Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[kruk]

As the others continue watching over the entire complex, contemplating which direction they should go first, Sir Crestbrook’s attention is suddenly directed towards the passage leading south. (Please see private thread)

done

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche was concentrating on observing the effect of tossing a stone onto the dais, and almost didn't hear Tlachtga's observation. He jerks his head up in surprise. "So ... a bovine symbol? Interesting. I concur with Miss Tlachtga's theory. The remaining question then is, does the central image refer to any minotaur, or a specific individual?"

Andron walks over to the wall to study the writings more closely with Tlachtga, offering the light from his torch to assist her. He'll examine the characters and color in particular, attempting to determine if they were written by the same hand, and also the relative age based on differences in color intensity. As he does so, he'll comment to nobody in particular, "I'll yield my opinion on where to proceed to those who came before. We can also stay here and attempt to capture any minotaur summoned by the dais?"

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag points to the tunnel heading north. "Wot about goin' up dat one? Der one dat smells like Cresty's 'air".

"Der smell's gotta come from sumfin. An' we're lookin' for stuff, right?"

[Storm11]

Saracen shrugs. I thought we were coming to collect the corpse? Mayhap we need to bring it here to the main chamber whilst we are still relatively healthy, so that when we need to flee we can scoop it up and leg it! he says pointing at their original tunnel.

Once Cora has been recovered I agree with you, we are searching for stuff and that aroma definitely means something. Perhaps we should not all bunch ourselves up this time hmmmmm. Maybe a few advanced scouts and the rest some ten paces back or something?

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Recovering the body first seems the right thing to do. Then we can figure out what next. Having a couple of scouts also seems a good idea."

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin instantly focuses all of his attention to the passage to the south. He then turns to the rest of the party to see if they heard the voice as well. Everyone, I just heard a strange voice from the south passage He then says what he heard in his best attempt to mimic the voice..Thisss wayyyyyyy..fiinnnnnd meeee..helllllllp meeeee. Give me a minute...

He turns back to the direction of the southern passage and focuses in on it in a way that only paladins can do.

Detect Evil in the direction of the southern passage and the voice source.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

Softly, so only those in the room can hear her, "I suspect that is a trap, probably the Medusa, but not sure."

[ravenn4544]

Alordan suggests, "..or we didn't fully destroy that amulet. Could it live on?"

Referring back to the conversation of the dais symbols "what if we put the dead minotaur on the dais? Would it work that way? It may send a message to who ever is on the other end though - they may send reinforcements.."

[Quonundrum]

While Andronichishche is analyzing by torchlight the writing on the wall, he faintly overhears through his concentration Sir Crestbrook's anouncement ...

Everyone, I just heard a strange voice from the south passage He then says what he heard in his best attempt to mimic the voice..Thisss wayyyyyyy..fiinnnnnd meeee..helllllllp meeeee.

Without even a glance back Andron continues with his work, offhandedly commenting, "Indeed? ... Interesting ... ". The poor fool is losing his sanity, so focused he is on this Cora he's hallucinating, hearing her voice. What in the name of Rao happened here?" Tlachtga's comment about the medusa and the possibility of a trap, however, causes him to pause and reconsider.

Andronichishche lays the bamboo pole and torch he's holding on the floor and retrieves a large tome from his backpack; script in an arcane font printed on the spine in bright silver with strange geometric sigils adorning the cover. From his overcoat he procures a small mirror and carefully places it between the center pages of the book. Andron holds the book in his left hand by his waist and retrieves the torch from the floor.

He turns to see Sir Crestbrook concentrating on something hidden within the darkness of the south leading tunnel, and decides to patiently wait for the paladin's assessment.

[Jernau35]

Maag

" 'ang on a second...". When Maag hears Sir Crestbrook talk about a voice coming from the southern passageway, the wheels start to turn slowly in his head.

"Dat's der passage we came out of when we left 'ere before. After we got moved in der dark an' we blew up der amulet. So dat is where we left der body of Cora. Derfore, I reckon dat is der way we should be goin'."

He grins at everybody, satisfied with his solution to the problem.

[wolfpack]

OK I have figured it out.

When the dais teleport a minotaur into the cave, the residual magic teleports any other beings already in the cave into the passageways. That is what happened to us last time, we were magically moved into the tunnels because a new minotaur appeared.

the wizard build this dais to summon the minotaurs to prevent anyone from coming in to loose the medusa on the world. That is why there are so many statues, they are minotaurs the medusa turned trying to escape and when a new one would appear the medusa would be teleported back deeper into the tunnels.

that's who you hear cresty, the medusa.

after he is finished gramble stands for a second and then shakes his head and rubs his temples.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"That makes sense, the question is how we use the knowledge and equally important we don't want to inadvertently release the Medusa on the island either."

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche suddenly blinks in surprise, turning his attention from the concentrating Sir Crestbrook back to Gramble. "Brilliant!", he exclaims. "Mr. Gramble, I believe you have solved the periodicity of the conjuration interval!". When this doesn't immediately elicit a response of understanding, he sighs and continues, "My apology, what I meant to say, is that I believe you discovered how frequently a minotaur is summoned. If I recall correctly, it was said just before the group was transported the torch had expired? That suggests then in about one hour, or the duration of Alordan's torch, we should expect a visitor." He points now to the stone dais.

Andronichishche begins to rub his chin in thought. "As to the theory with the medusa, it's certainly plausible but consider the statues outside of the cave. Also, the writing on the walls which seem to indicate the object of the writer's hatred is that which is being summoned. So, we have a remaining question. if this mysterious wizard did construct this dais, is it intended to summon a guard for the medusa, or is it an eternal punishment for the minotaur?"

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag nods approvingly. "I like it...I like it" he drawls slowly. "It's der best idea you've 'ad yet!" He claps Gramble on the shoulder.

"Mind you though....wot about all der minotaurs wiv 'appy faces an' stuff like dat? Shouldn't all of dem look angry an' stuff, like dey was about to kill der medusa?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Again, I hate to break up the great role play by blabbing out some new information, but here goes anyway.

Back To The Cave
Moonday, 15th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Rainy, Misty, Humid

With each member of the group gladly sharing their thoughts and suspicions, some of them with aching heads, several highly intelligent and well thought out theories are brought forth for everyone to ponder. Luckily, no new monster arrives on the stage while this is all being discussed.

Andron studies the scrawling on the walls with care, deducing that the "ink" used was likely blood. The messages look old, very old actually. The medium used is dried and cracked badly and actually flaking off of the rocky walls in some places. None of the writing looks any newer or older than the rest, but it has all been here for a good long time. All of it appears to be written in the same, spite filled hand.

Retrieving the dead body of the poor girl Cora, who was accidentally killed in here on their last visit, seems to be the groups first priority. Crestbrook tells the others that he has heard something.....a voice, coming from the southern passage. Maag reminds the group that her abandoned body was left in that direction. The paladin tries to determine if he can sense evil coming from that passage, but once he does, the only thing he sees in his mind is the tortured expression of poor Cora again. Has the chivalric warrior lost this gods given ability all together, or is there something more sinister at stake here?

Perhaps the awaiting dark passage will reveal the answer?

Actions?

map:

4E428C70-ADBB-4DA1-9416-171538A9CA73.jpeg (509.82 KiB) Viewed 448 times

Sir Crestbrook 11/11 LoH
Saracen 28/33 4/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Gramble 13/16
Lerrick 11/11 2/4 1st
Alordan 15/18
Andron 6/6 1/3 1st CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st RM: 1 (torch: 40'r/5.0T)
Tlachtga 8/8 1/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.8T)
Cu AC:3 13/13
Maag 12/12

[ravenn4544]

Alordan is puzzled by the voice - but not surprised. Seems this little island is as unpredictable and cunning as the big island is. What a surprise. Considering the options and the recent good ideas proposed, he suggests, "Let's wait here an hour. What harm would it do? It could help prove the theory and we'd be prepared to act. I doubt that voice is going anywhere just yet.... Cora isn't."

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin stands motionless, then burst out into tears...Cora...I'm so sorry. He then takes a couple minutes to compose hisself before he turns to the others. I'm afraid I have no new clues to help us solve the mystery of the caverns, only visions of the fallen priest. He struggles again to keep his composure.

Lerrick

OK I have figured it out.

When the dais teleport a minotaur into the cave, the residual magic teleports any other beings already in the cave into the passageways. That is what happened to us last time, we were magically moved into the tunnels because a new minotaur appeared. the wizard build this dais to summon the minotaurs to prevent anyone from coming in to loose the medusa on the world. That is why there are so many statues, they are minotaurs the medusa turned trying to escape and when a new one would appear the medusa would be teleported back deeper into the tunnels.

that's who you hear cresty, the medusa.

The cleric looks at the large fighter with new found respect. Very impressive Gramble. I've been wrong about you this whole time, the later statement she says in jest with a smile on her face.

OOC: Gramble's post reminds me off Will Farrell in the movie Old School where he takes on the master of debate, James Carville, and wins. He almost blacks out and can't remember what he said Gramble rubbing his temple cracked me up

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche nods approvingly at Alordan's suggested course of action. "I'm inclined to agree. The last thing we need is to be stuck between a medusa and a very irate minotaur. He glances over at the paladin, still lamenting over the fate of Cora. I wonder how long Sir Crestbrook would be willing to wait though, so close as he is now to the object of his obsession. "If the residual effect from the summoning did indeed teleport the group before, I suggest we wait just outside the cave entrance to hopefully avoid a recurrence."

Andronichishche tilts his head back over one shoulder to direct the group's attention to the wall he examined. "The writing, as you may have already suspected, appears to have been written in blood. The blood of what kind of creature is unknown. It was written quite a long time ago, and by the same hand. If it is the same minotaur doomed to be repeatedly summoned, I expect its mind may be rather unstable and negotiations to be difficult."

As Sir Crestbrook recovers his composure to reconvene with the group, Andron considers the nature of the voice that was heard. "This voice you heard?", he replies to the distraught paladin, "Did it sound like the fallen priest ... Cora? I mean no disrespect, but as Mr. Gramble alluded, this may be a ploy by the medusa to lure you into a trap."

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

As Sir Crestbrook recovers his composure to reconvene with the group, Andron considers the nature of the voice that was heard. "This voice you heard?", he replies to the distraught paladin, "Did it sound like the fallen priest ... Cora? I mean no disrespect, but as Mr. Gramble alluded, this may be a ploy by the medusa to lure you into a trap."

The paladin turns to Andron. It definitely wasn't Cora's voice. The "s" in the word "this" was extended an exaggerated length of time...more like a hiss...the sound of a...serpent...if one could talk. I believe now that the source of the sound was the medusa.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"I am fine with setting an ambush if everyone agrees. The writing I suspect is from the Medusa, not the Minotaur, but I have no evidence just a gut feeling if you will."

Tlachtga takes her spare sling and sees if she can rig a set of blinders for Cu.

"Best to be prepared for the Medusa."