Chapter Three - Return to the Mournland

Dec 27, 2024 8:55 pm

In spite of what she said earlier, Laulalith cannot help being impressed by the workshop and its contents. She follows 37 and Tryne as they take in the wonders of the lab. "If anyone can help the professor complete this work, it's you two. I have faith in you"

OOC:

Bardic inspiration (d6) + Guidance (d4) for either of you

Then she turns to the other ghost. So far, the professor has done most of the talking, but Laulalith hopes to have an undisturbed conversation with the guard while he is distracted by the artificers investigating the armour.

She walks over to Krause and gives him a respectful nod. "I hope you don't take the professor's words to heart. I think it's brave beyond words to stay at your post in spite of everything - even death. If you will let me, I would love to hear your story and tell it to the world."

"But let's get the most important things out of the way first. Where would you like to be buried? And are there any messages you would like passed on?"

Bilin 'Vice' Fiddleboot

crazybirdman

Dec 27, 2024 9:50 pm

Vice calls out to Laulalith "Ask where a shovel is! I'm not digging a grave with this!" he says, holding up one of his chakram. Looking around he adds "I don't think we can transport this many soldiers back to town."

Meepo

Tasrek

Dec 27, 2024 10:15 pm

Meepo's focus back and forth between the professor and the room. He is trying to get a read on the professor to see if he is trying to lure the group into a trap but it is hard to focus when seeing the room and all the possibilities that can be done in a shop like this. What sort of traps could he make with equipment like this? Meepo looks to Vice. "Dont worry Meepo can help with the digging. " he then mutters under his breath "back to digging more graves it seems."

Klause & The Professor

Dec 27, 2024 11:31 pm

Klause & The Professor

Klause stays back to chat with the trio showing interest in him. "I don’t know really. I could only see through that little crack till the doors opened. Out there would be fine, I s’pose. Did Metrol survive? Me mum was there. She would be the only one that mattered."

Meanwhile, inside the lab, the Professor continues, "Quite right, warforged. I had been commissioned to build this. It was to be my masterpiece. The finest armour. The best weaponry.", he points to two armoured, unfinished wheels hanging behind the armour. "And the first clockwork armour to fly as well."

Having seen the enormous rings of two elemental airships up close, 37 recognizes scaled down versions of the spires of those ship’s rings. These have six spokes, are far more ornate, each less a foot across. "The jhorgun'taal I mentioned, was due to send me the bound elementals. They had not arrived yet.", he looks for a long moment at the hanging spokes.

Torhak, The Ironbanded

Madclergy

Dec 28, 2024 3:51 am

"I will also help build the graves, once you are finished gathering his tale" Torhak said, he should be able to make short work of a few graves, though they would need to keep a lookout for more living spells, or other dangers.

Dec 28, 2024 4:24 pm

With Klause’s help, Vice, Meepo and Torhak have no issue finding shovels and set out digging the graves. As twilight approaches, they place Klause and the Professor’s bodies to rest last. Klause watches from the doors, while the Professor shows no interest and stays in his lab with 37 and Tryne. The spectral guard is still unable to exit the warehouse.

Meanwhile in the lab, it becomes apparent that finishing the armour without the materials and the lack of arcane tools, is not possible. Adding to this is the Professor’s lack of willingness to explain what needs to be done to the two artificers. He also seems to show no interest in stopping the two from examining the armour or his research. In fact, he repeatedly makes comments about taking it all back to their buyer and her patron.

As darkness falls, Klause looks a little nervous. The waxing crescent of Eyre can be seen peeking through the entrance of the alcove. A few rocks tumble down the cliff and the whispers of the unseen begin to get louder.

Meepo

Tasrek

Dec 28, 2024 4:43 pm

When Meepo is handed a shovel he politely declined. "No thanks. Just let me know where to be buried and I can help move da dirt." with that he casts mold earth to instantly move 5 cubic feet of earth creating a hole (wherever the ground is suitable to do so)

"Do you guys want to start loading up to help them out and get outta here tonight? Or are we planning on spending the night?"

Tryne Knight

DrifterDwarf

Dec 28, 2024 7:35 pm

As it starts to get closer to darkness, Tryne remembers that they planned to move the coach into the warehouse. He leaves the lab to return to the main room. "I do not think we are leaving tonight, I know I do not want to travel at night here. We should move the coach and trailer inside if we can and then close the doors again. I see no reason to sleep outside when we will be more secure indoors I think."

Dec 28, 2024 8:34 pm

"From what I've heard, some of the citizens of Metrol made it out. But certainly not all. Not many, even. I hope your mother made it." She thinks for a moment. "It'll be almost impossible to track her down, but I have a suggestion. You see, I'm a bard of some skill. I could write a ballad about your heroic defence of this place. Courage beyond death is a strong theme, and I think I could create something that would spread. If we weave your parting message for your mother into the ballad, she might hear it some day."

When she sees the ghost looking nervously at the gathering dark, Laulalith changes the subject to discuss more imminently urgent matters. "I know why my companions and I fear the darkness out there. But why does it bother you? Does it have anything to do with why you cannot leave this place?"

When Tryne suggests that they move the cart inside, Laulalith nods. "I agree, let's get everything inside and close the doors. It was bad enough to go through the Grey in daylight. I have no wish to try the experience by night. Even with a closed door between us and the Mournland, we should set guards - plural - while we rest."

Klause

Dec 29, 2024 2:00 am

Klause

With Meepo’s help, the graves are quickly finished and Tryne pulls the cart and wagon into the now empty loading area. As the doors close, what little moonlight is clamped off. The sound of the heavy locks and the bar echo throughout. As Tryne deactivates the lightning, only the eerie light of Klause illuminates the room. "I would like that very much. Even just the hope that she might hear it.", he says to Lalaulith. Answering her question about his anxiety, "Me grams used to tell stories of monsters that feed on the spirits. I hear whispering outside the doors. Especially at night…"

Bilin 'Vice' Fiddleboot

crazybirdman

Dec 29, 2024 2:04 am

"Agreed" Vice says, as he rushes around, seeing what he can do to help get ready to camp for the night, and secure the area as best they can. Then he listens to make sure he hears what Klaus fears

Dec 29, 2024 7:26 pm

Somewhat reassured by the sound of the locks, Laulalith spends a few minutes illuminating the warehouse and the lab with her magic.

Then she starts interviewing Krause about his life, death, and undeath. While she gathers material for a ballad, she also tries to learn all she can about the day of mourning and the Mournland from this rare eye witness.

OOC:

Casting Light mumtiple times.

Klause

Dec 30, 2024 6:43 am

Klause

Klause relates rather simple life to Laualith. He grew up in Metrol. His mum was a seamstress, father was a shopkeeper. He dreamed of travel, so joined the Cyran guard as a young man. His father disagreed with his choice to leave the business and they hadn’t spoken since. He never really had the aptitude for battle. Instead, he was posted to various outposts and supply houses during the war. "I got to travel all of Cyre. From Fort Bright, to Barren Keep. Seaside to Eston. This post was quiet, but beautiful. From the tops of the cliffs, you could see Vathirond. Rolling hills, green valleys. The Brey River snaking around the Thornwood." Klause takes a long pause. "The Day of Mourning, as you called it. Happened fast."

A look of physical pain crosses his face, "The watch called from the top of the cliff that something was coming fast. The Captain ordered the doors barred. Those on the watch, never made it down. All we heard was rushing wind, like a hurricane was coming at us. Then faces came right through the back wall. From within the cliffs. It was over in seconds. I watched my friend’s souls torn from their bodies. Swept up in the mists, they just kept on through the doors."

He sinks to the floor, his essence flowing out like a billowing dress around him. "Then I was alone, in darkness. The Professor found me. Told me we were in the ethereal realm. A time later, he figured out how to go back and forth from the material. Taught me how to do it too.", he fades out of sight for a moment then comes back. "I don’t like it there though. The whispers have faces there. And they’re always hiding. They won’t look at you. They don’t even talk to you. It’s spooky."

Bilin 'Vice' Fiddleboot

crazybirdman

Dec 30, 2024 10:53 pm

Vice listened to Klause's story, gripping one if his chakram in both hands. "That' so sad. I'm sorry Klause. Have you met any other ghost? Have you left this building?"

Dec 30, 2024 11:29 pm

Laulalith takes careful notes as Klause tells his story. She takes particular note of manner and direction of the effect that killed Klause and the others. "Thanks for sharing that Klause. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be caught here surrounded by unfriendly spirits. She sends him a half-smile and contiues. "I have only been here for half a day, and I'm not looking forward to the night."

OOC:

Is there any unfinished business with the porfessor? If not, then I'm ready for a good long uneventful night being horribly murdered.
As an elf, Laulalith doesn't need so much sleep.

Last edited January 1, 2025 1:04 am

Tryne Knight

DrifterDwarf

Dec 31, 2024 12:05 am

Once the coach was moved into the building, Tryne returned back to the lab. He was amazed at the various items the professor had available during his research, far more than the various things the scraper had managed to obtain.

Tryne will start gathering the items and organizing them to be loaded into the cart. He cannot help but read through various texts or get distracted examining an item or particular tool.

Meepo

Tasrek

Dec 31, 2024 2:34 am

As the group collects Klause's story and is focused elsewhere, Meepo walks around the immediate area trying to determine the best area to set up camp. While he does so he reaches into one of his bags and tosses a little fluff ball at his feet.

He returns to the group sitting on a large bird with a wedge shaped beak that obviously was not with the group prior to the trip. "Meepo thinks we should make camp in the center of the big room. If anything comes out of the walls we want to see it before anything happens. Maybe watch of 3 each instead of two? Or two would be ok too."

Meepo then sends a private message using the message cantrip to 37 and to Torhak and uses sorcery points to make the casting subtle. "This is Meepo if I dont know the password "Ticklecorn" at any point it is not me. You can respond to this message."

OOC:

DM would you like me to roll for the bag or would you rather? Just thought I'd check how you would like to do things

Last edited December 31, 2024 3:39 am

Rolls

Bag of tricks - tan - (1d8)

(4) = 4

Klause & The Professor

Dec 31, 2024 8:21 am

Klause & The Professor

As Tryne inventories the warehouse and lab, he finds enough gear, equipment and ammunition to arm a small platoon. Many of the other crates contain spoiled rations. A few contain uniforms. The towed cart should be able to carry these without issue. The books, tomes, tools and the incomplete armour will take the most time to pack up.

The Professor gives some guidance to Tryne to help him best pack up the armor and his equipment. Any hesitation of losing his project is overshadowed by his eagerness to test his escape theory, "If all goes according to plan, I will be free of this place by morning. Mr. Orakh Tornn was the one that commissioned me. Please send him my regards. If this armour goes to someone else, never mind I suppose.", he notices Tryne’s interest in a particular box of tools, "Those were my personal tools. The best a smith could buy. In the right hands, they may even be able to repair my magical tools."

Klause keeps chatting with Laulalith and Meepo, "We’ve never left. The ethereal side is like a box for us. We can see the material, but the other side won’t let us out. Something keeps us here. The Professor said its our jobs. His work and my work. If the jobs end, maybe we pass on? Or maybe we get to go free? I’d like to keep traveling. Be a wandering spirit like you always hear about!"

[ +- ] Items Found

OOC:

Meepo, let’s stick with rolling for now. The axebeak is cool.

Let me know if there’s anything else you want to do before bunking down for the night.

If any of you wanted a little non-magical trinket / tool / weapon for Christmas, let me know. You may find it in the warehouse ;)

When you’re ready, let me know how you set up watch. Klause and The Professor don’t sleep. Neither does 37.

Tryne Knight

DrifterDwarf

Dec 31, 2024 1:14 pm