COMING SOON! Terrible Treasures & Frightful Fables. Trinkets and adventures for your DnD 5e Halloween Sessions!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 4148194" data-attributes="member: 3448">While we spoke quietly with the Keeper, Buzz sought to keep Lord Varlin occupied.  They discussed the psionic crystals embedded in the walls.  Lord Varlin commented that the crystals were very large and had some personality, and Buzz discussed them with him and also introduced her psicrystal, which is quite talkative.When Lord Varlin judged that he and Buzz were out of the elf Keeper’s hearing, he spoke urgently.  “We are in a Light tower.”“Yes, we are.  Are you okay?”  Buzz adopted a soothing, calm tone.“They don’t know who we are?”“They may be confused as to who you are.”“Are we safe here?”“I think so.  If they wanted to harm us, they could have as we crossed the Shadowline.”“I just worked out what the arcane writing says.  It is in my mother’s tongue.  It is a curse against those who despoil the tower.”  He paused.  “I assume that someone will shortly want to kill us.”“Do you intend to despoil the tower?”“I couldn’t despoil this.  That’s a Hastur over there.”“Clearly they can tell that you have good motives.”“They can?  We do?  But… surely they will not let us live to leave if they know who we are.”“Then we had better not let them know who we are.”“They do not take prisoners.  If you fight against the Hastur, you either triumph or you are destroyed.  And those destroyed at the line do not even leave ashes to be eaten.”“What do the rumors say about people who cross the line without destructive intent?”  At Lord Varlin’s confused expression, Buzz clarified.  “Without immediate destructive intent?”“We might be the first people to cross the line without immediate destructive intent.”“Then maybe the rumors don’t apply to us.”“Maybe,” said Lord Varlin doubtfully.They continued speaking about the crystals.After a little while, Lord Varlin said, “It is like I can hear them, but that is ridiculous.”“It might be an inheritance from your mother,” replied Buzz.  “I can also hear them muttering.  Can you make out actual words?”“I think so… They are talking about the structure of the tower, and the structure of the line.”“That is what they are here to do.  Have you heard this before?”“Nothing talks like that over there.”The Keeper approached Lord Varlin and rather casually ran her fingers over a pearl necklace. Sideh later informed us that it was clearly a holy necklace--possibly a low-level artifact, but definitely holy.  I have my doubts as to whether it was truly holy.  I suspect that it was simply consecrated to Glor’diadel, not infused with the power of the Lord of Darkness.  Abruptly, bright light swirled out from the necklace, and a winged female form with feathery wings and an elegant, gold covered coif appeared.  Lord Varlin fell over backwards as soon as she appeared.  His eyes rolled up in his head, and he started getting into a fetal position.I held my holy symbol carefully.  I doubted that associating with a celestial of the god of our allies would offend Lord Paranswarm, or that the celestial would harm me, but it was not like a servant of the Darkness.  I thought it was prudent to be ready and to demonstrate that my allegiance was not in doubt.Buzz commented on Lord Varlin.  “He doesn’t seem to be doing so well.  I think you surprised him.”The celestial blessed the Hastur and Sideh.  I was glad that she did not try to bless me.  She then addressed Lord Varlin.  “Now, lad.  I intend you no harm.  Your mother was a cousin of mine, after a fashion.”  She very cautiously advanced, extending her aura over him.  He whimpered.  “I think we should try this again tomorrow.”With that, the Keeper arranged for Lord Varlin to be taken to a room for recovery and dismissed the celestial.</blockquote>

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