The flute has a disturbingly potent aura of both necromancy and evocation. Which is definitely a weird combination. Maybe?
The BOTTLE the fluid is in is giving off an aura of transmutation. The fluid itself doesn't seem to be magical.
The scroll case... doesn't appear to be magical at all? Or at least it has no detectable aura. It just looks like a really sweet scroll case. I mean, seriously, it's one absolutely SWEET scroll case.
The music box doesn't seem to be magical, either, but it DOES look really pretty.
"Of course I had to do all the work! The useless loafers. They thought that just because I was smaller and less awe inspiring that it was just fine to push me around all the time!" the djinn complains, crossing his arms wit a huff. "By the way I disarmed the trap on that door while you were faffing about in that cupboard. The blade's for taking off your hands when you try to open it."
The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace stuffs the items into his pockets. He's already mostly out of pocket space.
"Well, your help is appreciated. For the record, I don't know if material goods are of any use at all to you, but if they are you are welcome to a share of these treasures for helping me. I'm only here for the poking stick. If you're the djinn of clockwork this music box seems like it's more your wheelhouse." he offers the djinn as he carries the lamp over to the door it is discussing.
"Well, your help is appreciated. For the record, I don't know if material goods are of any use at all to you, but if they are you are welcome to a share of these treasures for helping me. I'm only here for the poking stick. If you're the djinn of clockwork this music box seems like it's more your wheelhouse." he offers the djinn as he carries the lamp over to the door it is discussing.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
See this is why you should keep a backpack on you at all times like your daughter does, Jace.
Anyway!
Jace offers some stuff to the djinn.
"Why would I want THAT junk?" the little impish creature replies. "Don't you know ANYTHING about Djinnestan? Oh who am I kidding, of course you don't. Humans never know anything."
What a little jerk.
"You want to pay me for my work? Take that music box, put it on the ground, and then smash it with that rock over there."
He points at a pile of rubble from where part of the sandstone wall fell in.
Anyway!
Jace offers some stuff to the djinn.
"Why would I want THAT junk?" the little impish creature replies. "Don't you know ANYTHING about Djinnestan? Oh who am I kidding, of course you don't. Humans never know anything."
What a little jerk.
"You want to pay me for my work? Take that music box, put it on the ground, and then smash it with that rock over there."
He points at a pile of rubble from where part of the sandstone wall fell in.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace decides not to tell the creature that he probably doesn't know much about it because most of its culture may or may not be based on an entirely other world's at best and was made up by Fortuna an hour ago at worst.
"If that's the payment you want, sure. Seems like an awful waste."
Jace does what the djinn requests as a promise is a promise. He doesn't enjoy destroying a piece of art like that, though.
"Well if it's scraps you wanted, there you go. I'll be getting back to the quest now." He can pick up the pieces for the djinn but otherwise he's going to go open the now-untrapped door.
"If that's the payment you want, sure. Seems like an awful waste."
Jace does what the djinn requests as a promise is a promise. He doesn't enjoy destroying a piece of art like that, though.
"Well if it's scraps you wanted, there you go. I'll be getting back to the quest now." He can pick up the pieces for the djinn but otherwise he's going to go open the now-untrapped door.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Probably not made up by Fortuna.
Probably.
More likely she just found somewhere that had what would be needed and snapped Jace over there.
Again.
Probably.
Anyway! CRUNCH goes the music box! The djinn seems to take a great deal of pleasure in the destruction of the delicate machine and the defacing of its beauty. Which is, of course, terrible. It gathers up the ruined remains of the clockwork device and stows it away...
Somewhere.
It isn't totally clear where.
Then Jace opens a door!
Beyond is a wide, round chamber with scowling beast faces above the doors to the north and east, including the one Jace just came through to the west. In the center of the room is a large globe that appears to represent the night sky? It's made of faintly luminous blue stone and studded with diamonds for the stars with lines of inlaid gold between them to represent the constellations. It looks like three armatures are designed to connect to the top of the dome for indicating specific locations on it, but they're missing. Surrounding the dome in a rough circle is a large shelf, a glass-faced curio cabinet, an ablution fountain, and a table made completely out of dog bones. All three pieces of furniture are stacked with various objects.
The ceiling of the room isn't visible. It looks... dark up there? Like it's obscured by a patch of darkness or thick black fog. Now and again a twinkling light flashes within the tenebrous mass.
Probably.
More likely she just found somewhere that had what would be needed and snapped Jace over there.
Again.
Probably.
Anyway! CRUNCH goes the music box! The djinn seems to take a great deal of pleasure in the destruction of the delicate machine and the defacing of its beauty. Which is, of course, terrible. It gathers up the ruined remains of the clockwork device and stows it away...
Somewhere.
It isn't totally clear where.
Then Jace opens a door!
Beyond is a wide, round chamber with scowling beast faces above the doors to the north and east, including the one Jace just came through to the west. In the center of the room is a large globe that appears to represent the night sky? It's made of faintly luminous blue stone and studded with diamonds for the stars with lines of inlaid gold between them to represent the constellations. It looks like three armatures are designed to connect to the top of the dome for indicating specific locations on it, but they're missing. Surrounding the dome in a rough circle is a large shelf, a glass-faced curio cabinet, an ablution fountain, and a table made completely out of dog bones. All three pieces of furniture are stacked with various objects.
The ceiling of the room isn't visible. It looks... dark up there? Like it's obscured by a patch of darkness or thick black fog. Now and again a twinkling light flashes within the tenebrous mass.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
"So I figure we need to disarm those doors too if I don't want to get bitten, eh? I'll have to look around."
Jace goes over and sets the lamp down on the table (it seems less flammable than the cabinet) and starts looking around at the various objects to see if any of them might have something to do with the globe and the doors.
Jace goes over and sets the lamp down on the table (it seems less flammable than the cabinet) and starts looking around at the various objects to see if any of them might have something to do with the globe and the doors.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
The table DOES look pretty non-flammable, being made of bones and all.
Hunting about, Jace will find the three missing mechanical components. One looks like some kind of pointer that was behind a book on the shelf. The second was behind the (unlocked) glass door of the curio cabinet and has a large ring on the end of of a short arm. The third, sitting on the table right next to a collection of glass containers full of bubbling fluid, is the third component which appears to attach to the other two.
Once they've been assembled they'll form an indicator that can be rotated and twisted to indicaite any of the constellations on the dome.
The dome appears to depict the 12 classical Greek zodiac signs.
But!
How is he to figure out which one needs to be pointed at?
Maybe the beast faces above the doors are a clue? A ram, a lion, a goat, and a bull.
Hunting about, Jace will find the three missing mechanical components. One looks like some kind of pointer that was behind a book on the shelf. The second was behind the (unlocked) glass door of the curio cabinet and has a large ring on the end of of a short arm. The third, sitting on the table right next to a collection of glass containers full of bubbling fluid, is the third component which appears to attach to the other two.
Once they've been assembled they'll form an indicator that can be rotated and twisted to indicaite any of the constellations on the dome.
The dome appears to depict the 12 classical Greek zodiac signs.
But!
How is he to figure out which one needs to be pointed at?
Maybe the beast faces above the doors are a clue? A ram, a lion, a goat, and a bull.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Hmm. That's all the ingredients of Chimera! And also a bull.
"Am I going to need to go in all these rooms by the end of the day?" Jace asks the djinn as he assembles the arm.
Once he gets that working he will attempt to get the pointer looking at the proper constellation. There seems to be a ram on one door, so he can start with the goat-y constellation.
"Am I going to need to go in all these rooms by the end of the day?" Jace asks the djinn as he assembles the arm.
Once he gets that working he will attempt to get the pointer looking at the proper constellation. There seems to be a ram on one door, so he can start with the goat-y constellation.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Untrue!
There is no snake and/or dragon.
The buttsnake is a very important component of Chimera.
"I don't know?" the djinn retorts. "You're just here for that stick for poking the eye of God, aren't you?"
A good question.
BUT! When Capricorn is indicated the eyes on the goat statue begin glowing with stellar light! Either... that means it is now safe or it will vomit acid all over Jace. Definitely one of those two things.
There is no snake and/or dragon.
The buttsnake is a very important component of Chimera.
"I don't know?" the djinn retorts. "You're just here for that stick for poking the eye of God, aren't you?"
A good question.
BUT! When Capricorn is indicated the eyes on the goat statue begin glowing with stellar light! Either... that means it is now safe or it will vomit acid all over Jace. Definitely one of those two things.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
"Pretty much, yeah. I figured you might know which direction I should be going, though. After all, the faster I finish the faster you'll never see me again."
Still, Jace attempts to open the door.
From the side, at least. He's not taking too many risks.
Still, Jace attempts to open the door.
From the side, at least. He's not taking too many risks.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
It is worth noting that the Jace came through the bull door to the west. The goat door is to the south, the ram to the north, and the lion to the east.
So!
Then he heads through the goat door!
It does not blast him with GOAT RAYS. It just opens up into a small closet full of smashed clocks of various kinds. At the sight of them, the djinn gasps is avaricious glee!
"I never knew those where in here! These look like they were all priceless treasures smashed to bits! This is a pile of wealth fit for the King of Sunday!"
Who...?
"If you tell me that these clocks are all mine then I'll tell you exactly where the key you need is! No tricks!" the djinn promises.
So!
Then he heads through the goat door!
It does not blast him with GOAT RAYS. It just opens up into a small closet full of smashed clocks of various kinds. At the sight of them, the djinn gasps is avaricious glee!
"I never knew those where in here! These look like they were all priceless treasures smashed to bits! This is a pile of wealth fit for the King of Sunday!"
Who...?
"If you tell me that these clocks are all mine then I'll tell you exactly where the key you need is! No tricks!" the djinn promises.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace blinks. He glances at the clocks and moves one or two on the top to check but it seems like it’s broken things all the way down.
”Well I certainly have no need for broken treasures. Very well. All the broken things in here are yours unless they are somehow required for my quest. Which I’m sure they’re not.” But better to cover his bases just in case.
”Well I certainly have no need for broken treasures. Very well. All the broken things in here are yours unless they are somehow required for my quest. Which I’m sure they’re not.” But better to cover his bases just in case.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
The little djinn begins cackling maniacally as he begins picking up the broken clocks and stuffing them...
Somewhere?
Why on earth would he be so into broken clocks?
It doesn't even make any sense.
Once the whole mound of clocks has been shoveled away into Djinnistan or wheverever the heck it's going the impish creature points toward the ram door. "That way. And there's a hidden passage beyond. In the secret room you'll find the first key you'll need to reach the stick for poking the Eye of God."
He sure is helpful all of a sudden.
Guess he really DOES like broken clocks.
Somewhere?
Why on earth would he be so into broken clocks?
It doesn't even make any sense.
Once the whole mound of clocks has been shoveled away into Djinnistan or wheverever the heck it's going the impish creature points toward the ram door. "That way. And there's a hidden passage beyond. In the secret room you'll find the first key you'll need to reach the stick for poking the Eye of God."
He sure is helpful all of a sudden.
Guess he really DOES like broken clocks.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace is not going to question the proclivities of strange outsiders.
”That’s very helpful, thank you.”
Jace will have to go back and readjust the puzzle arm to open the door the Djinn indicated but that shouldn’t be too hard.
He just has to trust that it isn’t trying to get rid of him.
”That’s very helpful, thank you.”
Jace will have to go back and readjust the puzzle arm to open the door the Djinn indicated but that shouldn’t be too hard.
He just has to trust that it isn’t trying to get rid of him.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
The djinn responds by cackling like an idiot while shoveling away broken clocks into...
Somewhere.
Nowhere?
Who knows.
Anyway!
Jace heads through the door and finds himself in another chamber with walls made of pleasing geometric tiles of bronze and wood. There's a large bronze pot in one corner with a pomegranate tree growing in it, covered in (and surrounded by) heaps of rotten fruit. It smells pretty bad. There's also a forge set up along the wall, along with an anvil and a table. It looks to be meant for making bronze clockwork, judging from the tools and molds nearby. Against the east wall stands a large statue of a fearsome looking djinn with a way-too-long tongue sticking out of his mouth. The floor to the statue's right looks scraped in an arc tracing away from the statue as if it gouged the floor swinging open at some point.
Probably the secret door the djinn was talking about.
Somewhere.
Nowhere?
Who knows.
Anyway!
Jace heads through the door and finds himself in another chamber with walls made of pleasing geometric tiles of bronze and wood. There's a large bronze pot in one corner with a pomegranate tree growing in it, covered in (and surrounded by) heaps of rotten fruit. It smells pretty bad. There's also a forge set up along the wall, along with an anvil and a table. It looks to be meant for making bronze clockwork, judging from the tools and molds nearby. Against the east wall stands a large statue of a fearsome looking djinn with a way-too-long tongue sticking out of his mouth. The floor to the statue's right looks scraped in an arc tracing away from the statue as if it gouged the floor swinging open at some point.
Probably the secret door the djinn was talking about.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace has never seen a pomegranate tree before so he can't be sure if they are supposed to smell like that. Either way he avoids it as he doesn't seem to have any business in this room aside from the secret door.
The djinn didn't give him any hints on how to open it so he's just going to walk up and attempt to use his basic door-opening spells to get the tile to swing open.
The djinn didn't give him any hints on how to open it so he's just going to walk up and attempt to use his basic door-opening spells to get the tile to swing open.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace has seen a pomegranate tree now!
There it is.
Right over there.
It's clearly some sort of fruit tree but it hasn't been taken care of. Or maybe it was taken care of too much? Djinn DO prefer gross rotten things as food so maybe this is intentional and for them? That would probably make some degree of sense given that djinn apparently built and maintain this place.
Anyway!
Spell!
Jace's door opening spell makes the door open!
Unfortunately the actual door is on the other side of the statue concealing it so this doesn't actually help Jace at all. Nice try, though?
There it is.
Right over there.
It's clearly some sort of fruit tree but it hasn't been taken care of. Or maybe it was taken care of too much? Djinn DO prefer gross rotten things as food so maybe this is intentional and for them? That would probably make some degree of sense given that djinn apparently built and maintain this place.
Anyway!
Spell!
Jace's door opening spell makes the door open!
Unfortunately the actual door is on the other side of the statue concealing it so this doesn't actually help Jace at all. Nice try, though?
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Well clearly Jace needs to find a way to move the statue.
He'll start with knocking on the statue looking for hollow spots. Then he pulls on the giant tongue. And THEN he goes around the forge looking for hidden levers. There's probably one of those somewhere.
He'll start with knocking on the statue looking for hollow spots. Then he pulls on the giant tongue. And THEN he goes around the forge looking for hidden levers. There's probably one of those somewhere.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Yep pulling on the giant conspicuous tongue does it.
It slides down with a click and a hidden latch releases, allowing Jace to slide the door to the side. Beyond it is a smallish chamber with a pedestal at the middle sporting a big shiny key sitting atop it. No doubt that's what he's after.
There's just one problem.
ALSO in the room is one (1) ghoul.
The ghoul is sitting in a folding lawn chair wearing a floral shirt and reading a book. It doesn't appear to be paying any attention to Jace.
Honestly it's anyone's guess why the ghoul is in here and where it got that stuff from.
It slides down with a click and a hidden latch releases, allowing Jace to slide the door to the side. Beyond it is a smallish chamber with a pedestal at the middle sporting a big shiny key sitting atop it. No doubt that's what he's after.
There's just one problem.
ALSO in the room is one (1) ghoul.
The ghoul is sitting in a folding lawn chair wearing a floral shirt and reading a book. It doesn't appear to be paying any attention to Jace.
Honestly it's anyone's guess why the ghoul is in here and where it got that stuff from.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace steps into the room and raises a hand in casual greeting.
”Hey. Here for the key. You mind?”
He gestures at a path from himself around the ghoul and towards the key.
This seems like a pretty straightforward solution. The ghoul just has to do nothing at all.
”Hey. Here for the key. You mind?”
He gestures at a path from himself around the ghoul and towards the key.
This seems like a pretty straightforward solution. The ghoul just has to do nothing at all.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Yes.
However.
That would require the ghoul to do nothing.
"Nah, sorry," the ghoul replies, turning a page of the book without looking up. "I can't let you take the key."
...but the ghoul isn't actually getting up. Or being threatening, even. Just saying that Jace can't have the key.
This definitely isn't a standard dungeon by any means. usually when there's a key guarded by the monster the monster jumps up and tries to eat your face immediately. But this one isn't acting monstery at all and just up and killing the thing because it doesn't want to give someone it's key really doesn't seem like a very reasonable thing to do now does it?
So.
Jace has a problem.
How does he deal with the key guardian?
However.
That would require the ghoul to do nothing.
"Nah, sorry," the ghoul replies, turning a page of the book without looking up. "I can't let you take the key."
...but the ghoul isn't actually getting up. Or being threatening, even. Just saying that Jace can't have the key.
This definitely isn't a standard dungeon by any means. usually when there's a key guarded by the monster the monster jumps up and tries to eat your face immediately. But this one isn't acting monstery at all and just up and killing the thing because it doesn't want to give someone it's key really doesn't seem like a very reasonable thing to do now does it?
So.
Jace has a problem.
How does he deal with the key guardian?
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
”That’s okay I understand. You just sit tight.”
Jace makes a square sign with one hand and claps. Four small walls of fire erupt around the ghoul in a square that is unpleasantly hot to be in but is ultimately harmless if he doesn’t get up.
And then Jace can just walk up and take the key while its guardian is imprisoned like so.
Man, it feels good to shoot a little fire again. How long as it been? He didn’t have to shoot any fire at Eudaemonia’s place.
Jace makes a square sign with one hand and claps. Four small walls of fire erupt around the ghoul in a square that is unpleasantly hot to be in but is ultimately harmless if he doesn’t get up.
And then Jace can just walk up and take the key while its guardian is imprisoned like so.
Man, it feels good to shoot a little fire again. How long as it been? He didn’t have to shoot any fire at Eudaemonia’s place.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Oh no.
Jace can't just walk up to the key like so to take it. For him to do that would mean that he doesn't have a flaming ghoul leaping at him. Getting pounced on by a ghoul is pretty bad but getting pounced on by a ghoul that is also on fire is even worse.
So.
A ghost tries to tackle Jace and bite him.
He might get burned too.
All in all this is definitely the wrong way to make friends.
Jace can't just walk up to the key like so to take it. For him to do that would mean that he doesn't have a flaming ghoul leaping at him. Getting pounced on by a ghoul is pretty bad but getting pounced on by a ghoul that is also on fire is even worse.
So.
A ghost tries to tackle Jace and bite him.
He might get burned too.
All in all this is definitely the wrong way to make friends.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
"I warned you!" Jace growls as he dives out of the way of the ghoulish tackle, landing hard on the stones below him, He struggles to his feet and pulls his arms close to him and then pushes them out with a stomp, sending a wave of icy spears at the ghoul at close range. Clearly. fire did not work.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Well.
Technically you didn't warn him Jace.
You just put the fire wall around him and hoped that he wouldn't actually do his job.
BUT! He must do his job! He MUST! That's how djinn work, you know? You make a wish and they carry out that wish. And the wish was for his djinn to guard the key. That means there's a problem here.
See, some people insist that djinn can just warp reality to grant wishes. Sure maybe SOME of them are like that but that wasn't the idea. They don't just alter reality, the work really well and really fast. And how does guarding a key really well and fast work, exactly?
The ghoul weaves between the spears and gets poked a few times because no one is perfect, right? But it doesn't stop the monster because he has a job to do! This time around it's a claw attack oh no!
Does Jace know shield?
It might come in handy.
Technically you didn't warn him Jace.
You just put the fire wall around him and hoped that he wouldn't actually do his job.
BUT! He must do his job! He MUST! That's how djinn work, you know? You make a wish and they carry out that wish. And the wish was for his djinn to guard the key. That means there's a problem here.
See, some people insist that djinn can just warp reality to grant wishes. Sure maybe SOME of them are like that but that wasn't the idea. They don't just alter reality, the work really well and really fast. And how does guarding a key really well and fast work, exactly?
The ghoul weaves between the spears and gets poked a few times because no one is perfect, right? But it doesn't stop the monster because he has a job to do! This time around it's a claw attack oh no!
Does Jace know shield?
It might come in handy.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Don't be silly mister narrator, that sounds an awful lot like a spell that would not involve blowing something up or buffs, which is entirely what Jace knows how to do because his theming has always been extremely-
Jace turns invisible.
Well. Surely somewhere Khannie feels a disturbance. Regardless Jace is going to be trying to very quietly tiptoe out of the way of the ghoul to not get cut to ribbons in close quarters while he has next to no gear.
Hopefully the ghoul doesn't have a good sense of smell.
Jace turns invisible.
Well. Surely somewhere Khannie feels a disturbance. Regardless Jace is going to be trying to very quietly tiptoe out of the way of the ghoul to not get cut to ribbons in close quarters while he has next to no gear.
Hopefully the ghoul doesn't have a good sense of smell.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Isn't shield kind of a buff? Or are we just talking the transmutation sorts of buffs?
Anyway!
Invisibility!
Khannie would be proud, probably. Even if Jace doesn't know how to muffle himself or obscure his scent. Those are both important tricks, too!
As for the ghoul, it begins whirling around wildly in the space where Jace was previously and generally has very little success finding him. Provided he doesn't grab the key while the ghoul is looking in that direction it might not notice. Sneaky!
Anyway!
Invisibility!
Khannie would be proud, probably. Even if Jace doesn't know how to muffle himself or obscure his scent. Those are both important tricks, too!
As for the ghoul, it begins whirling around wildly in the space where Jace was previously and generally has very little success finding him. Provided he doesn't grab the key while the ghoul is looking in that direction it might not notice. Sneaky!
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
Jace is going to literally just stand next to the key for as long as it takes for the ghoul to turn around.
But the second it does, Jace is going to swipe that key and pop a Dimension Door back to the tongue-switch that closes the door. Doing so causes a loud POP! and his invisibility to wear off but by then the door will already be swinging closed...
But the second it does, Jace is going to swipe that key and pop a Dimension Door back to the tongue-switch that closes the door. Doing so causes a loud POP! and his invisibility to wear off but by then the door will already be swinging closed...
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
No, see, that makes sense.
It is vitally important to properly sass monsters before making your escape.
The ghoul shouts some curses at Jace in a language he probably doesn't understand as he vanishes and boots the door shut.
Well!
That worked out pretty okay, right? Upon popping back into visibility Jace will find that the djinn who he has 'payed' with a pile of broken clocks waiting for him. The creature looks... surprised?
"Wow you made it out without getting eviscerated."
Sounds like he knew that ghoul was in there and declined to mention anything about it.
It is vitally important to properly sass monsters before making your escape.
The ghoul shouts some curses at Jace in a language he probably doesn't understand as he vanishes and boots the door shut.
Well!
That worked out pretty okay, right? Upon popping back into visibility Jace will find that the djinn who he has 'payed' with a pile of broken clocks waiting for him. The creature looks... surprised?
"Wow you made it out without getting eviscerated."
Sounds like he knew that ghoul was in there and declined to mention anything about it.
Re: The Undercrypt of Fell Malice
"I've fought demon lords. One ghoul is not exactly a huge challenge. Now, what do I do with this key?"
Jace waves the key at the djinn. He doesn't recall seeing too many locked doors. Probably back in the constellation room?
Jace waves the key at the djinn. He doesn't recall seeing too many locked doors. Probably back in the constellation room?