YOSHIKO and LAI SHAN
"I had no worries the False Chanterelle would find its way into your capable paws, Yoshiko my dear."
Braddock crosses his arms. "Now, I reckon you're right, a story is worth its weight in gold. But I've seen men killed over art before, and far better made pieces than this. Surely, for something so utterly kitschy to be so in-demand by those-in-the-know, it has to have some magic to it, don't you think?"
LUIS and SHARIS
Braddock pauses. "Luis, Sharis!" He waves you over to assist with a sturdy wooden crate. "Help an old man with this box, eh? There's something I acquired that I was saving for a special night...the finest honeywine from far-off war-torn Arcadia! Anyone fancy a drink before the main event?"
Yoshiko stuck her tongue out at the hooded man called Seth.
"M'tongue'snot takin well t'tastes not salty nor sweet, boy. Most booze taste like piss water."
She flicked her hair and placed a finger on her cheek, glancing back at Seth with a hint of venom.
"Sides, s'not like i'vta enforce masculine image like some chaps, eh prettyboy~?"
Yoshiko readied her glass for the wine as she observed the painting once more as light gleamed at an angle towards it.
It still looks crappy in a dim lighting.
After giving himself a quick once over, Truman confidently strides toward the Queensman he assumed to be the leader of the bunch.
With a friendly wave, he asked, "G'devenin', guv! Need 'elp finding somefing?"
He spoke in an accent he had heard once before, while people watching. Anyone who had worked with him prior would know that his ability to mimic voices was second to none.
His next move, however, would depend on the Queensman's reply.
"By th'way, y'all seen'th edgy warlock'round? "Braddock shakes his head and takes another drink. "Not as such, no. But, I hope he gets here quickly. When the moon's in position, and provided this thing actually works, it's show time..."
"They're here for the False Chanterelle. They're next door now, at the pub. It's only a matter of time until they find this room."(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/329394474780327947/330270321246470145/Informant.png)
Sovereign stared at the trio as they passed by her, then continued on to the rafter room. Upon seeing the people gathered there, she asks "How much longer before it starts?"Braddock shakes his head, and gestures to the already glowing painting upon the wall. "Not long now. How's that for inopportune timing?" He seems surprised at the magic of it. "I always wondered about it, if it was that they all said it was. And now you'll know first-hand."
"I-I can't allow them to harm the Library!" he blurts out, panicking at the thought. "What happens if they find this room?" He pauses a breath. "What happens if they do not?"Braddock positions himself between the door and Aaron. "No, son, you can't go out there now! If no one's caught on to your presence here before, I'm sure they'll spot you now if they come back."
"Pipe down y'all. Whassat Truman? Th'recognised Sovereign thu 'th front door? S'only means th'seen one of us enter a library. All w'gotta do's 'ide all evidence and disappear b'fore showin' em th'room!"Braddock nods. "Yes--don't worry Miss Yoshiko. I'll make sure once you disappear, there's not a trace to be found," he notes, and goes over to reopen Aaron's secret tunnel.
He pauses, showing a rare nervous twinge. "They...they won't find this room. Lady Reed and I will see to that. And if they do? I'm going to secure the painting in your secret tunnel." He tries to act reassuring. "Secret-upon-secret! They won't even think of that, will they?" He pats your fuzzy cheek.
"Once everyone gets here, you all go ahead of me. I'll stay behind and conceal this room for as long as I can before I have to leave. In the time that I'll be standing by, those Queensmen will not even know there is a room here."
"No one-" He showed his teeth menacingly "-gets left behind..." His eyes piercing Seth's.
Out of a fit of frustration the Kobold began to repeatedly bang on the walls in a desperate attempt to gain his team's attention, oblivious to the standards a library so dearly holds.
Standing in front of the bookshelf that hid away the rafter room doorway Chorten had wasted no time pushing away the shelf to ent... pushing away the... PUSHING AWAY!!!... It was at this moment that Chorten was reminded of the lack of strength he possessed to perform such a feat. Out of a fit of frustration the Kobold began to repeatedly bang on the walls in a desperate attempt to gain his team's attention, oblivious to the standards a library so dearly holds.
Hearing the sudden noise, Sovereign places a hand on her sword. "Have we been discovered?" she hisses.
Yoshiko held up her half-gloved paw.
"Not yet, s'only seen'yenter s'all. If w'disappear, s'no reason f'them t'sspect anything! Just'sgotta wait f'..."
Her ears twitched, picking up the sound of small footsteps.
"Th' Lizard's ere!!!"
OOC: Yoshiko is also going to look around the room for stuff to grab with her nimble paws on the way out if we're leaving.
Truman shoots a glare at Sovereign.
"The elf with the ponytail, the human with the eyepatch, and the tiefling with the holy symbol. Tell me you can actually recognize Queensmen when you see them."
"Everyone, while we're in there, I want us asking questions first and shooting as a last resort. I don't want a repeat of the Offspring incident, is that clear?"
Sovereign:
From inside the room you can see that your side of the portal also appears to be a frame, its painted image gone dark save a few wisps of light. There are large curtains on this wall to cover the painting.
In the corner, unseen from the outside of the painting, sits a worn leather bag and unlit torch.
Sovereign points towards the bag and asks Ashen what's in it.At your question, Ashen saunters over to the pack, seemingly filled with regained confidence. "A few mementos that have been out of my reach for a while," she replies, and lovingly opens the bag to pull out an amulet, a carnelian field inlaid with silver and jet, dangling from a silver chain. Red, silver, black.
"So whass'tis Medusa y'speak of? An'tis maze while at it? And guards? Whasshe av'tguard 'ere?"Ashen pouts slightly at the mention of the Medusa, and then takes a moment to understand the rest of what you said. "Psathyrella Medusae. You mean you didn't come here with a plan for dealing with her?" she asks, somewhat surprised. "This is her home, after all. The Maze may be a prison, but it was her manor first, from what I know. She has various loyal beasts, as varied as the grains of sand at the bottom of the sea." She gives a shy smile to Sharis.
"The Goddesses! Now that, that is a task worthy of a Triton! To free them if they are truly held here, it would be a deed truly worth remembering!""Rescue my Goddesses? This would truly be a remarkable feat, my liberator," Ashen says encouragingly. "My husband has a vast army. Let me go reunite with him, and he will send a thousand warriors to march at your back! My family fortune isn't what it once was, but in terms of martial strength--"
"Wait, wait, wait," says Aaron incredulously, "TR 3500? The Triarchy? That was thousands of years ago!" A struggling Chorden pops unceremoniously out of the crook of Aaron's arm as he reaches out to grab Ashen by the shoulder. "How long have you been here?"Ashen pauses as you spout off about the years gone. "T-thousands?" she gasps, and stands in shock with her mouth agape. She falls onto her knees and unleashes a keening wail, and the sound of dry-heaving. She's forgotten how to cry in these long centuries but desperately wants to remember how. She clutches the dull blade and trembles.
"Hey lady, have you ever seen anyone else enter through here?"It takes some time for Ashen to regain any semblance of composure. "Have I seen anyone?" she says weakly. "I honestly can't remember now. I seem to recall someone, some long time ago, but only that fanclub came by recently, looking for their idol. Whatever 'recent' means," she sighs.
"An army, huh. Just who were you before all this, Chanterelle?"Ashen turns to you slowly and blinks. "Just...a humble priestess."
OOC: Truman will be assisting Chorden if he checks the door for traps.
Medusa"My esteemed compatriots," Aaron breaks from his trance-like dictation, "if this is in fact the dwelling place of a Medusa, we may in fact be royally fucked."
An ancient creature of terrifying magical prowess. Historical accounts show the Medusa to have the ability to turn flesh into stone.
The Medusa is not a single individual, nor is it a member of a race of Medusas, but is rather one of at least twelve sisters (accounts have claimed up to fifteen to have existed in history). These sisters are not of reptilian origin or makeup, but because of the serpents they possess in lieu of human hair, they are revered by some reptilian cultures. The Neonate Empire, for example, views the Medusas with a sense of respect, if not reverence. Ancient stone carvings and tablets from the Selenian Isles have been recovered which depict scenes and excerpts from an epic poem known as Medusa the Conqueror.
Few have ever reported actual encounters with a Medusa, and almost all of these accounts were later revealed to be hoaxes. All accounts, however, clearly caution any who encounter a Medusa to avoid her at all costs, lest she inflict her flesh-to-stone magic upon them.
"And th'one o'er there's done assassinations. So w'can 'elp you 'chieve vengeance. All w'ask is f'guidance through th'place. An' per'aps some payment."The cuffs pop off Ashen's wrists quick as anything, and she moans in relief. "Thank you, wily friend," she whispers, and flexes her hands with the delicacy of a skilled piano player. "I feel more and more like myself each minute."
OOC: Yoshiko attempts to pick the lock with her thieves tools.
1d20+6 = (20)+6 = 26
Humble priestess, huh? Truman didn't quite buy it.Ashen ignores the first question for the moment. She looks at you blankly and shrugs. "I don't know what that is. Any of it," she responds. "Food? Are those foods? Or boats, perhaps?"
OOC: Truman's Insight check:
1d20+6=(19)+6=25
"Alright, here's an odd one. It's doubtful, but do the names 'Cassilo of St. Nguyen' or 'Princess Therofera' mean anything to you?"
[OOC: Lai Shan's initiative for stopping Ashen: 1d20+4 = (17)+4 = 21]Ashen winces. "I certainly hope so..."
"Sloooooow down there, Missy. You can finish that title once we deal with whatever's coming, yeah? There's like, nine of us here, I'm fairly certain we're prepared for whatever ambush they have planned for us."
"Sides, w'still 'av a deal t'make. A shot a'vengeance, w' payment an' guidance 'round th' place in return. Yay? Nay?""Like I said, I have nothing to give! And I've already told you everything I've learned about the Maze and its rooms. But my Goddesses would be most grateful to be rescued, and would pay in kind." She sinks to the floor and refuses to move for the moment.
"Very well. If you must place misguided importance on titles of all things, standing before you is Ashen Chanterelle, High Priestess of the Triarchy, Third Counselor of the World Army, Most Penitent and Patient Daughter of the Torn..."[member=1830]Aaron[/member] Khuulurgrek Grok: 1d20+4 = (18)+4 = 22 HISTORY
Truman turns to Chanterelle and points at the painting.Ashen decides its best not to put herself into the path of this menacing Queen, and so sticks with the group for protection, hanging closely between Lai Shan and Sharis especially.
"I promise you it's not any safer on the other side of that painting. The Queen has an army hunting for us. If they figure out you're involved they'll lock you right back up, and that's the best case scenario."
With that, he steps to the door.
"I don't like it either, but there's only one way forward from here."
He steps up to the door, attempting to crack it open and peer through.
"Lady Chanterelle," he says, his eyes scanning the room and his companions who have entered it, "tell me everything you know about this place and how you came to be a prisoner here." His voice, rough from its monstrous origin, takes on a deep, soothing rumble as he speaks to the priestess.Ashen Chanterelle drifts to the back of the group nearest to Sharis. "I have already named for you the sections of this place as I know them--the Halls, the Gardens, the Almery, the Cells, and more." she says. "And I know how I got here. In my day, the Triarchy and the Saurid Empire were at war--a war so great some feared it would be the next Armageddon, if you can believe it. Conspiring with traitors from both nations, the Medusa stole away the leaders of both empires and threw them in her private prison."
"Y'even know where e'is love? Th' Demon King o' yers?""Intel states the Medusa would keep him close to her chamber, so I'm sure he's in the Cells to the North of us," Lady Capilli replies, then rolls her eyes. "Now, look at me babble on so! I had said--No Spoilers, right?"
Yoshiko prepared a few candles and tied them to the sides of her boots, lighting them and stepping down from the stone, prepping herself to leap back up if the shadow still engulfed her light foosteps. If this worked, she planned to head to the door to the west and take a peek.You unlock the door from your side and push it open--it moves slowly, as you come to find it is scraping on overgrown ivy vines crossing the threshold.
Growing ever more curious, Lai Shan turns sideways-down and takes the stares going westward (downward??)The door is locked, and bears a sign reading "PRIVATE FUNCTION ~ By Invitation Only". There are light metallic footsteps pacing on the other side of the door. There is a crudely drawn symbol on the door in white chalk. It looks like a pair of church bells with a heart encircling them both.
Lai Shan, entering Room 8 from Room 4:
Seth turns to face Luis. He gave him a look for trying to hide his loud whimper.
"You heard him, right? What would it be?" A grin on his face. "Unless you're scared."
Lai Shan, Room 8:
You notice another door on the East wall, a small non-descript black door that almost blends into the shadows.
Sovereign, entering Room 6:
Lai Shan, Room 8:
Seth, entering Room 7:
Sovereign, Room 6:
(http://imgur.com/64XBRxv.jpg)
Sovereign, Room 6:
Aaron/Luis/Yoshiko, Rooms 28-30 INITIATIVE:Aaron/Luis/Yoshiko, Rooms 28-30:
Aaron/Luis/Yoshiko, Rooms 28-30, ROUND TWO:After years of study focused on the art of Divination, Aaron's Third Eye has begun to form vague visions of the future. As the second statue extends its stony leg, this new companion in Aaron's mind activates, and he moves his leg just in time to avoid the attack.
Truman, Room 174:Truman, Room 174:
Sovereign, Room 6:
Sovereign:
Sovereign, Room 6:
Truman, Room 174:Truman, Room 174:
Sharis/Seth/Lai Shan, Room 9 to Room 10:
Lai Shan/Sharis/Seth, with Ashen, entering Room 24:
Seth, Room 24:
Truman, Room 174:Truman entering Room 8:
Truman, with the Oku, Room 8:Truman, with the Oku, Room 8:
Truman, with the Oku, Room 9:
"I..." Aaron trails off as Yoshiko facepalms. He clears his throat self-consciously.
Yoshiko squinted, recalling Aaron not possessing any cutting weapons. Her accent slipped back.
".. wait,you didn' try burnin'm dincha?"
"I..." Aaron trails off as Yoshiko facepalms. He clears his throat self-consciously.
"Do you guys think... There's still time for diplomacy?" Luis coughed, closing his eyes every now and then, as he coped with the pain. "We know they are strong... And they know we are in equal levels to them... Maybe they understand a language any of us speak..."
"And I am not just saying because I want to eat that pig or anything..." Sparkly wiped some drool that had gathered.
"Are you telling me, that you got into this mess because of what you-" she brgins, only to be cut off by a sudden fist to her jaw by the next statue. Anger swelling in her eyes, she raises a hand to the air, pointing and screaming at the offending statue, "A POX! A POX ON BOTH YE HOUSES!"
Lai Shan/Seth/Sharis, with Ashen, Room 25:
Truman, with the Oku, Room 10:Truman, with the Oku, Room 10:
"Good, I see--OW!" He gives Yoshiko a half-confused, half-angry stare before turning towards Luis, dumping the healing potion down his furbro's throat.
(@cuteapoot: 2d4+2 = (3+3)+2 = 8 damage healed)
"I'm going back to the other room, you three can lick each other's wounds or whatever, I don't care."
After discussion with his companions, Aaron sets about to finding a replacement for his missing foot. He begins to inspect the fallen statues, but quickly moves on due to the holes burned straight through the back of his head from Yoshiko's angry glare. He follows his nose to the weird big pig (his Arcana knowledge tells him this is a rare Dungeon Pig, one of the most delicious and rare pigs in the known world), chops an appropriate chunk of hoof and lower leg along with a solid strip of flank, and finds Luis.
@cuteapoot: 1d20+4 Arcana = (1)+4 = 5
"Can you, uh... help me with this? Also I got you some Dungeon Pig meat. It's a delicacy; we're quite fortunate to have found one."
Truman, with the Oku, Room 10:
(http://i.imgur.com/F356v3x.jpg)
Lai Shan/Seth/Sharis, with Ashen, Room 27:
Truman, with the Oku, Room 10:Truman, with the Oku, Room 10:
(http://i.imgur.com/xdvSjOf.jpg)
Sharis/Lai Shan/Seth, with Ashen, Room 27:
"Oi, twinklemutt, do me a favor an 'elp m'sniff up th'source o' th' vines woul'dya?"
(http://i.imgur.com/7h6eTlb.png)
Lai Shan/Sharis/Seth, Room 27:
Truman, Room 10:Truman, Room 10:
Lai Shan/Seth/Sharis,with Ashen, leaving Room 27:
Truman, with Oku, Room 10:
Sharis: Room 14 ITS COMBAT NOW MOTHERFUCKERS
Truman, with Oku, Room 10:
Truman, with Oku, Room 10:Truman, with Oku, Room 10:
Truman, with Oku, Room 10:Truman, with Oku, Room 10:
Truman, with Oku, Room 10:
Aaron, Room 5:
Truman, with Oku, Room 10 (Speaking to Aaron through the hole in the wall):Aaron, Room 6:
Lai Shan/Seth/Sharis with Ashen, Room 14: