(IC) Dog Days of Doom!

[TaranTheWanderer]

"The catastrophe has struck. Take your companion and his remains, and leave. We mean you no harm, but safety, such as it is, will come for this town only from our lighting the beacons. Continue your grave robbing some other night. Tonight, we all live, if you leave now."

To Anson,

"Fine, we all live. Too bad I can't say that to my unfortunate elven comrade." She becomes visible.

When Benny walks in with Max she actually start cackling. Her red, cat's eyes looking at the boy,

"Of course! It all makes sense! All this time, I thought to myself,

'this is where a dark, unholy ritual will take place, these people are here to sacrifice this child to some demon or to Kyuss himself. Why else would you bring a child in here except to sacrifice them to a dark god?' ​

But no! It's not that at all! It's an Androsphinx and his pet! How lovely."

She ignores Benny and directs her next comment at Max,

"I didn't know celestials were kidnapping children now. Pathetic."

She directs her attention back to Benny with genuine sincerity and - for just a moment - gentleness,

"I'm not sure what this thing has promised you, young man, or as cute and cuddly and loving as it may seem but, - trust me, I know - it has an agenda and you are its tool."

As Deirdre listened, she considered carefully the words of Cailyassa.

“Before we let you go however, you must tell us what it is you took from here, and why. I will not tolerate any further desecrations of the dead.”

OOC: move spiritual weapon within striking distance of Cailyassa.

Her tone changes, full of venom towards Deidre and her spiritual weapon,

"Oh, are you threatening me for taking the possessions of the dead? But Correllon excuses the murder of elves?

"No. I will tell you nothing more. If you want more information then you must repay the damage you have done. I have seen you use your god's power: use it on the elf and bring him back to the living- or, if you revere the dead so much, at least preserve his remains.

OOC: Deidre knows she's suggesting a Raise Dead or Gentle Repose

 

[Neurotic]

"Because you're in position to demand things now?"
Havoc is still grumpy
"The fact that she didn't kill the archer doesn't do anything for you or the explanation of the rush? Doesn't matter that people are dying. You just want your pet elf back."

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Now that the girl is visible and now that Deidre threatened her with the spiritual weapon, you can all see that Gromlik, who was previously cowed by the tiefling, is now on edge with his hands tightly gripping his sword as he still hadn't sheathed it from the battle. The tiefling, on the other hand, seems more calm.

Pet Elf?

Of course a Dwarf would say that about an elf.

I will remind you that YOU were the ones in rush, answering my direct questions with vague warnings. I'm tired of listening to your lies. Why don't you let the Priestess answer for herself?

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Caer has been listening thoughtfully to the exchanges that have taken place. He first whispers something to Deidre in elvish.

Perhaps we should stay our tongues and hands sister. We shed their blood first.

Then Caer speaks slowly and clearly so that all can hear him.

Blame is easy to assign, and hard to accept. We have been in constant battle with the risen dead since the comet, and sought only to end the menace that was threatening life and nature. We only meant for you to stand down so that we could send the souls back to their graves.

But I understand and accept your pain. We cannot turn back the Raven's will, and the words that were heedlessly said and the blood needlessly spilled.

I am sorry for your loss, and I ask your forgiveness for our part in your suffering. Please your friends' remains. You have my word on the Blackstaff you will not be harmed.

Caer briefly pauses and looks at the rest of the group.

If you find it in yourself to tell us what you know- not for us, but for the others still suffering from the onslaught of reborn monsters outside of this room, please do so. But I will not demand that of you. May the Raven protect us all.

The Tiefling is taken off-guard by the strange elf's words,

The Raven Queen has her ways but other gods have theirs. And The Raven Queen is forbidden to take his soul for ten days. I'm asking the Priestess to extend that. There are ways to save him that do not involve undead.

The priestess may not have done the killing but she also didn't try to save him. You may feel the information is your due but I disagree. I don't know you or know what your motives are so I've made an offer."

 

[Steve Gorak]

OOC: Max arcana roll: nat 20 with guidance :26 without guidance 24 (whoot whoot)! I assumed that since we’re out of combat he had time to cast guidance, but the bat 20 makes this a moot issue

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Max sends a telepathic message to Benny,

There are infernal markings depicting Nerull and the Horned Society. I can't read infernal but the arcane runes are there to preserve and empower the creature in the sarcophagus. There were strong runes all over the doors into this place, presumably to keep it locked inside.

 

[Lidgar]

Ignoring the taunts from the tiefling, Deirdre walked over to the fallen elf and knelt beside it, searching for a trace of life.

OOC: OK, so a couple of rolls here first. Arcana check: 1D20+2 = [12]+2 = 14 Medicine check (untrained): 1D20+3 = [3]+3 = 6 Only looking to see if the elf has breath or a pulse - so hoping it's an easy check or automatic success. If he's still alive, Deirdre will cast Cure Wounds on him.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

OOC: he is dead. Which is much better than undead. But still worse than alive.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

OOC: if someone has inspiration left, and if the group thinks it would be a good story, you could spend it. He’d be unconscious and stable. But that might be a cheesy way to do it.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

OOC: @Lidgar Diedre has heard whisperings of the Horned Society and she recognizes maybe one or two glyphs. They are a long extinct organization that were ‘bad’. They’re mostly just a spooky story. Kyuss worshipers are way worse. @Steve Gorak Max knows much more. He might have been around when they were rulers of a nearby country but the demi-god Lud and his followers killed them all. This was ages and ages ago. There have always been rumours that some survived. In some regions, they are a bogey man. Basically, they were a powerful cabal of wizards who revered (if not worshipped) Nerull and they consorted with devils.