DEMILICH INSIDE

Rune is a lovely city to be in right now, if you like murder, death, and destruction at the hands of Dran. Or Rune, depending.

Something strange has happened. Something /very strange/. An area has been cordoned off where a magical item /may/ have gotten loose from its confines. A simple, canvas sack sits in the middle of the rubble of a building that toppled.

Written on its side is: "DEMILICH INSIDE. DO NOT OPEN."

Really.

<OOC> Autumn says, "For the low cost of 2500gp, I can make it permanently go away forever."

Astaren moves over to a pillar and leans up against it. "I am good with staring at it, and waiting for an arch-mage or elder to arrive." He pulls up his left book and starts to read through it.

"I like his idea. THe worst that can happen is a demilich rises up and tries to kill everyone, right? But if we're far away, maybe we can sic it on the Dran!"

"Yeah, that's great idea. Sir, do you mind firing yor missile from, you know...drannish...direction?"

He gestures in the direcion of the Dran lines to Astaren.

Alik says "Detect magic, has anyone done?"

Durrankar gestures towards Astaren. "he has. Autumn....see what's in the bag."

Heinrich says, "Oh, for crying out loud." and dismounts. He slings his shield onto his horse and grabs his lance. "Shall I go poke the bag?"

Autumn looks around at everyone else "Everyone is in agreement to open the bag? If it is a Demi Lich, it will try its best to kill us all for disturbing it."

"But it says 'DEMILICH' on it," says the Sergeant Billum, frantically. "I don't really want to cause a ravenous soul-eating monster to appear in the middle of Rune. Unless it's in the middle of Dran."

Alik pulls the pair of goggles he usually wears up to the top of his head, pulls a pair of crystal lenses out of his eyes, puts them in a small container, pulls a second pair of artifice-laden goggles onto his face and flicks a switch. They glow orange and yellow. It's not attractive.

<OOC> Alik says, "Artificer's Goggles: Detect Magic."

Astaren continues to read his book, "Yes, and no magic detected Alik." He flips a page and shakes his head, "Patience, we can wait for offical to arrive to deal with it. There is a old saying, do not go poke the bear in the woods. Basically lets no go looking for trouble we do not need." Flipping to antoher page and content to wait.

<OOC> Astaren says, "Of course this is coming from the person who always seems to find trouble!"

Durrankar says, "There's also a chance it can be reasoned with." He looks to Heinrich. "Don't poke it too hard.""

Meanwhile, Jeopardy music plays in Miruan's head. Could she kick it that far? Are liches kickable? What if it's nothign at all?

Heinrich nods, closes his helm's visor, and approaches the bag. When he is at his lance's range, he gingerly pokes the bag. Really just a gentle nudge.

<OOC> Autumn says, "If you try to kick it Miruan, this is what you'll hear: https://youtu.be/BvUZijEuNDQ"

Un'eth snorts and smacks Durrankar with her tail. Lightly. "Always the diplomat, cihuaa. There are times for words, and times to save them."

Durrankar says, "Yes, Cihuaa. Always the diplomat."

Malorn nods to Astaren, "I would agree I say that we wait and try to keep everyone else away from it like the guards asked."

Enough people seem to think it's best to just leave it as is, so Autumn finds a spot out of the sun to wait and watch from distance.

Alik watches Heinrich poking the sack with his lance, curiously.

It is bepoked!

Nothing happens.

Really.

The sack rustles a bit. The lance does connecting something... solid inside, though, with a clunk. So t he sack DEFINITELY isn full of something that produces a dull, metall 'tong!".

A moment later, a bespectabled gnome arrives andsays, "SO! What's all this about, then? Wait, 'DEMILICH INSIDE'? This is some kind of joke, right?"

Alik says "Probably." <gnomish>

Heinrich withdraws a few paces. "It didn't seem like a bag o' bones to me, and it didn't jump up at me neither.

Durrankar watches quietly and thumps his tail. "Worried over nothing it seems. May as well be cautious then." He hrfs at Heinrich.

"Welp, I don't detect any magic either," says the gnome, "So it should at least be possible to look inside without opening it too much."

The gnome crawls oer andtakes a look inside. Sergeant Billum puts a hand to his face.

SAid gnome opens the sack, unless someone stops him.

Malorn looks over to the gnome as he comes along and he goes to grab him, "Oh hey wait a second. Who are you? Don't go opening that."

Miruan blinks, watching. She's looking thoughtful, tilting her head.

"I am Magister Sembai," says Magister Sembai, "A senior member of Parliament and I can't believe I'm being force to waste my time on this ridiculous nonsense!"

Malorn ohs, "I'm sorry Magister Sembai." He moves his hand back, "Is there anything that we can do to help you with this?"

Durrankar growls at the magister, but stays back....at least for now.

Astaren sighs softly and shakes his head. He flips to another page and mutters something about the whole problem. He glances up to the Magister. Offering a full and proper bow, "Magister, apologies for taking away from your time. With the war every precaution is being taken for what is most likely a harmless joke. If we can use your great ability to verify that there is indeed no threat, we will of course take care of the rest." The man attempting to play on the magisters clearly self important ego.

Heinrich salutes the government leader, and stands back.

Un'eth places claws on Durrankar once again, to encourage him to remain back. At that same time, somewhat uncharacteristically, she remains both back and behind him. All while watching the bag and gnome with focus, wariness, and mild curiosity.

Alik approaches the bag alongside the magister. Cuz we gnomes gotta stick together.

The gnome opens it.

The bag, that is.

Nothing happens.

He pulls out a golden chest that... looks about to be one foot in length and width. He scratches his balding head and then says, "Well. This is all that was inside?" He holds it up.

Alik shrugs. "A demilich's head, might be. Or feet."

Astaren glances over and hmms, "Or yea..." He offers musing to himself and hmms, "Well things seem good here." Closing up his book and turning to start on his way.

Durrankar hrfs. "Better to be cautious it seems." he then glances back to Un'eth. "I guess the gnomes were worried. Not that I blame them."

Malorn hmms, "Interesting, is there anything else in there or just the chest." He looks over around, "Anyone here good with opening locked stuff?"

Alik nods. "Can attempt, yes."

Heinrich says, "I could smash it, but that wouldn't likely be very helpful, I guess."

Alik switches his eyewear back and inspects the chest more carefully for locks, traps, anything anomalous, then attempts to open it.

GAME: Alik rolls perception: (18)+18: 36

"This time, yes," Uneth agrees with Durrankar on caution. She hisses at talk of opening the revealed chest. "The mystery is no more. It is a chest. It can be moved elsewhere and stored. There is no cause to open it."

... it looks like a box, really. The bag, ow open, seems to have had a lead lined interior.

That much is obvious.

When ALik volunteers to inspect the box, he finds numerous magical runes on it that indicate varying degrees of protection.

Hey. Maybe there really IS something inside the box?!

Alik attempts to decipher the runes or discern their purpose.

Heinrich is a mere tank. He doesn't know much about magic or linguistics, and doesn't frankly care to. He returns to his waiting horse and stows his lance, then mounts up, lifts his visor, and watches Alik and the mysterious package.

GAME: Alik rolls knowledge/arcana: (3)+9: 12 GAME: Durrankar rolls 1d20+2+4: (3)+2+4: 9

While Miruan is a monk, she is no magician. She observes, curious.

Malorn takes a step back and watches curiously to see what the finger wigglers are going to do."

Autumn speaks up as she looks at the box "Apparently the runes... are to prevent scrying and divinitation. It doesn't seem to have any other protection on it, but some of those can be invisible or otherwise hidden."

Alik shrugs. There's an easy way to find out. He opens the chest if unlocked, or attempts to unlock it if locked.

"The markings..." Uneth begins as she peers at the chest around Durrankar's shoulder. "Yess," she adds to Autumn's description. "As I said, it should not be opened."

Durrankar says, "it...looks like someone's opening it..."

"Mmmn. I don't see anything like this in our inentory," says the Magister, thoughtuflly. "I can check remotely with perfect recall!" He taps hishead, then pauses.

"No 'sack with demilich warnings'.

Malorn nods, "Well if it says not to open it then let's not open it."

Heinrich says, "Oh, for the love of Pete! We've come this far already. Let's just open it and have done with the mystery already!"

Un'eth acknowledges her cihuaa's statement of truth she can see for herself by taking a step back, and seeking to tug him with her.

Durrankar does not move, but he's far enough away anyways. he does look at UN'eth. "it is a chest, Un'eth...."

The magister pauses for a moment, then says, "ALl right. Let's open it up. We can't just ignore it."

He's too curious for his own good. He slowly sets it down on the ground and nods towards Alik.

Alik opens the chest if unlocked, or attempts to unlock it if locked.

It's easy enough to open it.

Inside, THERE IS A SKULL!

It looks yellowed with age. It's just kinda hanging out there, you know? A skull.

It, and a forearm bone, sit on a velvet pillow.

Alik swaps eyeware again and checks the contents of the chest for magic.

Heinrich shrugs and says. "Poor fellow. May he rest in peace." and renders a formal salute for the dead.

Durrankar clicks his tongue. "Some lich."

"One that need not be opened..." Uneth reiterates. Yes, she is cautious, very much so, and more than she might be otherwise. When nothing immediately happens, she relaxes marginally.

Malorn hmms as he looks at the yellowed skull and forearm bone, "Let's not touch it and perhaps get in touch with a cleric of Vardama."

Whirlpool pages: It's... utterly nonmagical.

Alik shrugs. "Not magical," he announces. He checks around the inside of the chest for any clues as to the story behind its contents.

"BWAHAHAHAHAAHA."

Laughter rings out from over the rubble. "Oh, man. This was AWESOME. It was abag with 'caution: demilich' on the side. WHAT WERE YOU PEOPLE EXPECTING?"

A figure is emerging from the ruins. He's... actually....glowing. A brilliant golden color, actually. And he has wings.

"Hello, everyone! THnaks for putting up with the jokes. I am Rimofis! And Tarien's my bossman, if you hadn't guessed."

Blink. The Jeopardy music abruptly scratches to a halt and you can almost see the hamster on the wheel in Mir's brain screech to a halt and fall off the wheel. Then she giggles. "That was pretty good." She got got! "Nice to meet you, Rimofis." She bows as best as one can on a horse.

Autumn shrugs and looks over at the Rimofis and Tarien, cocking her head to one side. Apparently she's still waiting for the something funny to happen.

Heinrich shakes his head back and forth.

Alik regards the glowing figure skeptically.

Durrankar actually faceclaws. "Cihuaa....we've been had." he then looks to the flying one. "good to meet you Rimofis. And that was a scary but humorous joke, now that we know it's a joke."

Malorn looks around as he hears the laughing and he frowns a little bit, "This is neither the time nor the place for jokes."

"On the contrary! This is the PERFECT place for jokes. Even in the midst of all this madness. ESPECIALLY in the midst of all this madness. And you have all earned a blessing." Rimofis seems pleased, regardless.

Un'eth startles at the sudden laughter, so focused was she on the chest and its contents. She did expect something horrid, not... She whirls around to glare at the glowing one. It does not ease after the explanation. "You!" A claw points accusingly. Other words escape her for the moment.

Durrankar looks to Un'eth. "you know this one, cihuaa?"

"... That was not humor!" Uneth eventally manages to get out, before looking to Durrankar. "No, and I do not like him. That was not a joke."

Heinrich says drily, "It doesn't have to be in good taste to be humor."

Durrankar says, "They both have points....but...if I remember correctly, the great copper dragon can make a joke of anything." he then looks to Rimofis. "Besides, rimofis....your subject looks......Boned.""

Miruan sadly has no drumsticks to rimshot with.

Un'eth adjusts fire some on her annoyance and slaps the back of Durrankar's head firmly. "Neither was that."

The Magister looks fumed. "I coiuld be doing something IMPORTANT and you waste my time with this? These men could be on the front, and you waste OUR time with this?!'

Rimofis pauses and smiles.

"You know, perhaps they weren't menat to be there. Perhaps there's a reason you're all here together now instead."

Alik closes the chest and sits on it.

Durrankar hrfs at Un'eth. "yes it was. You'll laugh later." he then looks to Rimofis. "Why would we need to be here now?"

Autumn speaks up "It seems like you put some effort into gathering us here and now. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to what purpose you had in mind?"

Un'eth opens her maw, likely to argue the point. She closes it again and looks back to Rimofis to open it again, only to her have her cihuaa beat her to the question of the moment. That still does not mean that she will laught later.

"As we speak," says Rimofis, "I've already done more than I ought to've. THere are rules, but you know, intervention for intervention. Every trick has a purpsoe." He bends down for a moment, then tells Autumn, "Your boots are untied." Is she even WEARING boots? It doesn't matter.

"Just hold onto these things. You'll need them." He gives a nod to the skull and the forearm. And the box.

Autumn doesn't even look down at the boots comment and then walks over towards the box, shooing Alik away from using it as a chair.

Alik regards Autumn curiously, as though unclear what Autumn means to convey with the shooing gesture, and remains seated.

Miruan looks puzzled, amused and just sort of accepting of it. She is learning something, perhaps and seems oddly unbothered by Tarienite wisdom. Then again, it takes a lot to ruffle a monk sometimes. Maybe a really big breeze.

Autumn pauses for a moment and then plainly speaks up "Stand up, I need the box."

Heinrich rides up close to Rimofis and says to the magister, "Is he to be arrested, Your Excellency?"

Durrankar blinks....blinks again......three times. "Er....Sure. we'll do that." he then looks to Un'eth. "I think we should have Rune keep the skul and bones...."

Alik raises an eyebrow. "Is, I think, magic word forgetting you are?"

"Marvelous," says the Celestial being when ALik speaks.

Malorn crosses his arms as he didn't find the trick very funny. He looks over towards the Magister to see what he wants done.

Heinrich, perceiving the nature of Rimofis better now, says, "Or not. I beg pardon, sir."

Autumn just stares at Alik.

Alik turns to the Celestial being. "Marvelous, what is?"

"The magic word, of course," he replies.

Alik hrms. "Ah."

Autumn shrugs and says "Marvelous."

Alik is amused, and also should get back to crafting. He hops off the chest and waves goodbye

Heinrich says "<something you don't understand in goblin-talk>"The. Magic. Word."<something you don't understand in goblin-talk>"

Autumn is content to wait to retrieve the box, standing there with the hood up and arms crossed under her sleeves. Once Alik moves, she examines the box.

ALIK DISCONNECTED HERE AND STOPPED LOGGING