(IC) Dog Days of Doom!

[Steve Gorak]

Spoiler: Benny_Max_minisheet

Benny
AC 14 (19 with shield spell used as a reaction)
Spell Save DC 13
HP/HP 21/24 +6/12 temp HP
Passive Perception (PP): 13
HD/HD; 3/3
Healing light 4/4

Benny has 1 vial of holy water (each vial has 3 castings of protection from evil)
4 golden stoppered vials of holy water

Benny has inspiration

Maximilian - disappeared
AC 13
Magic Resistance. The sphinx has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Resistances: Necrotic, Psychic, Radiant
HP/HP 0/24
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
HD/HD; 0/7

Benny feels the holy light wash over him. He takes a few seconds to thank Pelor, as he dismisses his illusory wall. He the calls back his friend Max, and heads towards the scale. He is curious about the key, and inspects it to see if it can be pulled out.

“What do you think” he asks out loud, the question mainly targeted at Max but open to the others

OOC: cast find familiar,pact of the chain allows casting it as an action without using a slot Max Arcana check for the key: 21 Max religion check: 12 He is proficient in both

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Spoiler: Caer Droea

AC 19 (16) Passive Perception 17
HP 25/34 HD 2/3
SSdc13 Slots 3/3
Hunters 0/2 Healing 1/1 Teleport 1/2 Blur 1/1
Inspiration: 1/1

ROUND 5

Caer sees that Marshall still has two flesh-eaters surrounding him, and strides forward. He focuses the Raven's power on the one closest and draws its attention, saying to it, in a lilting, calm voice ...

Now, return back to the earth and find rest.

With that, Caer brings down the Blackstaff with all his strength straight down on the wretched creature, seeking to end its unnatural existence.

OOC: (HM 15) Bonus Action - Target Z2 Caer moves to F13. Swing: 1D20+5 = [10]+5 = 15 Damage: 1D8+5+1D6 = [6]+5+[2] = 13 13 damage to Z2. Not bothering with topple.

 

[Neurotic]

Havoc leaves the scales when it becomes apparent that the zombies weren't destroyed by the light. He takes the space of the zombie Caer felled and tries to get to the zombie on the other side. Between stairs and large goliath, he barely connects

"Stratus, switch?" he offers again

OOC: Last time he didn't take so same roll?

Spoiler: Actions

Move: F15
Hits AC 9 for 5 damage
neurotic: D20 + 5;D8 + 4#havocvszombie → 9; 5(4 + 5);(1 + 4)#Havoc vs Zombie

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Combat Over
Time: 8:25

Caer and Havoc move into positions to deliver killing blows to the burning zombies and, for the first time in moments, all is quiet in the Cathedral.

You take a few quick moments to scan the area. First, Benny goes to look at the scales. Wee Jas, being the god of magic and death, most often depicted as being a god of balance, is usually seen holding a perfectly balanced set of scales. This depiction is off since the scales are unbalanced. The key seems to be fixed in the hole and can't be removed. It seems like it may turn if one was wont to do so.

Meanwhile, in the corner, with a cursory glance, you notice that the subject of the zombie's attention was a fresh, armoured corpse. There is a broken length of rope near the corpse.

Edit: Looking closer at the corpse, it has a necklace depicting a cowled Mask.1

Looking up, you see a hole in the ceiling where this person, most likely, fell. Looking around, you notice a few other details but you need to take some time to put them together.2

Spoiler: OOC

Combat is over at 8:20, for the purposes of spells.

It takes an additional 5 minutes to look over and inspect the body and the statue.

It will take a few more moments to get any details regarding corpse.

Edit: investigating the corpse takes 5 minutes - not an additional 5.

What would you like to explore and how much time do you take doing it. Nightfall is at 9pm.

@Steve Gorak if you want Max back, you need to spend an hour casting the spell.

You guys can discuss how you proceed in the OOC thread if you want.

1. (INT) Religion (or appropriate background will add proficiency) 15 to identify the necklace on the corpse.

2. (INT) Investigation (or appropriate background - such as Guide - will add proficiency) 15 to put some previous details together with the ones in this room.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Just to the west, Caer sees the corpse that flesh-eaters had been huddled around, and his curiosity piqued, moves toward it. He observes the corpse, the broken length of rope, and then looks up and sees the hole above him.

Did he fall down here? What was he trying to do?

Caer tries to visualize all of the trees he is seeing, hoping to glimpse the forest.

OOC: Investigation + Forestal: 1D20+2 = [15]+2 = 17 WOOT! Was not expecting that.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Caer looks around and can see the other half of the rope hanging from the hole in the ceiling. The rope looks frayed as if it was rubbing against a sharp rock...which means the rope was used enough for it to be rubbing in the same place for long enough to be cut. This person, who has been mangled by the zombies had definitely fallen. What was curious is, beyond the necklace and the person's bloodied breast plate, it has no possession: no pouches, weapons or backpack.

He looks around at his surroundings. There are the scattered bones of the many skeletons they'd fought but, thinking upon it, when they entered, there were other bones scattered all over already. Had someone destroyed other skeletons before they'd arrived? Then he remembered the destroyed skeletons in the alcove when they arrived. Who had destroyed those? Maybe Meldin? Maybe not.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Spoiler: Anson Mini-sheet

Anson Willoughby
AC 15
HP: 21/21
Passive Perception: 12
HD: 3/3
Psychic Dice 4/4
Heroic Insp: 1/1
CONCENTRATING

The torch lights, and Anson lets out his breath, pulling back and sliding the firesticks under his belt, freeing his hands.

"That one... took a while," he says, apologetically. He descends from the dais (again avoiding touching the trapped steps, if he can; if there's a lip and he can let himself down, he'll do that), and he moves to join the others.

Anson's concern is the beacons, nevertheless, seeing the statue so clearly out of synch makes him cautious. (For now, he leaves the looted body). Anson has some knowledge of keys, locks, and other mechanisms, and he inspects both the scales (are there obvious means for the scales to tilt, or have they been bent?), and the lock-and-key. Assuming the scales are not simply bent, he CAREFULLY looks at the key, to see if it will turn and if he can turn it. If he can and there are no obvious traps, he will do so, or (if nothing happens, will attempt to remove the key.

"Let me take a look," he says kneeling down beside the statue.

OOC: He does not have Mage Hand, but he is proficient with tools and slight-of-hand, and he now is ready with his new psychic skill abilities, in case a roll is required. Anyone who thinks this is a bad idea can stop him, before the DM posts, but he's committed to doing this otherwise.

 

[Lidgar]

Deirdre approached Caer and the body. Seeing the necklace with the mask, she inspected it further, but also examined the body's features and gear for any hint on where he may have come from. In elvish to Caer, she added in a quiet voice:

It seems I owe you again. Thank you, brethren.

OOC: Religion check to examine the necklace, history check to try to determine where the man came from. Religion check: 1D20+2 = [14]+2 = 16 History check: 1D20+2 = [8]+2 = 10

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Benny takes a sad moment, thinking of his lost friend and gloomily goes to the statue to look at the mechanism. He hears a chipper voice in his head,

Wait for me!

Looking behind him, Benny sees Max flying down from the rafters.

That was a close one!

They proceed to the statue and, after Benny's prompting, Max indicates that it must be some kind of mechanical thing because he doesn't know any magic items that look like this. Maybe if he saw it in action, he'd know more.

Anson looks at the mechanism. The key is not so much a 'key' as it is a lever meant to be turned. The mechanism within disappears into the stone statue.

***

Deidre looks at the necklace. It's a holy symbol of the god Mask1 who is an intermediate god of shadows and thievery. While Mask's mandate isn't specifically violent, the lifestyle of many followers tend to lean towards banditry, thievery and cat burglary. Sadly, luck isn't in the portfolio of Mask - that one belongs to Brandobaris and Fharlanghn - and this follower seemed to have some bad luck.

You look up at the hole above. The stone work seems worn. The dwarf would know more.

Spoiler: OOC

@Kobold Stew Give me an INT (Investigation). Anyone (max or Benny) can help you.

2. It turns out Mask isn't a greyhawk god. Oh, well, too bad. He exists here now. His story will be slightly different since he's in an entirely different pantheon now.

@Snarf Zagyg & @Lidgar The rope wasn't cleanly cut but got sheared off after rubbing against something too many times. Like, if the rope was swinging back and forth against a rough surface. Caer got that from his investigation check.

@Steve Gorak Maybe Max just takes the incense as an offering, after the fact. Don't be surprised it Benny finds his pockets a bit lighter.

 

[Kobold Stew]

OOC: Investigation: 1d20+0=12 (with no help) or 13 (with help).