[IC]Secrets of the Fire Swamp

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:28 pm

Archimedes will seek out Thrull. You able to read any of these languages? he asks the rat, holding out the instruction manual. Don't want to take any chances.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:07 am

The rat looks over the pages, his nimble paws flipping the pages before stopping at the third section. "I know this. It is the script of the Scaly Ones," the reads silently for several minutes, turning the pages - there are only five to a section - and back again. "An intriguing item. It provides a fraction of the wisdom of the god - and is activated being worn - the position of the amulet when first worn determines the intensity of the effect. The full effect is quite substantial. But there are drawbacks. The increase is wisdom is mirrored by a corresponding decrease in vitality; the greater the wisdom, the greater the loss. The loss of vitality is not quite permanent - but if it is restored, the pact will be broken and the amulet will unbind itself." The rat scratches his chin. "Also, it gives care instructions to avoid corrosion. The gold isn't the problem, but the copper and silver are susceptible, and it suggests covering them with a light wax to avoid contact with corrosive elements. There's also a prayer to utter for customer service, but given the age of this booklet I would be amazed if anyone answered..."

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:14 am

Can I turn up the setting after I put it on? Archimedes asks.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:30 am

The rat shrugs.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Jul 28, 2016 2:28 am

Just gonna go with the highest then, Archimedes replies. Less worried about risking too much of my vitality than losing the maximum benefit from a good deal. Here goes nothing.

With that Archimedes sets the amulet to the highest setting and then puts it on.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:38 am

There is a slightly magnetic pull as the amulet attaches itself to Archimedes chest. Immediately, there is a sensation of cold that seems to leach throughout his system...and yet it comes with an unparalleled expansion of the mind. (Archimedes gains 6 points of Wisdom and loses 6 points of Constitution.)

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:29 pm

Archimedes stares blankly for a few moments, taking in the newfound wisdom (and lost life-force) before undoing the wyrmfang amulet and putting it in his pack. Gonna go get some maintenance supplies. he tells the others before heading off to look for a market stall that might sell wax for the triskelion.

radthemad4 · Post by **radthemad4** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 2:18 pm

Orr will head towards where he's supposed to meet the weavers.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 3:13 pm

Archimedes finds a pound of wax for only a single Quatloo, sold by a nice bee-person and wrapped in a kind of clear paper.

Orr heads to meet the weavers. The spider-folk greet him with ritual sibilants, and usher him in to the nest. The last thing he remembers is accepting a drink offered by a dusky maiden draped only in shadow, strands of silk woven into her long dark hair.

Morning washes over the valley of the fungus-people in a roiling fog, and the sounds and smells of the day assail Archimedes. As afternoon rolls around, Malagos completes the final arcane gesture and incantation, and his skeletal minion stands ready to perform its duty. Not long after, Orr arrives. He seems not too much the worse for wear, aside from a hangover and a tattoo of a spiderweb on one buttock (or what passes as a buttock for the aberration's anatomy).

radthemad4 · Post by **radthemad4** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 3:28 pm

Orr shambles towards the others clutching his forehead. "Ugh... Morning everyone. Uh, aftermorning. Mornoon. Aftermoon. Whatever..."

He'll look for a water trough and dunk his head in it.

CapnTthePirateG · Post by **CapnTthePirateG** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 7:39 pm

"Present arms", says Malagos to the skeleton, trying not to make some snarky comment about Orr's state. "Forward! Backward! Marrrrrch!"

Satisfied with the creature's performance, he turns to his companions. "Are we ready to go?"

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 9:09 pm

Archimedes will buy the wax, carefully applies some to the silver and copper bits of the triskelion, and rests for the night.

Upon waking up, Archimedes seeks out and addresses Orr, pleased that the choker survived the rites. ...Thanks, he says. Don't need this anymore, he says, holding up the wyrmfang amulet, so it's yours if you want it. Treats your natural weapons as magic weapons, although it doesn't increase their power otherwise. If you don't want it I'm giving it to Malagos' skeleton since that thing has claws.

radthemad4 · Post by **radthemad4** » Sat Jul 30, 2016 9:50 pm

Orr will pull his head out of the water and lean on his dog. Upon hearing Malogos, he seems to sober up instantly as his expression hardens and his fists clench. "Yes. Let's get that bastard." He'll climb on to his dog and then collapse forwards but somehow manage to not fall off. He'll dismount before actually entering the cave.

To Archimedes, "Anytime. Last night was great... Probably... It's all kind of a blur. Thanks, but I think the skeleton would probably be able to put it to better use."

Before heading out, Orr will buy a blindfold for himself and blinders for his three animals. He'll make them equip them and put on the blindfold right outside the cave.

(How about this: we all keep our eyes closed, Archimedes leads by scent, Malogos and Orr hang onto ropes tied to him? Also we use the herbs. Hmm... Capn, if you want to use the skeleton as bait, we could have it wear one of our shirts or something so it would smell like one of us. On the other hand that could give away our position and/or potentially ruin a surprise attack, so maybe not. I don't know)

CapnTthePirateG · Post by **CapnTthePirateG** » Sun Jul 31, 2016 4:04 pm

{We could do that.

Could also bring some mirrors, try to reflect the basilisk's gaze?)

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 4:00 am

(I'm good with that plan. Archimedes does fairly well with scent+pounce but you guys might want mirrors.)

radthemad4 · Post by **radthemad4** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 4:22 am

(Mirrors can't reflect gaze attacks. Mirrors can be used to look at a basilisk without being subjected to a gaze attack though, but I don't know if just looking at a held mirror the whole time and navigating using just it makes you immune to gaze attacks (maybe it counts as averting your eyes? (50% chance) )

Looking at the creature’s image (such as in a mirror or as part of an illusion) does not subject the viewer to a gaze attack.

)

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 1:43 pm

(It's your call.)

radthemad4 · Post by **radthemad4** » Mon Aug 01, 2016 1:57 pm

(Orr will be wearing a blindfold. Don't need to see to fireburst the thing (area effect) as long as Archimedes telepathically says where it is. You can take a mirror if you like, Capn)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Aug 03, 2016 7:20 pm

Leaving town, you proceed back along the trail you came from, into the strange fungal forest with its eerie twilight - though it is, as far as you can tell, still the middle of the afternoon. Past the sign, the trail drops off into nothingness, but now that you are paying attention you see signs of the basilisk - bits of broken "statuary," not all of it humanoid, and the scent of fresh-cut stone. Very soon, you arrive at the impromptu exit that you had made to the creature's lair - which has now been filled in and patted down, the stamp of taloned legs still in the muddy earth where it was disturbed.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Thu Aug 04, 2016 10:04 pm

Archimedes sniffs the air carefully for the scent of basilisk blood (I assume he knows the smell of it, having wounded the creature in melee a day ago).

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Aug 05, 2016 1:02 am

Archimedes smells something familiar...and after a minute's search finds a dab of soft earth with fresh blood.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Fri Aug 05, 2016 2:00 am

Basilisk blood here, Archimedes tells the others telepathically. Relatively fresh. He attempts to track by scent, if he can catch more of the blood smell (Survival +12).

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Aug 05, 2016 2:03 am

There's another patch, about 20 feet away, next to a set of deep clawed prints.

Darth Rabbitt · Post by **Darth Rabbitt** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:55 am

Archimedes will head over there to check for any more hints for a trail.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Aug 07, 2016 4:25 pm

It's odd - there aren't any tracks very near it - but taking his bearings from where the first blood splatter was, and this one, Archimedes can draw a mental line...and finds, about thirty feet away, lost in a stand of sapling-sized 'shrooms, a gaping hole in the earth. This would appear to be the entrance to the creature's burrow.