As this is rather boring but neccesary, I'd like to handle this chore in this topic.
What you have so far:
Three vials of a dull, bony white liquid. (Gavin)
One journal of madness, glanced over. (Saul)
One scroll of MAGERY. (Saul.)
I want imput on how far you're going to search, how throughly, and if you want to do anything with the items listed thus far or anything I post after. Also, third floor description incoming:
"On climbing the dank stone stairs to the climax of this maggot cursed pillar, you find a third great chamber. Long and wide, this room is covered with colored chalk drawings - pentagrams, diogremes and ritual symbols cover every inch of the floor. Skeletons and wretched talentless paintings of maggot strewn undead line the walls, the roof painted pitch black and adding a starless night's foreboding. Lining the wall are pots, shelves, chests, barrels. All sorts of things in storage, often with chalky diagrams written and continued on them."
Let me know if you want to do anything specific as well as the parameters of your search. Thanks.
Saul will check out the room with detect magic and find traps before touching anything.
OOC: Completely putting this in at an appropriate moment, I'm collating our List of Stuff.
Three Vials of a Dull, Bony White Liquid
Journal of Madness
Trapped Barrel full of moving things
Ivory-Carved Skeleton
Darkstone Dagger
1 SHINY Coin
Mage Scroll
Mage Scroll
Wizards Log
Zombie Spellbook
3pp
32gp
30sp
25cp
There is an extremely dull but pervasive aura of magic in this room. Magical detection is difficult and erratic due to this background aura. However, one of the barrels does trip your Detect Trap spell, half hidden behind a few other wooden barrels.
Saul moves to inspect the barrel closely, hoping to figure out just what would actually set off this trap.
You think it's quasi magical for the methodology, but you can't be 100 percent sure under the circumstances. However, your magics are certain on the point that opening or trying to shatter the barrel would be a ill advised.
Saul doesn't do either, instead heading to Seryf- "Can you take that barrel outside?" he asks, indicating it. "It's trapped, so don't open it, but it should be save to move around- if you're careful. Since it's a magical trap, we should probably make sure it's not in this room, which is.. well, radiating magic all over the place."
After he's told her that, Saul starts rifling through all the pots, shelves chests, and *other* barrels, in that order, particularly interested, as usual, in books.
"Right right," Seryf sighs, noit making any comments about not being a porter. Adventurers had to do evertyhing, right? Taking the barrel with both arms, she lifts, trying to take it outside.
OOC - Seryf, will you make a Dex check with a -2 bonus in #mk and post the result here first?
OOC - Pass of 9.
Seryf carries the barrel downstairs and outside. This by and large goes without incident until the end. However, as she does move it, she becomes aware of something. There are ever so slight vibrations and movements inside the barrel, as if tiny things are creeping in it's wooden depths.
---
OOC - Roll 1d20, Saul.
[23:42] <%Carthrat> roll 1d20
[23:42] * Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=20 ]{20}
"Saaauuulll..." Seryf calls, backing away from that barrel once outside. "There's something moving in this barrel," she informs the other elf, eyeing the storage device warily.
"Well, ah, stand back! Opening it or breaking it will set off the trap, so unless you're feeling brave, there's not much we can do right now," calls back Saul, still looking through the room.
Seryf dutably moves back from the barrel, keeping an eye on it from the doorway, but otherwise remaining inactive.
Searching!
Saul searches the third floor! His execution is flawless, finding many a trinket and oddity! Only things of oddness or value will be listed - there's an unlisted mess of odds and ends of no real value. If you want to haul that stuff out and scan it or lunk it along in the hopes of a few more pence, let me know.
This is what is found by a basic barrel/pot/chest search!
Under a set of old bones in a pot is a black silk pouch. Looks well made, and it holds 6 Griffons, 6 Silver Tankards and 6 Copper Pence.
Lying behind a barrel is a polished bone or ivory(Unsure) tiny figurine - it's only a few inches total, fitting into the palm of your hand. A carefully carved skeleton's face with a hood, a leer of menace skillfull engraved onto it's face. It's well made enough to be of note.
Hidden behind a tiny sliding panel on a bookshelf is a small, clasped book. It's cover is of cloth, black if faded and old. As you touch it you get a feeling, a flair of sputtering magic strong enough to get your attention. However, it fizzles away almost instantly, as if the spell lacks something.
Behind the same bookshelf there is a hook. Hanging in nearly squished seclution is another pouch. It's dirty cloth, but inside you find three sets of coins with small holes in them. Each set has six silver tankards each, loops of them woven together for 18 Tankards total.
In a barrel you find a single copper pence mixed in with ashes, old and forgotten. No story here, just a grimy coin in the middle of something otherwise non descript. Your hands get rather dirty getting it out, however.
As you do a circle of the room, something catches your eye! Behind a bookshelf you notice a small segment of wall that juts out. On touch it gently clicks back, revealing a tiny recess hollow into the wall on the right. Inside is a tiny window above a pedestool. Sitting there is a grinning book - a rotted zombie's face is there, covered in feasting bugs. Sitting against the alter is a small chest. Inside are two darkstones - badly flawed gems, however, one cracked and the other having a heavy deposit of rusty iron in it's inner depths.
"Pocket change is still pocket change," mumbles Saul. "Waukeen is impressed by amount, not poetic quantity." He quickly opens the cloth book to have a quick search through it, however, (though he's not planning on touching the zombiefied book).
OOC - Saul, make an intelligence check.
[00:10] <%Carthrat> roll 1d20 intelligence!
[00:10] * Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=15 ]{15}
Pass by 2.
*hoists himself up from the floor and goes back up the stairs to the second floor, Serith in tow*
"Lets see what we can find, eh girl?"
*pats Serith behind her ears and starts his search*
It is a difficult read.
This is not a bad thing, however, as it plays to something Saul knows! This is clearly the diary of a mage. The writings begin on interesting but pendantic matters not worth going into - a lucid tone as magical theorums and applications are discussed. It is of interest in an academic sense for Saul. (+100 EXP bonus for mage only.)
However, dry text soon changes. As the nameless writer delves into necromancy, a frentic bent soon emerges, as well as a mention of them. Those lovely things, not named for five pages, and then only with a growing reference - maggots. Magical theory intertwined with paeans of love for these disgusting carrion creatures, a churning blend of necromancy, growing delusions, and maggots. Soon the talk loses any lucidity, ranting on about certain points 'Darkstone' 'Eternal life with those that are Lovely' 'Power' 'Those fools! I won't let them take it!' 'Worthless grandson! Worthless! Talentless!'
On the last pages the tone takes a shaking, triumphant quality. In sick detail the Wet Lung Disease is gone into, his decline heralded as a 'travel into the true form of existance!' and a promise of 'That the JEWEL will summon them all to me. I will be with the lovelys forever!' The last passage is a grim tale, exulting even as his hand shakes so much that his writing is difficult to read.
OOC - Darius, roll 1d20.
> roll d20
* Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Iddy : [ 1d20=6 ]{6}
Saul shakes his head as he puts away the book, musing to himself.
"And to think that I learned magic to raise myself up. For this one, all it did was pull him down," he murmurs, hands absently moving in a familiar prayer to Waukeen- one to again protect him from evil.
He walks over to the larger, zombie-faced book, and when he's suitably protected, starts leafing through it, hoping for it to merely be a spellbook with a fearsome cover.
This is not a task Serith likes.
While she complies, the barrels and bowls of maggots turn her stomach, the search one of through a farm of these foul creatures. Thus it is difficult to search, but Darius finds one thing of note before Serith begins to demand to leave strongly - just poking out from a deep pool of writhing bugs is a drawstring. Pulling it out reveals another simple cloth pouch. Inside you find a sight for tried eyes - bound in twine are six stacks of three coins each, ten copper pence on the outside of each three coin sandwich, and a golden griffon on the inside.
OOC - That's 12 CP and 6 GP total, in other words.
OOC - Saul, elaborate on what you just did?
OOC - I recast protection from evil on myself, then walked back to the creepy zombie book and opened it.
*slings the coins over his shoulder and heads back down to the first level with a grimace of a churning stomach and continues to search there.*
"Ugh.. At least there's fresh air down here..."
Serith lies down once outside, resting and breathing in the cool evening air as she recovers. You are getting strong vibes that she'd rathern not go up there again if she can help it.
*rubs Serith's back a bit and leaves her to her own devices for now and goes back in, wandering around the first floor, idly looking for anything of interest, and to simply waste some time..*
The cover opens smoothly - far too smoothly. It opens as if well kept and oiled, the pages feather light and clean. But...but..but...!
Even on the first page you find MAGERY! Real magic, spells charted therein! The first one is simple and easy to read - you feel that you could learn this. The name of the spell is 'The etherial touch of the gravestricken', sending a grave cold chill to whomever the mage touches. You think, anyway. There are more spells within from what you see, too!
OOC - Darius, make another search check in #mk and post the results. 1d20.
Saul frowns as he glances over the spellbook. It is worth keeping for now, he decides, but he reminds himself to guard his mind well, and make sure he knows what he studies from it- being done in by his own mad hubris isn't an end he'd relish.
Stowing the grim-faced book in his bag, Saul heads back down to the first floor, checking out inside the fireplace, and inside the bed pillow.
> roll d20
* Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Iddy : [ 1d20=12 ]{12}
A small fragment of luck is in Darius's corner. As he pokes around, a chance glint of light calls his attention to something atop a dusty bookshelf. With a bit of reaching it can be brought down! A dagger is here - fine and oiled steel, clearly made to last. Further, the pommel has a tiny stone embedded, a bit of darkstone.
This is probably worth some money, one can muse, as he goes back to looking around. As he does, he notes a dim, gray pouch strapped to the side of a chair. Inside are three sets of six coins, banded together with cloth ties. 1 Pence, 1 Silver, 1 Griffon, 1 Hop, 1 Silver and 1 Copper. Three bands of coins just like this, three sticks of money.
OOC - That's 6 CP, 6 SP, 3 GP and 3 PP total.
Heading downstairs, Saul finds Darius hefting a small load of coins from a cache! Such events happen as he searches the fireplace - a sooty and foul smelling affair, and it takes a few minutes for Saul to figure out the trick to it. A fake brick is in the back, easy to pull out and reveal a cubby hole. It's darkish depths hold a cold, metallic tube. About two feet long, it's top half comes off to reveal an old, carefully rolled up sheet of parchment inside.
Saul nods to himself, stowing away the tube, and gives Darius a quick nod, before checking out inside the pillowcase(s).
RIP!
The sound of old cloth being rent is heard as Saul returns to his labor! Inside the pillowcase are 18 identical golden coins, glittering and shining as they fall to the bed!
OOC - Saul, make a save vs spell and post the result.
[23:56] <%Carthrat> roll 1d20
[23:56] * Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Carthrat : [ 1d20=4 ]{4}
Coooooin. Shiny coin. Beautiful coin. So Saul's vision is enraptured by one coin in a set, body still as he stares for long, painfully long seconds! It's not until a bit of drool splashes down from his chin to his hand that he recovers, tearing away his gaze from one perfect golden token in the set. You feel slightly dazed, but by Waukeen...what a coin!
Saul shakes his head as he pulls his gaze from the coin- but he puts it in a seperate pouch to the rest when he stashes away the money.
Still, he can't resist playing with it, as he walks outside, just fingering it and rolling it up and down his fingers a little. Pulling his mind away from it for a moment, he gets to the hard work of looking over his new scrolls, and new book.