 'tea room', and just stands there sipping quietly and politely.
He really wasn't sure if the elf smelled him or gildrum. He is quite curious about what the story behind the dead commrads was, so this is defineately where he needs to be.
quietly though.
He really wasn't sure if the elf smelled him or gildrum. He is quite curious about what the story behind the dead commrads was, so this is defineately where he needs to be.
quietly though.
Richard Rawen
First Post
Richard stands quietly to the side, not even quite sure what he's doing here. Spells are cast and important people are rumbling about their business and the fighter simply tries to keep out of the way.
covaithe
Explorer
"What's this?" Thorne barks suspiciously. "Father, what's he done? Is this going to interfere with the truth magic?"
Father Euston's spare eyebrows climb high at Gildrim's spell, and he watches the movements intently. "It appears to be a divine blessing, protecting against evil. From Grendath, I presume, from the holy symbol. If I were secretly a servant of an evil deity, it would indeed prevent me from compelling truth from him, or from enslaving his mind through darker magic. A sensible precaution, perhaps, under some circumstances... However, though I have my share of mortal flaws, I believe I may safely claim not to be actively evil. The Shepherd's blessings will not be affected." The priest's voice is dry. It's tone suggests that he is well aware that he could construe this as an insult, but chooses not to, for the moment.
Alvar Thorne looks Gildrim up and down, still frowning, but eventually nods. "Hmph. I don't like it, Gildrim, casting spells without leave, in my own office! But if Eustan says the truth magic will still work, I have no choice but to believe him. Carry on, Father."
Father Euston presents his own holy symbol, and with a few crisp words, casts his spell. A feeling of austere clarity settles over you. You find yourself thinking of things in the simplest and most direct way, such that outright lying would be impossibly repugnant, and evasion through misleading truths, while possible, would be unpleasant.
"The effect will last only a few minutes," the priest says. Thorne nods. "Tell your tale, then."
[sblock=ooc]The spell effects all of you, unless you choose to resist it and make a DC 15 will save. If you do, though, the priest will know. [/sblock]
Father Euston's spare eyebrows climb high at Gildrim's spell, and he watches the movements intently. "It appears to be a divine blessing, protecting against evil. From Grendath, I presume, from the holy symbol. If I were secretly a servant of an evil deity, it would indeed prevent me from compelling truth from him, or from enslaving his mind through darker magic. A sensible precaution, perhaps, under some circumstances... However, though I have my share of mortal flaws, I believe I may safely claim not to be actively evil. The Shepherd's blessings will not be affected." The priest's voice is dry. It's tone suggests that he is well aware that he could construe this as an insult, but chooses not to, for the moment.
Alvar Thorne looks Gildrim up and down, still frowning, but eventually nods. "Hmph. I don't like it, Gildrim, casting spells without leave, in my own office! But if Eustan says the truth magic will still work, I have no choice but to believe him. Carry on, Father."
Father Euston presents his own holy symbol, and with a few crisp words, casts his spell. A feeling of austere clarity settles over you. You find yourself thinking of things in the simplest and most direct way, such that outright lying would be impossibly repugnant, and evasion through misleading truths, while possible, would be unpleasant.
"The effect will last only a few minutes," the priest says. Thorne nods. "Tell your tale, then."
[sblock=ooc]The spell effects all of you, unless you choose to resist it and make a DC 15 will save. If you do, though, the priest will know. [/sblock]
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
Karl remains silent, though not resistive. He simply lets gildrum speak.
Trouvere
Explorer
"Och, weel, ye cannae be tae carefu," says Gildrim unapologetically. His shoulders twitch as the spell takes hold, but he manages not to fight against it.
"I'll try to be brief," Gildrim continues. "The four of - Grendath's eyes!"
A dull purple flush rises on the back of Gildrim's neck and quickly suffuses his cheeks above his scrubby beard. He grinds his teeth and continues, staring at the floor.
"We met with bandits on the way to the swamp, and killed two of them. When we reached Cragger's Rest, the villagers weren't happy to learn that we were going into the swamp. They've had trouble with lizardfolk, or the other way around. The priestess living outside the village found us a lizardfolk guide. Deep in the swamp, we came to a hill with a standing stone atop it. While we rested there, two hungry dead men found us. Cyian... Cyian touched the stone in the confusion, and vanished in an instant. We killed the ghouls, but Cyian... we never found him."
Gildrim pauses to take a deep breath.
"But we found your house soon enough, the three of us left. It's still standing, not too badly decayed. All the wriggling, biting things from miles around seem to have made their homes there to keep out of the water. There were centipedes and a snake and spiders, one as big as a horse, but they're not the worst thing there."
"But I get ahead of myself. We met a nixie in the walled garden. She had the other two charmed - but not me! - and made them walk back out of the swamp. I had to follow. No harm would have been done, beyond the delay, except that someone drove a crocodile after us with arrows. Well, we killed it, and when the other two returned to their senses, we came back to confront the little green girl. But instead we met three grasshopper men, who I think had goaded the crocodile. They were small, but very persistent, and would have killed us if they could, but we stuffed them in a pack and kept them from further mischief. And it turned out these grasshoppers had been tricking and tormenting the nixie, so after that she was friendly enough."
"Too friendly, maybe, because she and Erf set off together and left us! I hope they're happy together! But that was after we were nearly pecked to pieces by crows, so maybe he'd lost heart in the venture."
"And now, it's time to cut my tale short. While we camped that last night with Erf, a human came tramping through the marsh toward our firelight. He too had touched a standing stone and found himself elsewhere, which gives me some hope for Cyian, though not much. When Erf left, we invited him to join with us. If we had not, he would perhaps have lived. His name was Karm."
"Together we fought the hellish giant spider, and the strangest creature I've ever seen, some demon of slime. There was nothing else at the top of the house. We went down into the stone cellar. We fell in a pit where the floor gave way and flapping choking tentacle monsters tried to eat us. Karm was nearly killed."
"And after that, it all went wrong. We put a table in the pit, and opened the stone doors that stood beyond it. There were dead things waiting for us on the other side, skeletons of wolves, and the bones of a giant with sharp teeth and ripping claws on the ends of great reaching arms. The wolves harried us and we could not strike the giant across the pit, though it could reach us."
Gildrim stops again for a few seconds.
"There was... there was nothing I could do. I saw Ter-raen fall and Karm helpless. Only I could get past the wolf. I ran for my life, with bony jaws tearing at my legs. The others are dead, beyond doubt."
Gildrim lifts his head slowly and looks Thorne in the face.
"Your urn may be there still. I've done my best, but I could not gain it. The seeking of it killed two and left another lost. I am done, with the seeking, and with my account."
With that dramatic closing, he takes a step backwards.
"Oh, and I brought from the house a portrait of a woman who looks a bit like you."
"I'll try to be brief," Gildrim continues. "The four of - Grendath's eyes!"
A dull purple flush rises on the back of Gildrim's neck and quickly suffuses his cheeks above his scrubby beard. He grinds his teeth and continues, staring at the floor.
"We met with bandits on the way to the swamp, and killed two of them. When we reached Cragger's Rest, the villagers weren't happy to learn that we were going into the swamp. They've had trouble with lizardfolk, or the other way around. The priestess living outside the village found us a lizardfolk guide. Deep in the swamp, we came to a hill with a standing stone atop it. While we rested there, two hungry dead men found us. Cyian... Cyian touched the stone in the confusion, and vanished in an instant. We killed the ghouls, but Cyian... we never found him."
Gildrim pauses to take a deep breath.
"But we found your house soon enough, the three of us left. It's still standing, not too badly decayed. All the wriggling, biting things from miles around seem to have made their homes there to keep out of the water. There were centipedes and a snake and spiders, one as big as a horse, but they're not the worst thing there."
"But I get ahead of myself. We met a nixie in the walled garden. She had the other two charmed - but not me! - and made them walk back out of the swamp. I had to follow. No harm would have been done, beyond the delay, except that someone drove a crocodile after us with arrows. Well, we killed it, and when the other two returned to their senses, we came back to confront the little green girl. But instead we met three grasshopper men, who I think had goaded the crocodile. They were small, but very persistent, and would have killed us if they could, but we stuffed them in a pack and kept them from further mischief. And it turned out these grasshoppers had been tricking and tormenting the nixie, so after that she was friendly enough."
"Too friendly, maybe, because she and Erf set off together and left us! I hope they're happy together! But that was after we were nearly pecked to pieces by crows, so maybe he'd lost heart in the venture."
"And now, it's time to cut my tale short. While we camped that last night with Erf, a human came tramping through the marsh toward our firelight. He too had touched a standing stone and found himself elsewhere, which gives me some hope for Cyian, though not much. When Erf left, we invited him to join with us. If we had not, he would perhaps have lived. His name was Karm."
"Together we fought the hellish giant spider, and the strangest creature I've ever seen, some demon of slime. There was nothing else at the top of the house. We went down into the stone cellar. We fell in a pit where the floor gave way and flapping choking tentacle monsters tried to eat us. Karm was nearly killed."
"And after that, it all went wrong. We put a table in the pit, and opened the stone doors that stood beyond it. There were dead things waiting for us on the other side, skeletons of wolves, and the bones of a giant with sharp teeth and ripping claws on the ends of great reaching arms. The wolves harried us and we could not strike the giant across the pit, though it could reach us."
Gildrim stops again for a few seconds.
"There was... there was nothing I could do. I saw Ter-raen fall and Karm helpless. Only I could get past the wolf. I ran for my life, with bony jaws tearing at my legs. The others are dead, beyond doubt."
Gildrim lifts his head slowly and looks Thorne in the face.
"Your urn may be there still. I've done my best, but I could not gain it. The seeking of it killed two and left another lost. I am done, with the seeking, and with my account."
With that dramatic closing, he takes a step backwards.
"Oh, and I brought from the house a portrait of a woman who looks a bit like you."
covaithe
Explorer
[sblock=Trouvere]Nice summary! There's one thing that I was looking for in there that I didn't see, and, checking on it, it appears to be my fault. When Ter-raen first opened the crypt door, there was a big orange thing on a platform behind the skeletal troll, that was supposed to be the urn in question. Thus, I was expecting Gildrim to mention that he'd seen the urn, but couldn't get to it.
Checking back, it turns out that I never got around to describing the contents of the crypt. I described it as "gloomy" before the skeletons came out, but of course Gildrim has darkvision, and would have been able to clearly see the areas indicated on that map, including the urn. An oversight on my part.
So, what to do about it? We could just say that the troll skeleton distracted Gildrim enough that he didn't notice the urn, and leave continuity as is. Or we can say that G actually saw the urn (as I'd intended, but screwed up) and add it to his speech.
Or, I suppose, he can have seen it and not mentioned it for his own reasons. Up to you. What shall we do?
[/sblock]
Checking back, it turns out that I never got around to describing the contents of the crypt. I described it as "gloomy" before the skeletons came out, but of course Gildrim has darkvision, and would have been able to clearly see the areas indicated on that map, including the urn. An oversight on my part.
So, what to do about it? We could just say that the troll skeleton distracted Gildrim enough that he didn't notice the urn, and leave continuity as is. Or we can say that G actually saw the urn (as I'd intended, but screwed up) and add it to his speech.
Or, I suppose, he can have seen it and not mentioned it for his own reasons. Up to you. What shall we do?
[/sblock]
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