Quest #29 “Raiders of the Lost Obelisk”

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

Avaala watches carefully, both the encounter with the 'guards', and the rest of the worshippers. He keeps running strategies through his head, allowing for as many different outcomes as possible.

[Jernau35]

Wes

"Well, if there's going to be trouble, it's better that it happens here at the edge than way over there by the obilisk."

[ChubbyPixie]

Trying to conceal his surprise at the physical appearance of the guards, Chauncey raises both hands in a "we come in peace" gesture, motions to the obelisk, then to the three members of the diplomatic party before bowing towards the monument in a way similar to the lizard men visibly worshiping there.

"Reverence towards the object of their reverence seems wise..." he says in a low tone to his companions.

[Monsieur Rose]

Bonnie

Feeling lost in this land of alien things, Bonnie quickly confirms her suspicions with a glance at Cealwyn. She keeps her hands low, open, and away from her body while she speaks. "Hello! Can you understand me?" She smiles and tries elvish as well. She then bows, draws the obelisk in the dirt, and points to the real one. She then draws an 'MS' on the ground. Or is it an 'SW'?

"Well Chauncey. Now's the time for any flashy ideas."

[OGRE MAGE]

The Obelisk
Sunday, 21st of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

While the others watch from a distance, Chauncey and Bonnie try to communicate with the agitated slizard men. They don't appear to understand any of the languages Bonnie tries, but they seem a little better at pictures and pantomime. They follow the motions of Chauncey when he genuflects towards the obelisk, apparently fine with intruders, as long as they show respect to their object of reverence. The pair bow and chant along with the others, watching the trio to see if they are doing the same.

When they notice Cealwyn staring at the obelisk as if he could do nothing else, they nod at the ranger's devotion, walking slowly towards it while motioning for the strangers to follow them by waving their strange looking hands and hissing constantly.

I will take a Hard Wis check from the three inside the clearing along with your next action, please.

Actions?

Bonnie AC5 17/17
Cealwyn AC3 17/19
Paul AC6 7/7
Luther AC3 30/30
Chauncey AC8 21/26 CL, DM, RM first 2/3 second 0/2
Mr. Wrenly AC7 4/4
Wes AC7 34/34 first 5/6 second 3/4 third 3/3
Avaala AC8 12/12 CL, DM, RM first 2/2 second 1/1
Treasure AC2 12/12 35%MR
Grimm AC5 10/10
overall map: viewtopic.php?p=366477#p366477

1252C3A3-B217-4A05-8B08-4C83B7AEDA5E.jpeg (152.38 KiB) Viewed 506 times

[Paladin]

Cealwyn Blackthorn

Help me, Lord. Any time I need a high roll, that would never happen, but now...

[4d6] = 18 vs WIS 15

Cealwyn loses the thread of conversation amidst his fascination with the obelisk. He examines it carefully, looking closely to see if anything beneath the surface might be discerned by a keen eye. "Beautiful," he says under his breath, and moves ever closer.

[Monsieur Rose]

Bonnie

Glad that the slizard men are less agitated, Bonnie murmurs to Chauncey. "Good idea on the reverence. They seem either non-hostile or really sneaky." She tries to emulate the bowing and chanting of the pair while taking in the area and moving closer to the obelisk. She tries to answer a few questions as she does.

Do they have teeth like carnivores, or like omnivores?
Are their clothes hide or cloth?
Is the large black rock similar to the ore they found, and more importantly, does it look like a sacrificial altar?

Hard Wis (15): [4d6] = 16

[Urson]

Luther Luther's on a hair-trigger, watching the Scalies for any slightest sign of trickery.

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes watches the events in the clearing. "What do we do if things turn bad? Try a rescue straight away, or try to sneak in later?" He pauses for a moment.

"Assuming there is a later...I don't see a big iron pot but...." He leaves the thought hanging in the air.

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"I don't know. They don't seem aggressive. We'll have to do someth- What the Erebus is Cealwyn doing there, staring at the obelisk like he had no brains?"

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

"Well," says Avaala. "The idea of playing along with the worship seems to be working. The Lizardfolk don't seem to be interested in hurting them at all. Let it ride for now." The mage looks up to his shoulder. "Can you understand anything they are saying, Treasure?"

[SirOwen]

Grimm

"I don't know. They don't seem aggressive. We'll have to do someth- What the Erebus is Cealwyn doing there, staring at the obelisk like he had no brains?"

Avaala the Grey

Although he realizes that Grimm's question is rhetorical, Avaala answers it anyway. "I thought it was just part of the act. Do you think something is wrong?"

[OGRE MAGE]

I can’t figure out why these pictures keep turning on their sides, but I added an overhead view to my last update for the players in the clearing to see. More to come about that in my next update.

[ChubbyPixie]

Love the obelisk terrain map!

Hard Wisdom Check (12): [4d6] = 14

Chauncey is delighted at the success of their reception. Of course he never really doubted his diplomatic communication skills. All was going according to plan.

He winks at Bonnie. "This seems to be going well," he says quietly.

Following behind the slizards, he pauses only briefly at intervals to bow to the obelisk and intone the sounds of the chant. He will, out of curiosity, attempt to catch a glimpse from Mr. Wrenly's point of view during one of his brief pauses.

[Karaunios]

Avaala the Grey

Although he realizes that Grimm's question is rhetorical, Avaala answers it anyway. "I thought it was just part of the act. Do you think something is wrong?"

Grimm

The dwarf squints, trying to discern if something's wrong with the ranger. "I can't tell you. There's many things that are wrong here, if you ask me. How long are those lizardmen going to stay there praying at the obelisk? It's as if they couldn't stop." He decides to pay close attention to Cealwyn's actions.

By the way, how does Grimm, being a dwarf feels about the workmanship of the obelisk?

[Jernau35]

Wes

Wes looks at the treetops and around the area they are in for signs of birds and other animals.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Obelisk
Sunday, 21st of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Hot, Humid, Buggy

From the tree line, it is impossible for Grimm to discern anything about the obelisk or its tiered stone base. It is abnormally high, and made from a clear glass-like material he has never seen before.

Wes is glad that he doesn’t see an iron cooking cauldron, but the half elf does spot something on the other end of the clearing that looks like it might be a cage of some kind. The druid espies modest life in the nearby foliage, but as usual, it retains its distance from the party. Treasure just shakes his head and shrugs when asked if he understands any of it.

The trio already inside the clearing continue to look around, almost fixated by the long clear structure at its center. The larger hut catches Chauncey’s eye, but he gets no sense of added danger from Mr. Wrenley’s elevated prospective. Bonnie notices that there is some kind of rusty hanging cage dangled over a stoney well-like structure in the opposite corner. There is a large orange colored leathery patch on the thatch roof of the bigger hut, but what it is can’t be made out from this distance.

Once interest is shown in honoring the recently activated idol by bowing and chanting along with the strange slizards, they are quickly and aggressively ushered up towards the raised stone platform surrounding it. Positioned directly at the outer circle, but not crossing it, they notice that none of the other scaly worshipers are touching it either.

There is a shaman type dressed slightly different from the others, in a long orange shimmering sleeveless smock, standing across the platform who seems to be the one leading the ceremony. He is waving around a wooden rod with a fist sized stone sphere attached to the top like some bizarre jungle scepter.

There is a plaque or sign affixed about 5 feet up from the bottom of the clear obelisk, but it is facing west, and difficult to make out from the current view looking north.

Actions?

Stand by for new diorama view.....(and story behind it)

200E7F42-9A58-490F-A9E7-D0665B4571AF.jpeg (104.26 KiB) Viewed 463 times

Bonnie AC5 17/17
Cealwyn AC3 17/19
Paul AC6 7/7
Luther AC3 30/30
Chauncey AC8 21/26 CL, DM, RM first 2/3 second 0/2
Mr. Wrenly AC7 4/4
Wes AC7 34/34 first 5/6 second 3/4 third 3/3
Avaala AC8 12/12 CL, DM, RM first 2/2 second 1/1
Treasure AC2 12/12 35%MR
Grimm AC5 10/10
overall map: viewtopic.php?p=366477#p366477

[SirOwen]

Avaala the Grey

When the three diplomats are suddenly rushed towards the obelisk, Avaala looks like he is about to charge into the village. But when it looks like they are being presented to a leader, he settles back into the foliage. "OK, maybe not so bad. Talking to their leader was the whole plan, right? Well sort of... it's a start at communication, anyway,"

[Jernau35]

Wes

"The one that looks like a shaman," says Wes. "He's wearing orange. And that building over there has some kind of orange roof. Do you think that's a temple?"

[Karaunios]

Grimm

"Well, if that building is different than the rest, it may well be a temple. Add to that that these lizards are here just to pray, apparently, since they don't seem to do anything else." He scuffs."Hopefully that priest will be more talkative, I wouldn't like waiting until they're done with their ritual tomorrow." He then keeps staring at the place, to see how the situation develops.