Quest #29 “Raiders of the Lost Obelisk”

[OGRE MAGE]

Strange Shit
Moonday, 22nd of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Once Wes puts his newts inside the obelisk, the talk amongst the party quickly turns from finding their lost friend to the strangeness of this clearing.

Here is what they know so far..... Wes passed through this area a while back, when he was trying to escape from the pirates, though he never saw any slizards and certainly didn't see the tall glowing obelisk. After that, the mechanism in the basement of the temple was manipulated when Chauncey placed the magical red stone sphere into its holder, lighting up the red light in the diagram on the wall, thereby essentially activating this obelisk, allegedly.

Grimm reminds the others that he himself witnessed one of the slizards being essentially disintegrated when it stepped outside this clearing yesterday, though he couldn't find any reason for that oddity, then or now. After confessing to lifting the shamans orange smock, Bonnie searches around the place for a while as well, also unable to find any reason for such an anomaly. She cant tell how long this clearing has been here, but it most certainly doesn't look recently established, and might have been here for a very long time. Grimm suggests that they might already be stuck here, much to the chagrin of the party's only remaining wizard, but when he tests out his theory, he isn't harmed in any way, and can come and go from the clearing as he wishes.

Luther seems to be confused as to the whereabouts of the three remaining slizards, who are still hanging around the area of the pit and the suspended cage. They seem to be watching the party's movements closely, but after most of their kin were killed by these intruders yesterday, they wisely continue to keep their distance. Cealwyn keeps an eye on the huge flying lizard, who still hasn't moved from its perch atop the larger hut.

Actions?

Bonnie AC5 6/17
Cealwyn AC3 10/19
Luther AC3 12/30
Chauncey AC8 4/26 CL, DM, RM first 3/3 second 2/2
Mr. Wrenly AC7 4/4
Wes AC7 17/34 first 6/6 second 0/4 third 3/3
Grimm AC5 4/10

Avaala AC8 6/12 CL, DM, RM first 0/2 second 0/1 (Missing)
Treasure AC2 6/12 35%MR (Missing)
overall map: viewtopic.php?p=366477#p366477

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

"I don't like this place," the ranger mutters, sending the lizards and their pit a baleful eye. "The notion of being eaten has never agreed with me. Nibbled a bit, perhaps. But this is too much."

He paces around the clearing seeking areas of disturbed ground near the huts, seeking hiding places for valuables. "If you're putting me on the menu, lads, you should at least compensate me fairly," he says to no one in particular as he walks slowly around the place.

He also pokes into and around any of the huts he's able to inspect without drawing the ire of the flying beast. Ceawlyn grows restless and eager to move, but for now he settles for searching.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Well, I suppose a little peek inside couldn't hurt."

Chauncey will venture a few steps inside the obelisk and take a look around, careful not to step on any geckoes. He'll try to recover the lamp or borrow a torch from someone, if necessary, for proper lighting. He keeps an eye out for markings or features reminiscent of the basement of the temple, that might act as clues for a course of action here.

Mr. Wrenly, holding a handful of bugs, shrieks from the doorway.

"Well, Mr. Wrenly, I suppose Avaala might already be 'toast,' as you say, at this point, but I assure you I will be careful," he replies to his simian associate, rolling his eyes at the monkey's ready use of base vernacular.

[Urson]

Luther
Blame Real Life for Luther's confusion.
Luther puts down his fletching work, and goes over to the portal (but doesn't enter). What's the ground like in there? Maybe I can track him... he says to no one in particular.

[Karaunios]

Grimm is relieved that they aren't trapped in the clearing. He goes to the obelisk and joins the group of people peering into the dark place. "I'm serious about this. If you plan on going inside, don't count on me. Not yet. I feel sorry for the lad, but he got into this himself..." He coughs. "Fine. I can mount guard here while you healthy ones take a look in."

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes briefly considers offering to cast Faerie Fire on Mr Wrenly so that they can have their own mobile light source for a few minutes. Chauncey's outraged yelling would probably attract every creature within a mile, he thinks to himself, but the look on his face might be worth it. He grins, then after a moment removes a torch from his backpack.

"Here, take this". Wes passes the torch over to Chauncey. "Lets see what you all can see."


1 torch removed

[Monsieur Rose]

Bonnie

Before anyone makes another source of light, Bonnie suggests an experiment. "I haven't had a good chance to test my vision in there. Nothing to see, maybe. How about someone goes in far enough away from the door that I can check if I can see them?"

"Avaala seemed to think that closing the portal to the clearing would open a portal somewhere else. He didn't expand on the theory."

"We're close to the herb fields and the natives. Which is close to the Dragon. I'm all for helping Avaala, but the best way forward may be to gather more information." She peers into the darkness. "I don't even know where to start in here."

[OGRE MAGE]

Looking Through The Darkness
Moonday, 22nd of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Humid, Buggy

Cealwyn spends his time looking around the huts and poking a stick into any soft dirt he finds. Though he doesn't find any buried treasure, he does notice one common theme in all of the huts. They are completely void of any personal items. He finds no extra clothing or any other adornments, and there are no knick-knacks, trophies, or any other décor of any kind. He has never seen anything like this in nature before.

Though he finds no markings of any kind, Chauncey decides to show a rare moment of bravery by entering the darkness inside the obelisk all alone. Picking up his friends lantern at the entrance, it appears that the oil reservoir was broken, thereby leaking out all of its fuel into a small puddle on the floor of the void. When Luther looks upon the floor, he finds it to be as smooth and flat as glass, pitch black in color, and holding no evidence of anyone who has traveled inside here before. The ranger also notices that, as he might have guessed, the druids lookout lizards don't seem to be venturing very far away from the open doorway.

When Grimm offers to take up watch duty for anyone else who wants to go inside, Wes pulls out a torch. Before he can even get it lit, Bonnie makes a suggestion, offering up a valid idea that will require a volunteer to complete. She asks someone to enter the darkness, without a light source, and move inside far enough for her to try to detect through her heat sensing vision.

Actions?

Bonnie AC5 6/17
Cealwyn AC3 10/19
Luther AC3 12/30
Chauncey AC8 4/26 CL, DM, RM first 3/3 second 2/2
Mr. Wrenly AC7 4/4
Wes AC7 17/34 first 6/6 second 0/4 third 3/3
Grimm AC5 4/10

Avaala AC8 6/12 CL, DM, RM first 0/2 second 0/1 (Missing)
Treasure AC2 6/12 35%MR (Missing)
overall map: viewtopic.php?p=366477#p366477

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

Cealwyn ambles over, fishes inside his pack for his rope, then hands one end to Bonnie. "Don't let go," he says half-jokingly. He takes the coil and steps inside, moving ten feet in and pausing.

[Monsieur Rose]

Bonnie

She smiles at Cealwyn as he volunteers. "Thanks. I just need to go in a bit myself and put my back to the door. Maybe others will block out some light standing in the doorway." She takes one end of the rope and moves a few feet away from the door, deeper into the darkness.

"Anytime you're ready, just head away from the door."

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

He'll nod once and head away from the door at a slow, steady walk, peering all around him into the darkness.

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"I can't really help with blocking the light, can I?" He appears to say this matter-of-factly, no sign of a joke in his voice. "But I can also see in the dark. Four eyes see better than two. Just allow me not to go too far inside..."

[Urson]

Luther
Even Ranger Jax couldn't track them on this floor. He steps back from the entrance and takes the rope from Bonnie. I'm not going in there until I'm healthier- but I can provide an anchor. He wraps the rope around his forearm and steadies himself to wait.

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes stands close by, outside the doorway. He seems lost in thought but loiters around in case his help is needed.

[ChubbyPixie]

Chauncey stands with hans on hips, petulantly watching the "experiment."

"You've chosen the moment I step inside and request a torch to light the area to request no torch be lit. The timing is... inconvenient," he says. Barely back to health after his ordeal, he has no business standing around in the dark, and so leaves back out through the door to wait for the experiment to end.

[OGRE MAGE]

Looking Through The Darkness
Moonday, 22nd of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Humid, Buggy

After a bit of back and forth, some of the party members continue to use caution, unwilling to enter the dark void beyond the portal in their current condition.

Cealwyn takes his rope and slowly starts walking into the blackness, careful not to step on any of the geckos who still haven't moved past the light from the opening.

Trying to block out all the natural sunlight doesn't really work, so Bonnie and Grimm cant tell if their infravision will work in here or not.

Eventually the young ranger returns to the others at the doorway, looking as if he has something to report.

Actions?

Bonnie AC5 6/17
Cealwyn AC3 10/19
Luther AC3 12/30
Chauncey AC8 4/26 CL, DM, RM first 3/3 second 2/2
Mr. Wrenly AC7 4/4
Wes AC7 17/34 first 6/6 second 0/4 third 3/3
Grimm AC5 4/10

Avaala AC8 3/12 CL, DM, RM first 0/2 second 0/1 (Missing)
Treasure AC2 3/12 35%MR (Missing)
overall map: viewtopic.php?p=366477#p366477

[Monsieur Rose]

Chauncey stands with hans on hips, petulantly watching the "experiment."

"You've chosen the moment I step inside and request a torch to light the area to request no torch be lit. The timing is... inconvenient," he says. Barely back to health after his ordeal, he has no business standing around in the dark, and so leaves back out through the door to wait for the experiment to end.

I did, didn't I? Sorry about that. I had an idea in my head and made bonnie push forward.

Bonnie

At Chauncey's words, Bonnie cringes. "Crap. Sorry. I do that sometimes, rush ahead without considering other viewpoints." She bows and smiles at Chauncey. "I'm working on it, I swear."

"It needs to be darker anyway. Maybe I'll try again when the sun sets. Oh! Cealwyn. You look like you've found something."

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

He'll emerge from the void and relate the size, shape, color, and direction of the odd light he spotted inside. "I couldn't tell how far away it was with nothing to offer perspective."

[OGRE MAGE]

I'll do it.

Once inside the black void far enough to be out of the aura of light shining in through the open portal, Cealwyn peers hard into the darkness.

From the opposite direction of the opening, where his friends are still watching him from a distance, he is pretty sure he is starting to see something.

There appears to be a pinpoint or red/orange light off in the distance, though he can see nothing else around it. He has no idea how far away it might be, but it is clearly further than his 50 feet of rope.

Staring at the orange light a bit longer, it seems to be in the shape of a tiny square. How far away it is from your current position is impossible to guess.

[Paladin]

Hell, I forget that was in private. My bad...I fired that off when we climbed out of a hole laying water lines for a quick break.