Adventure: A paladin in need (DM:Someone, judge: THB)

[pathfinderq1]

"Indeed," Joy nodded in agreement with Brenwar's suggestion. "Perhaps we can stay a bit closer together next time. Not that I think we're in for another fight- I'm sure those paladin lads were just as successful against whatever else is in the cave..."

 

[Someone]

So you agree on leaving this cursed plateau and move further into the probably more cursed cave, you discover it's not a cave. The stone doors built into the hill's vertical face lead into a flight of stairs that descend into the darkness.

Brenwar lights up, conjuring light from one of his magic items* and leads the way. The stairs are fairly long, and the sky you left behing is reduced to a small bright square when you arrive to a room. It's empty of furniture and decoration except a headless statue of a richly dressed, robed figure directly in front of you near the opposite wall, where another door opens. The statue's head lies, and a closer examination reveals that the decapitation is fairly recent, since the fracture is clean of the grime and mold on the rest of statue.

More curiously enough, the head has no face, only hair and a beard. You're debating what that means when a nose, eyes and a mouth appear directly over the statue, where the face should be if the stone head was still in it's place. The disembodied features frown and say with grave voice:

"Intruders! You invade my home and threaten my life and my property. Didn't my servants outside serve as a dire enough warning? Do you wish to join them? I'm merciful and forgiving, leave this place in peace, or that'll be your destiny"

[sblock=Arcana DC 22, trained only]This is some kind of illusion, but appears to be more advanced than your typical sound+image spell. Looks like it's been given semi sentience and can hold limited conversations.[/sblock]

*A fair assumption on my part, since I remember you doing the same in Koganusan

 

[covaithe]

"Perhaps, if you would grace me with your name, I could use that in the heat of battle."

"My name? I..." Caught off guard, the girl in the silver mask stands open-mouthed for a long moment, paralyzed with indecision, then shakes her head regretfully. "I can't. It's too... If certain people found out, they could... No. I'm sorry, Halleck. For now, I must remain the Silver Starling." She shoots him a pleading glance, then turns to follow Joy and Brenwar into the cave.

Inside the cave, the girl frowns in thought at the talking statue, but cannot identify whatever magic makes it speak. "We just want to talk to you," she says, unconsciously cocking her head to the side in imitation of the head's posture.

[sblock=ooc] Arcana 14[/sblock]

 

[Someone]

((Actually, the sound comes from the top of the statue, where the face is. The head is on the floor. The illusion, should be working as intended, would make a moving face appear on the head's featureless front, but now it's been decapitated, is quite weird))

"Your words are of no significance. I have no desire to talk to you, nor do I believe you. You're not the first intruders foolishly seeking to destroy me; you met many of them outside. Do you wish to join them? I'm merciful and forgiving, leave this place in peace, or that'll be your destiny"

 

[Rapida]

"Are we talking to a real being or a programmed illusion? We come in search of knowledge, not on some personal vendetta."

Brenwar lights up, conjuring light from one of his magic items*
...
*A fair assumption on my part, since I remember you doing the same in Koganusan

OOC: You are correct, I have Pelor's Palladys' Sun Blessing

 

[Tenchuu]

Halleck tried a more reasonable tone, though he feared it came off a bit condescending. "Please, let me assure you, we have come only out of respect for a great man. We wish to speak with him, and nothing more."

OOC: Diplomacy: 1d20+17=20

 

[Someone]

"Please, let me assure you, we have come only out of respect for a great man. We wish to speak with him, and nothing more."

The flying face over the recently decapitated statue listens to your words, but they don't make much to change it's tone. "That doesn't matter; I do not wish visitors. You won't find knowledge here, only death. You saw my servants outside. Do you wish to join them? I'm merciful and forgiving, leave this place in peace, or that'll be your destiny"

It's becoming obvious that this illusion/statue is becoming a tad repetitive. While is able to understand your words, apparently it isn't fully intelligent.

 

[covaithe]

The Silver Starling stamps her boot in anger. "We need this information, you... you... miscreant! There's going to be a war, and if we don't find the true heir and stop it in time, thousands of people are going to die and it will be all your fault! And if you don't care about that, it means you're a villain! An evil, nasty villain, and you have to be stopped! Now let us in at once, or rue... this... day!" She brandishes an impassioned finger in the illusion's "face", eyes blazing and bosom heaving with outrage.

 

[Tenchuu]

"Yes," Halleck added, "I would listen to the Silver Starling, or there will indeed be much ruing. Do not underestimate the amount of rue that we can dish out. Have you seen your servants outside lately? And you thought they weren't much to look at before..."

 

[pathfinderq1]

Joy focused on the 'statue' and reached out with her mind, attempting to speak directly to whatever force was providing the voice. She found nothing, though she could not be sure what that might mean. A moment later, her voice sounded inside the heads of each of her companions in turn.

[sblock= OOC]
>Arcana check failed 1d20+8= 13; roll Roll Lookup Then try to communicate with the statue via telepathy- if it is actually sentient it should work, if it is just 'programmed' it won't. I'm guessing it doesn't. Then she will telepathically speak to each of the others (one at a time, since she doesn't have access to Group Mindlink)- she will say the same thing to each; Halleck, then Brenwar, then Starling [/sblock]

[sblock= Telepathy]"I think this is just a delaying trick. I don't think we will gain much from this conversation- and I would wager I know who chopped that head off..." [/sblock]