Chapter 2: The Dark Tower

[Nova Lunis]

You are all in the same room. You're currently all unconscious, I'll have you roll initiative to see what order you all wake up in.

As you awaken you see That you're in a giant round room made entirely of black stone. 1/4 of the wall is giant windows; though they aren't letting much light in you can clearly see a pedestal containing the largest gemstone any of you has ever seen. It glows with an eerie green and blue light that swirls within it.

The whole room is dim. There are candles in sconces around the walls that illuminate dozens of what would appear to be the wizard's possessions. Near the windows in front of a fireplace that has nothing but embers in it sits a pile of dragon eggs. On a perch above them is a baby red dragon barely the size of Pik. He looks at you inquisitively.
[anybody who went to the petting zoo can communicate with the dragon regardless of speech. Because he is a baby he doesn't know draconic yet so having it as a language will not let you speak with him

Near the fireplace is a large wooden crate labelled 'Bags' with red font under it in common 'do not store bags in bags' There are coins littered around the crate and on it.

Leaning against the crate are a few hatchets, pickaxes and a shovel.
[anybody who partook in hatchet throwing has inspiration if they want to throw a hatchet here]

Directly across from the window is a stone staircase that spirals into the darkness below. Glancing down you can't see anything here but you get a strange tingling feeling - the same feeling you got when the wizard tried to put you all under at the fair.

Covering another quarter of the wall is a bookshelf that is covered with books in every language. It reaches from floor to ceiling.

Next to the books there is a rack of glowing equipment. If you want to know what's on it specifically you can come inspect it. All the weapons glow with a golden halo.

In the middle of the room is a circular table covered in over 50 bottles of different potions. Each bottle is a different shape, size and color. Some look like they are steaming, bubbling, swirling, some have mist rising from them, some look like tar and some look like acid. Some look like ale and some just look like water.

There is also gold scattered about this table.

Above the table hangs an ornate chandelier that has no light on it. There is a chain that hangs it from the ceiling - you can see that it's anchored into the wall near the window.

Anybody who listened to the bards concert at the fair has an inspiration point. Anybody who watched the jousting has advantage on their first combat roll. (not including initiative) For following her instincts and trusting the nicer brother at the fair and succumbing to the second best food, Rose has an 'instinct' roll. If you try to do something that's just generally a bad idea your instincts are going to kick in. While your armour is intact and your clothing hasn't changed, all of your weapons are currently missing.For anybody who forgot there is an NPC in the room who was taken with you.

[TristenC]

pik init waking [1d20+2] = 9+2 = 11 yeah, probably not first...
Marking down inspiration for listening to bards.
==========

Once he wakes, Pik scrubs his eyes with the back of one hand, pushing himself up off of the gnome. Oh, hey. Sorry buddy... in gnomish. He wanders past the draconian and points to the little dragon, Looks like a family reunion, cousin. he laughs in Draconic. He moves over to the glowing weapons pile and picks up a ranged weapon and a sword (prefer shortbow W/arrows and rapier but will settle for dagger and shortsword). On his way he scoops a bunch of gold and potions into a spare bag and ties it to his pack with the rest of his gear. Next he glances out the window as he moves over to where the chandelier is anchored. Finally he scales the chain to the top of the chandelier, hides and readies his new ranged weapon in case that dirty, no-good, crap-face, elf punk wizard shows up...

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Pik climb cahndeleir acrobatics, stealth [1d20+4] = 8+4 = 12[1d20+6] = 2+6 = 8

Lol. If 12 isn't good enough for the acrobatics check I'll just fall and save my inspiration for later...

[CarrionStyles]

Carrion wakes up, his head is pounding from whatever the little scamp had poisoned him with. He shakes his head a few times and tries to stand up finding that he is a little shaky on his feet. When he finally gains balance and his head stops spinning at least a little, he looks around him, just in time to see Pik scurry up to the top of the chandelier. "What the hell was that? he thinks to himself and goes to grab the dagger he keeps in his belt finding it missing. "shit, of course!" he curses. He starts to look around, he notices the weapons that are glowing on the wall and walks over to them searching for the right one. He sees a rapier, grabs it and puts it in the place of his missing dagger. He turns and surveys the room.

I would like to roll a perception check (d20+2) 12 + 2 = 14

[Nocturno]

Waking Initiative: [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16

Sornin will first take stock of the room, then as he goes to check the crate.. that text is too much to ignore... bags in bags... why not!?

While heading over to the crate he will start to talk to the dragon.

"Well met my red friend! Do you know where we are?"

[Rivi]

occ wake up [1d20] = 7+2 so rose is sleepy,darkness test [1d20] = 2 and the darkness is interested

rose finally wakes up "man never fell asleep at a show before...holy crap where am i!"she reaches for her spear to find it missing. the darkennss intrupts her thought prosess "do dragons eat lizards or do they consider it a fopaux?" distracted she answers to the room at large"id assume they wouldn't eat them but more because dragons get real big and it would be like eating bugs not manners."

[CarrionStyles]

Carrion looks at the strange woman who was seemingly talking to herself. "what was that?" he asks eyebrows raised.

[Lithain]

Initiative roll to wake up [1d20+3] = 10+3 = 13

I pretend to remain asleep the entire time I shift into fetal position, letting out a lazy sigh smacking my lips. Thinking it better, for now, to play as close to dead, until I learn more, and very much not liking that I don't feel my usual weapons close to me.

[NickKage1]

Wake up roll :: 1d20 +1(Dex) [1d20] = 7

Grognak wakes with a pounding headache...too much ale? he ponders. Grognak remembers volunteering for something some time ago, he remembers the last time on stage he was hypnotized. After the hypnotist put him under, the man asked him to lift a small wooden stool, an easy task for a man of Grognaks stature. He was unable to lift the stool and the audience laughed and giggled, young and old alike; alas, it was bound to the floor by some force unbeknownst to him. Moments later, the hypnotist asked a mop-haired little boy from the audience to come lift the stool. No trouble for the little lad; more laughing and finger pointing. (He has a vivid image burned in his memory of two young maidens, one whispering to the other pointing and giggling as everyone around roared with laughter.) Shocked and confused was the expression adorning Grognaks face at the time. This was different, even for Grognak, trying to shake off his daze he wonders if he is still asleep, dreaming.

Parched, Grognak heads to the table full of vials and decanters, looking for something to quench his thirst, maybe stay away from the ale for the time being.

Perception: 1d20 +1(Wis) [1d20+1] = 5+1 = 6

The giant gem in the middle of the room catches Grognaks eyes, the swirling green and blue energy reflects across his eyes. Mouth agape, heads over to investigate the source and intent of the massive gem.
[OoC:: Looking but not touching]

Investigate: 1d20(+1(Hum)-1(Int)=0) [1d20] = 14

[Chris1234]

Wake Up: Init: [1d20] = 14

Upon waking up, Rowan says, Wow, I'm awake, but this _so_ isn't the fair!"
Addressing the dragon, he says, "Hey you! I'm Jerry. Do you know where this is and why we're here?"
If someone's already talking to the dragon, or time allows, Jerry will go over to the weapons area and look for his weapons, failing which, or time also allowing, he will look at the book titles to see if there's anything that might give him a lead on the dwarven artifact..

[Nova Lunis]

Sornin wakes first. When he approaches the baby dragon it blinks and cocks it's head sideways.
Hello. You look much stronger than the last ones.
Well met my red friend! Do you know where we are?
Wizard's Tower. Sky. Stuck.
When you open the box Sornin you realize it's full of bags of holding. You think it best to follow the instructions in red font as any bag of holding put inside another bag of holding is destroyed along with all of it's contents and they're very rare and you think this is the only time in your life you'll ever find a box full of these anywhere. /end DM foreshadowing

Joe the NPC wakes up next, looking panicked. He frantically searches left and right, shouting for his wife before he realizes he's in a row of unconscious people. He looks up and sees Sornin calmly walking towards the baby dragon
HOW ARE YOU SO CALM? WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE
He runs towards the windows and stops, breathless. From his point of view he'd guess you're about 700 feet up the tower and it's a smooth drop to the ground below, no steps or outcrops anywhere.
He runs towards the stairs emitting the odd energy and screams - as soon as his first foot touches the step a magical barrier throws him backwards against the wall opposite. He slides to the ground and sits there, shocked and hurt.

Rowan wakes third, just in time to join Sornin at the dragon.
Hello. Here for the wizard. Needs you.
You do not find your weapons amongst the golden ones on the rack. When you approach the books you completely black out for a moment.

Your vision is filled with the image of everybody in the room except Joe the NPC all looking down at the same book together. It looks fairly non-descript, a black leather-bound tome with gold scrawl on the front in a language you don't think exists. You've never seen writing like this in your life.

Carrion wakes next. You take a rapier from the wall and look around intently - You realize this room is very dangerous. Half the potions on the table look as though they could sear your skin and the weapon in your hand feels wrong somehow. You spin it around and stab at the air - and it disappears out of your hand and returns to it's place on the wall.
If anybody wants to roll a check for that let me know, I'd take arcane since it's obviously magical or anything you can convince me is suitable.

Maharron appears dead on the floor although you all swear you saw him take a breath once.

When Pik wakes he joins the dragon.
Looks like a family reunion cousin
Sad reunion when family die The baby dragon looks genuinely sad. He seems to like you. Probably because you're almost the same size.
You take a shortbow with arrows off the wall, scoop some gold up and look at the table of potions - which ones do you want to haphazardly scoop into your bag? Please describe them in detail and then roll an arcana check please.
If you don't blow yourself up doing this the acrobatics check is good enough to get you half way up the chain and then stuck but not falling off.

Rose wakes to you all scrambling about the room and makes eye contact with Joe across the room. He's got his hands over his face and is staring at you through the cracks between his fingers. After you answer the darkness he starts shaking his head back and forth in slow motion as if he can't believe anything.
Carrion looks down at empty hands and then across at you talking seemingly to yourself.

Grognak wakes last with a dry mouth. After you stretch yourself out and make your way over to the table you realize they all look like liquid and you cannot tell what's edible and what's not. You can risk it if you like.
The gem, however, you seem quite attuned to. Your investigation check reveals that you were right not to touch it - the energy you see swirling inside is from a soul, or possibly multiple souls. It seems to be housing them although you're not sure what they'd be used for.
Another roll for that if you want to check further pls.

You all hear a noise from below - it sounds like a whooshing, sucking sound almost like a vaccum is created then a loud POP.

[CarrionStyles]

Carrion looks away from the strange woman after giving her a second to answer and as she doesn't appear to have heard him starts to move toward the bookcase when he hears the vacuuming noise followed by the pop. The noise sends a chill down his spine and he has a feeling he needs to get himself some sort of weapon and a good place to ambush and fast.

Is there anything in this room other than what you already mentioned that can be used as a weapon? Also other than the staircase are there any other doors or entrances into the tower?

[Nocturno]

Initiative if needed: Initiative Dex(2): [1d20+2] = 19+2 = 21

"These bags are rare and powerful, I suggest everyone grab one, but only one... combining more than one will have unexpected results I think." Arcana(2): [1d20+2] = 17+2 = 19


Looking at the weapon disapear: "Interesting!" Arcana(2): [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18

"You speak of the wizard from the fair? The one I assume brought us here."

After hearing the pop: Arcana(2): [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20

[OoC: OK I am throwing away my physical dice, and only ever using Unseenservant for every roll I make from here on out... for ever lol]

[Chris1234]

{OOC1: So the writing wasn't Celestial?}
Rowan replies to the dragon, "Hello. I'm Rowan. What's your name? So who and where is the wizard and what, if anything, threatens him? And exactly what does he need us to to? What is the nature of the help he requires?" {OOC2: Does the dragon appear on the level? Insight [1d20+6] = 13+6 = 19}

The dwarf considers the image of everybody in the room, except Joe, all looking down at the same book together - could that be the book or life or fate or something similar in which we have yet to live out (or write) the story? Rowan wracks his brains for anything he's heard, read or seen or can extrapolate to, that could account for, or help explain, this place, including the weird gem.
{OOC3: Not sure what skills are relevant here, so here's some rolls: Arcana [1d20+3] = 17+3 = 20, History [1d20+5] = 9+5 = 14, Investigation [1d20+3] = 8+3 = 11}

Rowan takes one of the bags as instructed and checks if there's anything in it, also taking a moment to have a look round in case the group is missing anything; for example, he glances at the ceiling.
{OOC4: Perception [1d20+4] = 11+4 = 15}

[TristenC]

Pik scratches the little dragon on the head if he allows, or simply waves cheerfully if he can't reach. He examines the bow to see if he can get any vibe from it. [Ooc: just to be sure. The bottles are all sealed, right? He won't take any with open tops.] He examines the bottles and takes one of each type of the sealed ones if able. [if he is about to explode he'll try to close the bag of holding so the explosion is in extradimensional space and not his face. If he fails any save that seems likely to kill him I'll use the inspiration. If the bag is ruined he'll grab another.]

Finally he makes his way to the chandelier chain and begins climbing. Halfway up he gets stuck. Re-adjusting his gear he tries to go at it again to reach the top.

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Arcana check on Bow, Bottles [1d20] = 13[1d20] = 9: bow: 13; Bottles: 9... this could be interesting...

Pik acrobatics check #2 chandelier [1d20+4] = 4+4 = 8
Weeeeell crap.
ummmm if he is about to fall can I make some sort of acrobatic break-fall check or something to hang on with his feet? Lol

[NickKage1]

Grognak standing above the potions table peers around and thinks he might still be at the fair. There's vermin crawling up the wall, people taking to dragons, people grabbing at all sorts of things that doesn't really belong to them. Out of instinct perhaps?

"Are we in danger?!" Grognak shouts.

He reflects about the giant gem stone in the middle of the room, how there might be a soul trapped inside. Grognak isn't the most pious of creatures but knows a proper burial doesn't involve being imprisoned in a gem. Outraged by such an act, he figures it must be destroyed. Grognak picks up a handful of hatchets, 3 in his left hand and the 4th in his right and hurls 2 of the axes at the stone.

1st axe: [1d20] = 6 +0 (Dex)
[OoC: here's damage just in case. Hatchets or hand axes are 1d4 Slashing]
1d4 + 0 (Dex) : [1d4 +0] = 2+0 = 2

{EDIT OoC :: I'd like to use my hatchet throwing inspiration point for the more than likely failed first throw.}

2nd axe: [1d20] = 11 +0 (Dex)
[OoC: again, just in case]
1d4 +0 (Dex) :[1d4 +0] = 2+0 = 2

Throwing isn't Grognaks strong suit, often confusing strength for accuracy, but it makes him feel good to launch things out of his hands.