Against the cult: the Forest Ruin (1.5)

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Apr 28, 2024 5:20 pm
Al joins his half-orc friend. Searching the room for items of potential interest.
Gauntleted hand clutches the amulet of Pae. Our paladinic fellow unfamiliar with the cultic face of his diary Pelor, but wondering if perhaps the faith is…real?

Rolls

Int check, if perception pls add 3 - (1d20)

(16) = 16

Apr 28, 2024 9:13 pm
Aanbo helps to hand out the rest of the amulets and retains one for himself. However, he remains outside (for now) to keep an eye on things, at least to ensure there are no surprises coming from behind.
Apr 28, 2024 11:06 pm
Theran takes an amulet and, with a breath to steady his nerves, steps through the portal to join the others. He will take a few moments, taking in his surroundings and intoning a few words to appeal to the powers of nature for clarity of action.

Believing himself ready, he begins searching his surroundings, wary of traps and keeping an eye out for anything of importance.

Rolls

Perception (WIS) + Guidance - (1d20+1d4+5)

(14) + (2) + 5 = 21

Apr 29, 2024 6:58 am
Ogbar declines the proffered amulet, but Aanbo takes four of the amulets from Joseph and hands one to each of the others in the party (retaining one for himself): Xana, Theran, and Albertus. Amulet in hand, the paladin steps through the barrier with no difficulty. Holding his amulet, the druid also steps through. Then the three in the scriptorium - Albertus, Kragga, and Theran - proceed to search the desks and many shelves for anything of interest, while the others hang back and listen to Xana's helpful tips on rat extermination.
OOC:
Note that I asked for INT Perception checks, not WIS. Some situations call for skill checks using a different ability than the one most often associated with the skill.
During the few minutes that the three search, they each find that, despite the magic barrier keeping the room clean of the dust (Theran and Kragga both wordlessly recognize that the majority of the dust throughout the ruin is likely from the dead-but-eternally-regenerating bodies of the Heralds) and the protection of scroll cases, the centuries have not been kind to the parchments. Many of them crumble to illegible scraps when the cases are opened. Still, Kragga (setting down the light orb periodically to free his hands) finds two beautifully illuminated scrolls, and Theran (awkward with the amulet clutched in one hand) finds two more scrolls. Each scroll is delicate, but intact, colorful, and likely to fetch some eagles from a collector of antiquities. Albertus refrains from handling the delicate papers with his metal gauntlets, but as his eye is roving about the room, he notices that some of the scroll cases are sticking out a bit further than the others. He hands the cases to Theran and observes that the back of the shelf is closer than for the shelves above and below it. Kragga and Theran set down what they're doing and join the paladin. Together, the druid and wizard reach in and slide the panel behind the shelf to one side, then grab it and lift it out. Removing this false back reveals a concealed cubbyhole. Inside this cubby are three more scrolls, these in ornately-carved scrimshaw cases.
Apr 29, 2024 5:15 pm
Now that the business inside the pit is concluded, Aanbo recovers his rope. He takes over custodianship of Kragga's tether, but after watching Theran and Albertus pass through and hearing the sounds of rummaging, Aanbo calls out, "Kragga, do you still need your rope?"
May 1, 2024 6:47 pm
Since there haven't been any posts from the players for a couple of days, it may be that you're unsure about what to do next. To prime the pump for ideas, let me provide a summary of what has happened so far:

In exploring the entirety of this Forest Ruin, the party discovered that:
- the inhabitants of the ruin were devotees of the sun god Pae that called themselves Heralds of the New Dawn/Morning
- they believed in "the New Dawn," a time when Pae would appear and remake the world into an earthly paradise
- they concocted a way for them to witness the New Dawn in their lifetimes, by creating a sleeping potion that would put them to sleep until the time of the New Dawn
- they set a bunch of traps to protect themselves while they slept
- one of the Heralds betrayed them and murdered the others in their sleep as devotion to a dark god in an unholy ritual
- that betrayer, Kaufra, was subsequently "rewarded" with a lingering undeath while all the murdered Heralds were sustained by the unholy ritual
- there is one Herald who wasn't murdered and still sleeps until the New Dawn
- recently, a local boy named Devek Jarl discovered the ruin and started to explore it. He got stuck with a trap that eventually caused him to fall into a deep, deathlike sleep
- Fresh from rousting a bunch of bandits from a mill in Hochoch, the Dungeon Busters party set out on their way to the town of Orlane to set a trap for the bandit leader, Bandit Black. They were met on the road by Devek's father, Abel, who asked the party to help revive his son.
- while some of the party examined Devek, the others ran into a merchant named Jonbon on the road from Orlane, and saved him from an attack by a wandering owlbear.
- the party accompanied Jonbon to the Jarl farmhouse, where the party agreed to take Abel and the unconscious boy in to Hochoch.
- an hour later, Abel realized that he, at least, had been magically compelled to leave his house. Some of the party returned to his house with the furious father while the rest continued on with Devek to the Temple of Rao in Hochoch
- the adventurers caught Jonbon in the act of abducting all of Abel's family to take them back to Orlane. After subduing the kidnapper, the party rested for the night. Quest, the party's psionic member, watched Jonbon to make sure he wouldn't escape. In the morning, Quest left earlier than everyone else. The party returned to Hochoch with Jonbon, and turned him over to the authorities. A few of the Dungeon Busters left the party and were replaced with new recruits.
- the party left for the Forest Ruin. The disarmed a bunch of traps and found the needle trap that likely was the thing that caught Devek.
- the party went into the Forest Ruin, fought their way through the undead Heralds up to the top floor, where they confronted Kaufra in the midst of his unholy ritual. Having disrupted the ritual, all the undead Heralds collapsed into dust and Kaufra was freed at last. But the party cut him down before he could escape to commit more mischief.
- The party discovered a recipe for a potion awakening those who are asleep. They crafted a few doses.
- they found the one Herald still asleep and wrote him a kindly note for when he wakes up
- Having explored the whole ruin, the party has found a cache of money, a magic mace, a silver bowl, seven gold ornaments, two silver candlesticks, two continual light orbs, four valuable historical scrolls, three magic scrolls, and some healing potions

What do you want to do next?
May 1, 2024 7:48 pm
Aanbo figures it's time to make a decision. "Show of hands," he says, his own hands clasped together at his waist in consideration, thumb and forefinger sliding along a loop of stone prayer beads, "who is in favor of waking the sleeping priest upstairs? Assuming that this antidote works, of course."
May 2, 2024 3:00 am
Kragga is distracted by the discovery of scrolls. Scrolls! His usual resting scowl is replaced with an animated grin.

When Aanbo chimes in, he admits he does not know the right path. "Albertus, what are your thoughts on this matter? Your thoughts on what is right and wrong are often full of conviction."
Last edited May 3, 2024 3:35 pm
May 3, 2024 3:13 am
"I mean sure, if you think that's a good idea... why not?" Xana tries to hide how curious she is about how he will react when he realizes it's not Morning or whatever.
May 3, 2024 3:50 pm
"Just to clarify, I don't know if it's a good idea or not," says Aanbo. "We've triggered or disabled most of the traps that would protect this place from intruders, we've killed the undead versions of his former companions, and we've looted the place."

He thumbs through his prayer beads in consideration. "It might be better if we wake him. It's easy enough to describe what happened up to this point, and maybe we might convince him of our good intentions that he will forgive our trespass."
May 3, 2024 4:22 pm
Albertus ponders present party plight in manner most knightly.
Yes, I agree. If we can awaken the good man, results might be great indeed!
May 3, 2024 4:48 pm
Theran opens his mouth as if to speak, but shakes his head and closes it again.
May 3, 2024 4:57 pm
Aanbo considers Theran's body language. "You have reservations? I, too, have my own. What do you wish to say?"
May 3, 2024 5:14 pm
"Just how quickly we went from 'let him rest' to 'wake him' is all," Theran says with a shrug. "Beyond that... I do not know if there is a right answer. If we wake him, he won't be at his Dawn and he'll be faced with losing everything. If we let him sleep, hopefully he wakes at his Dawn and it lessens the blow of what he lost... but that's assuming no one accosts him in his sleep now that we rendered the temple largely safe. And by that, I mean unprotected."

The elf leans on his staff and shakes his head. "What do you do when both options are unpleasant?"
Last edited May 3, 2024 5:15 pm
May 3, 2024 5:32 pm
"Your reservation demonstrates your thoughtfulness and mindfulness," says Aanbo.

He recites in a near-monotone, "When faced with an earthquake or a cave-in, you first look for the strength in your environment. Something to shield you from the initial impact. After that, you can start digging yourself out."

He smiles and scratches beneath the beard on his chin. "In this case, our strength could be in our resolve. We did the right thing in putting the priests to rest from their evil fate, and we entered here on a noble task. Digging ourselves out of this trouble would be through our words with the survivor; perhaps we can convince him of a new purpose?"
May 4, 2024 2:13 pm
Ogbar
Ogbar growls: "We should leave the old man to his fate. It's not of any benefit to us or Dungeon Busters to wake him, and he's slept for all these years, unmolested on his own." He takes out a whetstone and resumes sharpening his axe, but then pauses after a few moments to add: "And why wasn't he murdered with all the rest of them?"

Joseph Nimblefingers

spaceseeker19

May 4, 2024 2:24 pm
Joseph Nimblefingers
Joseph considers that. "I don't see how we could know that without waking him, and the only possibility we know for waking him is using this formula. But maybe we don't need to know." At Ogbar's expression, Joseph adds: "That is to say, we shouldn't wake him for that reason. He's not a threat, asleep. Maybe we should leave him alone. There's always the chance that he wasn't involved in Kaufra's evil deeds - he doesn't appear to have been cursed like Kaufra was. We could just let him sleep on until...whenever."

He drums his fingers on the bannister of the staircase. "But if we leave him to sleep on, we won't know if the formula works until we try it on Devek. If we leave the old guy here, asleep, he'll be without most of the protections the Heralds set up. Some wanderer could come along 10, 20 years from now and murder him, or a ravening beast could eat him. But what's the alternative? We reset the traps? I mean, I could do that...but I don't think we should. If we did, then some other kid might come wandering in here and get stuck with another needle."
May 4, 2024 4:12 pm
I want to suggest we notify the church leaders back in town about this matter. There could well be wisdom and insight beyond our collective, in terms of his identity and purpose.
Or if it pleases the group, I am willing to administer the potion and attempt to awaken him. I do not discern any evil intent about him.
May 4, 2024 4:52 pm
"Well, that's one for letting the old man sleep, and two for waking him," says Aanbo. "Theran and Joseph bring up good points, but have not yet decided. Kragga, having heard what the others have said, what do you think?"
May 4, 2024 5:59 pm
"It does seem like a risk to wake him that either he or us will regret. However, we could leave him sleep for a while longer to give us time to think on what to do. Might these scrolls give us insight into his personality and intentions? And, as Albertus says, local wisemen may have a valuable persepective. After all, this decision could affect them, too.

"So, I propose we continue to let him sleep, but we move him into the room behind the magic barrier and leave him with one of the amulets. If he wakes up, he can pass through the barrier, but while he sleeps, wild beasts and tomb robbers cannot. We will keep the amulets and return at a later date once we have a better idea of what to do."
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