Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[Storm11]

Saracen steps out of the cave entrance at the suggestions of the others, agreeing with everything that’s been said and put forward.

Sword and Shield at the ready, the holy champion watches the surrounding clearing, waiting for the trees and on the look out for any other enemies.

[wolfpack]

Gramble will wait with the others makinf sure he has the rope to pull an try and capture the minotaur with the net.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag waits near the entrance to the stone circle, but not close enough to be snagged by any wandering branch from a creepy tree. He keeps his crossbow ready.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

Tlachtga and Cu will stay close to Magg, hidden if possible, sling at the ready.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche nods at Tlachtga, agreeing with her instinct. "The evidence does suggest either the medusa or the wizard as the author of the writing, and we've seen much more to indicate the continued presence of the former ... however, if it was written in blood and she petrifies her prey, which blood would she have used?"

He walks outside with the others and stands near the central stone table, keeping a close watch on the rock formation just above the cave entrance.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan waits and watches but his melancholy percolates as he rehashes in his mind what has occurred in these tunnels so far. He has run through it so many times that the events get jumbled. "We keep talking about the medusa - wasn't Cara the medusa? Didn't she have snakes for hair or something?"

He doesn't really think about Sir Crestbrook hair trigger to go get her as he blurts out the question, so glances at hime side ways after the fact...

[kruk]

Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

The paladin puts down the 10 foot pole and equips his shield. He then steps outside the cave entrance and stands next to the holy champion. Hearing Alordan's comment makes Sir Crestbrook flinch as if he was going to do something, but thought better of it. He stays rigid with shield in one hand and his sword in the other.

Lerrick

The cleric takes position behind the paladin and the holy warrior. She looks outward behind the group facing the entrance looking out for any potential threats coming from behind the group.

[wolfpack]

No she wasn't the medusa, she had a bunch of snakes and worshiped the medusa or something.

[OGRE MAGE]

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

Just as they were each starting to dry out, the party decides to head back outside into the falling rain again, dousing their torches in the process. At least the raindrops hide the extremely emotional paladins man tears. Tlachtga rigs up a set of blinders for Cu from her spare sling as they wait.

Gramble takes the rope tied to the rangers exposed net still laid out on the floor and carrys it outside so he can attempt to ensnare a minotaur if one should appear.

Maag and Tlachtga wander over to the opening of the stone ring. There they see their old friends the trees already taking up part of the path they used to get in here. They don't move when they are being watched, but they have clearly moved around a little, even in the short time that the group has been inside the ring of standing stones.

The clearing is monitored closely and from every angle. The cave mouth is scanned constantly as the group discuss several theories as to what is actually happening here, but none of them seem to be adding up fully, as if there is still some piece of this puzzle missing. No monsters show themselves, inside or outside the cave, and after a full hour passes, the only thing waiting outside gets them is wetter.

Actions?

map:

79672C7A-DC97-4954-A1C1-F3BA98C23CE3.jpeg (753.18 KiB) Viewed 660 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 (torch: 40'r/4.9T) OUT
Tlachtga 8/8 1/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.7T) OUT
Cu AC:3 13/13
Maag 12/12

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag squelches his way back into the cave. "Well, at least der rain was warm", he says, pouring some out of his boot.

"Der woz dis one time back 'ome, I woz casin' dis big 'ouse, waitin' for everybody to go ter bed. It was chuckin' it down wiv freezin cold rain. I felt bad enough, but der brass monkey standin' next ter me woz cryin' 'is little eyes out".

"Der yer reckon dat der minotaur is only summoned by sumfin in der cave? Like a magical tripwire, sort of. Y'know, cross der line inside, an' der minotaur is summoned at der exit. Dat would make sense if der minotaur's job is ter keep sumfin' inside".

[wolfpack]

yeah and this is starting to bore me. let us just go cut the head off this medusa.

[kruk]

Lerrick and Sir Crestbrook the Mighty

Both the paladin and the cleric make their way back to the entrance of the cave. The paladin picks up the 10' pole again after stowing his shield, then waits for the others.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche follows Maag back into the cave and tosses his water soaked torch onto the makeshift bed. He proceeds to vigorously shake out his overcoat to cast off the accumulated water while listening to the thief's anecdote. Mr. Maag seems to have a larcenous past. What, I wonder, brought him to the island, then? Perhaps Constable Glansandi knows more ...

Andron nods in agreement with Maag's tripwire theory, adding, "Yes, the torch was most likely a correlation but not the causation of the teleportation. Mr. Gramble's theory is now the remainder, that the teleportation is linked to the medusa. We're missing a key variable to link this to the minotaur, though."

Andronichishche abruptly inhales a deep breath before slowly exhaling and presses the first two fingers of each hand onto his temples, his eyes closed, but relaxed. He then begins to trace the air before his face, eyes still closed as if he was drawing on an invisible wall. "To discover the missing variable we must review the entire equation ...", Andron intones softly. As he's drawing on the unseen canvas, he calls out each section in turn. The result of which would look very similar to the below map with minor variations due to gaps in the recollections as previously relayed to him.

I'm assuming the group has held back on the specific details of Cora's demise.

Moving an index finger now as if connecting different points on the map, Andron recites a sequence of events from the group's previous incursion. "First minotaur ambush ... group moves into north tunnel ... multiple minotaur statues ... tunnels very clean ... Cora encountered wearing snake amulet... kobold statues ... snake pit ... she radiated evil with faint, snakelike features ... Cora dies ... torch goes out, group teleported ... new tunnels are dirty, cobwebs ... bovine and human tracks, latter too large to be Cora's ... wizard must pay reference on wall ... amulet causes sympathetic response ... amulet destroyed ... snake visions from evil mist ... second minotaur encountered."

Upon completing his recitation he blinks rapidly as if re-orienting himself. With eyes now open again, "I'm inclined to believe Mr. Maag's theory, but I suspect the amulet was the cause for the trigger, per Mr. Gramble's theory that the medusa is teleported back from the cave's exit. The minotaur is indeed a guard and Miss Tlachtga's instinct also likely correct, the writings are of the medusa. Hence the invective directed at the mysterious wizard. The amulet I fear may have contained some essence of this medusa, explaining why a cleric of Athena cultivated a pit of snakes and had ethereal snakelike features. Cora likely did arrive with her original intentions ... until she found the amulet. The minotaur guard may still be summoned again without an arcane trigger, but I fear with the destruction of the amulet a part this evil was freed, which we are now obligated to expunge. Achieving this objective and the recovery of Cora's remains must then lead us into the south tunnel."

Convinced that the relevant variables have now been identified, Andronichishche retrieves his discarded bamboo pole and awaits the others inside the cave.

[wolfpack]

Andronichishche "To discover the missing variable we must review the entire equation ...",

It was my understanding there would be no math

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Ready to go."

Cu at her left side.

[Storm11]

Saracen ponders the wizard-priest’s words carefully.

A fabulous assessment of our current situation elfkin with the unpronounceable name. There’s one thing that has puzzled me greatly about this whole endeavour. Wizards are supposed to be smart yes, powerful wizards smarter still. So why would a wizard, who knows the medusa ha the power to look at her prey and turn it to stone, leave summoned guardians that could see? There are plenty of dangerous creatures that don’t use conventional sight to sense their prey. Seems kind of useless. And it’s clear she is still trapped regardless of all the Minotaurs that don’t seem to be a problem for her.

He re-enters the cave, shakes himself and his cloak and robes in an effort to dry off, and moves to his place in the marching order.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche acknowledges Saracen's reply with a nod, "Agreed on both counts, son of the Blinding Light. The disposition of the summoned minotaur, as a guard, vexes me as well. Also as yet undetermined if it's the same minotaur with every conjuration." He stops abruptly and smiles saying, "Oh, and my name has proven difficult to pronounce, it's archaic and one I gave myself. You may call me Andron, if you prefer."

Andron pauses momentarily in contemplation before continuing. "As it appears the medusa may be imprisoned in separate forms, her physical form, if she has one now, I suspect lacks the petrification gaze. The minotaur may serve more to prevent intruders, such as ourselves, from interfering. Cora, or a previous host of the amulet translated the ire of the medusa upon the walls. If I allow myself to fully conjecture ... based on what we know and the presence of minotaur statues both within the cave and without, I believe there were many minotaur that once lived on this island. It is they that likely built the stone circle. The medusa then arrived and petrified many of them until the mysterious wizard appeared, leaving his cats on the beach, perhaps for safety. The wizard imprisoned the medusa, partially in the amulet, and constructed the wards. What become of him or her is as yet completely unknown, though."

Andronichishche finishes drying out his overcoat and slips it back on over his shoulders, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric with his hands. "One thing we do know for certain, nothing on this island must be taken as it appears, especially now with the amulet destroyed and this new serpentine voice that Sir Crestbrook heard. We cannot allow this evil to escape and threaten the town."

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"I think the time for talk and theory are now past. The time for action has come. Into the tunnels. Assume the medusa can't turn you to stone at your own peril"

Tlachtga re-lights her torch and slides the improvised blinders over Cu's eyes.

[Quonundrum]

Tlachtga

"Into the tunnels. Assume the medusa can't turn you to stone at your own peril"

Andronichishche briefly appeared confused at Tlachtga's warning, "Indeed not, quite to the contrary, Miss Tlachtga. It was mere speculation, but based on what has already been experienced on this isle, whatever form the medusa has now may not initially appear as one, hence the urgency for extreme caution from here on in."

Heeding his own advice, Andron retrieves the small hand mirror he had stashed in his spell book and keeps it at the ready in his right hand.

[OGRE MAGE]

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

Once their hour long experiment is over, the soaked explorers head back inside to wring out their clothing and discuss their options some more. After much hypothesizing, conjecture, and speculation, they find themselves no closer to solving this strange mystery as they were when they first got into the fishermen's boat.

Lighting up their torches again, the group lines up in front of the southern passage and prepares to head back into the dark, narrow tunnels. The groups mage seems very interested in solving the mystery of the medusa and the wizard, offering his thoughts often as they continue to discuss what has happened in here so far. None of the group who were here initially seem interested in sharing the fact that poor Cora was accidentally but brutally murdered in a horrible case of mistaken identity. No matter, that probably wont be an issue in the big picture scheme of things.

Picking up their long bamboo poles again, the leaders of the expedition start heading in. Tlachtga fixes her makeshift blinders on her dogs head as Andronichishche readies his gifted mirror.

Actions?

map:

2EDDEB58-52BB-4C65-8CC8-DFDBB688BAB9.jpeg (850.89 KiB) Viewed 608 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 (torch: 40'r/4.9T)
Tlachtga 8/8 1/4 1st (torch: 40'r/5.7T)
Cu AC:3 13/13
Maag 12/12