Chapter 2: One Bad Apple

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Apr 7, 2025 3:27 pm
A thousand years ago? How long has this wretched thing been alive? Damned faeries.

A huff of air rushes out Lauretta's nose. Trusting this thing was out of the question, but she didn't see much alternative other than returning to the village to put sick folk down like rabid animals. What infuriated her more than anything was the creature's unwillingness to offer any sort of guarantee that the party wouldn't be risking their lives for nothing. R3N-L3's sudden questioning of intent dragged her away from her inner thoughts. Not evil because the priest was buried in a temple? Does he actually believe that or is he gettin' at something? Either way, she had to press her own concern.

"If I'm gonna have to risk my life for your gem, the only condition I have is that I want some kind of certainty that Two Forks isn't going to overcome by that plague if we all happen to die in this temple. As it stands, there is some merit to the idea of us heading back to Two Forks right now and culling the plague the only way we know how. It wouldn't risk everyone in this region being endangered by our potential failure to get your damned gem back. If you can take that risk away, then you won't hear any more arguments from me."
Apr 7, 2025 4:58 pm
Tzal eyed the fey creature and then listened to what others had to say. All of them were making valid arguments and demands, so he asked about his, "I would be willing to help you recover the gem, but what guarantee do you give that you are going to keep your side of the bargain? Can you write it down somewhere, or are you taking an oath?" Aren't oaths something the fey creatures are bound by? He won't be able to go back if he took a oath.
Apr 7, 2025 6:47 pm
"The jewel is shiny, and it is mine!" Salty Lemon says to R3N-L3. He spits on the ground before turning to Lauretta and Tzal. "Fine, fine. I'll swear about oath on my faerie honor that I will give you the recipe for the soul sickness cure in exchange for the gem. And if you don't come back, I'll go to Two Forks and kill the smith and anybody else infected myself."

He grins, displaying his yellow, crooked teeth. "There. Satisfied?"
Apr 7, 2025 7:22 pm
"You could just cure them yourself, but you want to ensure we're going in with knowledge that their lives are still on the line, is that it? About what I'd expect from a faerie. But fine, that sounds agreeable to me. Failure is still terrible, but agreeable. What about the rest of you? If you are satisfied with the Salty Lemon, we should steel ourselves and head inside. As for you, goblin, guide us in the temple safely and I will let you go free."

Lauretta wasn't at all happy with leaving the fate of Two Forks in the hands of the grotesque faerie, but she'd bargained for about the best she could given the circumstances. Grasping the eight-pointed star pendent around her neck, she offered prayers to the High One, hoping for protection on their mission.
Apr 7, 2025 10:03 pm
"You said before that a village of orcs would be troublesome. But you also profess to hate humans. Which do you hate more?"
Apr 8, 2025 2:04 am
Wolfram listened in silence while his rage against the faerie simmered. He didn't trust the fey creature even a tiny bit and wasn't comfortable with the bargain. But he would go along for lack of a satisfactory alternative and because his friends wanted it so.

He nodded begrudgingly when Salt asked if they were satisfied, but he didn't hide the mistrust and hate in his eyes.
Apr 8, 2025 8:42 am
"I hate humans, especially these villagers for cutting down my trees," Salty Lemon says to R3N-L3. "But orcs are a danger to all, faerie and mortal alike. They make no distinction in those they slaughter."
Apr 8, 2025 3:58 pm
"Why did you simply not impose requests upon them?" R3N-L3 inquired of the faerie, appearing to not know otherwise. "These organics are remarkably easy to kill, you see, and not resistant to the elements like myself. You are, presumably, more potent than a villager. Hopefully you are also wiser, being more long-lived. Ask of them to only collect dead wood, and provide unto them some alternative material with which to build shelters more suitable to your taste. Or is that something you cannot do?"
Apr 8, 2025 4:20 pm
Because faeries are wicked bastards that only care 'bout themselves. Bet he thinks he personally owns every tree in this forest.

Lauretta thought to herself, not bothering to engage with Salty Lemon any longer. It would be a lesson that she left for R3N-L3 to discover himself. Instead, she merely continued her prayer, wielding the eight-pointed star with intent. Slim threads of golden light began to weave through the air around her as she incanted.
Apr 8, 2025 5:59 pm
Salty Lemon growls in annoyance. "I’m not here to debate my methods with you. Get the gem and I’ll come back for it!" With a puff of foul smoke, the wizened faerie vanishes!
Apr 8, 2025 6:35 pm
"I suppose the fae here do not know or are unwilling to guide humans to any suitable quarries." R3N-L3 said after a second, looking at the fae. Then he turned to the group. "The safest option, is of course, to execute the first patient and then any who are suspected of coming into contact with the smoke. They do not strike me as a charitable being, so any deal would be risky."
Apr 8, 2025 8:27 pm
Tzal sighed and said, "Lets go and find that blasted gem. Also, who knows if that's also a cursed one?"
Apr 9, 2025 1:32 pm
Rather than move forward with the others, Lauretta continued her prayers, briefly gesturing to the others for a pause. The threads of light closed in around her, coalescing into a solid shroud before condensing further. Finally, the glowing mass wrapped tightly around her form. A bright tabard bearing the red comet, a symbol of the High One, now protected her.

"Alright, I'm ready. I'm sure he's a right bastard, Renly, but it's the only choice we've got if we're trying to save their lives. If the worst should come, then we'll do what must be done."
[ +- ] Heavenly Raiment | Castings: 1, perform a ritual| Target: You | Duration: 1 hour (or see effect)
Last edited April 9, 2025 2:14 pm
Apr 9, 2025 2:22 pm
"Unfortunately, yes, Tzal," Wolfram remarks as he watches a glowing veil surround the priest.

"I am ready to get that blasted gem. I'm sure we can deal with it if it is cursed."
Apr 9, 2025 5:09 pm
The goblin you captured nervously leads you into the temple his band had been using as their lair. Inside the temple, you find roach infested hides covering the floor. Gnawed bones—chicken and squirrel—litter the floor. The goblins keep their loot—65 sp and one oddity—in a burlap sack hidden under a few rocks.

Painted eyes dot the walls and ceiling that stand intact, though most have been obscured by smoke from the goblins’ campfires.
OOC:
Anyone with professional knowledge of religion or the occult can make an Intellect roll with 1 bane.
[ +- ] Success
Finally, toward the back of the entrance, a sinkhole drops away. The hole stinks since the goblins have been using it as a latrine. Inspecting it reveals a cavity in the wall, about halfway down. This seems to be the only way to get to the tomb hidden beneath the temple...
OOC:
A Size 1/2 or smaller character can squeeze through the hole. A Size 1 character must make an Agility roll to do so. On a success, the character clambers through. On a failure, the character cannot and the hole must be widened, which takes 1d6 hours using tools. On a critical failure, the character becomes stuck and must be dragged out.
Apr 9, 2025 8:57 pm
OOC:
Could R3N-L3 try a strength check to widen the hole with a particularly strong blow? He's unlikely to be able to wriggle through the hole.
Apr 9, 2025 9:05 pm
OOC:
Sure, with 2 banes though. Only one try allowed, otherwise you have to squeeze or dig.
Apr 10, 2025 3:16 pm
After inspecting the hole for a few seconds, then looking at his bulky frame, R3N-L3 considered the impediment for another second, before suddenly lunging towards the hole, drawing back his fist to piston it into the dirt around it, trying to widen it forcibly.
OOC:
Result of 10, looks like I got the take higher command wrong
Last edited April 10, 2025 3:16 pm

Rolls

Strength Roll To Widen Tunnel - (1d20+4-2d6kh1)

(8) - (13) + 5 = 9

Apr 10, 2025 3:33 pm
To say Wolfram wrinkled his nose in disgust would be putting it mildly. The moment he leaned over the sinkhole, the stench hit him like a physical blow so foul he nearly vomited on the spot. Gagging, he staggered back in alarm, his boot catching on a root, and he nearly lost his balance.

Could he muster the gumption to ascend? He wasn't sure.

Rolls

Agility - (1d20+2)

(20) + 2 = 22

Apr 10, 2025 7:28 pm
Tzal felt disgusted to climb down through a sewage well, but he tried to keep his calm and kept himself from breathing the foul air. Holding his breath, he started his climb to get into the particular cavity.

Rolls

Agility - (1d20+0)

(6) = 6

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