Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

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AleBelly
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#241 Post by AleBelly »

The stone behemoth thrusts a boulder into the ceiling with a final flash of blue light as it collapses. A shockwave rolls along the ceiling, releasing dirt and pebbles. And then loud rumbling as rocks fall all around.

Hailey, Radahn, Duala, Wenyld, and Palermo are all standing under more stable parts of the ceiling - aside from some dirt and pebbles in their hair they escape further danger.

Boulders fall around the others. Llandrin, Bilberta, Irwin, and the newly released urchin I rolled for the urchin, OM...nice meta roleplay by forgetting to roll for the poor ignored creature! :lol: :lol: are able to see the rocks fall and dodge them. A block the size of a human head grazes Irwin, but he is unhurt! A huge block of ceiling gives way over Xerxes' head. He screams a desperate prayer to Ulesh (?), and suddenly a white dome of light appears over the grave digger! The boulders bounce off the dome, leaving him unscathed. Zygmund sees the boulders too late, holding up his thin grimoire for protection. The magic in the room has a strange effect on the book...it glows yellow and the boulders bounce off it too, leaving the apprentice unharmed! The wooden chest, however, is completely crushed.

The dust settles, and the room is suddenly bright! The ceiling has given way to reveal a familiar early morning sky. The behemoth's collapse, along with the ceiling, leaves a path that can be climbed to the land above.

Meanwhile, in the room, the ice block remains unharmed. Three torches sit burning in the holders around it, with one remaining vacant. A torch remains burning in a sconce in the western wall of the half-collapsed room.

And then, chalk raises again. It scrawls across the floor. Impressive! Now free me for a great gift!

In a far corner of the room, the party sees the glint of gems laid in a well-made but dusty shield. A couple of fat pouches lay beside it.

Actions?

By the way, the party's rolls were phenomenal. The behemoth was meant to punch the ceiling each round, requiring the luck/reflex checks to be made each round. You got those bad rolls out of the way early!
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#242 Post by Stirling »

Xerxes

To be honest, these new guys freeing an evil toad-headed wizard-cleric, who they followed prior to their captivity does not fill him with enthusiasm.

"Better let him alone in the ice block. The light shows us the way!"

He will clamber up and out, feeling the rays of sunlight as a heavenly guide to exit these dire caves.

Zygmund, looks at his grimoire. "Did I do that?!" he is amazed that some warping of arcane mystery has been invoked by his hand (or was it just Luck?). Whichever, the religious gravedigger seems to speak sense and after concluding Odlo's fate, he thinks fighting supernatural entities a bit beyond his current ability. He will climb up also.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#243 Post by Marullus »

Hailey stands solemnly looking at the ice block for a long moment.

"Because I See, At Long Last, What's Wrong With The World. Too Many Sorcerers."

She turns and walks away from him, scooping down to inspect and take the pouches.

Having studied the wizards' conflict long enough, Llandrin cannot dispute her logic. "Hey, wait up," he tells her, the Sage looking at the shield to determine it's origin and history.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#244 Post by Rex »

Wenyld

Wenyld will grab the shield if no one else does. Then she works her way out with the others. "I am not messing with a toad wizard."
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#245 Post by AleBelly »

The wealth contained in the dark corner of this room can hardly be fathomed by our adventurers of humble backgrounds. Llandrin studies the shield, and guesses it is of dwarven origin, which Bilberta - the last dwarf standing - confirms. It is finely crafted, made from copper and bronze. Set in the shield are 8 rubies. Although functional, it is likely this was an ornamental shield for a thane of some renown. Lying under it is a silver mace, with the carved head of Ildavir as the business end of the weapon, and a mithril dagger with a black onyx handle. The handle is capped, half unscrewed, and could be a reservoir for poison. Other treasures also abound.

The total hoard includes:

- The copper/bronze dwarven shield, inlaid with 8 rubies
- The silver mace, with the head of Ildavir
- The black onyx-handled mithril dagger with a reservoir for poison
- 300(!) gold coins
- A golden tankard filled with 15 emeralds
- A map (I will fill in later)
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#246 Post by Marullus »

Llandrin is quick to argue for an even split as he helps count the coins. "While you siffered through far more before arrival here,
it is only fair as those of us from Pantano must rebuild lives from scratch here in a foreign land and foreign time. You all may keep all of those rich spoils from elsewhere, of course, but a simple split of just these coins will be a great aid to all."


With 11 survivors and 300 gold coins, that's 27 coins each, plus three left over.

He also places the mithril dagger on his lap. "You may not know, but elves have a great need of mithril, as we are allergic to steel. If you all don't mind my use of this simple dagger?"

"Ildavir is the goddess of nature," adds Hailey, her voice somewhat distant. "If any were moved to such faith?" She looks around at the others.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#247 Post by OGRE MAGE »

The forgotten urchin looks up with a dust covered face after almost being crushed by falling rocks. "My name is Ollyver!"
Maybe he will be easier to remember now. :lol:
He reaches for the last torch but stops when he sees everyone else leaving the room. "So, we aren't going to free this chap from the ice cube then?" He stands there with the last torch in hand, looking into the cube to see if the figure inside reacts.

Palmero looks over the spoils with a whistle. "That's a lot of riches. More than I ever seen in fact. I hope this doesn't change us."

He waits till the goods have been split up to see if there is anything leftover for him.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#248 Post by CAI4 »

Radahn lifts up the mace and begins examining its weight and general feel. Pleased, he suggests “If you all don’t mind me taking this mace I’ll he happy to have the appropriate amount of coins deducted from my share… this dagger feels confining”

Bilberta asks the toad “Before we would consider letting you free, I think it’s fair that you tell us what this supposed gift is”. She hopes that the chalk will provide an answer
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#249 Post by AleBelly »

CAI4 wrote: Wed May 22, 2024 2:31 pm
Bilberta asks the toad “Before we would consider letting you free, I think it’s fair that you tell us what this supposed gift is”. She hopes that the chalk will provide an answer
The eyes of the ice-bound captive lock in on Bilberta as the chalk levitates then again scrawls on the floor in response to Bilberta.

The wand in my hand and remove curse from treasure. Please, been in here so long
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#250 Post by Rex »

Wenyld

"What are you doing down there Bilberta?"
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#251 Post by CAI4 »

Bilberta shouts back “You were all so quick to dismiss this creature’s plea… we freed the prisoners, and I believe rightly so, on the assumption they would be our allies. Why not apply the same trust to this poor frozen fellow? Besides, from the information we’ve heard about the great feud between the two sorcerers, this seems to be the kinder one of the two.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#252 Post by gurusql »

Duala

Duala gladly takes his 27 gold coins and picks up one emerald and the map. He looks at the map once he secures the valuables.

Elias the Woodcutter

He nearly duplicates the actions of Duala and takes the 27 gold coins and one emerald.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#253 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Ollyver the Urchin just stands there near Bilberta with the last torch, almost trying to tease a response from the frozen wizard by moving the torch closer, then moving it away again.

If the frozen fellow inside remains still, he looks to the chalk for a response to his antics.

(I would be up for releasing this guy, at least Ollyver would anyway. I will agree to let anyone who wants to get away leave beforehand, obviously.)
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#254 Post by Marullus »

Hailey takes an emerald and 27gp, leaving the other items.

Hearing no dissent, Llandrin attaches the dagger to his belt and takes his own 27gp and one emerald.

Listening to Bilberta, they both walk back over to her and the ice block.

"If he gives up the wand, I will take it and aid him." Hailey looks to the toad-face in the ice block. "It is a quite a thing to believe the word of one who has already betrayed, but you have suffered much to turn to goodness, at least according to these who followed you." She moves a torch to the ice block, then stands to receive the wand.

Llandrin also takes up a torch, moving the last one. He looks sadly to the eyes of the frozen wizard. "We have already suffered much, between you and Mordo, my friend. I am sorry for my lapse, but it weighs heavily that I have been thrown through space and time and must now rediscover the entire world, my lifetime of knowledge now of questionable use. I last told you that I would support you, and now is the time I shall."

The elf begins reading the scripts off the wall to free the frozen wizard.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#255 Post by Rex »

Wenyld

Wenyld moves back to the others, "I will agree to it as well, but we must be wary."
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#256 Post by AleBelly »

Based on past experience, trying to sort through splitting treasure within this thread can be difficult. I propose starting a treasure splitting thread where this can be done separately.

Also, please let me know if any of your PCs will climb up and out before defrosting the toad-headed fellow. I will update tonight/early tomorrow.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#257 Post by Rex »

Wenyld and Irwin

Both will remain if they are thawing him out. Weapons ready just in case.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#258 Post by Stirling »

Xerxes & Zygmund both climbed up the rubble pile and out. Looking back down they both see the others trying to break the magic ritual that entombs Toadlips in his icy prison.
"The recently released prisoners immediately recognize the garb in the ice as that of Varooth Moss, but the others may have known it from the prisoners' tales of a wizard with the head of a toad!

Varooth mended his ways and has the toad lips to show for it; we shan't change our support again now. One thing is certain of wizards in all my studies - one is safer than two."
Xerxes is tempted to kick down a chunk of rubble upon the wizard's head should an evil, blubber lipped sorcerer from God knows where, gets released to wreak more havoc upon the godly citizens of Clearwater.

Zygmund stays his hand (or rather his foot), "These prisoners testify he changed his ways and was treated harshly for it. Is not repentance and mercy a virtue for Ulesh?" They debate the merits of ending the rune powered ice prison and watch with interest how those with torches fare.
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#259 Post by AleBelly »

Xerxes and Zygmund clamber to the top of the rubble pile and debate the merits of freeing "Toadlips." As they look around, they find themselves in Odlo's ample side yard. The rumbling of the cave-in has caused a stir within the neighboring area, and they hear the shouts of hobbits living nearby.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the party below begins the process of freeing the encased wizard.

initiative Hailey [1d20]=6 Ollyver [1d20]=7
initiative Llandrin [1d20-1]=13-1=12

Llandrin beats Ollyver and Hailey to the remaining torch, and places it in the final empty holder near the ice. He then begins reading the incantation surrounding the ice. The runes glow as the ice melts away. As the wizard's hand is freed, it drops the wand as if offering a gift. Within moments, the ice completely melts away. The soggy mage moves slowly, rising to his feet. Standing about six feet tall, he looks around at the party as most of them stay with weapons ready.

"Thank you all for freeing me. I mean you no harm" he says in a croaky lisp, opening his palms to the party as his water-soaked sleeves cling to his human arms. He directs his gaze to the newly freed prisoners. "I am thurprithed to thee you four...I have been encathed for more than one hundred and forty thix yearth! I wath beginning to think my foe had forgotten about me. Thurely you were not altho trapped in ithe?" He then looks around. "Your actionth have thurely incurred the wrath of Moldark. Hath you theen him?" His voice grows more hopeful. "Vanquithed him, perhapth?"
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Re: Chapter 1: The mystery of Odlo Hillhouse

#260 Post by Rex »

Wenyld

"We think he fell into a chasm and died at the bottom. We found remains that we think were a wizard that's clothing fits his description anyway."
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