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| The far doors are embossed with the image of a helmeted skull. |
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| You enter at C14/D14. |
Two more iron statues are to your immediate left and right, next to an open pit in the floor. From this 10’ wide pit, you can sense a faint emerald glow pulsing from its depths. Daring a closer look, you see that the pit is only 10' deep, and lined with dozens of skull-tipped rods. These rods are giving off the emerald glow.
The air is heavy with the odor of smelted iron, as if a forge burned nearby.
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| Skull-topped wands... where have you seen this before? |
OOC: I assume the opening is also seen from up above?
ReplyDelete[Tak-tha]
While interesting, Tak-tha figures that there is little he could determine about the skulls and wands. Instead, with one pit already open, he makes his way slowly down the hall, keeping an eye out if other pits lay hidden further on.
Tech
Move as far down the hall as possible until he uncovers a trap
Dungeoneering +19, Perception +21 (roll twice, take better)
At the bottom of the 10' pit, you spy another possible exit that leads west, with a hint of a stairway leading down...
ReplyDeleteOOC: I knew something was missing from the post... Good eye. I'll process Tak-tha's action soon... work demands my attention at the moment.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteStowing the bedroll-wrapped skull and helmet into his satchel, taking care not to break any of the delicate supplies he packed, the mage follows Tak-Tha into the passage beyond. His eyes narrow to slits as he peers into the open pit. “What in the nine circles…?” He whispers gravely as he tries to discern the nature of the hellish green glow.
Spotting the passage at the bottom of the pit, and wholly untrusting the viridian glowing wands, he fishes out a bundle of rope and his dagger. Making a tight knot around the handle of the blade he examines the mortared walls, seeking out a solid place to hammer in his makeshift piton.
Tech: Arcana +19, Dungeoneering +10, Perception +10
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil peers into the room, taking a moment to glance down into the pit, examining it carefully.
Tech: Arcana +15, Perception +13, History +15, Religion +15, Dungeoneering +8
[Teryn]
ReplyDelete"Princess, eh? I suppose I've been called worse." Teryn gives a rueful smile and moves forward into the passage to look down into the pit. "Well, I'm happy to poke around down there if we decide those wands are safe. That passageway is tempting, especially given a particular rumor we've heard about this place."
While the others are inspecting, Teryn contemplates the iron statues nearest the group. "More of these? And the banners back there? Our lich seems strangely nostalgic." Teryn takes a moment to peek and feel around the back and bases of the statues for anything hidden.
If nothing turns up, she will call out to the scout, this time taking care to address him more politely: "Do you see anything up there we should have a go at, Tak-Tha?" And as a gesture of goodwill, "We can share my thieves' tools if they're needed."
Tech: Perception (+12) on/behind the statues.
OOC: Is there liquid (acid?) at the base of the pit, or is that just the wands' glow? Let's keep in mind the reliable rumor about the 3 pits and their passages at the bottom; it would be nice to prove/disprove that one if we can. Those wands look scary though.
[Brathu]
ReplyDeleteNoticing the pit, Brathu moves slowly into the room. "A gauntlet of traps, no doubt. Easiest way to find out about them would be to jump down. It is not very far..."
OOC: I doubt we'll be able to see much from up here, and I would love to see the scout/rogue move forward first. Nothing is just a hallway around here. Five of us have rope, ya? And I think Kin has a spell to teleport allies...
OOC: Damn right I do. Recall Ally FTW! I'll let you dudes sniff out the traps, lemme know when there's some undead to blast. Assuming the skull wands mean Orcus? I guess any lich would at least have to pay homage there, ya? Arcana/Religion +13 about the wands....The gas just a deposit from the corrosive stuff we entered in? Which is gonna kill us in July?
ReplyDelete[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteHanrar recognizes the wands in the pit as replica Wands of Orcus. It is common knowledge (at least among anyone with magical or religous training) that the Wand of Orcus is a unique artifact. Therefore, these must be fake.
As far as he can tell, the emerald glow is just light. It's not ooze, nor mist. He can sense a necrotic magic coming from the wands.
Looking about, he finds few good places to embedd a piton; the construction of the walls is superb. It's still possible, but he would have to take some time and make a lot of noise with the hammering. The nearby iron statues might make good anchors.
[Yursil and Kin Kuro]
Yursil and Kin Kuro concur with Hanrar accessments of the nearby pit and replica Orcus Wands. OOC: Sorry, your rolls were slightly less than Hanrar's.
[Princess Teryn]
Teryn exmaines the nearby iron statues, and while they are quite artistic, they are just statues.
[Tak-tha]
Tak-tha searches his way north, attempting to find more traps. And does find them, when he feels the sinking feeling of the floor opening up beneath him! You see Tak-tha fall out of sight, dropping 30' to land in the pit below. The replica wands of orcus (also lining this pit it seems) then blast him briefly with necrotic energy...
Tech: Your rolled double 7's on your perception checks. You take 7 falling damage (factoring in acrobatics training to reduce damage) and 23 necrotic damage. You are prone in the pit and have 69 hit points. In addition, the number of allowable Death Saves for you has been reduced by 1 (i.e., fail two death saves and you die, instead of failing three).
OOC: Vitals updated. I'm trying a differnt look to the crusader health section. Instead of cutting/pasting from iplay4e, I'm going for a more stylelized look. Let me know if you like it better than the older style, or if you'd rather see the original iplay4e style. Both are shown on the vitals tab, so you can compare.
Brathu
ReplyDeleteBrathu bolts towards his ally after seeing him drop from sight. Seeing him only 30 ft, he lowers a rope.
OOC: Move to D10, lower the silk rope to help tak-tha up. Anyone have ranged at-wills attacks to destroy those skull wands? Also, is there an opening in the second pit?
Also, I like the stylized vitals tab. Either works for me, whichever is less of a pain for you Joe.
[Brathu]
ReplyDeleteYou have no problems getting to the pit to drop the escape rope. Although, it seems that Tak-tha is no longer in danger; the replica wands to not fire at him a second time. He may ascend as he wishes (with the handy rope).
OOC: The other exit was in the 10' pit only.
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDelete"This is not turning out to be my hunt," Tak-tha grumbles to himself as he climbs to his feet and shakes the dust off of himself. He takes a moment to recover and gather his bearings before looking around. Not seeing any exits down here, he moves to the rope that dropped down, avoiding the wands at first until curiosity overtakes him.
Tech
Spend a healing surge
Since they aren't firing at him again, Perception 21, Dungeoneering 18 on the pit and wands, and as a sudden thought, maybe Thievery 14 to see if they can be removed?
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteTak-tha does not find any secret doors or other such things in this pit. He does note that a replica Wand of Orcus could be removed with finesse or brute force.
OOC: DC 31 Thievery or Athletics to remove a wand. Tak-tha is now at 93 hp, and down to 7 surges. I probably won't update the vitals tab until Monday.
OOC: Which means that particular rumor is false. Which means the other two reliable rumors we got are true! Good to know.
ReplyDelete[Teryn]
ReplyDeleteTeryn pokes her head over the edge of the second pit. "Need any help getting one of those wands loose? Here, see if these help." Teryn tosses Tak'Tha her thieves' tools.
OOC: Thieves' tools add +2 to thievery checks. Does it look like it's possible to access the open passage at the bottom of the first pit without being blasted by the wands with some deft maneuvering? Or might the wands be disabled by our quarreled mage?
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteTak-tha easily catches the thieves' tools kit. "Not sure I'm the one to attempt this but my luck has to turn around some time, right?" Tak-tha attempts to remove one of the wands closest to the rope.
Tech
Thievery +16
[Teryn]
ReplyDeleteTeryn believes that a controlled descent into the pit will not activate the wands. She passes the thieves' tools to Tak-tha.
[Tak-tha]
Tak-tha's luck (or lack thereof) continues. He cannot seem to finesse one of the wands free.
Tech: Natural 3. D'oh!
[Teryn]
ReplyDeleteOOC: Teryn will head down into Tak'Tha's pit and attempt to retrieve a wand (Thievery +19+2 for the tools) if we can use a rope for a controlled descent and ascent (Acrobatics +19, if necessary). She will also go down into the first pit and explore that passageway carefully (Stealth +19, Perception +12).
To be clear, Teryn will go down into both pits with a rope and a way back out!
DeleteBrathu
ReplyDeleteBefore Teryn scales into and out of the pits, he uncorks a black vial on his belt, and calls forth Salzacas from his Prison. "Do not risk anything Teryn, let the shade be your vanguard" he suggests.
Tech:
Conjure Salzacas next to me. Bjorn, do you want the shade to go first? Tak-tha is already in the pit, and the shade can bring a torch down the passageway for the hunter to check it out.
Also, as for the rumors, who said these were the only pits in the room? There are already two and we're only half-way in!
Sure, sending the shade sounds good to me! But I thought only the first pit had a passageway at the bottom? There isn't one in Tak'Tha's pit, right?
DeleteOOC: Darnit, confused my pits. If thats the case, I will just give you the vial for now. Anyone think its worth Kin blasting the skull wands with godly energy? Do we think we'll need them, I assume they are just part of the trap.
Delete[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteTak-tha grumbles to himself as he puts the tools away. "If we want to have one of these infernal wands, someone more skilled than I will have to retrieve it." He takes another moment to focus, stretching his arms and loosening himself up. With his second arms holding onto the rope for support more than anything else, Tak-tha easily scales his way out of the pit. "There may be more pits further on. Hanrar, it might be safer if we use our 10 foot pole to prod the ground ahead of us. Or we could tie a backpack to some rope and toss it ahead of us to trigger a trap."
Tech
Enter the Aspect of the Soaring Hawk (wouldn't have helped much earlier but I still can't believe I forgot about this)
Climb straight out of the pit (Natural climb speed of 10, hoorah)
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteThe mage turns and ties his dagger/rope combo tightly around the torso and neck of the iron statue closest to the open pit, giving the cord a pull to test its strength. Nodding silently to himself, he then peers at the statue, studying its rusted surface for the most logical point to anchor the dagger and drives it home, keeping the rope in place. He tosses the remaining length down the open pit, watching as it coils on the floor below.
He nods to the scout as he climbs out of the pit, smirking softly. "Perhaps we should have considered that first before rushing headlong into a trap-laden dungeon patrolled by an undying lich..." He says snarkily as he walks towards the Tak-Tha, examining him quickly, trying to help him shake off any remaining negative energy. "How are you feeling? Any sluggish feelings in your limbs?" He Rummages into his pack and pulls out his collapsing pole, an empty sack and a flash of brandy, offering them to the scout. He shrugs as he nods at the flask with a smirk. "To help with the chill."
He kneels down at the edge of the pit and peers down to see the identical wands, trying to focus his arcane powers along the weave to disrupt their ingrained powers and render them useless.
Tech: Bracers of Mental Might +6 to drive the dagger into the iron statue to further anchor the rope, Healing +10, Arcana +18 to disrupt/disarm the wands.
The adventure continues here.
ReplyDelete