Lucius Cypher

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

More like "Behold the Shopkeeper! Witness and tremble at their great deals, as great as their power!"

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

I was thinking either a beholder or one of those secret silver dragons who are disguised as humans, but I felt beholders are more obvious "Don't fuck with this merchant" than what looks like a plain ol humie.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

He's friendly! Mostly. Let's just say those trogs had to deal with CR, and sufficient to say, they don't stack up against him.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"UNFORTUNATE! BUT UNDERSTANDABLE. FINE SPECEMIN INDEED, DO KEEP HIM IN GOOD CONDITION, OR AT THE VERY LEAST IF HE SHOULD CEASE TO FUNCTION PLEASE BRING HIM TO ME! NONFUNCTIONAL OR NOT I WOULD ENJOY NOTHING MORE THAN TO EXAMINE HIM!' The monster made something of a smile, which was more intimidating than comforting. Might have to the with the fact you could see all of his teeth, and those mandibles on the side showed to be much more flexible than they have any right to be. The creature put a book out for you labeled "Inventory", and inside of it was a large catalog of items. Nearly all of them magical, from a basic healing potion to what looked like weapons and armor of ancient legends, or at least that's how they're described. As for your question the creature took one of his tentacles to what you would assume to be his chin, stroking it in contemplation. "A CROCODILE BY THE NAME OF GREEN EYES? NO I HAVE NOT SEEN SUCH A BEAST. HOWEVER I WOULD GLADLY TRADE MY ITEMS FOR HIS HIDE OR EVEN HIS EYES IF THEY ARE MAGNIFICENT ENOUGH! AH! BUT IF YOU HUNT THIS CREATURE YOURSELF, I MAY HAVE SOMETHING WHICH MAY ASSIST YOU."

The creature aimed an eye at the book, and a translucent ray of energy engulfed it, allowing him to flip the pages without touching it. He showed an item called the Scroll of Clairvoyance. "YES THIS ITEM HERE COULD SERVE YOU WELL. SIMPLY READ THE INCANTATION WITH YOUR MOUTH WHILE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, AND FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR SO IT SHALL SHOW YOU A PATH TO THAT WHICH YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. YES YES, I THINK ONE HUNDRED GOLD COINS IS A FAIR PRICE! I ALSO ACCEPT TRADE HOWEVER I MUST APPRAISE THE ITEMS FIRST AND CONFIRM IF THEY ARE WORTHY OF FAIR TRADE. ON MY HONOR AS A MERCHANT, I SHALL NOT CHEAT YOU! BUT JUST AS WELL, I PLACE NO STOCK ON SENTIMENTAL VALUE!" Pylia was the first to snap out of her fear to try and whisper to you. "We... We should go. I really don't want to be here."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

The eating suddenly stops as you hear some movement in the back. But what you see coming out... Wasn’t human. You saw an eyeball on a long stock look at you before it’s pupil became small, and suddenly it followed by a booming, almost song-song like voice. “CUUUUSTOMERS!” Squeezing through the opening was a large abomination that stunned your three companions silent. His many eyes looked over everyone while his singular eye was lookin at you. “OH IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I HAVE HAD CUSTOMERS! COME IN COME IN, YOU MUST BE ADVENTURERS. ARE YOU HERE FOR TRADE OR APPRAISAL? OH I CAN ALREADY TELL YOU HAVE QUITE THE TREASURES!” The monster looked closer at everyone, causing Shortfang to aim his crossbow at it, though the monster hardly seemed concerned despite one of his eye stalks being inches away from the arrow.

“AH IS THIS KOBOL BONECRAFT I SEE? YES YES QUITE INGENIOUS CONSIDERING THEIR LIMITED SUPPLIES, THOUGH ARROWHEADS OF THESE DESIGN ARE BETTER FOR HUNTING GAME AND SOFT TARGETS RATHER THAN HEAVIER PLATE. OH YES THE HUMAN DESIGN IS SO BORING BUT IT CANNOT BE DENIED FOR ITS PRACTICALLY.” Another few eye stalks were examining Pylia, causing her a great amount of discomfort due to how closely they were looking at her, almost like they were going to wrap around her body. “OH IS THIS A MADRAN CALVARY CLUB? AMAZING! ONLY ONE-HUNDRED SEVENTY-TWO EXIST IN THE WORKD NOW, WITH COUNTLESS IMITATIONS, BUT THIS IS A LEGITIMATE COPY! I WOULD GLADLY BUY OR TRADE FOR THIS!” And lastly there was Buddy, who was actively trying to stay away from the eyes but they could follow him all throughout the room without the monster moving an inch. “OH MY OH MY OH MY I HAVE NEVER IN MY FOUR-HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-TWO YEARS OF EXISTENCE SEEN A SPECIMEN LIKE THIS ONE OH CERTAINLY NOT! GOLEMS I AN FAMILIAR WITH AND MAGICAL CONSTRUCTS ARE NOT UNUSUAL BUT THIS CREATURE IS UNLIKE ANY BEFORE! I WOULD GLADLY TRADE HIM FOR ONE IF MY FINEST ITEMS OR PERHAPS THIRTY-THOUSAND GOLD PIECES, AN HONEST PRICE DO YOU NOT AGREE MISS....?”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

You open the door and find it to be unlocked. You’re hit with a blast of fresh, cool air, like you’re coming into a room with air conditioning. Peeking inside you see the room is brightly illuminated by a strange blue crystal, and there’s a counter in the room. Opening it some more you could see another room adjacent to this one, and three suits of armor standing on the opposite side of the room. There’s a stuff boar’s Head next to a door to your left.

This room looks, smells, and feels nothing like the sewers. Looking up you could even see a little bell that would’ve alerted anyone that you opened the door, however by moving it slowly the bell does not jingle. You could gear the sounds of someone eating coming from the back room.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

This door looked like a regular door, meant for human sized folks. If Green Eyes was as big as the crocodiles you saw before, there’s no way he would fit through here without breaking the wall. And aside from the blood stains, there wasn’t really anything else on this door as far as traps or signs of entry. Though it was still strange how there was a dead body here.

Everyone seemed to have a comment on the door. “I’m not sure what’s on the other side, but if I had to guess it killed this trog. Might not be friendly.” Pylia says. “Enemy of Enemy friend, yeah? Plus nice door. Solid, safe! We knock, say hi?” Shortfang spoke out. Buddy wrote his thoughts on a page of his journal. ”Its a lead. Might take us to Grn Eye.” ultimately however they were waiting on you to make the decision. They were all ready for trouble if it showed up.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

You may roll me an investigation check for the door

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

With everything set, the party sets out into the sewers to find Green Eyes. There wasn’t much of a lead to follow, but how hard could it be to find a giant crocodile? Turns out, quite a bit. Though most of the tunnels were rather small, it was a veritable labyrinth of pipes, waterways, and drains. It didn’t help that Shortfang doesn’t know this part of the underground; all he could tell was that there were no kobold signs. This might actually be deep into trog territory.

It took about an hour before the party eventually finds something interesting. Going down a corridor you would notice a huge pool of blood and two halves of a troglodyte in between them. But oddly enough also near said pool of blood, in fact right in front of it, was a rather well made door. Many of the doors you e found down here where either simple bar doors, moldy wooden ones, or heavy stone and bronze. But this door appeared to be made of some find hardwood with brass accents. There was even a legitimate doorknob and a knocker, instead of just a handle. The creepiest thing about this door however was the strange ornament on top of it though; some sort of four-pointed star, but it had what looked like a bronze eye at the center that almost looked like it was following you, though you know this is just a trick of perspective.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Cool, I’m going to bed and I got work tomorrow, but some stuff is about to happen. Before that though please roll me a survival check to navigate these sewers. It’s a group one so I’ll be adding your results to a total, dividing it by four, and seeing if you beat the DC in my head.