Gaming w/Jemal 4E: Past Tense

[Graf]

[sblock=Knowlege]Arcana 26 History 13 Religion 14 (rolled a 1! )[/sblock]

Don't you guys feel...weak?

Indeed. Significantly. Verity pulls out a thin black tome and thumbs through it carefully. I have lost rituals and many of my more powerful items and most of my residuum...
And it seems my Leomund’s Secret Chest Arcana ritual is gone as well... He looks at his book. And it has been removed from my spellbook as well.

Verity's tone is deliberately neutral.
[sblock=Insight > 16]Verity's Bluff roll = 16.
Verity seems to be happy about what's happening. Though he's trying to hide it.[/sblock]

"Thanks for freeing me from that rotten old bastard's grasp. Perhaps some day this will return the favour.
- J
PS, I borrowed some of your stuff."

Traditionally someone who signs their initial either expects the intended recipient to know who they are. They may also wish to hide their identity from third parties who might see the message.

Do we know of any "J" who was held prisoner by the lich?

[sblock=OOC]
According to our proposed group backstory Gerald and Boy's corpses should be on the stairs leading down to the crypt, surrounded by lots and lots of undead bodies.
Are they still there?

And does the lich have a name... ? [/sblock]

 

[Jemal]

As noted, there are NO bodies. This includes skeletal remains or dried blood. The only "J" the party can think of is one of the Vampiric "servants" of the Lich. He had two; named James and Jemal; neither of which were in the temple when you attacked. It could be either of them.. or just someone who wishes to remain anonymous.

Between your combined musings and bits of information, you come to the conclusion that this hourglass is an ancient relic known as the "Sands of Fate". Legends say that when a specific song is played on the Lute of Fae in the presence of both the glass and one or more near-death creatures, that it links their fates with its own, sparing their deaths so that they may serve a cause.

Judging from the missing lute, the presence of the sands, and the cryptic message, it would seem that one of these vampires has probably bound you to the sands for some purpose, and taken much of your power in the process.

It would probably be wisest not to attempt to move the Sands from its resting spot without the lute.

EDIT : And none of you knows the Lich's name, he was referred to soley as the Unseen Lord

 

[Atanatotatos]

[sblock=ooc]

Between your combined musings and bits of information, you come to the conclusion that this hourglass is an ancient relic known as the "Sands of Fate". Legends say that when a specific song is played on the Lute of Fae in the presence of both the glass and one or more near-death creatures, that it links their fates with its own, sparing their deaths so that they may serve a cause.

Judging from the missing lute, the presence of the sands, and the cryptic message, it would seem that one of these vampires has probably bound you to the sands for some purpose, and taken much of your power in the process.

It would probably be wisest not to attempt to move the Sands from its resting spot without the lute.

Holy *ç#@, did I do this?[/sblock]

What are you so happy for, Verity? Says Illian loudly, pouting sadly... Damn, I told you the frickin' lute was important! He then proceeds to whine
[sblock=ooc]I suppose a passive check (22) is alright. Otherwise I won't notice this and I'll edit if you want[/sblock]

 

[Bialaska]

Lady Keira remains sulking, as she is forced to pull out her oldish blade that she was awarded upon reaching knighthood.

"Why, oh why, have I been cursed Lady Sehanine, why have you taken away the blade I used to serve you? Oh Lady Sehanine, did I fail you, did I not follow your teachings?" she yells to the sky... Or well, rather the ceiling of the crypt.

She then frowns.

"Maybe the disappearance of Tuomas is a good thing. Obviously he is a fool since he did not wait for me, but instead put a stone with my name. He should know that no foul lich would ever be able to defeat a true knight of Lady Sehanine." Desillusional? Maybe a bit, but on the other hand it, this also adds to her confidence in herself.

 

[Zweischneid]

What are you so happy for, Verity? Says Illian loudly, pouting sadly... Damn, I told you the frickin' lute was important! He then proceeds to whine

"Don't be silly!" Ruthear growls, still intently eyeing the hourglass from a yard away.

"The lute, the 'Sands of Fate', they are nothing but tools. Exquisit magic, finely made and likely unique in this world. But tools nontheless. Intricate magic puppet strings that bind us to some unknown purpose." Visible angered, and clearly shaken by the prospect of being manipulated, Ruthear spits out the final words with contempt.

Slowly the Tiefling rises and takes in his companions as if seeing them for the first time.
"To solve this riddle, I believe we need to divine who employed them and to what end. Who is holding this particular puppet string and to what purpose?"

"If he weren't dead, one could almost believe this to be Sylas working. Unfortunately, I do not think we are this lucky." Ruthear notes with a humorless laugh.

"Someone is trying to play us for some unknown purpose. Someone, I think we should find and talk to."

 

[Walking Dad]

...

"Someone is trying to play us for some unknown purpose. Someone, I think we should find and talk to."

"Yes I think this one is need of a good 'talk' with us!" the bugbear says, licking one of his daggers.

 

[Graf]

EDIT : And none of you knows the Lich's name, he was referred to soley as the Unseen Lord

[sblock=OOC]They are the same.
Looks like our group backstory is gonna need some serious editing.[/sblock]

 

[Graf]

[sblock=ooc]

Holy *ç#@, did I do this?[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC]Yes, yes you did.

Give me all your magic items and I'll forgive you though. [/sblock]

What are you so happy for, Verity?

Verity looks positively uncomfortable. I'm not happy... that would be silly. This is obviously a tragedy.... Why, everyone who remembers us is probably dead and gone. Ah....

The illusionist lapses into uncomfortable silence.

 

[Atanatotatos]

Heian turns dead serious for a second as he looks at Verity intently with narrowed eyes, finally concluding: I see. Then, as he turns away he softy slaps him on a shoulder: Good for you, friend

[sblock=ooc]

Yes, yes you did.

Give me all your magic items and I'll forgive you though.

Heh... hope you won't have my guts with a cursed padlock somehow [/sblock]

 

[Graf]

Verity tries not to allow the shamed flush to rise.

[sblock=OOC: Of course]His happiness at having his treasonous betrayal hidden into the distant past will subside once he realizes the thing he released is roving about causing havoc.

Then he'll be pretty paranoid about people in this time finding out.

[sblock=Padlocks]Quickly pushes his plans for the -5 Padlock Shield of Monster Attraction into his desk while loudly protesting I'm not that sort of DM![/sblock]

[/sblock]