Helix: Tower of Mazzah

[Spearmint]

Mazzah

"I can think of places it could be displayed, underneath the bridge arch with the chizzards or covering the broken pane in the kitchen."

He jests. Looking at the frame, muttering. "Well, I can fix a memorial plate on the edge there." he takes it and places it above a workbench in the lab.

[Quonundrum]

Moriartus

Moriartus arranges delivery of the amphora jars and runic tablets to Mazzah's tower. "Greetings, Mr. Mazzah. As agreed, we have procured a number of amphora for you. Please examine their contents, select three, and advise if they settle our debt for your recent help."

"Oh, and we also discovered these strange runic stone tablets. These were found in a barrow with the acoutrements of a disciple of Set. There were originally four tablets, but we read two... with rather disparate results."

"Two-Bird's, by only the grace of Sylvanus, was almost permanently feebleminded. I read a second tablet, but was bestowed with a blessing! Perhaps these are hostile to opposing clergy? As you can see, the two remaining tablets are broken. I thought, incorrectly, this would break the enchantment."

[Spearmint]

I will edit this, but to and check over what Mazzah agreed with Moriartus in return for casting a dispel magic upon Dougal.

If he takes all nine jars then you have no treasure which other characters have ventured for. So perhaps you offer him yours and Dougal's amphora and other folk get to roleplay selling or keeping theirs?

Discuss treasure in the expedition thread

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Mazzah the Magnificent received you in his parlour. Over a cup of some steaming ground acorn and chicory broth, he listens to your story regarding the expedition.

He is glad at least you survived and Dougal did not succumb to another episode. Checking over the amphora, he chooses a trio of jars. Containing rare spices and exotic oils, they will add to his library of compounds and experimental substances.

you can consider the debt repaid.

As to the Runic tablets, he rubs his chin, putting on a thick monocle and inspecting some of the stone fragments. Each has been broken into quarters, crucially across some of the etched runes and scripts. They are written in the principle tongues (Common, Elven, Dwarven) and unlike a mage's spell book, may be read by anyone literate enough.

The three remaining runic tablets radiate arcane enchantments, one a form of abjuration, another has a conjuration, the third an alteration. The larger wall engraving, (pictured previously) has some enchantment attached to the script.

"You are correct in your assumptions. My understanding of the blessing you received would be that it came from the conjuration, or a summoning of the divine. As to the remaining two, the enchantments imbued in the reading of the script will undoubtedly come under the specific schools of wizardry though until the reading is read, the specific spell effect is veiled.

An 'Identify' casting might give you some hints of knowledge but there are no guarantees your research will be successful. A concern would be these fractures which may even alter slightly the meanings and gist of the spell. The fractures take out the letter jots and iota's. So that tense in the sentence could now be referred to as past rather than present, that article changes masculine to feminine, this speaks of plural not singular.
So the potential is to unwittingly speak out a tangent reading of the rune which may produce a different effect."

The town mage shares his thoughts with Moriartus on the broken pieces.

[Quonundrum]

Moriartus

"Thank you, Mr. Mazzah. A feeblemind would certainly be an ingeniously evil coda after enticing one to proceed with beneficial effects. The plaque must have served as an additional deterent, though. Animating the mummy to attack unwary intruders ... to protect what, though? We did not find any secret doors, yet there must be something considered of great value to justify those wards."

"If I learn more, I will certainly share my findings."

"Good day, sir."

[Karaunios]

Dougal

Dougal remains silent during the whole process, his knowledge of magic bring non existent. He willingly agree to give Mr. Mazzah his amphora in return for curing him of the harpy's charm, of which he still feels ashamed. He thanks both Moriartus and Mr. Mazzah for their help and turns to leave when he realized Moriartus is also done. He will go back to the Brazen Strumpet, with Moriartus, if he's also headed there.

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Mazzah sees his guests out, reminding them he will pay well for more interesting relics, particularly those that deal with history and he reminds the ranger Dougal to on the lookout for strange fungi and plants that might be useful in creating new potions

[OGRE MAGE]

Once Sven gets cleaned up, he goes to show Mazzah what he's found, pulling out the Rust Monster egg.

"What do you make of this, master? Does a Rust Monster egg have any value on the dark wizard market?"

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

The 'Magificient' is in his laboratory. Working on various theories and essays, testing out some latest miscalculated spellcraft.

Sven is received. You see your portrait still on the laboratory wall. Body parts (not yours) and collected portions of anatomy in pickled jars. A set of glassy eyes roll in one such vinegary solution to peer at you.

"A rust monster? Haven't seen such a critter for ... well for never. Only pictures in books." He assesses the egg, presumably you are keeping it incubated with a hot water bottle.

"Wonder if you cracked it open and scrambled it as one might a chicken egg that it would make the cooking pan rusty?" he asks.

It is certainly interesting though 'value' is hard to determine. Mazzah certainly has a few oddities about. The suit of platemail that opens the door, the Calico cat which might be a polymorphed apprentice. He has had an octopus cleaning dishes and an owl flits about bringing him papers and biscuits. Outside under the archways of the 'bridge to nowhere' is an animal pen with 'Chizzards' in (chicken-lizards) that peck among the pebbles. (Cockatrice guards to his property that free roam at night).

You share a few snippets from the expedition. He is glad you benefitted from the astrological book that solved one puzzle in the Sunstone room though he suggests more manifestations may be initiated with other dialling positions.

"What would you like to do with the egg?"

[Spearmint]

Mazzah

Personal actions he is currently working on that need resolution.

Sven also tries to get any information he can about Jerome, (specifically what kind of familiar he might have had)

Mazzah "Jerome, the name may need some research. Collegiate Bibliotheca might have more references. Perhaps I will write a letter and send it raven-post."

In response a raven-post returns: Sven, the answer is shared confidentially.

Mazzah casts a Read Magic upon the scroll that was found in the urn of the coffer from the pottery mound secret room. Hallowed Ground expedition.

He finds that the wizard script on the scroll has a strange new spell and one with a specific focus in mind. It seems to centre upon creatures related to earth elements and causes them to melt into clay or fall apart. The spell needs more research but holds some power of transmutation on it.

"I would pay to transcribe this and then send my ledgers to the elders of the Collegiate Arcanium in Ironguard. This may be the rarest find though it's worth is unknown. I can offer 500gp now and in a few weeks when the report is returned, advise you of any findings of interest."


Savant to discuss with expedition group and decide: (Dalin, Eldon, Fapp, Vann Hector)

The Read Magic cast upon the scroll reveals it to contain a spell that summons a guardian creature. Not a guard dog but some elemental being with an association to 'earth'. "Fascinating. Sort of things wizards and druids go mad for. I am already mad so that counts me out and Bjornak gets madder every day." he hands you the scroll back.

resolution:


A copy of the scroll was eventually given to Dalin Silverhand, see #185. The coinage was not paid out but lodged with the Rosy Quartz, Vann had a 'Bearer Bond' to the value of 100gp lodged for each expedition participant, including Tamson.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sure, warm water, warm blankets, and anything else we can wrap it up in.

Sven

"We did benefit from the book, so thank you again for allowing us to use it. If we return someday I might ask to borrow it again." The lesser mage returns the borrowed tome just as he found it.

"Great question about the pan, but I would rather not try to find out just yet. I am not sure what we should do with it. We found it almost by accident and we were actually going to return it to the mother, but she crept off before we had the chance. I assumed it must have some value, aren't old wizards looking for this kind of thing all the time?"

He pulls out the sloppy ghast parts next. "We didn't run into any more ghouls, but we did kill a few ghasts, and brought back some parts for you to study."

[Spearmint]

Mazzah

Takes the assorted barrow ghast innards, putting them in a suitable container. "Elves blood? ", he enquires thinking of the compounds for an anti-ghoul touch solution.

You can keep the Rust Monster egg here or in your tavern room. He will get back to you with regard to any value.

He shows you the raven post letter from the Collegiate regarding Jerome.

He asks about your next plans and any research you want to do in the laboratory. He might need you for a couple of days as part of the agreement to use the lab.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven winces at the elves blood comment again, shaking his head.

"I will be available for a while to help you with anything you need. But once our work is finished, I may need to take a trip to the big city to unload a few other items we found. There is a spell I want to research as well. Never enough time in the day, am I right sir?"

He leaves the egg under the care of the wizard and his many helpers, taking the letter to read. (going to that thread next)

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven looks up at the older mage with a blank expression. "Seems like you were probably right then."

He shudders a little as he pulls out the cursed mithril mask he was formerly stuck with.

"Take a look at this death mask, if you will." He explains everything he can about it, asking Mazzah's opinion on what, if anything, could be done with it.

[Spearmint]

Mazzah

Looks at the Efreeti death mask. Checks a volume or two, compares old notes and scribbles.

you do warn him not to try it on don't you?!

"My understanding is that such articles were placed over the dead as a kind of augment to help them pass into the afterlife. To appear as a ferocious warrior, give them a certain demonic or angelic aspect.

You say this was cursed. The clerics might know more. I can only conclude that undead wear them and it produces an effect. Such as this one causing fear and panic in priests that might otherwise turn and rebuke them."

This one is made of a rare Mithril and the design is very good. To a collector it might have value, a few hundred gold perhaps. Most such death mask might be made with more common materials, bone, copper. You could estimate the more expensive the base material, the more powerful the Death Mask trait is if it is enchanted.

[OGRE MAGE]

I think not trying it on might have come up in the explanation.

"That makes sense Master M. Thanks! Maybe I will stop by the dwarven forge before heading to the priests. They should know more about metals like this."

"And now for the pièce de résistance.......

Sven pulls out the malachite goblin head and sets it upon the table.

"What do you make of this thing? It detects as magical, but I cant imagine what it actually might be."

Remind me to ask Mazzah if he needs any errands run for him while we are in Ironguard. (that should get your creative juices flowing)

[Spearmint]

Mazzah

He can get you to run a few basic errands while in Ironguard, picking up lab supplies and dropping a letter or two.

He takes the Malachite Goblin head. "A fine piece, smooth, not cracked." he rubs the head.

Without casting an Identify (200gp in materials and fees) he reminds, he offers that the Goblin might be some kind of focus or implement. There are no obvious features or etched runes that spoken or activated cause an effect. Wielding it doesn't seem to cause an effect such as a ward of protection.

He shakes it. It doesn't swirl with inner green clouds as a crystal ball might, "That would be awesome "

Mazzah 17 vs Malachite [4d6]=15 [5d6]=20

Leaving it with him a day to ponder upon, he comes back with the following conclusion.

"I have heard similar busts are created as 'random access memory' items. You don't speak Goblin? I have heard you mutter a word or two in lizard-tongue, rasping ill that it is. What other languages did your tutors fill your head with?"

He suggests that learning goblin might be a key to understanding the principal function of the head.

[OGRE MAGE]

How would you like to handle Languages? I think I only picked one so far, and get a few more that he can learn, but I wasn't sure if that was something we should do during char gen or if we learned them "in the field" so to speak.

I cant imagine learning basic goblin could be that difficult. Does Mazzah have a Goblin Rossetta Stone book around? Maybe a tutor in Ironguard?

[Spearmint]

two of your companions speak Goblin.

Your intelligence 15 allows Common plus four and you only chose Lizardman, so I am fine with adding say elven, dwarf and orc as reasonable choices from char-gen.

Apparently Mazzah doesn't speak Goblin either. You could hire a tutor in town, via bulletin board and put in study hours. To be fair, I would think hours studied equate to a d6 bonus vs a skill check.

I am thinking such as two hours a day for five days gives you a 5d6 check vs Intelligence 15, and you would need to pass the very difficult 5d6 to then face a 4d6 and 3d6. So paying a tutor, investing time, passing skill checks gives you basic goblin language (and as it is a character skill enhancement, you get XP equal to the gp invested once proficient). Within a month, you should succeed in grasping the language.

I think that is a reasonable avenue.

[redwarrior]

two of your companions speak Goblin.

Your intelligence 15 allows Common plus four and you only chose Lizardman, so I am fine with adding say elven, dwarf and orc as reasonable choices from char-gen.

Apparently Mazzah doesn't speak Goblin either. You could hire a tutor in town, via bulletin board and put in study hours. To be fair, I would think hours studied equate to a d6 bonus vs a skill check.

I am thinking such as two hours a day for five days gives you a 5d6 check vs Intelligence 15, and you would need to pass the very difficult 5d6 to then face a 4d6 and 3d6. So paying a tutor, investing time, passing skill checks gives you basic goblin language (and as it is a character skill enhancement, you get XP equal to the gp invested once proficient). Within a month, you should succeed in grasping the language.

I think that is a reasonable avenue.

If you want, Isvand is willing to give it a go.