Chapter 2: The Dark Tower

[Lithain]

After listening to how the little dragon speaks, and not sensing any immediate danger, I slowly stand up and stretch.

"Surely, someone who takes such excellent care of young respectable dragons, can't be all that bad."

I slowly wander around the room, choosing to enjoy any work of art, with a contented smile upon my lips. Truly, visiting a wizards tower has been on my list of things to do! I can hardly believe my luck of waking up inside one!

"You can tell a little bit about someone by the things they choose to display, or rather, what they do not display. So far no chains or chopping blocks. A good sign, no? I'm sure that if they wanted us harm, we would have woken in a dungeon, not a this magnificent tower among the clouds. "

[TristenC]

Cages come in many forms, cousin. Pik calls to the dragonman below, who has finally stopped pretending to sleep.

[Rivi]

rose shakes her head "sorry just thinking out loud" an excuse she uses when people give her that look seeing the panicked joe she walks over to him "hey its ok will figure this out take a breath were ok" she talks as if calming a spooked horse

[CarrionStyles]

Alright. Carrion says to Rose distracted as he looks around for something other than a hatchet which he loathes to use. Defeated he walks over and selects one of the bags, and a hatchet. He walks around the room looking for the best vantage point for ambushing whatever made the popping sound. He doesn't believe it to be harmless. He was poisoned and brought here against his will, and he will be having "words" with whomever did this to him. He decides the best place to be is beside the staircase out of view from whoever may be coming up. He studies the hatchet and is disappointed with it. "This is going to be messy He thinks to himself. For the first time he takes a good look at the people around him, none of them seem to know each other and they all seem to have completely different life styles, Carrion wonders why they are all here. He looks at the gem again, green and somewhat beautiful glimmering in the small amount of sunlight touching it from the window. He hears Grognak cry out "are we in danger?" and responds to him saying "It seems more than likely." He watches as Grognak throws the hatchets at the Gem seemingly with little result and shrugs as he prepares himself for whatever is to come.

[NickKage1]

After Grognaks haphazard throwing spree and hearing Carrion agree we're most likely in danger. Grognak grabs one of the bags unclaimed, heads over to the weapons rack and pulls an axe off the clasp and readies in a battle stance for whatever's coming his way.

[Nova Lunis]

Sornin advises everybody to take a bag and tosses them about the room to people.
When you see the weapon disappear you realize it's magically enchanted - it seems to be bound, perhaps so only the wizard can use it. You guess that something is powering this magic within the room.
When you ask the baby dragon about the wizard he responds
Fair is fake. For finding souls.
You hear the POP and know instantly this is the sound of a portal activating.
You reach into your bag of holding and pull out a tattered looking hat.

Joe grabs a bag of holding from Sornin's hand and reaches inside, pulling out what appears to be a broom-tar. It's a broom that's been altered into a guitar.
I'M NOT A BARD he shouts and throws it to the side. You all notice when it hits the ground it makes a soft 'twang' and a small gust of air seems to burst out of it's bristles. He runs aimlessly in circles for a moment after hearing the pop then grabs a few books off the bookshelf and prepares himself to throw them at the wizard.

Rowan you realize the writing is not celestial although it does remind you of it in an eerie way.
After engaging the dragon he tells you I'm Drago. Wizard home now. Afraid of death. Need to live forever. he glances at the gem in it's pedestal.
Your insight check reveals the dragon is totally on the level. He seems very amicable. You get the idea he doesn't like the wizard or dislike him, he seems to need him to live for now. You have a feeling he could be persuaded against the wizard if he knew he wouldn't be trapped here forever. He also seems protective of the 6 eggs he's hovering above.
History check on the book: This reminds you of books you've heard of before - ones that are completely finished but the knowledge within has been hidden away and must be unlocked somehow
Arcana check on the book: This is old magic. This is the oldest magic you've ever felt. It feels neither good nor evil, just pure. You feel as though it's attuned to you in some way.
Investigation check on the book: When holding the book it feels 'right' - the image of everybody around it becomes stronger and brighter then flares out with a bang as you hear the portal go off downstairs.
Inside your bag of holding is a shield with a mirror-like reflective surface. When you pull it out you notice the ceiling - it reflects the sky outside. It appears to look like it's about to storm, thick black clouds swirl about. You think you see lightning in the distance.

Carrion can't find any other doors or entrances. You do notice Rowan pull his shield from his bag of holding however. Shiny. You catch your bag of holding and prepare yourself by the stairs.

Maharron stretches and engages the baby dragon. He replies
Wizard not try be bad. Just want answers
You look for art but notice there isn't any. There are empty picture frames with black canvases that look strange. You take your bag of holding.
You mention to the dragon it doesn't feel like a dungeon and he replies
Dungeon if you can't get out

Pik reaches for the dragon and he hops of the perch so you can scratch his head.
The bottles you've chosen all have lids. One is purple, One is clear and full of thick warm red liquid that seems to be blood and one is yellow and hot. You haven't got a clue what any of them are likely to do but they seem useful.
You climb halfway up the chain to the chandelier and get stuck. Again. Resigned you pull out the bow upside down and examine it. It seems magically enchanted. The bag Sornin throws you hits you in the face and you barely catch it without falling off the chandelier. Again.

Rose skirts the broomtar on the floor and walks over to Joe to console him, accepting her bag of holding on the way.

Grognak's axes manage to chop the pedstal holding the gem in half. It harmlessly bounces off the floor and skids towards the stairs.
He sighs and grabs a battle axe off the wall and takes a bag of holding.

You all hear footsteps at the base of the stairs.

[TristenC]

[Ooc: so did Pik get to collect the potions and did Sornin throw him a second bag?
Also, thanks for not dropping Pik from the chain for a couple of abysmal climb checks ... is acrobatics necessary for a rogue to climb walls or how is that handled in 5e. Would a fighter using an acrobatics check be able to climb walls at the same skill level provided their ability scores were the same?]


Figuring it's just as far to the top as the bottom, pik mutters Third time's the charm. And hauls his scaly butt up the chain to hide on the chandelier; readying his new magical bow once there.

=====
*crosses fingers*
Pik acrobatics check #3 chandelier [1d20+4] = 7+4 = 11
Lol. At least it's over 10... Hey Nocturno, I miggt have to get ypu to start rolling for me

Ok, assuming he makes it up there he hides.
Pik stealth check atop chandelier [1d20+6] = 14+6 = 20
There it is

[Nocturno]

Watching the door Sornin will pick up the Broomtar. "How odd, but I like it." He will then put on the hat, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Someone has arrived, hopefully this wizard so we can all get some answers." After that if time allows, he will head to the potions and look around for any that look familiar. Or will grab some stoppered ones at random also.

[Rivi]

rose looks towards the sound of the portal "Ugly and live forever or attractive but die in 5 years?" the darkness whisperer in her ear. rose spoke to drago "living for ever would be nice" answering the darkness while seemingly talking to the dragon

[CarrionStyles]

Seeing that some of the others had something in their bag Carrion checks out the inside of his.

[NickKage1]

Following suit, Grognak also looks in his bag, doesn't see anything. He puts his hand in the bag, doesn't feel anything, he doesn't feel the bottom of the bag where his hand should be. He reaches as if trying to go through the bag and finds his arm sunk into the sack all the way up to his shoulder. Eyes widening increasingly by inch. Pulls his arm out and looks mystified at Carrion almost as if to say, what is this sorcery?

[Rivi]

occ: rose has not picked up the bag of holding as its not hers to take and the owner of this house has yet to do anything to wrong her yet(beyond bringing her here)

[Lithain]

Nodding in consent to the dragon about the perceptive dungeon comment. Watching others pull things out of their bags, I too take my chances and reach inside my bag in search of anything.

"This reminds me of a particularly disgusting large Bullywug that once had the nerve to swallow my coin pouch. I was forced to root through his bloated belly in search of it. Thankfully this smells a lot better, and feels less slimy." Grinning to any that were listening, and he slowly strolls closer to the entrance to greet the guest. Always hopeful to avoid a fight, but willing to be center of attention during combat.

"Maybe we have this all wrong!" Laughing softly, I turn to these mutual strangers. "Maybe it's room service, bringing us food. Oh! Maybe it's a she?"

[CarrionStyles]

Carrion looks at Grognak and eyes rolling walks over to him to try and help remove the bag from the perplexed Barbarian's hand. He didn't want to leave his place of ambush but the muscles on this guy were huge and he would be an asset in any fight, he didn't want him to be indisposed with the bag when time came to fight. "They seem to be charmed, these bags." he says grabbing a hold of the bag at the end of Grognak's hand an giving it a tug. He hears Maharron's statement and shakes his head choosing not to respond. This whole place felt wrong to him. something inside him was telling him that he was in danger and he had learned a long time ago to trust his instincts. "Why is your hand so hard to get out of this bag? are you holding on to something?" Carrion asks as he continues to struggle.

[TristenC]

[Ooc: if it seems like he has time before whatever is coming up the stairs reaches the room, Pik will check hos bag too. He prefers to be ready and check later if there isn't time.]

Pik remains hidden, watching the stairs closely.