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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:21 pm
by Bob the Hamster
Tammytharn puts the book back in her bag.
"Who needs to be healed?" she asks, in a businesslike way. She can see that Lynda is badly hurt, but she means who *else* needs healing.
She decides that she will not use either of her Augury spells today, so she converts them both into Cure Moderate Wounds, as well as converting her Endure Elements into Cure Light Wounds.
She waits to cast them until she knows who needs it.
She then asks Kalar which direction he expects this pursuing cleric to come from, and prepares to concentrate on casting Detect Thoughts in that direction.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:27 pm
by BMR
"I believe Lynda is the only one who needs healing at the moment. Hrulgin as well, if you are able to.
"As for the direction they will come... As far as I know, there is only one entrance to this area, and that is from above. If the cleric does come, it will have to be down the ladder, through the main lab, and past this door. If your deity has granted you the ability to <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glyphO ... m">ward</a> an area, then now might be a good time to do so. I have the diamond dust needed for it should you lack the components. Otherwise, I believe we just might have to sit tight here for a few hours, until we're sure the way is safe. Unless, of course, there is another way out of here."
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:31 pm
by Bob the Hamster
"Sadly I have prepared NEITHER inflict NOR warding this day."
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:34 pm
by BMR
"A shame. But no matter, if we can bottleneck an attack here, and with all of us present for a change, this fight should, if it comes, be an easy one. Or at least not a deadly one."
Kalar thinks for a while, and then says. "Incidentally, here, take this." He hands Tammytharn his <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/ro ... large">rod of enlarge</a>. "Without my vocal cords too mangled by this transformation, I am without my spellcasting. In the meantime though, this might be of use to you. I shall, of course, expect it back once I have regained my ability. But for now, our survival will be improved should our only spellcaster have it."
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:33 pm
by Spoonweaver
The party waits for a long while, but no attack comes. The party begins to ease up a bit and talk of going out to check begins.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:50 pm
by BMR
"Well, it seems that we have lucked out of an attack there. That's one good thing, I suppose."
Kalar turns to the rest of the party, ready to charge into another one of his long-winded speeches.
"Right, now that we are all together though, I need to inform you of what I have learned. It changes many things.
"As I told you previously, we learned from Claude that this place is under the curse of a certain King Stephen. Beyond that, he told us nothing. I have, however, learned more details about that curse.
"King Stephen was poisoned by a member of the Clover family. Why, I do not know, but if he was royalty, then I suspect some sort of regicide in a power play for the throne, such things are common enough. What is not common though, was that it would seem he made a deal with a devil. And not just any devil though, but one of the Lords of the Nine Hells."
Kalar takes a deep breath at what he is about to say, as this is perhaps the most worrying and important thing he's learned thus far.
"I am sure we are all agreed that we want to be free of this place. I am also sure that we all wish to break the curse, though our reasons may vary. There is, however, a complication that arises from this new information. If King Stephen's curse was set in place by one of the Lords of the Nine Hells, then we could potentially be going up against that same Lord. And that is not something we should be doing lightly.
"We learned from Charles and that scroll that we need certain items to break the curse. I have also learned that the Gate of Silver Keys leads to the Kingdom of Averoigne, which is supposedly the only safe exit from this castle.
"The question lies before us then. We can exit through the gate, and then leave all of this behind us, and never think of the Clovers ever again. If that gate is indeed safe, then we may have found a way to leave this damned place. The problem with that is, I am fairly certain that we shall never find our way back home. We will be effectively exiled from everything we've known, and everything any of you might hold dear. I know nothing of Averoigne, so I have no clue as to what it will be like if we decide to make it our new home.
"On the other hand, we can forge on ahead and attempt to break this curse, even if it means potentially going up against a Lord of Hell."
Kalar leaves out the point that his patron deity is also one of the Lords of Hell, as he feels it would cause certain... disagreement... within the party.
"If we go that path, then there will certainly be great danger, and possibly deaths. I gave my word that I would do what I could to break this curse, and I will attempt it. When we go through that Gate though, if everyone decides to forget this Castle, then my obligation is over, and I will have seen the party out safely. I will, however, attempt to end this curse, as I cannot break my word. If you decide to continue though, then you have my word that I will do everything in my power to aid all of you until this entire thing is over.
"These seem to be our two paths, freedom and safety in permanent exile, or danger and possible death in order to get back home.
"Thus, I must now ask, what do the rest of you plan to do?"
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:05 pm
by Bob the Hamster
Tammytharn had previously believed that the silver-key-door would lead back to the cave in the desert where their caravan had stopped. She is distressed to learn that it leads to a kingdom she has never heard of.
She thinks about it for a moment.
"I'm CERTAINLY not willing to give up on getting home, and that means I am CERTAINLY not giving up on breaking the curse... but I think it might be in our best interest to leave the castle for now."
"This place is full of perils, and it is possible that outside the castle might be a little safer. We can also speak to the people of the kingdom, and perhaps learn more about the curse."
Tammytharn continues, getting new ideas as she speaks;
"We might also be able to find a safe Inn nearby where we can leave our comatose friend Thistlewhistle. Then he will be safe, and we will be unencumbered, and we can go back for him if we find a way to wake him, and I have magic that I can use to check in on him from time to time in case he wakes on his own."
Another idea strikes her, and she grows excited;
"...And we might find a town with shops where we can spend that heap of gold that was guarded by the worm! If we equip ourselves better before we return to the Castle, we may be better prepared to face whatever various dangers we encounter."
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:25 pm
by BMR
Kalar nods at this.
"Excellent ideas, and I must agree with you on all those points. Whatever our conflicts in the past, at least we can agree on this.
"If we are going to continue on this path though, and if you are set on challenging a curse set by a Lord of the Nine Hells, might I propose an alliance of sorts. Or at the very least, a peace treaty. Until this is all over, we shall set aside our theological and ideological differences. I will do what I can to protect you and help you in this endeavor, but you must also do the same. Any arguments we have can be settled when this is all over."
Kalar holds out his hand, "Do we have a deal?"
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:43 pm
by Bob the Hamster
Tammytharn looks at Kalar's extended hand.
She doesn't like cooperating with someone of his kind, but she also has been impressed by his restraint, even when the werewolf rage seems about to take him, and she appreciates that he has been treating his undead servants somewhat better than he had been when they first met.
"I will not agree to agree with you-- we should always continue to debate our differences rationally, but I can agree that we are allies, and that while we work together, we must help each other, and only disagree... as friends would disagree."
She almost chokes on the word friends, but she gets it out, and she extends her own hand.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:03 pm
by Spoonweaver
Meanwhile in the land of dreams. Thistlewhistle and Gontort are shocked as the sky disappears and is replaced by the stone ceiling of a dungeon. They watch as clovers grow and cover the bull's amber color. The tree is replaced with a large gate with places for four keys and the model castle is replaced with a torch. The choice between whether to burn the item or freeze it seemed simple now. But what would Thistlewhistle do with the torch once it was lit? Then, a large platinum dragon appeared next to Thistlewhistle and Gontort. "Do not fall victim to these illusions. Let your flame guide your path," said the dragon and then it was gone.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:51 pm
by Master K
Lynda takes out her map, and turns to Kalar.
"I have this." She says, showing Kalar the map. "Perhaps it can help us decide on where to go."
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:49 pm
by Gizmog
Galse will check out into the hallway for any eavesdroppers. No use lying out our plans for everyone to hear. If the way seems pretty safe, he'll return to the room with the others and take up a defensive position by the door. No use letting anyone in without a good bash to the brain-pan either... which actually gives Galse the bright idea to give Thistlewhistle a gentle smack (with the sap, I must specify!) to the noggin to try to expedite the awakening process. THEN he'll assume his defensive position. He communicates this plan with a smug nod as he walks out the door.
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:44 pm
by Spoonweaver
The hall seems clear and the other doors all remain shut. Thistlewhistle doesn't react to the sap to the head but the faces of the other party members do.
Lynda's map
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:18 am
by BMR
"Very well, as friends then."
The alliance sealed, it was time to decide what to do.
Kalar takes a look at Lynda's map, trying to figure out where they would appear should they enter the Gate.
"Do these names mean anything to any of you?"
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 1:43 am
by Gizmog
From across the cosmos, across the void, across time and space that cannot be imagined a voice cries out inside of Galse's mind.
"Fraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaance!"
The voice is repugnant to Galse, tainting his every thought of this map. He has never heard of the Averoigne on this map, or the quaint name spoken by the voice, but he has a dread feeling in the pit of his stomach that it is not a place he wants to be. He shakes his head to Kalar and refuses to look at the map any farther.
