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| A new chamber greets Tak-tha's bold risk-taking move. (Oh, and the portal on the right is actually silver.) |
Tak-tha takes a deep cleansing breath, standing before the red portal. Traversing portals is a very risky proposition. You have no control over where it takes you, and it can take you to instant death, or a very slow drawn out one.
Tak-tha steps through the red portal and vanishes... to discover himself in a new chamber, a shrine illuminated by hundreds of candles that sit in hemispheric niches in the walls. He's standing among four bone-white pedestals, each identical to those seen in the Great Hub. A silver portal is set into the far wall, its swirling mists filling the chamber with a low oscillating hum.In the north is an alcove which displays a large, intricately-sculpted clay statue. It is 8 feet tall and depicts a middle-aged human wearing a long breechcloth and draped in all manner of ornate feathered vestments. A thick collar is visible, which bears the holy symbol of all four gods.
A real golden talisman – not clay – is draped around the statue's neck.
OOC: Tak-tha, this is the sixth time I've run Crucible of the Gods (five table-top, and this play-by-blog), and of those runs NOBODY has ever discovered this chamber. Well done on your astute observation and risk taking, it may well pay off yet.
Since this is a game that encourages meta-gaming, the rest of you can follow Tak-tha into the chamber if you wish, considering his knowledge as party knowledge. Do what you want. (Oooh, the meta gaming sacrilege!)
OOC: I'm going to take a stab at this and say we need to place the four skulls on these pedestals.
ReplyDeleteOOC: At first I was really dubious about this and it seemed like a longshot, but I'm glad Tak-Tha kept at it and went for it. So is the portal still present, and is it bidirectional? Can Tak-Tha come back out and get the skulls or is it a one-way trip? If it's one-way this could be our final trial already. Is everyone prepped?
ReplyDeleteTak-tha's potion chugging healing up his wounds with great speed!
ReplyDeleteTech: 2 Potions of Healing, 20 hp gained. Currently at 21 hp and 21 temp hp, 5 surges remaining. If you guys actually do a short rest, the temp hp goes away. I will ask again about the short rest later.
OOC: The red portal is probably one way, but there's a silver portal that should bring me back to the main hall. Same thing happened with our first skull. Now we're thinking with portals :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely seems like we need to bring all four skulls in here
[Tak-tha]
Tak-tha opens his eyes once he finds both of his feet on solid ground, not even realizing he had closed them when he stepped into the portal. He also lets out the breath he had been holding in. A smile crosses his face as he realizes he was correct in his hunch about the flame.
Hoping the others would be soon behind him, he relaxes and starts to examine the room, making sure no traps await as he approaches the statue.
Tech
Switch to Hawk Stance for Perc bonus
Perception and Dungeoneering for traps as he approaches the statue
Perception, Dungeoneering, and Nature on the statue and talisman
He doesn't touch a thing
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteTak-tha doesn't see any traps on the statue or the talisman. But as he visually searches, he begins to hear a sound like that of drums. Heavy drums and chanting... growing in intensity... Tak-tha begins to feel agitated, is someone watching him?
[Arden]
ReplyDeleteArden somehow feels like Tak-tha didn't die and follows him through the portal. If he makes it through he will take a moment to orient himself on the other side. Then Arden will cast detect magic on the talisman, the statue, and the new collection of pedestals.
Arden also thinks back to see if he knows anything about the figure depicted in the statue.
Tech: Arcana +11 on the talisman, statue and pedestals. History +11 on the figure of the statue.
OOC: If some of you are reeling from the blantant meta that's going on, I have a way to reel it back in. While Tak-tha stepped through, Arden cast a spell and extended his palm upward. Above his hand, a small scene appears showing Tak-tha in the new chamber. Solve it with MAGIC!
Delete[Arden]
ReplyDeleteNow with Tak-tha, Arden casts Detect Magic and scans the chamber. He's getting the typical teleportation aura off the portal, and a warding/enchantment aura on the gold talisman.
Arden recognizes it as the artifact known as the Talisman of Glory. While Arden knows the name, he does not know of it's powers. Just vague references to it being potent.
Nevdor, with assurances from Arden and his magic, won't step through the portal just yet.
ReplyDeleteOOC: Ok folks, looks like we need to make a decision here. I worry that that statue is gonna attack us if we try to take the talisman w/o putting four things on those pillars. Is it meant to be the skulls? I could gather them all up and bring them in...if you guys want. Or maybe we need another sacrifice to each ofthe four gods? I also want to place Kishar's skull in the great hub and see if we get another boon.
[Selvantis]
ReplyDeleteAfter studying the image Arden displays for the party and watching the caster step through the shimmering crimson gateway, the ranger turns to consider the skulls that rest upon the pedestals in the main hub. Taking a deep breath, he approaches the skull of Lyth and drops to his knees before it.
"Lady of beasts and mistress of the wild, I ask your forgiveness for what may be blaspheme. I have seen your desire and pray my mortal assumption does not offend." He draws his dagger and takes a handful of the thick fur that grows at the nape of his neck, dragging the blade roughly against it. Wincing slightly at the grinding of hair against the sharp edge, he slices a small mass of fur free and piles it gently at the base of the plinth.
He pulls his tinderbox free from its pouch and strikes the flint near the small pile of hair, quickly setting it ablaze with a waft of acrid smoke. He breathes deeply of the foul smelling smoke, his eyes closed as it burns. As the hair rapidly crumbles into ash, he stands and places his hands reverently on either side of the divine skull, gently lifting it from its resting place and hoping the divine do not smite him for his arrogance.
[Selvantis]
ReplyDeleteSelvantis picks up the skull, and nothing happens. Nobody dies, which is nearly always a good thing.
OOC: To speed things up, I'll state that you can gather all three skulls off the pedestals without incident.
[Selvantis]
ReplyDeleteRelieved that no ill comes to him from retrieving the skull, the ranger gestures to his fellows to follow suit. Reverently carrying the carved crystal, he too steps through the gateway, momentarily marveling at the intimidating statue and array of candles. Keeping an eye on the statue as he moves towards the circle of pedestals, he readies the divine skull of Lyth to be placed upon the column to the south. He holds the artifact above the surface, ready to place it as soon as the others arrive with their precious cargo.
After Selvantis takes the other skulls, Nevdor will place Kishars divine skull on the closest pillar, just like the group had done with the rest of the skulls. After we receive the boon, he'll take the skull and join the others in the new portal room.
ReplyDeleteOOC: playing a bit of skull roulette, Hopin we don't get punished for it.
Hanar relaxes as no one is struck down by the removal of the skulls. He reverently picks up Asar-Segt's divine skull. He then follows Selvantis through the portal. Eyeing the statue warily, he moves to a column and gets ready to place the skull.
ReplyDelete[Nevdor]
ReplyDeleteNevdor's placing of the skull on a pedestal in the Great Hub, even momentarily, conveys the following boon: All Dungeoneers gain a +2 bonus to damage.
[Hanar]
Hanar is in place at the Hidden Shrine, ready to place a skull on one of the four pedestals there.
[Ashton]
ReplyDeleteThe genasi tucks his syringes back away - the atmosphere is too charged with energy to sit down, rest, and administer medical care. He reverently watches as the experienced crusaders portage the divine skulls through the red portal, then rubs his hands together excitedly, and follows himself.
OOC: You guys have enough people to port the skulls over to the Hidden Shrine. I just need a (picard) "Make it so!" (/picard) from one of you on placing the skulls on the pedestals.
ReplyDeleteNevdor enters the red portal, his companions prepared to see what happens. Nevdor places the skull of Kishar onto the north pillar, waits for his companions to follow suite, and whirls around, blade in hand to see what happens to the statue.
ReplyDeleteOOC: we've already made our decide. MAKE IT SO.
When you place the four divine skulls on the pedestals, a blinding flash of emerald magic fills the shrine, and the candles suddenly blow out. When your vision returns, you see that a single ray of light has pierced the ceiling of the chamber, shining down upon the talisman around the statue's neck.
ReplyDeleteOOC: I will let the solver of this mystery go ahead and claim the talisman. Once he has it, let's bring everything back TOTHE hub and sort it out. This isn't the endgame, so which skull should be place in the archway now?
ReplyDelete[Selvantis]
ReplyDeleteBlocking his eyes from the sudden glare, he blinks rapidly as the lights extinguish, plunging them into darkness. As his eyes adjust, cat-like slivers widening to take in the feeble light, his heart begins to pound in his chest.
"We thank you, Oh Gods..." He whispers as he gazes upon the pendant. Tentatively, he steps towards the statue and reaches out a hand, his fingertips almost grazing the ornate golden amulet before he pulls back.
"Who would step forward and take this mantle? Who of us is the most worthy?" His eyes rest on Tak-Tha. "I feel as though you were somehow drawn to this place... Will you take it?"
[Ashton]
ReplyDeleteBefore Tak-tha can even move to take the talisman, Ashton puts his arm in front of him, then glances at Arden.
"Great warrior, I may be overly cautious, but perhaps our magical phenom can just double-check first?"
The adventure continues... (after getting an email from Tak-tha's player about taking the Talisman)...
ReplyDeletehttp://grind4e.blogspot.com/2012/03/crucible-of-gods-talisman-of-glory.html