Chapter Two: The Hippocampus on the Cracked Lintel

load previous
Feb 23, 2016 9:49 pm
"You were there? We are a party whose business is to stop whatever evil thing did these foul deeds - anything you can tell us about the 'metal man' that Aylie described would be of help."
Feb 23, 2016 10:03 pm
Saad edges in close to you and speaks in a low voice. "I have never seen such a dreadful thing in all my life, man. This thing...it was seven feet tall, easily. Made of tarnished bronze and thin as a skeleton. Its eyes -- if they were eyes -- red like coals. And its voice! It spoke as if its voice came from the very bowels of the Nine Hells. And it moved with unnatural quickness, like the way a small bird moves -- quicker than the eye can see it. It was searching for someone, some girl who had slept in our barn the night before, only none of us knew it except for one who was afraid to tell until after this thing had left. The master of the farm, he convinced it that he knew where the girl was likely to have gone, and led it away from Five Stones. But Nonna was sure that when the thing came to realize it had been twice deceived, it would come back. That's why we left."
Feb 23, 2016 10:39 pm
"Aylie said that after the metal creature killed her parents, something was wrong with their blood?"
Feb 24, 2016 12:36 am
Shamush looks at Saad, his eyes widening at the description of the creature. He looks down at his spiked club, speculatively. He says to the group, "This young lady sure has got herself a lot of attention... Any of you ever heard of such a thing as this? This bronze... demon?"

I don't suppose a religion roll might give a clue as to what the hell the monster is?
Feb 24, 2016 1:05 am
It's always worth trying a roll, Shamush!

"Oh gods, the blood, yes," Saad says, and he makes a gesture to ward against evil over his chest. "It turned to thick jelly, and so dark it was almost black. Horrible." He glances down to make sure Aylie can't hear him as he whispers, "The thing had a catchpole, razor-sharp, and when it cut people down, we saw this black jelly ooze from their wounds after they died." He rolls his eyes skyward and gestures a second time. "Isis protect me from what I have seen!"
Feb 24, 2016 1:31 am
Vad listens carefully to Saad's description of the events that have taken place.
OOC:
Trying to piece together what it is they're chasing, I'll have Vad make a Arcana roll...

Rolls

Arcana Roll - (1d20+3)

(4) + 3 = 7

Feb 24, 2016 1:45 am
At this point I'm not sure Shamush WANTS to know more about this thing, but here goes!

Rolls

Religion - (1d20+3)

(15) + 3 = 18

Feb 24, 2016 3:25 am
Shamush is reminded of an old Horizonist fable about a brotherhood of mages who constructed a man out of clay and ensouled it with an animating spirit through prayers and spells. The clay man was called the Tireless One, and it built them a tower to dwell in, and walls to protect them, and milled their grain, and fought off their enemies. But a schism erupted in the brotherhood, and the Tireless One did not know who to obey.

So it killed all of them.

Perhaps this metal man is a similar sort of being.

Vad, meanwhile, draws a blank.
Feb 24, 2016 4:38 am
This whole campaign is just buzz marketing for Taylor Swift's 1989. "Bad Blood," "Out of the Woods," "How You Get the Girl," "I Know Places." I see what you are up to, Octo. Now I'm just waiting to get some kind of psychic message in my "Wildest Dreams" and be bit by something that won't let go so I have to "Shake It Off."
Feb 24, 2016 6:44 am
Zangua tries to recall if any campfire stories, tavern tales, or the whispers of wenches ever mentioned such a being.

Ah, wenches...
Last edited February 24, 2016 6:44 am

Rolls

Religion/History - (1d20)

(6) = 6

Feb 24, 2016 7:09 am
Well, you just blew the surprise for our next chapter, The Blank Space of Gurmar. I hope you're happy.

Zangua cannot recall any relevant wenchlore.
Feb 24, 2016 10:28 am
rocksteady says:
This whole campaign is just buzz marketing for Taylor Swift's 1989. "Bad Blood," "Out of the Woods," "How You Get the Girl," "I Know Places." I see what you are up to, Octo. Now I'm just waiting to get some kind of psychic message in my "Wildest Dreams" and be bit by something that won't let go so I have to "Shake It Off."
MIND BLOWN

Felor tries to think what could cause a person's blood to become a black jelly. Poison? Some sort of magical sickness?

Rolls

Medicine skill check - (1d20+4)

(15) + 4 = 19

Feb 24, 2016 4:46 pm
Either, or both. Some snake bites are known to thicken blood.
Feb 24, 2016 5:07 pm
Zangua nods. "Catchpole," he repeats. "Using a wire, or just a hoop with spikes?" To the others, he tips his head towards where the girl headed off to. "Circle stick."
Feb 24, 2016 5:53 pm
Saad describes a long pole with a flat C-shaped blade at the end, razor-sharp on the outside.
Feb 24, 2016 5:58 pm
Shamush shares what he recollects hearing from the priests of Selves. To Vad and Felor, he asks with interest and hope, "Can you wonder-working types do that? Create magical men out of mud or iron?"
Feb 24, 2016 7:56 pm
Felor frowns and shakes his head - "It is not the way of Fjorgyn to create such unnatural monstrosities. Sounds like the witchmen conjured up this... construct... and set it to locate the girl."
Last edited February 24, 2016 8:00 pm
Feb 25, 2016 12:17 am
It's getting late in the afternoon. You can still make it to King's Cradle in a few hours, but it will likely be dark when you get there.
Feb 25, 2016 12:25 pm
OOC:
Shall we see if we can stay/camp at the goat farm? Maybe they have a spare barn. Could offer them protection in case bronze death-bot reappears.
Feb 25, 2016 1:05 pm
OOC:
Does it make sense to go back to Aylie's ranch to sleep, or is that in the other direction from King's Cradle? Maybe a rough map, Octo?
Last edited February 25, 2016 1:05 pm
load next

Thread locked