Blur(permanant), Moderate Fortification, Mind Blank, CMD 51, AC 40, 183/183 hp Malgant Winterborn Thursday August 4th, 2011 5:55:48 PM
Malgant continues to stand sentinel on anyone that gets close enough for the turtle's jaws to reach, especially Zippwise since he knows his companions can take a hit before things become desperate. His healing should have also affected the turtle, hopefully reducing it's stress a bit and giving Aztyr a better chance of having her wishes turn out in a favorable fashion.
Active Spells Permanent +5 Greater Magic Fang on Malgant's horns Magic Vestment on Vauhwyt's buckler, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's armor, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's shield, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Status cast on Valanthe, Mac, Jass ,Vauhwyt and Aztyr, 32 hour extended duration Mind Blank on Malgant 24 hour duration Shield of Faith on Malgant, +4 deflection AC for 14 minutes
Brahmah 62/169hps wounded, AC 26 Thursday August 4th, 2011 8:47:20 PM
The ranger pulls out his Helm of Comprehend languages (which is slotless) and says, "Maybe the turtle could use this?" Looking at Mookie. "Since he is reluctant and for good reason." He smiles at the gnome. "If the turtle can understand all of us, maybe it would relax and actually enjoy our company. I have no more speak with animals prepared today, but maybe with a miracle can get us TALKING to this animal."
He looks for any wounds on the turtle and says. "Well, I can at least heal a wound or two." He preps to cast a Cure spell.
DMSteveK: Speak with Animals has a 1 min/lvl duration. Brahmah still has it active for a couple more minutes.
Nature Ready Spell List (prepped for village turtle protection) : Alarm x3***, Speak with Animals*, Hold Animal x4, Cure Moderate Wounds x3,Treestride x2
Brahmah 62/169hps wounded, AC 26 Thursday August 4th, 2011 11:33:46 PM
OOC: In that case, I think with the use of the Helm, and Speak with Animals, we should be able to handle things.
RR DM SteveK - Battle Aftermath d20+15=27 ; d20+17=32 ; d20+20=34 ; Friday August 5th, 2011 9:36:51 AM Jass of Downs (SteveK) AC 30 CMD 22 HP 148
Jass likes talking with the halflings, speaking with adoring crowds is something he is good at! And he works the crowd with skill, watching reactions and reinforceing the ideas that they are safe right now, they will be safe if they go to the Stone House in an attack, the heroes will end this menace, and it is all because of how great the heroes are.
Taking Brahmah's comment as a hint, Jass smoothly segues into... "and since the problem to all this is somewhere in the Lake, we'll need to do some diving. You had mentioned some water breathing potions before, yes? It might help us you know... hard to hold your breath for an hour, eh?"
Actions: Diplomacy: 27 Sense Motive: 32 Perception: 34
.......................
Atzyr casts Limited Wish asking for two small effects; placing the Turtle rightside up and calming it down. The two Rangers can attest to thier Animal Empathy that the second effect works, and anyone with eyes can see the first!
Vauhwyt sees if Mookie can help by grabbing the bird's Headband of Intellect and placing it on the head of the Turtle. Calm as it is, the Turtle does not attack the liontaur as she comes very near those snapping jaws.
Malagant stays on guard. The Turtle is not going to get a chance to bite someone with the minotaur around.
Brahmah, his Speak with Animals spell still in effect, can talk with the Turtle. Now that the Turtle is calm, he may actually answer too. It all depends on what the minotaur ranger wants to ask....
Jass works the crowd and seems to have them in the palm of his hand.
Mac and Valanthe are also on guard with the Turtle.
....................
Rightside up, calm, and 3 times more intelligent than it was a moment ago, the Turtle recognizes its situation and pulls in its feet and tail into its shell. Its head it partially out, eyeing Brahmah and Vorelle mostly.
The halflings are mesmerized by Jass' words. From everything the group has done, especially beating off the Turtles, they trust and have confidence in the heroes; Jass only reinforces that feeling.
Zippwise confirms the offer before. "Yeah, go ahead and keep the Staff and we got 16 potions that can help you breathe water. Take them too. And when you stop whatever is happening, we'll give you free Turtle rides for life!"
Brahmah 62/169hps wounded, AC 26 Friday August 5th, 2011 2:34:14 PM
The minotaur is on the spot and seems to be the focus, and Vorelle too, though, given the brief time with this group, Brahmah knows she'd rather stay out of the limelight, so he takes the lead in this endeavor.
For the turtles. "Do you not want to be trained for transportation purposes for the floating city?" Though the minotaur can't understand why this question is to be asked, when in the past the turtles seemed okay before.
"How many turtles call this lake home?"
"What is forcing you to attack these people?"
"We are sorry for hurting your friends, we were trying to protect these people, and everything we tried before over whelming force was not able to effect your friends." This is genuine and worth telling.
Vauhwyt (HP126+11, AC37/39vEvil) and Mookie in Gnome Form (HP63+17, AC31/33vEvil) d20+8=23 ; Friday August 5th, 2011 2:37:23 PM
Vauhwyt keeps watch while Brahmah talks with the turtle. Perception 23.
Blur(permanant), Moderate Fortification, Mind Blank, CMD 51, AC 40, 183/183 hp Malgant Winterborn 4d8+16=29 ; 4d8+16=32 ; d8+5=11 ; d8+5=6 ; d8+5=12 ; 4d8+16=22 ; 2d8+10=20 ; 2d8+10=18 ; Friday August 5th, 2011 3:48:11 PM "Possibly just asking it for what is happening from it's point of view will tell us something. Quite likely no one has stopped to ask something this dangerous what is happening to it. "
Malgant having used his channel energy to heal the group and the turtle already, will heal the hurt members of the group before they go anywhere away from the village.
Malgant uses cure light wounds two times and cure critical wounds once on Vorelle for 46 points of healing
Malgant uses cure critical wounds two times, cure moderate wounds two times and cure light wounds once on Brahmah for 104 points of healing.
Active Spells Permanent +5 Greater Magic Fang on Malgant's horns Magic Vestment on Vauhwyt's buckler, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's armor, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's shield, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Status cast on Valanthe, Mac, Jass ,Vauhwyt and Aztyr, 32 hour extended duration Mind Blank on Malgant 24 hour duration Shield of Faith on Malgant, +4 deflection AC for 14 minutes
Aztyr AC 27, 5 DR Fire - SR 18 - HP 167/167 Friday August 5th, 2011 6:38:37 PM
Aztyr stands back and lets others deal with the turtle now. She is happy with the results of her spell, especially since it was open ended, unlike when she folds it into a spell she has heard of before.
Wold's Blood Draws : 0/7 Wold's Blood in storage : 4/7 drop(s)
Spells on Aztyr :
Permenancied Spells
Arcane Sight Resistance Tongues See invisibility Greater Magic Fang +5 on Dragon Claws Greater Magic Fang +5 on Liontaur Claws Comprehend Languages Dark Vision Read Magic Telepathic Bond (everyone but Brahmah currently)
Non-Permenancied Spells on Aztyr :
Nondetection, Duration 30 hours (cast at dawn)(extended with rod) Magic Vestment +3, Duration 14 hours (used Wold's Blood, 1 drop from storage) Speak with Animals, Duration 15 minutes
Spells on others :
Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Duration 30 hours (last evening at 8pm)
Vorelle [AC 27; HP 106/152] d20+17=34 ; Friday August 5th, 2011 10:55:12 PM
Vorelle conveys to the turtle as best she can that she and her friends are not a threat, not food, and that they want to help.
[Animal Empathy 34]
AC 42 HP 211/ 211 Fire DR 20 / Cold DR 20/ Immunity to Rust Valanthe Friday August 5th, 2011 11:49:12 PM
Valanthe stands there watching the spellcasters go about their work.
RR DM SteveK - Battle Aftermath Saturday August 6th, 2011 12:09:18 PM Jass of Downs (SteveK) AC 30 CMD 22 HP 148
Jass also is interested in the answers Brahmah gets.
Actions:
...............
Brahmah takes the lead on questions using his Speak with Animals on the calm Turtle.
Vauhwyt keeps watch, not seeing anything out of the ordinary.
Malgant cures his friends and the turtle, as well as giving Brahmah another question to ask.
Aztyr stands back and lets others deal with the turtle now. She is happy with the results of her spell, especially since it was open ended, unlike when she folds it into a spell she has heard of before.
Vorelle conveys to the turtle as best she can that she and her friends are not a threat, not food, and that they want to help.
Valanthe and Jass and the halfling village all patiently wait for some answers.
................
The Headband of Intellect boosts the Turtle's intelligence to that of a smart dog, and so the answers are understandibly limited to the Turtle's experience, ability to understand, and ability to communicate.
"Do you not want to be trained for transportation purposes for the floating city?" - "Suuure", replies the slow and deliberate voice. "I do tricks, they feed me. Gooood trade."
"How many turtles call this lake home?" - "Lots" is the best answer the Turtle is able to come up with.
"What is forcing you to attack these people?" - "VOICE", the Turtle says with a shudder. "VOICE talks inside head, we must do. Scary. Veeery Scary."
"We are sorry for hurting your friends, we were trying to protect these people, and everything we tried before over whelming force was not able to effect your friends." - "Not my fault, not my... choice. VOICE does the choice."
"Possibly just asking it for what is happening from it's point of view will tell us something. Quite likely no one has stopped to ask something this dangerous what is happening to it. " - "We swim in water. Feel scared. VOICE finds us in water. VOICE makes us do."
Blur(permanant), Moderate Fortification, Mind Blank, CMD 51, AC 40, 183/183 hp Malgant Winterborn Saturday August 6th, 2011 10:12:53 PM " Oookkkkaaayyy, try these questions on him. Can only turtles hear the voice or do other things in the lake obey the voice too? How often does the voice command them to do things? Is the voice male or female? If the voice commands an action that is certain death, can they resist it?" The minotaur paces as he asks these questions, apparently weighing options and making and discarding plans in his head as he goes. Finally he turns to his friends, the ones he has known the longest and asks them a question." Could Viscous be doing this? She is old, powerful and sure of herself. This does not violate her confinement and would do harm to those in, on, and around the lake. To stop her we would likely have to set foot on her island and then she would be able to take her vengeance on us. I seem to remember she was quite keen on that, especially after we killed her young. That is the only known quantity anywhere near here that I can think of that could or would do this. There could also be something new though and I could be totally wrong. What do you think?"
Active Spells Permanent +5 Greater Magic Fang on Malgant's horns Magic Vestment on Vauhwyt's buckler, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's armor, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's shield, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Status cast on Valanthe, Mac, Jass ,Vauhwyt and Aztyr, 32 hour extended duration Mind Blank on Malgant 24 hour duration Shield of Faith on Malgant, +4 deflection AC for 14 minutes
Mac | HP:286 | Dam:0 | AC:31/T:18/F:27 | CMD:[57, Sun/Dis:60] | up to 5 AoOs:[AC:d20+30|4d6+45{CAC:19+|+2x(4d6+45)}] or CMB:[+33] Sunday August 7th, 2011 12:39:13 AM "Can we ask for good measure, Is it always the same voice, and if not, how many days has it been this voice?"
Brahmah 62/169hps wounded, AC 26 Sunday August 7th, 2011 7:11:58 AM
Brahmah repeats, quickly, because of time limitations, the questions asked by Malgant and Mac.
Vorelle [AC 27; HP 106/152] Sunday August 7th, 2011 3:31:04 PM
By now Vorelle is sitting next to the turtle, absently scratching its head.
"Also, ask if they can tell what direction the Voice comes from," she says.
Aztyr AC 27, 5 DR Fire - SR 18 - HP 167/167 Sunday August 7th, 2011 6:18:04 PM
Aztyr just waits while the others do the questioning through Brahmah. There is more to this than just Viscous' revenge. She may be behind it, but last time it was a god who wanted revenge, and that dragon took advantage of the situation. It seems that the halflings are doing what they should, but are they? "Brahmah, ask the turtle if this Voice has them attack any where other than here?" She goes back to thinking rather than talking.
Wold's Blood Draws : 0/7 Wold's Blood in storage : 4/7 drop(s)
Spells on Aztyr :
Permenancied Spells
Arcane Sight Resistance Tongues See invisibility Greater Magic Fang +5 on Dragon Claws Greater Magic Fang +5 on Liontaur Claws Comprehend Languages Dark Vision Read Magic Telepathic Bond (everyone but Brahmah currently)
Non-Permenancied Spells on Aztyr :
Nondetection, Duration 30 hours (cast at dawn)(extended with rod) Magic Vestment +3, Duration 14 hours (used Wold's Blood, 1 drop from storage)
Spells on others :
Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Duration 30 hours (last evening at 8pm)
Brahmah 62/169hps wounded, AC 26 Monday August 8th, 2011 5:36:59 AM
"By Domi! Everyone stop talking at once! It's impossible to hear the turtle for all your questions! Shees.... one at a time." The minotaur, not naturally the diplomat, is finding it hard to concentrate, listen for important questions and keep the turtle talking all at the same time. Suddenly the Captain was the center of attention for the first time in nearly three years. He didn't like it.
RR DM SteveK - Talking with a Turtle Monday August 8th, 2011 8:34:32 AM
ooc: Doing multiple posts over the weekend to get questions answered. This is not normal posting for me. :-)
Well meaning friends begin suggesting more questions to narrow down the answers, but Brahmah isn't used to this. Sorting all the comments out, he gives his next set of questions...
Can only turtles hear the voice or do other things in the lake obey the voice too? - "I ... don't know. I hear the VOICE. We hear the VOICE." The turtle visibly shudders when it speaks of the Voice.
How often does the voice command them to do things? - "Dooo things? Not ooften, but... always there. Always there... in the water."
Is the voice male or female? - "It is... not color, smell, or taaaste of male or female."
If the voice commands an action that is certain death, can they resist it? - The colossal turtle shakes its head from side to side. "Can't resist, cannnot resist. Mmmust obey."
Is it always the same voice - "Aaalways."
how many days has it been this voice? "Days?" The Turtle shakes its head. "Today. Since crawled out of waaater."
can they tell what direction the Voice comes from - "From waaater. From head."
does the Voice have them attack any where other than here? The Turtle shakes his head. "Nnnno."
And then Malgant brings up the possibility of Viscous, the Black Dragon imprisoned on one of the floating islands in the Black Lake. Thinking of the answers given by the turtle, the general consensus is while it would be possible, it is extremely unlikely. After all, even if she found a way to control the Turtles so powerfully that any mind-affecting spell wouldn't work, how would she know that the halflings would (and could) seek out the Heroes in thier hidden location? No, it is much more likely that such a large lake with so many mysteries would have but another mystery wrapped within its waters...
....
But it is too late to ask the Turtle anything more. Brahmah's spell ends. Not being able to talk with the ranger, the Turtle cants its head making the Headband fall off, and then withdraws completely into its shell. The rangers can tell it is still calm and relatively content right here, but are sure that no more useful information will be had from this animal.
Brahmah knows where the Turtles have been gathering between the two attacks, some miles off shore. (from earlier Commune with Nature spell.)
The halflings have given the Staff of Turtles and 16 Potions of Waterbreathing to the group.
A small wisp of smoke escapes from the Iron Boat christened the Silver Lady, proving that the boilers are not completely cold.
It seems the group has some decisions to make...
Vauhwyt (HP126+11, AC37/39vEvil) and Mookie in Gnome Form (HP63+17, AC31/33vEvil) Monday August 8th, 2011 12:38:27 PM
Mookie picks up his headband and puts it back on.
"Come on, Boss!" he says, his gnome voice still a little crow-like. "We got some Turtles to find!"
Vorelle [AC 27; HP 106/152] Monday August 8th, 2011 4:42:32 PM
Since they are (apparently) done with the turtle, Vorelle helps it get back into the lake.
Turning to her friends, she says: "We need to go under the water to find this thing, whatever it is, but we should probably try to narrow down the search area first, working on the surface. It's a big lake."
Blur(permanant), Moderate Fortification, Mind Blank, AC 35, 183/183 hp Malgant Winterborn Monday August 8th, 2011 6:49:10 PM " A few things worry me. If we all go o find and help the turtles, who will send them away again if they return to the village to eat more halflings? I am not unsympathetic to the turtle's plight, but if push comes to shove, the halflings have done nothing to deserve this and we said we would keep them safe. Also, they seem to lack the basics of self preservation and even though Jass has spoken to them to win their cooperation, I foresee another disaster the next time they are attacked. Many, too many, panicked and ran to where they would have died had we not stopped the turtles instead of to the safe house." " Additionally, if this 'voice' sees us coming it can martyr the turtles to defend itself. Turtles breathe air if I am not mistaken, though they can hold their breath for a very long time. If we even subdue one of them below the water I fear it would relax and drown. The repulsion prayer should have worked, but it is a powerful prayer and I prepared only one for today. I would not be able to use it again to get us through the crowd if they came against us, likely we would hurt or kill many of them without it." " A question does come to mind though. Could we resist this voice? The turtle was not certain if the voice was heard by other creatures. What if it commands us to attack the village?" "I have ideas about solutions to these questions, but want to hear your takes on them first? What do you all think?"
Active Spells Permanent +5 Greater Magic Fang on Malgant's horns Magic Vestment on Vauhwyt's buckler, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's armor, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Magic Vestment on Malgant's shield, 32 hours extended duration, raises the magic bonus to +4 Status cast on Valanthe, Mac, Jass ,Vauhwyt and Aztyr, 32 hour extended duration Mind Blank on Malgant 24 hour duration
Aztyr AC 27, 5 DR Fire - SR 18 - HP 167/167 Monday August 8th, 2011 8:04:22 PM "Well, I guess I can always come back and pick up whoever we leave here. Or Vauhwyt can come back, either will do."
Wold's Blood Draws : 0/7 Wold's Blood in storage : 4/7 drop(s)
Spells on Aztyr :
Permenancied Spells
Arcane Sight Resistance Tongues See invisibility Greater Magic Fang +5 on Dragon Claws Greater Magic Fang +5 on Liontaur Claws Comprehend Languages Dark Vision Read Magic Telepathic Bond (everyone but Brahmah currently)
Non-Permenancied Spells on Aztyr :
Nondetection, Duration 30 hours (cast at dawn)(extended with rod) Magic Vestment +3, Duration 14 hours (used Wold's Blood, 1 drop from storage)
Spells on others :
Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Duration 30 hours (last evening at 8pm)
Brahmah Tuesday August 9th, 2011 7:21:51 AM
"I don't think we have to worry about being compelled by the voice. If it could I think it would have told us to leave the turtles alone on this last attack." The Minotaur shrugs.
LOG ON