Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[ravenn4544]

Alordan considers and then asks “and this wizard? Where the hell is he? We may need to pay him a visit on behalf of cresty”

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric steps on one of the remaining unpressed copper discs. Good question. Could one of the statues we've encountered be the wizard? Before we leave the island I'd like to gather the pieces of Cresty and place them in a place somewhat secure place so that one day he may be mended, then have his petrified state reverted.

[wolfpack]

Gramble steps on a disk.


let's get this show on the road

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche smiles in resignation as he abandons his attempt to relax. He again opens his eyes and responds to his companions' questions.

Alordan considers and then asks “and this wizard? Where the hell is he? We may need to pay him a visit on behalf of cresty”

Andron nods in approval at the ranger, "That is the salient question, yes? He is responsible for this complex and likely also the spider maze Mr. Maag and Mr. Gramble previously explored. Who is he? What are his intentions? Is he still alive, if so, does he pose a threat to Beachtown? As yet, it appears the only answers to these questions reside in the mind of the strange pseudodragon, Treasure, who was found in the maze."

Could one of the statues we've encountered be the wizard?

Andron nods again, clearly impressed with the questions posed. "There is the statue of the old human we found in the northern tunnels, oddly shoved into a small alcove. He was dressed in the manner of a wizard, but if he is the wizard we seek, I would have expected Marquees to have utterly destroyed it in his rage. He could just be another unfortunate victim."

He gestures to the druid. "Perhaps Tlachtga could ask the cats on the beach for information about their former master. It could be that human. Maybe he knew of the wizard and that is why he came here."

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag steps onto a disk, avoiding the one that turned into a snake's eye.

[OGRE MAGE]

Going Down
Starday, 20th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Warm, Humid

Leaving the dead kobolds and the broken chunks of minotaur statues in the tiny room, one by one the party stands on the copper buttons, allowing the lift to begin its descent back down the shaft once again. Just like the last several times it has been used, the door to the room and cover to the shaft slide closed again. However, one huge differance this time is the noise made from the hidden mechanisms. The lift seems to move much more fluidly now, and with far less of the troubling grinding noises it made when it was overloaded.

The lift drops the full depth of the shaft and eventually comes to rest softly on the lower level again, opening out into the narrow hall with the ornate double doors at its end. The bodies of the 2 kobolds killed earlier have been moved closer to the lift, and a portion of the broken statue is missing. The double doors appear to be slightly ajar, but there is no light or noise coming from the "treasure room' beyond. Looking at the disks as they step off the lift, all of the buttons now appear to have the snake eye visage on them.

Actions?

E10D9AC2-8F3E-4188-B274-957926AE62DC.jpeg (43.2 KiB) Viewed 318 times

Lerrick 1/11 0/4 1st (Light stone 40'r) Light:9(on the eyes of Brutus)
Gramble 3/16
Alordan 12/18 (Light stone 40'r)
Tlachtga 2/8 1/4 1st
Maag 9/12
Andronichishche 3/6 0/3 1st / CL, DM, RM 0/1 1st (Light stone 40'r)

Deceased
Sir Crestbrook 0/11 LoH (Petrified and Broken in Melania’s bedroom)
Cu AC:3 0/13
Carucenus -5.5/10
message on tiny decorative box
Mina's note
Notes and other Bookkeeping:

Melania
You have been warned several times now about your unwillingness to remain in your designated location. Since you cannot control your desire to destroy my hard earned collection by turning them into useless statuary, you leave me little other choice but to relocate you somewhere safer.

Melaina
I have decided on a far more suitable spot for you to reside. There is a cave complex on the other side of the island that will suit your needs perfectly. It is an old experiment of mine, that never panned out the way that I had hoped. But there is a fresh water source inside and a magical summoning device of my own creation that should provide you with an endless supply of food. You will be relocated there as soon as I get it ready. I am still working on filling your request for companionship. As I told you before, they are extremely rare and nearly impossible to locate.

Melania
I understand you are not happy with your new accommodations, but it is simply the best I can do for now. I think you will be much more at ease living here once I am able to fill your request for a mate. The reoccurring minotaur should provide you plenty of food and enough sport to keep you preoccupied while I search. Please remember that your captor was also once your savior, and that you wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for me. I know this isn’t an easy adjustment for you, but it must be preferable to the horrible death you would have endured without my aid.

Melania
At long last, after several years of searching and burning through countless resources, I have finally found what you seek the most. An unmatched Maedar, one of the rarest of all creatures known to man. And he is all for you. I sincerely hope this will suffice to keep you happy for the rest of your years here. You must stop meddling in my experiments. You of all people should know they can be very dangerous, especially when they are unfinished. Once I have checked him over for myself, I will release him to you. Once that is done, I must insist that you stay put in your area and stop breaking your containment. By the way, his name is Marquees, and he is magnificent.

Melania
Once again you need to learn the hard way that you are no match for my powers. It saddens me greatly that after everything I’ve done to make you happy, you continue to defy me, routinely breaking your pact without remorse. I thought you to be one of the more intelligent of your kind, but you have proven to me that I was mistaken. Since I have invested so much, I will give you one last chance to comply. However, you will now be marked. Breaking the rules of your containment again will result in your termination.

Melania
This last attempt at wreaking havoc on my experiments was all I can take. I have warned you multiple times now and you simply wont listen. Therefore, you have left me no other choice. I cannot allow you or anyone else here to undermine my work as you have. I know you were never really happy here, but with the amount of monies, time, sacrifice, and effort I have put into this place already, finishing my ultimate creation must continue to be my main focus. I will allow Marquees to remain on the island, since he has done nothing that I know of to aid you in your constant meddling. The treasures you were supposed to protect for me will also remain inside the complex, now under the supervision of your lover. However, the next time you see me will be the last. I wish things could have worked out better, but you have only yourself to blame for this outcome.

Bookkeeping:
01-05= The “Key”
06-10= Intact Copper Bowl of Wax Fruit (25gp)
11-15= Solid Copper Decorative Serving Tray (40gp)
16-20= Broken Cartouche
21-25= List of 7 Unknown Items
26-30= Note About the Contacts
31-35= Moldy Sack of 254 Copper Coins
36-40= Melania's Note About Escaping
41-45= Small Locked Chest
46-50= Grey Stone Sphere
51-55= Fancy String of 21 Pearls (yet to be evaluated)
56=60=
61=65= Large Copper Cube?
66-70= Ornate Latched Scroll Case
71-75= Copper Armband w/ Circular Diagram (20gp)
76-80= Fairy Tale Storybook
81-85= Hand Written Notes
86-90= Notes on Minotaur Summoning Dais
91-95= Small Wooden Puzzle Box
96-100= Magical Golden Ring

This is a list of the items you will be "protecting" for me in here. Please remember the terms of our earlier agreement before you get any ridiculous ideas to use any of these against me.

Chime of Serpent’s Desire

Protecting Egg

Withering Venom

Shedding Strike

Band of Fools

Green Manalishi

Dansden

Marquees

I know you like this place, but I am not about to spend the rest of my days preforming for this pompous bastard. We are getting out of here, and I think I finally figured out how. The ring of glass obelisks have something to do with the mobility of this place, so through them, there must be a way out. I know the colored stone spheres are the keys, all I need to do is figure out how they function. There must be a way to use the spheres to activate the obelisks, since the ones I have investigated don’t seem to do anything yet. Once I can figure out their secrets, I am hoping we will be able to go anywhere we want. I know you want to concentrate on making more eggs and raising new babies, but you cant expect me to be happy about bringing more of our kind into existence while we are all being held here against our will. We must find a way out! We can discuss this further once I've returned.

scrollcase note:

I have used the magic scrolls to find three of them so far. They are a sight to behold, so tall and crystal clear. One is in the jungle near the black cliffs, a second deep in the swamp, and the third by the lake to the northwest. I promise you that I will figure out what they do and how they function. Once I do, we will be free again.

[wolfpack]

How did the little bastards get the doors open.

we need to shut those doors and rest

[ravenn4544]

Alordan utters the expected, "Shit - I knew it," as he stands ready with sword and dagger. "maybe something else opened those doors - maybe these snake eyes are another puzzle?!?"

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag looks at the dead kobolds. "Little bleeders. 'ow 'ave dey managed dat?"

Then he turns to Gramble. "So wot is in dat bag dey dropped den?"

[wolfpack]

Gramble dumps out the kobold bag

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche looks down impassively at the pair of dead kobolds. "Ah, there they are, not missing after all. That makes at least eight of them, probably more. Definitely more than I would have expected if they came here using those half casks as boats." He pauses a moment to consider the implication. "They also split into smaller groups. Scavenging. Their tribe may have found a different way onto the island. A tunnel, perhaps?"

He drops this thread of thought when he sees that the double doors are slightly ajar. Andron notes the adjacent sign and appears to nod in understanding. "I suspect the kobolds did not use the proper key." He points to the sign to emphasize his comment.

viewtopic.php?p=489368#p489368

Andron then turns back to face the lift and kneels down to more closely examine the image on a disc. "Interesting. It may only be coincidence, but there are seven discs and seven magical items. The note Mina found implies that this is the treasure room ... or was at one time." He gestures at the elevator room they just exited.

viewtopic.php?f=446&t=8259&start=2100#p466650

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Well, do we rest or go in, I am for resting."

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche looks up briefly from his examination of the disc. "I agree with Mr. Gramble and Miss Tlachtga. We can ill afford to trigger any traps beyond those doors. We should close them and recuperate here."

[ravenn4544]

Alordan wonders aloud about the kobolds, "there is those wells we never explored, maybe there is an underground river or something they swim into to get here. What are the chances they opened those doors from the inside to get out this way?"

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric frowns slightly as she secretly was hoping that her mace by the actual key to unlock the door. She smiles at the thought of the idea. Well...we don't have to worry about a key anymore.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche offhandedly responds without looking up from his examination this time. "Quite so, Mr. Alordan. The first group of kobolds encountered were wet, suggesting they did indeed take some kind of water based route. The bedroom well and the grotto pool must be fed by an underground source. I don't think it's likely the kobolds arrived from those doors, though. They could have fled that way instead of trying to sneak past us. Also, the killer trees congregated around those casks outside."

He chuckles quietly at Lerrick's comment. "Perhaps not your mace, no. However, either the wizard forgot to lock the doors, the treasure was already plundered, or ... the proper key must be inserted to open the real treasure room. Of course, we have yet to see what currently lies beyond them."

[OGRE MAGE]

Doing Time
Starday, 20th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Warm, Humid

The huge treasure room doors being left open doesn't thrill even one of the explorers. In fact, at least two of them suggest simply shutting them again. Without as much as a listen beyond, suggestions are quickly made to rest right here in this hallway.

Andronichishche looks over the lifting dais, specifically the snake eye symbols on the copper buttons. After about 30 seconds, the snake eyes all vanish, leaving the disks looking just as they did above. With none of the disks currently depressed, the lift stays right where it is.

Gramble dumps the small sack that the kobolds were carrying out onto the floor, revealing 5 items.....

After dealing with the last groups absolute refusal to divvy up the party treasure, I refuse to go through that again. So instead, I am going to take a few liberties here. If you don't like the way this plays out, please feel free to refuse, change, trade, swap, kick, or give away any of the items your character picks up. Like most things in this game.....this is only a test.

A interesting looking pair of snakeskin gloves falls at the feet of Maag.

An egg shaped item rolls over the foot of Lerrick. The ostrich sized, off-white "egg" has a tiny latch on one side and what looks like a thin hinge along the back of the opposite side. There is a wide loop at the top of the item, possibly for attaching a carrying strap or for a belt to be slipped through.

A small green jade statuette of a dog lands closest to Tlachtga.

A small copper cylinder, about 8 inches long and a half inch in diameter, with a thin copper braided wire looped through one end lay on the floor half way in between Gramble and Alordan.

One final item sticks in the bag as it is dumped out. Also made from copper, it has a ornate handle and contains a larger, round screw top end with holes in it. There is some kind of liquid sloshing around inside, indicating that handle and top piece might be hollow.

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When Andron turns around to face the others, he notices for the first time.......maybe ever, that the entire group is smiling for some reason.


Actions?

Lerrick 1/11 0/4 1st (Light stone 40'r) Light:8(on the eyes of Brutus)
Gramble 3/16
Alordan 12/18 (Light stone 40'r)
Tlachtga 2/8 1/4 1st
Maag 9/12
Andronichishche 3/6 0/3 1st / CL, DM, RM 0/1 1st (Light stone 40'r)

Deceased
Sir Crestbrook 0/11 LoH (Petrified and Broken in Melania’s bedroom)
Cu AC:3 0/13
Carucenus -5.5/10[/color]
message on tiny decorative box
Mina's note
Notes and other Bookkeeping:

Melania
You have been warned several times now about your unwillingness to remain in your designated location. Since you cannot control your desire to destroy my hard earned collection by turning them into useless statuary, you leave me little other choice but to relocate you somewhere safer.

Melaina
I have decided on a far more suitable spot for you to reside. There is a cave complex on the other side of the island that will suit your needs perfectly. It is an old experiment of mine, that never panned out the way that I had hoped. But there is a fresh water source inside and a magical summoning device of my own creation that should provide you with an endless supply of food. You will be relocated there as soon as I get it ready. I am still working on filling your request for companionship. As I told you before, they are extremely rare and nearly impossible to locate.

Melania
I understand you are not happy with your new accommodations, but it is simply the best I can do for now. I think you will be much more at ease living here once I am able to fill your request for a mate. The reoccurring minotaur should provide you plenty of food and enough sport to keep you preoccupied while I search. Please remember that your captor was also once your savior, and that you wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for me. I know this isn’t an easy adjustment for you, but it must be preferable to the horrible death you would have endured without my aid.

Melania
At long last, after several years of searching and burning through countless resources, I have finally found what you seek the most. An unmatched Maedar, one of the rarest of all creatures known to man. And he is all for you. I sincerely hope this will suffice to keep you happy for the rest of your years here. You must stop meddling in my experiments. You of all people should know they can be very dangerous, especially when they are unfinished. Once I have checked him over for myself, I will release him to you. Once that is done, I must insist that you stay put in your area and stop breaking your containment. By the way, his name is Marquees, and he is magnificent.

Melania
Once again you need to learn the hard way that you are no match for my powers. It saddens me greatly that after everything I’ve done to make you happy, you continue to defy me, routinely breaking your pact without remorse. I thought you to be one of the more intelligent of your kind, but you have proven to me that I was mistaken. Since I have invested so much, I will give you one last chance to comply. However, you will now be marked. Breaking the rules of your containment again will result in your termination.

Melania
This last attempt at wreaking havoc on my experiments was all I can take. I have warned you multiple times now and you simply wont listen. Therefore, you have left me no other choice. I cannot allow you or anyone else here to undermine my work as you have. I know you were never really happy here, but with the amount of monies, time, sacrifice, and effort I have put into this place already, finishing my ultimate creation must continue to be my main focus. I will allow Marquees to remain on the island, since he has done nothing that I know of to aid you in your constant meddling. The treasures you were supposed to protect for me will also remain inside the complex, now under the supervision of your lover. However, the next time you see me will be the last. I wish things could have worked out better, but you have only yourself to blame for this outcome.

Bookkeeping:
01-05= The “Key”
06-10= Intact Copper Bowl of Wax Fruit (25gp)
11-15= Solid Copper Decorative Serving Tray (40gp)
16-20= Broken Cartouche
21-25= List of 7 Unknown Items
26-30= Note About the Contacts
31-35= Moldy Sack of 254 Copper Coins
36-40= Melania's Note About Escaping
41-45= Small Locked Chest
46-50= Grey Stone Sphere
51-55= Fancy String of 21 Pearls (yet to be evaluated)
56=60=
61=65= Large Copper Cube?
66-70= Ornate Latched Scroll Case
71-75= Copper Armband w/ Circular Diagram (20gp)
76-80= Fairy Tale Storybook
81-85= Hand Written Notes
86-90= Notes on Minotaur Summoning Dais
91-95= Small Wooden Puzzle Box
96-100= Magical Golden Ring

This is a list of the items you will be "protecting" for me in here. Please remember the terms of our earlier agreement before you get any ridiculous ideas to use any of these against me.

Chime of Serpent’s Desire

Protecting Egg

Withering Venom

Shedding Strike

Band of Fools

Green Manalishi

Dansden

Marquees

I know you like this place, but I am not about to spend the rest of my days preforming for this pompous bastard. We are getting out of here, and I think I finally figured out how. The ring of glass obelisks have something to do with the mobility of this place, so through them, there must be a way out. I know the colored stone spheres are the keys, all I need to do is figure out how they function. There must be a way to use the spheres to activate the obelisks, since the ones I have investigated don’t seem to do anything yet. Once I can figure out their secrets, I am hoping we will be able to go anywhere we want. I know you want to concentrate on making more eggs and raising new babies, but you cant expect me to be happy about bringing more of our kind into existence while we are all being held here against our will. We must find a way out! We can discuss this further once I've returned.

scrollcase note:

I have used the magic scrolls to find three of them so far. They are a sight to behold, so tall and crystal clear. One is in the jungle near the black cliffs, a second deep in the swamp, and the third by the lake to the northwest. I promise you that I will figure out what they do and how they function. Once I do, we will be free again.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche watches and waits as the illuminated discs go dark after the reset interval, along with the odd snake eye images. He stands and turns at the sound of several objects dropping to the floor, and his eyes widen slightly at the menagerie of unusual items. "Now that was unexpected. So, the doors were unlocked and the kobolds walked out with five of the magical items? Well, wouldn't be the strangest thing we've seen in this place ..."

His words trailed off as he looks up to see everyone ... smiling?

Even Gramble? ... now he was instantly alarmed.

This was certainly not natural.

Andron clears his throat. "How is everyone ... feeling? I appeared to have missed a joke, perhaps? Why all the smiles?"

[wolfpack]

Gramble reaches down and picks up the copper cylinder.

We are smiling because we finally found some loot. guessing they are all magical

any of you have a spell that tells what's magic? we need to just dig in here and rest.

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric picks up the strange egg shape object. She sees the latch but is reluctant to open it. Maag, do you see any traps on this?