DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3O - A Journey of a Thousand Years begins with a single step

OOC: Yes! The singing is taking up Sindar's action each "turn" (assuming he's doing so turn after turn so he can't take any other actions) but bardic inspiration is a bonus action.

From what I see of the plan, Zindra may make an attempt solo, but if she fails, Zhu will join and will get a roll (no advantage or disadvantage) but with bardic inspiration added. So Zindra would roll again (with disadvantage) and add that score to Zhu's roll plus the inspiration.

Zhu

Steeling herself she re-enters the room and notices with some relief that while she can still see the Dragon, she knows it is not real and her panic is controllable. Moving closer to Zindra she offers her help.

Jaliera

Still sitting she swivels as Davroar the pup moves away, then waits for her. She can still feel the fear deep within but the is no sign of that dragon. And the others haven't run. And Davroar would not lead her into danger. She knows this. She trusts him like no other.

Slowly she gets to her feet and follows him. She would follow him anywhere..

Zhu Str Check w/Inspiration
Zeim rolled d20+3 and got 13

DM

With Zhu attempting to help dislodge the stone it seems to wiggle a bit, but it's just too difficult to pull out of the wall with strength alone.

As Zindra and Zhu pause from their efforts, the illusion does seem to slowly fade away, still leaving a strong mental image of its presence but no longer causing everyone to be afraid. The party regains their senses, and perhaps can discuss another plan for removing the rune stone.

Sindar

"Well without the blowhard dragon, the world is a much more pleasant place," he offers a bit sarcastically in tone. "I could cast a Dispel Magic on the mural, though to be fair, I doubt I can dispel it as it has protected the stone for so very long."

<Bern>

"But ... we might be able to find more information if we get rid of the magic and see what is left", he offered.

Kriv

The Dragonborn untied the rope from his leg, spooled the rope, stashed it, and pulled out his crowbar. He nodded respectfully to Zhu and Zindra.

"A commendable effort under extremely trying circumstances, it's possible your attempt may have disrupted the illusion."

Looking over to Sindar, "My thanks for helping us keep our heads in the face of such a thing. Now, let's take a closer look..."

Kriv headed over to the rune. Giant was written in the Dwarven script, a script he knew well, perhaps that might help discern the nature of its function beyond providing a terrifying experience.

Zindra
"Yeah, sure big guy," she says to the dragonborn.

DM

Kriv's examination of the rune reveals that ... he has no idea of what its function is beyond what everyone has experienced. Granted, this is the second stone, wherein the first one seemed to trigger lightning and this one has, at least once, triggered a scary dragon illusion. Perhaps touching the stone, or the mural, might allow the party to experience the frightening illusion again? Maybe. In any case, they might be more prepared if so.

OOC: Given the poor dice on the simple strength-based solution, that's out. But your friendly neighborhood DM is more than happy to entertain other creative solutions!

Davroar

Just as he nears the ruins he will return to his human form, and asks Jaliera, "So what made you run? I can hear the others talking normally."

Whatever made Jaliera run, it seems perhaps they killed whatever was there or it ran away.

Jaliera

She slows as she nears the place which houses the mural, coming to a stop. She has no intention of going in.

"I saw a dragon emerge from a painting on the wall. It was breathing fire at us."

She can still feel her heart thudding.

"I guess as the others stayed that it was an illusion. Hope so. But you know me and fire."

She is faintly embarrassed by her reaction but it is better to be honest about it. It is not something she can help.

Kriv

The Dragonborn stepped outside to take in the ruin holistically. Pulling the rune out had proven fruitless so far. But what was on the other side of that particular wall and was it accessible?

<Bern>

"Don't be too concerned. It sounds a lot like some sort of 'magical effect'", he said sympathetically.

DM

Kriv's inspection of the ruin is made easy by the size of the rooms, more than triple the size of similar humanoid dwellings. And the ruined state allows easy access to areas behind the main tower with the mural.

Unfortunately, it doesn't reveal any apparent hidden location behind the stone. Somewhat like the previous example embedded in a sword, it seems it was simply there to enrich the item in which it was installed.

How a mural could be used as a weapon is left to the imagination of the observer. Perhaps it was just a party trick to amuse guests.

Jaliera

She is sitting with Davroar outside the ruins, not party to any discussions currently.

[OOC I have checked spell lists and scrolls and only her ability with thieves tools could possibly help here but unlikely]

Zhu

She's been pondering the tile since they weren't able to pull it from the wall. After a few moments she sighs and offers, "Well, it might take some time, but I suppose if we were to take a blade and scrape away the mortar surrounding the stone we could eventually pry it out."

Zindra
"Yeah. I don't see why someone else can't try. Maybe someone with more muscles than me should give it a try. I admit that I'm not the strongest person here. And if that doesn't work, maybe someone with magic can find a way to pull it out."

Zhu

She shrugs. "Not my specialty. If you want me to blast the wall to smithereens I can do that, but my magic doesn't lend itself to delicate work."

Davroar

Without knowing exactly is going in the ruins, he waits with Jaliera and gently asks, "The drawing on the wall... that's what caused you to run? What's there everyone is so interested in? Should I go and see?"

Kriv

Returning from his perambulation, Kriv looked upon the mural, frowning slightly.

"This place is clearly in giant scale but of upright biped make. So, why have an illusion of an example of the wartime enemy at their most fearsome, activated right in the middle of the peaceful means of conclusion? Let's see if it unscrews."

Kriv proceeded to apply rotational torsion.

Jaliera

"I think the mural animated. It looked so real!"

She shakes her head.

"There is a stone in it that looks like the other one we took from the sword hilt. I was trying to use my Mage Hand to get it out."

She takes a deep breath.

"I'm fine but I think I'll stay here for now. Feel free to catch up with the others. And thanks.. sorry for being such a wimp."

Davroar

He will give Jaliera a hug around her shoulders and says, "You're tougher than you know." Standing up he pulls his fur hood over his head and down as far as possible he says in parting to Jaliera, "I'll go over, see if I can help, and won't look at this 'mural'".

Keeping his head and eyes down looking only at the ground in front of him he will approach the others and ask, "Can I help? I could summon an elemental..." Davroar thinks, that perhaps a water or earth elemental might be immune to such mind tricks that it can simply pluck this stone from its hole.

Zhu

"That might work", she replies to Davroar. "An Earth Elemental seems apropos."