Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#621 Post by enn.in.me »

Yenny angles herself so that she is between others and the paper, and with her shield protecting her in the event of exploding glyphs, lifts the glass and opens the paper. "Who could have left a note here?"

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#622 Post by Zhym »

Angus walks over to the crowman he tied up. "I reckon we ought to have us a chat," he says. "What's your name, where are y'all from, and why'd y'all attack us?"

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#623 Post by Storm11 »

Tempus returns to the group with his bear alone.

He smiles at the others. The way to Azurpenia's prison quarters is north. There are a tribe of crowmen in the garden to the north, but we can circumvent those by taking the almery, which takes us close to the moonman's lair. There is a desolate area down the descending stair we found that apparently is quite safe for resting should we need it. Azurpenia lies beyond the Almery. Then past her prison and and finally to her. The crowmen have sent their best killer to slay the witch but the man has gone missing and the crowmen are very fearful of her." says the halfling initiate when he has the companions full attention.
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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#624 Post by CAI4 »

"Whew. Well, I hope we're stronger than that guy" replies Chet. "Let's explore the almery and look for artefacts" suggests the monk, pointing to the unexplored door to the north.

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#625 Post by tkrexx »

The crowmen have sent their best killer to slay the witch but the man has gone missing and the crowmen are very fearful of her.
Best killa, hah? Hyde seems almost... Challenged, and spits on a dead Crow-man. They ain't shown me much, these Crow-men, no. I doubt their best killa could give Arnulf a black eye! Why don't they like to touch this star-thing on the floor, hah? Maybe they know somethin' we don't?

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#626 Post by Storm11 »

Tempus calls on the powers of nature and casts a spell to detect magical emanations and examines the room, the pentagram, and moves in to examine chronia's chamber and herself as well.
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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#627 Post by AleBelly »

Tempus emerges from Chronia's room - without his crowman buddy - and provides the party with some information. He then calls upon the mystical powers of nature to detect magical items in the room after positioning himself to take maximum benefit from the spell. The moving pentagrammic symbol on the ground emanates magic. Just then, Torgos Zooth enters the room from the north, accompanied by his grotesque snake-hand hybrid and armored stoat. The stoat radiates magic, as does something from beneath Torgos' shimmering robe...not visible to the naked eye.

This happens just as the crowman is regaining the ability to move. He begins to respond to Angus' interrogation: "We...we...we were jus' going to take your valuables...". The crowman gasps with fear as Torgos enters the room. Whimpering is heard from beneath the mask.

Torgos - his head reflecting the moon's current phase - is a third full of moonlight. He takes in the carnage and smiles at the party. "Impressive. You have killed some of the vermin that plague this place. And none from your side has fallen." He looks to the crowman and grins hungrily. "I'll have him when you're done with your interrogation." It's not a question.

Yenny, meanwhile, inspects the paper on the table. She lifts the magic jar, removes the paper, intending to unfold it. But it does so on its own, springing open!

Azurpenia, you are the love of my life
You are my heart, and I know I am yours.
I found everything I was looking for when I met you...


And on, and on. The gnome reads the note, when it appears, from an undetected fold, to spring open again! New ink appears on the page, which has now doubled. It is more inane writing...signed by a "Picata Pleshenka".

Tempus has not yet scanned this area for magic, but can do so in the coming round.

Updated map:
053117.png
053117.png (1.5 MiB) Viewed 828 times
Date: 16 Culling, Year 42
Time: 20:30
Conditions: 54F, calm, room dark and damp
Known Spells in Effect: Yenny under some sort of hunger enchantment, Tempus detect magic until 20:40
Light bearers: Lamps in rooms - Angus' lantern has 3.5 hours worth of oil left in it but is unlit. Chet torch until 21:23
Intended Direction of Travel:
Injury Status: Chet, Yenny, Rufus moderately wounded; Sagthistle slightly wounded; Angus, Arnulf, Galan lightly wounded;

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#628 Post by Storm11 »

Torgos! the halfling says in greeting. What can we do for you? I believe the lair of Azurpenia lies to the north, through the almery. Is this so? Can you tell us anything about the magic emanating from the pentagram upon the floor at all?

He examines the area with his spell
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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#629 Post by AleBelly »

One of the downsides of PbP is that information can be forgotten over time. So I'll remind you here that Torgos claims to be a servant of Azurpenia:

viewtopic.php?f=176&t=6114&start=80#p259547

Do with that information what you will.

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#630 Post by enn.in.me »

"It's a love note to the prisoner." Yenny attempts to refold the note and let it spring open again. If successful, she smiles, looks to see if the writing has changed, and refolds it and tucks it away. Otherwise, she just tucks it away. She examines the jar closely. "What do you think this is?"

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#631 Post by tkrexx »

AAA! Hyde is surprised to see the Moon-Man stride in, pretty as he pleases, but his attention quickly goes back to the Crow-man. He strides over with a purpose and rips the mask from the prisoner's head. I wanna see who's talkin' yeahh. Yous cowards been hidin' your faces too long.

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#632 Post by CAI4 »

"Ten down, who knows how many to go" replies Chet to Torgos' observation. "If it pleases Torgos, I believe we shall get rid of more of this imbecile crowpeople."

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#633 Post by AleBelly »

Hyde strides over to the crowman and tears off its mask. A pale frightened face, streaked with sweat, looks from face to face in the room. He tries to inch away from the muscular armored stoat at Torgos' side. "Please..." he whimpers, his head darting involuntarily forward at odd intervals.
Storm11 wrote:Torgos! the halfling says in greeting. What can we do for you? I believe the lair of Azurpenia lies to the north, through the almery. Is this so? Can you tell us anything about the magic emanating from the pentagram upon the floor at all?
"The dusty ward? Its purpose will reveal itself soon. Your robed captive here will enlighten you." Torgos' radiant face produces a malevolent smile. The crowman whimpers more loudly.

Meanwhile, Yenny moves to fold the paper, but try as she might it won't cooperate. It's as stiff as a thick sheet of metal as it flips open, doubling in size again, and scribbles of ink appear on the newly blank half - more poorly written words of love. The parchment is now nearly half the size of Yenny herself! She sees that the writing has not changed once written.
CAI4 wrote:"Ten down, who knows how many to go" replies Chet to Torgos' observation. "If it pleases Torgos, I believe we shall get rid of more of this imbecile crowpeople."
"I would be more pleased if you were to locate my sons. You haven't made any progress on the matter have you? I remind you to make yourselves useful, lest I inform Azurpenia of your presence. Which leads me to ask" he turns to Tempus. "You can't possibly mean her harm, can you?"

Chet and Tempus, you are completely compelled, by some unknown force within the light from Torgos' face, to lie when answering his questions.

In the meantime, Tempus has been able to scan the area when Yenny is fiddling with the parchment. It radiates magic, though the glass that was sitting on top of it is not.

Date: 16 Culling, Year 42
Time: 20:31
Conditions: 54F, calm, room dark and damp
Known Spells in Effect: Yenny under some sort of hunger enchantment, Tempus detect magic until 20:40
Light bearers: Lamps in rooms - Angus' lantern has 3.5 hours worth of oil left in it but is unlit. Chet torch until 21:23
Intended Direction of Travel:
Injury Status: Chet, Yenny, Rufus moderately wounded; Sagthistle slightly wounded; Angus, Arnulf, Galan lightly wounded;

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#634 Post by Storm11 »

"We intend to free her Torgos." the halfling blurts out in surprise.

Once the compulsion is over he continues. "We have been exploring the prison carefully but as yet have found no clue of your children sadly. We are looking though rest assured. Do you know what keeps the prisoners held within? Some powerful magic perhaps?"
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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#635 Post by onlyme »

Dandelion listens confused. She keeps her trident ready.
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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#636 Post by tkrexx »

Your robed captive here will enlighten you.
Hyde had been listening to Torgos' speech, and now turns slowly back to the pale captive. Ya hear the man? Enlighten us, hah?

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#637 Post by Zhym »

Angus marvels at the moon-man's power. Angus may not have knowingly uttered a lie all his life—or since he was small enough for his daddy to whup, anyway. That was small indeed. He has many faults—lack of social graces, tact, or top-quality hygiene products being the most obvious— but dishonesty has never been counted among them. Sometimes to his detriment.

"Interesting trick you got there," he says. "But I reckon there's a million ways to lie. Some of them might get you roundabout to the truth, but not all."

"To tell you the truth while I still can," he adds, "I ain't rightly sure what we aim on doing if we get to Azurpenia. We hear tell she's a mighty bad woman. 'Witch,' they call her. Say she did one hell of a number on these parts back in her day. But people ain't always what they seem, and memories are funny things. I can't always remember what I had for dinner a night ago. A thousand years? Who knows how far stories could get twisted in all that time? Maybe she's naughty, maybe she's nice. Maybe we'll know if we meet her. What I hear tell, though, we couldn't hurt her if we tried to."

"What I do know is there's folks on the outside, bad folks, what think Azurpenia and her prison here are just what they need to get down to some good old fashioned mass destruction. We aim to stop them. Don't see how that involves hurting your boss lady unless you and yours make it otherwise."

"Now, we done kept an eye out for your boys, but we ain't exactly been unoccupied," he says, pointing at the dead crowmen in the room. "So unless you've decided we're enemies now, maybe you could help us out a bit and tell us who the hell these crow fellers are and why you like seeing them die."

"And Yenny, leave that damn fool thing alone before it's as big as all Masmuria," he calls over his shoulder.

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#638 Post by CAI4 »

AleBelly wrote:
CAI4 wrote:"Ten down, who knows how many to go" replies Chet to Torgos' observation. "If it pleases Torgos, I believe we shall get rid of more of this imbecile crowpeople."
"I would be more pleased if you were to locate my sons. You haven't made any progress on the matter have you? ..."
"Yes, we know exactly where they are!" replies Chet, looking quite confused.

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#639 Post by AleBelly »

Sorry, RL got away from me last week

Torgos listens to Angus, Tempus, and Chet as the crowman continues to whimper.

"These crowmen are a nuisance, and reside in the gardens. They often venture into the art gallery, where they have become quite active lately stealing things at the behest of the blue dragon lady. Crucem or something like that. They have always been thieves, and find themselves in trouble with me when they venture in to my almery. Seems they find trouble with you too" he chuckles. "They try to steal what I must preserve. For that, I am happy to see them die."

"I spend little time in the gallery or gardens. I have no business in those places. My duty is here, guarding Azurpenia's treasures."

Torgos pauses, perhaps sizing them up. The crowman, bathed in the pale light of Torgos' head, tries to bury his face in his robe, but finds it difficult with his hands bound.

"To the north and east of us is my domain. Further north are the cells in which Azurpenia keeps her prisoners. Further north still is my lady herself. I know these areas - the almery, prison, and Azurpenia's room - well. My sons are not there, or I would have found them. No, they must be to the south, where the lost souls dwell, or in the gardens or gallery. If there they dwell I will find out soon enough" he glares at the crowman again.

"There also lies a lizard archive north of the gallery, though the entrance is hidden. Perhaps my sons are there. Regardless, I will tell you no more of Azurpenia until you have found my boys and returned them to me. For that, I will offer rewards both enlightening and enriching."

The moon man pulls the crowman up to a standing position by the ropes around his arms. He looks down at his armored, incredibly well muscled stoat. "Overdose, show this to the bringstar!"

The party almost feels sorry for the man. Without his mask, his pale face is a picture of pure fear. The strange armored creature lumbers behind the crowman and directs him towards the star, still tracing its pattern in the dust. Torgos removes his ropes and returns them to Angus. "Have you anything to say to him before I take him to my interrogation room?"

Date: 16 Culling, Year 42
Time: 20:32
Conditions: 54F, calm, room dark and damp
Known Spells in Effect: Yenny under some sort of hunger enchantment, Tempus detect magic until 20:40
Light bearers: Lamps in rooms - Angus' lantern has 3.5 hours worth of oil left in it but is unlit. Chet torch until 21:23
Intended Direction of Travel:
Injury Status: Chet, Yenny, Rufus moderately wounded; Sagthistle slightly wounded; Angus, Arnulf, Galan lightly wounded;

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Re: Chapter 13 - Azurpenia's Prison

#640 Post by Storm11 »

Presuming he is once again free if the lying compulsion Tempus moves towards the Crowman. "How many of your crowmen reside in the gardens, and what else Laura there?" he asks curiously. "Do you know anything further about the lizard enclave?"
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