Quest #47 "The Eyes Have It"

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Be my guest," says Maag, stepping aside. To be on the safe side, he starts searching his gear to see if anything has migrated into BJ's possession.

Once she enters the room, Maag slips in behind her.

[jemmus]

Theo joins Andron in inspecting the gargoyle, wary if it becoming animated. Do eye tyrant cast spells? No matter, a being with Stalks' wealth and power could easily employ a mage to do that for him.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan lingers in the main room to keep an eye out while the others investigate the side rooms.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ethereal Marketplace
Zuhma’s Sewer Quest Revised
Process Of Elimination

Elroie looks dumbfounded when Andron mentions they are currently on the Ethereal Plane, clearly not what he expected to hear. "My world is called...Faerun, but......." The elf drops to his knees, still trapped behind the bars of his prison. Hearing the mention of other portals doesn't seem to raise his spirit much either. Seeing his distraught look, Feanol moves in to comfort her distant kin with kind words as Andron and Theo move through the room to inspect the Gargoyle statue in the corner.

The statue looks amazingly lifelike, but it does not jump out at the inspectors.......yet. Much like the heavily armored golden Skeletons they've found, there is no sign of any daggers on the statue, but poking around at it does reveal one secret. The mouth of the otherwise solid Gargoyle is open, revealing an empty void beyond a row of sharp teeth that looks to be about the thickness and width of a nice slice of bread. The lower "jaw" of the statue seems to move when tampered with, as if it were mechanical in nature, but no amount of poking or prodding brings this monster to life. Sitting on the floor next to this statue is a small bookcase nearly filled with what appears to be handwritten leather bound journals of some kind.

Maag allows BJ into the room he was "guarding", noticing all his gear is still in place where it was. She stoically walks directly up to the strange purple floating blob and holds her arm out to it. The blob produces it's distorted "arm" again, allowing her to make contact with the creature. Looking at the back of her head from the safety of the doorway, Maag can't tell what might be going on between them.

Actions?

X=Golden Skeleton
G=Gargoyle Statue

IMG_4300.jpeg (42.75 KiB) Viewed 632 times

Alordan AC3 22/22 (Sword)
BJ
Torbath (M3) AC8 18/18 RM, CL, DM, 1st 2/2 2nd 1/1 (top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4
Aliendron AC10 17/17 (CL4) 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/4 FT:24 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st: 1/2 2nd: 0/1
Feanol (MU3) AC:10 14/14 RM, CL, DM 4/4 1st 2/2 2nd
Theo AC:5 13/13 (Sword)
Maag AC4 20/20 Invisible

[jemmus]

Theo gingerly probes the hollow area of the gargoyle's mouth with his hunting/work knife, keeping his fingers clear of the jaws and teeth.

[gurusql]

Torbath

Torbath will try moving some bones into the slit using his staff not his fingers.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche


Andron regards the gargoyle's mouth with suspicion. "Seems to invite a hand, yes?" He remarks offhandedly. The small bookcase captures his attention and any additional comments he may have had concerning the gargoyle. "What do we have here, now? Certainly not a library, but it's a step in the right direction." He examines any labels that suggest which journal is chronologically the latest, casting Comprehend Languages, if needed. If he is unable to determine this, he will select a random book. In either case, he quickly peruses the contents.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag moves about ten feet to BJ's left. He tries to get a look at what's going on without getting close enough to be attacked.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ethereal Marketplace
Zuhma’s Sewer Quest Revised
Process Of Elimination

Torbath tries to position some of the bones into the narrow floor slit with his staff, but doesn't find any small enough to finesse into the opening.

Theo tries to fish around in the hollow portion of the Gargoyles mechanical mouth with his blade, finding nothing of note inside the void. Andron suggests it might be about the size of the rangers outstretched hand, if he wanted to oblige.

The priest of Rao then moves to the cabinet with the disheveled collection of handwritten journals, looking them over before popping one open to read. Inside, he finds what appears at first glance to be the ramblings of a madman locked away in prison. When he chooses another, he finds similar notes and entries written in the common tongue, all of which seem to be the garbled thoughts of a prisoner who feels as though they will never escape their cell.

Elroie and Feanol continue to chat at the cell bars, the latter assuring the prisoner they will do everything they can to free him.

Maag moves in a few feet further, trying to see what's happening while keeping a safe distance from any real danger. BJ's eyes roll back in her head for a moment before she suddenly breaks her connection with the purple blob. She pauses for a moment to catch her breath before walking over to the remains below the black circle on the wall to pick a bone dagger out of the discarded mess on the floor. "They were all elves at one point," she says to no one in particular. "Their spirits are trapped here now, preventing them from any peaceful eternal rest. They wish to be released from this dungeon."

As she moves from the room back into the main hall again, she winks at the invisible Maag. "Don't worry big guy. They aren't going to hurt you." Seeing Torbath trying to fit his square peg into the round hole, she tries to get his attention. "You wanna try this instead? Or would you prefer I do it?" She holds out what appears to be a dagger made of bone.

Actions?

X=Golden Skeleton
G=Gargoyle Statue

IMG_4300.jpeg (43.03 KiB) Viewed 507 times

Alordan AC3 22/22 (Sword)
BJ
Torbath (M3) AC8 18/18 RM, CL, DM, 1st 2/2 2nd 1/1 (top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4
Aliendron AC10 17/17 (CL4) 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/4 FT:23 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st: 1/2 2nd: 0/1
Feanol (MU3) AC:10 14/14 RM, CL, DM 4/4 1st 2/2 2nd
Theo AC:5 13/13 (Sword)
Maag AC4 20/20 Invisible

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche


He is visibly disturbed by the contents of the journals, especially so considering their number. Deciding to refrain for the moment sharing his discovery with the distraught Elroie, he rejoins Theo with the gargoyle investigation. "Odd. The mouth articulates ... perhaps a specific item must be inserted and the jaw clamped on it?"

He relates their discovery, excluding the library, to the elves and before checking in with the others, he asks the imprisoned elf, "Perchance, were you provided anything else besides food and water?"

Back in the central hall, he is even more disturbed at the nature of the purple blob. "Why the interest in the elves of the Shivering Forest? Based on the remains next to the portal, it suggests only certain elves were imprisoned? The rest ... eliminated? Oh, you appear to have found the dagger of bone. Excellent."

[gurusql]

Torbath

Torbath will stop fumbling with the bones and look to BJ in surprise. "Oh, great - where did you find the dagger of bone?" If offered the dagger Torbath will take it and stab in the hole. If BJ seems to want to do it he will let her.

Either way, he will be watching the Golden creatures to see if they move after the placement of the bone dagger.

[jemmus]

Theo is alert, watching for anything that may happen with the knife is put into the slot.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan keeps an eye on the gold statues.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Since BJ seems to be unharmed, Maag decides to investigate the purple blob. He moves closer to it and waits to see what happens.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ethereal Marketplace
Zuhma’s Sewer Quest Revised
Process Of Elimination

Maag moves closer to the floating purple blob, but it shows no sign of recognition from his movements. It remains where it is, bobbing slowly up and down as it floats in mid air.

Theo ignores Andron's question, trying to see through the stone walls into the next room.

Still talking with Feanol, Elroie answers Andron from behind his cell bars. "Yes. There is also some blankets and an empty book in here with me. It appears to be a journal of some kind, along with a writing implement. I have not written anything in it yet."

Torbath takes the bone dagger from BJ who gives it up happily. "It was laying in a pile of remains in the next room with the floating elf spirits, where Maag is hiding." While watching the golden Skeletons, he inserts the dagger into the floor slit, shocked as it slips in perfectly before disappearing completely. The floor in this area rumbles and shakes violently for a moment before settling again. BJ jumps back with the grace of a slinking tiger. "What the hell was that? Why did the floor just move in here?"

Feanol and Elroie gasp in unison when the solid iron bars suddenly slide downwards into the floor, leaving the doorway to the cell wide open. Elroie walks forward, embracing Feanol in a friendly hug. "THANK YOU!!!! ALL of you!!! I didn't want to be trapped inside there for another moment." When Andron passes by to move into the next room, Elroie moves closer to Theo's position and points to the Gargoyle statue. "Be careful with those moving mouths. Very nasty traps. Hey! Those books look just like the one I got."

BJ pipes up now that their prisoner has been freed. "Well? Should we see what's behind door number 3?"

Actions?

X=Golden Skeleton
G=Gargoyle Statue

IMG_4300.jpeg (43.28 KiB) Viewed 394 times

Alordan AC3 22/22 (Sword)
BJ
Torbath (M3) AC8 18/18 RM, CL, DM, 1st 2/2 2nd 1/1 (top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4
Aliendron AC10 17/17 (CL4) 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/4 FT:22 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st: 1/2 2nd: 0/1
Feanol (MU3) AC:10 14/14 RM, CL, DM 4/4 1st 2/2 2nd
Theo AC:5 13/13 (Sword)
Maag AC4 20/20 Invisible

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche


"Excellent!"

"Yes, Elroie, those books served a similar purpose to yours. I wanted to ensure we could free you before elucidating on their contents. They were apparently provided to former prisoners, as the contents read like their personal journals ... whatever demented mind created this place desired to treasure those thoughts. Fortunately, yours now excluded."

"Those gargoyles are trapped? Strange, my spell should have detected them as such. I assume one should not insert a hand?"

He walks into the other room and regards the third door. "Indeed, Miss BJ. Please be careful, it is trapped."

[jemmus]

Theo belatedly moves into the central room and goes toward the third door.

[gurusql]

Torbath

Torbath will join the now freed prisoner. "In what way are the gargoyles trapped? What is the effect you have witnessed?"

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche


Casts another Cure Light Wounds on BJ.

Cure Light Wounds: [1d8]=4

[OGRE MAGE]

The Ethereal Marketplace
Zuhma’s Sewer Quest Revised
Process Of Elimination

The newly freed elf gets a suspicious look on his face once Andron mentions the contents of the other journals. He moves to investigate them with Feanol remaining at his side. "Perhaps there is something important we can yet learn from these writings?"

BJ thanks Andron again for his healing touch, looking much better now after nearly dying of impalement earlier. She moves to the trapped door and looks it over carefully before pulling out a very nice looking tool kit, putting them to work and quickly disabling the mechanical traps components. "Should be clear now. You want me to do the honors?"

Still in the western room, Elroie nods his head at the newly arrived Torbath. "One of the members of my party stuck his hand in there and almost got it bit off. Not this one, but the one in the other room."

Actions?

X=Golden Skeleton
G=Gargoyle Statue

IMG_4300.jpeg (43.01 KiB) Viewed 283 times

Alordan AC3 22/22 (Sword)
BJ
Torbath (M3) AC8 18/18 RM, CL, DM, 1st 2/2 2nd 1/1 (top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4
Aliendron AC10 17/17 (CL4) 1st: 3/5 2nd: 2/4 FT:21 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st: 1/2 2nd: 0/1
Feanol (MU3) AC:10 14/14 RM, CL, DM 4/4 1st 2/2 2nd
Theo AC:5 13/13 (Sword)
Maag AC4 20/20 Invisible