Urn Your Pay (Rae judging)

Ter-raen's grip on his weapon loosens just a little bit. Gnome can charm snakes, good good. House is not so powerful now. Ter-raen takes a step towards the hallway as Gildrim suggests, but his step is just a little lighter now, and he is a little bit more at ease.

Opening the next door causes everyone to step back, blinking and shading their eyes from the glare of full daylight. After a minute your eyes adjust, and you see that the door leads onto a broad stone loggia, covered by a roof held up by the same sturdy stone pillars as you saw at the house's entrance. The area is open to a large garden area inside the walls. Or what once must have been a garden; now it resembles a forest more than anything planned or man-made. There are tall trees and low shrubbery, with plenty of sweet-smelling flowers. Through the trees, you can see a small pond with glistening blue waters.

[sblock=spot DC 15]You see a bright reflection from the pond that, unlike the many smaller reflections from the waves, doesn't move. It must be off of some submerged object.

[sblock=DC 23]You think you may have seen a small figure dart behind a tree when you opened the door.[/sblock][/sblock]

Gildrim blinks and blinks. "Ach, weel, noo that's a shame - th' ruif's fawn in. Nae, hing oan - thay built it like this. Hou streenge. Wha'd want trees in th' mids ay thair hoose? This place is mair uncanny by th' mament. Dae ye suppose this coud be thair birryin' grund? We micht find th' Urn somewey oot thaur. But if thaur's snakes an' th' like inside, thaur'll be aw kinds oot haur. Tread cannie."

"Oh I don't know Gildrim we forest gnomes make our houses inside trees, sometimes at least, so why not have trees in your house? I think its nice!"

Erf moves out into the garden flanked by Fenenn.

"I don't see any of those gravestones humans like fellas, and I can't see them leaving a fancy urn out here..."


[sblock=OOC] Erf, Fenenn spot checks (1d20+3, 1d20+5=[10, 3], [8, 5], 1d20+3, 1d20+5=[13, 3], [7, 5]). Sadly Fenenn seeing the object in the ond is not really relevant. Erf's better at listen checks.[/sblock]

"Ye see, this is preceesely th' kind ay thing Ah wis wantin' tae learn aboot th' ither fowk ay th' Enwarld whan Ah left hame. Trees in th' hoose, trees fur a hoose, whitever next. Ah dinnae ken hou onybody can be happy without a guid stane roof ower thair heids, mind."

Gildrim heads for the eastern end of the walkway.

ooc: Just to move things along. Sorry serow if I'm stepping on your toes. At least I rolled high! Ter-raen's spot check is 19.

Ter-raen points a grimy finger at the pond. "Shiny," he grunts. With his help, you can all make out something metallic beneath the surface of the pond.

"Whit dae ye say, Ter-raen, trees an' ainimals in yer hoose or naw? Eh? Whit? Och, ye're richt. Glintin' in th' sun fur aw tae see."

Gildrim heads for the pond.

Ter-raen walks over to the pond too, but remembering an old story about waters being deeper than they seem, does not immediately make a grab for the shiny. He simply points at it again, remarking "Why is shiny in water? Someone drop? Or someone throw? I hear people like to make wish near waters. They throw shiny, I hear."

[sblock=ooc]No worries Covaithe, I'd rather the adventure move along than let it drag. It's moving at a very dramatic pace for a pbp actually, very enjoyable!
Anyways, I think I should be able to get back to at least once per day now.[/sblock]

As you approach the pond, the gleam begins to take shape. It is a large silver chalice with some colorful spots that could be gems. Before you get close enough to take in the details, a high-pitched female voice speaks.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" From behind a gnarled willow tree on the opposite side of the pond, a female figure with pale green skin steps out. She is quite pretty, with large violet eyes and elegantly pointed ears, and her garments of clinging wet leaves and vines have some rather distracting omissions. She stands not quite three feet tall. "But it's not just a pretty piece of silver. This is a holy shrine. The goddess speaks here. Have you come here to serve her, too?" As she looks you over, she gives Erf an extra little smile.

[sblock=Erf]This is, quite simply, the most beautiful and charming creature you have ever seen. The way she walks, the clear ringing of her voice, the way her lustrous dark green hair falls around her ears, and oh, that demure little smile. Things are looking up for the young gnome!

ooc: will save 1d20+5=7 fails, and Erf is affected by the charm person spell. Sorry! Well, not really. [/sblock]

[sblock=know(nature) DC 15 or bardic knowledge DC 17]She looks like a nixie, a kind of aquatic sprite. They can go on land when needed, but prefer to remain in the water whenever possible.
[sblock=know(nature) DC 22 or bardic knowledge DC 22]Nixies have the supernatural ability to charm unwary travelers into doing their bidding. Like most fey, weapons that are not made of cold iron do not affect them fully.[/sblock][/sblock]