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| The feeling of descending the stairs matches that of the sinking feeling in your gut. |
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| You start in the area of the southern stairway. |
Across the way is a set of 10' wide iron double doors in the north wall. The doors are embossed with image of an inverted trident wreathed in flame and covered in snakes. The image is vibrant and easy to see from this distance.
OOC: Welcome to the start of the adventure! We are not in combat rounds (yet), so feel free to do actions in a more freeform style. If moving or interacting with an object, try to reference location markers on the map (such as, "Teryn carefully moves with stealth to K7 and peers around the corner").
When a crusader perishes in the Tomb (50 point penalty), that player may re-enter with another character. If a player chooses to do so, the new crusader joins the party at the end of the current encounter (or immediately, if the death occurred outside of combat).
Remember, a total party kill (TPK) ends the game. Good Luck! -MilwaukeeJoe
Addendum Imagery:
Following a technique I've seen employed on CStevenRoss's own play-by-blog, I will update the main post with added imagery as needed:
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| Towards the east, a skull with emeralds for eyes sitting upon the pedestal. |
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| In the west, a throned skeleton sits motionless, flanked by two iron statues. |
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteThe dusty-skinned mage steps forward into the pale light of the staircase, peering into the gloom ahead beyond the glare of the skull braziers. His heavy, dark-colored cloak is traced with faint silver chasing along the edges, the twisted embroidery flashing briefly in the flickering torchlight. His shirt beneath shimmers in the light, one sleeve sewn up to expose a quarrel stuck through his left arm, the fletching frayed from age. He shoulders his staff, the runes along its length ebbing slightly and the gnarled gold and silver weight at the end arcing off a tiny bolt of arcane power as he pulls his grey, shoulder-length hair back and quickly ties it with a leather thong.
“Be cautious…” He warns as he starts back down the stair, his voice like a chill wind over old coals, rasping as if with some malaise. “I’d hate to have to scrape one of you up before we even set foot into the tomb proper…” A sick grin spreads across his face as he slinks further down the staircase, keeping low as his soft boots make barely a whisper on the age-worn stone.
As he reaches the bottom of the stair, he reaches out with his less mundane senses, ‘tasting’ the air for more than the lingering acridity of death and the nose-stinging fumes that pervade the area. He peers into the gloom with his mind as well as his eyes, feeling along the ‘weave’ for arcane distortion in the area.
Tech: Stealth to M9 +11, Perception +10, Arcana +19
OOC: I’m so STOKED for this, this is going to be awesome!
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil turns a bored gaze toward the mage that had spoke. "I had that happen once. Coming back from it was not pleasant." Yursil says dryly, both literally and figuratively. Somehow his throat had never quite been the same since he had come back, then again, most other things hadn't come back quite the same. He descended the stairs as smoothly and silently as possible, his rotting cape trailing behind him. Despite his boredom, Yursil swept the area with his eyes, trying to find anything to interest him.
Tech: Stealth +10 to L9, Perception +8, Arcana +15
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteHanrar is having difficulty attuning his magical senses to the auras of the tomb. However, as he steps close to the nearby pillar, he can hear from within the sounds of wailing and the cracking of bones...
You also get a better look at the banners, and recognize the watchtower symbol as the crest of Stormhold, a city-state that crumbled over four centuries ago. The banners are decayed, but not defaced.
Tech: First roll (arcana), natural 1. An ill omen?
[Yursil]
Yursil stands next to Hanrar, and can also hear the strange sounds from within the nearby pillars. Casting Detect Magic, he notes auras to the northeast (near P5) and also to the west-northwest (near B5). Not having line of sight, he can't quite make out the type of aura (yet).
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteThe mage shakes his head in frustration as the innate magical auras of the place interfere with his preternatural senses, rendering them momentarily useless. Instead, he carefully steps along the wall beside the pillar, peering out into the space beyond the monolithic columns, making sure no danger awaits him before turning to inspect the crumbling tapestry, twisting his mouth into a thoughtful frown, his brow furrowing in concentration.
“These banners… I wonder…” He taps his foot, idly reaching up and twisting the quarrel in his left arm gently as he inspects the symbol.
Tech: Move to Q8 and check out those banners, Arcana +19, are these tapestries enchanted at all? 400 years is a long time for cloth in a mustering old tomb, History +19, what do we know about Stormhold? Perception +10, any signs of traps or movement in the dust on the floor or are we the only ones in here?
OOC: I can't give you another Arcana roll; you're still coasting off of the natural 1 your rolled above. I'll post soon about your History check and other things, though.
DeleteIn general:
A crusader should not be permitted to attempt a skill check again after failing. Exceptions to this rule are as follows:
Athletics check made to jump or climb.
Acrobatics checks made to balance.
Thievery checks made to disable a trap. Recall that failing a Thievery check to disable a trap by 5 or more triggers the trap.
OOC: Copy that, mon capitan. Noted and understandable.
Delete[Teryn]
ReplyDeleteFeeling and tasting the gas filling the room, Teryn's pale, featureless face contracts into a grimace. "Yuck. We'd better get a move on before whatever this stuff is turns us into jelly. But keep it down until I and the Thri-Kreen over here can check things out, will you?" After she says this, Teryn crouches and pads silently down the stairs towards the nearest column on the left to get a better view of the west and east sides of the room, eyeing the floor tiles ahead of her, the ceiling, and the columns themselves for any sign of traps. With the briefest of movements towards the sheaths strapped to her thighs, two daggers appear in her hands, reverse gripped and ready.
Tech: Stealth (+19) to K7, Perception (+12)
OOC: When in doubt, take the DM's advice. :P
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteHanrar doesn't see any footprints in the dust of the floor. It seems nobody has ventured here in quite some time. The tapestries look old, perhaps they are simply well made and have battled time's test well. Examining the tapestry, you recall that the Iron Lich served as a paladin in Stormhold's elite royal guard before becoming a magic-user and, ultimately, a lich.
You also get a great view of a pedestal shrowded in shadow (near Q6). On top of the pedestal rests a human skull with emerald eyes and a rusty horned helmet.
[Teryn]
Teryn sees the skull and gems to the east as well, but spies something nobody else has... in the west. At the far end of the room, a skeleton draped in a tattered cloak reclines in a throne set atop a tier. A crimson blindfold is wrapped around its eyeless sockets. Flanking the throne are two iron statues depicting warriors.
(See new pictures added to the addendum imagery of the main post above.)
GEMERALDS!
DeleteBrathu-Angau
ReplyDeleteThe Paladin makes his way down into the room, ignoring the corrosive gas for now. Upon entering the chamber he stops sort to hear what his companions describe. He silently draws the Sword of Croodle, prepared for battle to start immediately. He waves for the last of the group to come in...
OOC: Room entering macro: Stealth +10, History +13 (about Stormhold), Perception +15 (about the iron guards. Coat of arms? Weaponry?)
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteTak-tha's body gives a shiver as he enters the tomb, a combination of the gas and the general atmosphere of the place. His armor glitters lightly from the flames around them, hinting at the power they grant to the Thri-Kreen, as he follows the Changling to the west, waiting for her to check the initial area. "As much as I prefer working solo over groups, I much more prefer my name over 'the Thri-Kreen,' Teryn," he says softly as he passes around her, cautiously moving towards the throne. His eyes dart around from the floor to the throne to the statues and back to the floor with every step. He comes to a stop at the base of the stairs, wondering if anything special has to be done before approaching any closer.
Tech
Down the stairs to L6, then to E6
Dungeoneering +19, Perception +21 (roll twice, use higher result), Acrobatics +22 at the ready
[Kin Kuro]
ReplyDeleteKin follows the others as quietly as possible. He follows the lead of Yursil, attempting to detect the type of magic coming from the gemmed skull and surrounding areas.
OOC: Arcana +13, History +13 on stormhold, Perception +16
[Kin Kuro]
ReplyDeleteKin moves to view the skull, casting Detect Magic to examine any auras. He can sense some kind of magic about it, but is not sure of the aura. He does not detect any other auras.
[Tak-tha]
Tak-tha approaches the steps leading up to the throned skeleton. As he does so, the skeleton reacts! It moves its arm slowly, carefully as it reaches into its cloak and ribcage to produce a small gilded box. The lid seems to open of its own accord, and Tak-tha can see within a small deck of oversized painted cards. The blindfolded skeleton offers the deck to Tak-tha as if to say, "Take a card"... without saying a word.
[Brathu-Angau]
ReplyDeleteBrathu enters the chamber, examining the banners and remembers similar details about the Iron Lich's history with the city-state of Stormhold. Without getting too close to the iron statues, he can see that they wield pikes and wear plate armor (but all of it is part of the statue).
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteWalking back towards the central clearing between the wailing columns, the shadowy mage relays the historical information to his fellow adventurers. As he turns, keeping a close eye for any unnatural movement, he sees Tak-Tha approach the enthroned skeleton, his eyes snapping wide as its ancient bones move, reaching towards his comrade.
With a whiff of gauzy smoke, the mage becomes as insubstantial as a breath of wind, gliding across the floor without a sound. Coming to a stop beside the scout, the still wraith-like mage brings his staff to bear, the weighted head of it crackling with arcane power and ready to strike.
Realizing that the movement was not a hostile action, he relaxes, letting out a breath as his body once again gains mass, the arcing power along his staff dying to a muted hum. He peers at the proffered cards and gilded box, his brow furrowing in concentration as he attempts to discern their purpose, unsettled by the concept of generous skeletons.
Tech: Move to M6, Shadow Jaunt to E5, Arcana +19, History +19, Religion +19
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteYou recognize the contents of the box as a Deck of Mortals. There's only one of it's kind, and drawing a card will bestow an instant effect... some are boons, others are curses. No one knows how many of which kind of card are in the deck, nor of what they will draw.
Now that you are near, the skeleton moves his hand so that you too could draw a card, if you so wished.
Yursil moves over to see what was causing the others concern. He sees the skeleton, and the deck of cards. He pauses a moment, considering it. Drawing from the deck conveyed serious risk but it also could have serious benefits.
ReplyDelete"I shall draw. I've got very little to lose." he states simply.
He approaches the skeleton and draws a card.
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil draws a card and gazes upon the image. It is the image of a colorful magician!
Magician: Gain 2 action points and training in 2 skill skills of your choice. You may spend more than 1 action point in an encounter.
Let me know what two skills you become trained in! Congrats!
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteBolstered by his compatriots good fortune, the mage also steps forward, drawing one of the hand-sized painted cards. The Shadowfell teaches those who survive that often chances must be taken to seize the sweeter prize…
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteHanrar pulls the next card and sees the visage of the Medusa upon it.
Medusa: Whenever you fail a saving throw, you take 15 poison damage. If you roll a natural 1 on a saving throw, you DIE.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteGasping at the searing pain as the inert poison seeps into his veins, staining them to a visible green on the surface of his ashen skin, the mage curses himself for his rash behavior. The Shadowfell also teaches one to wait and watch and strike at the perfect moment, luck not withstanding. As the pain ebbs to a throbbing ache, he submits to his own foolishness and steps aside for the next poor soul to try their hand.
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteOOC: Tak-tha's player emailed me and requested a card draw.
Tak-tha draws the third card, revealing the image of the Thief.
Thief: You lose all non-weapon, non-armor, non-implement items.
You Keep:
Warning Weapon +3 (Short sword)
Golden Blade +3 (Rapier)
Feytouched Armor +4 (Feyhide)
You Lose:
Bracers of Mighty Striking (heroic tier)
Boots of Adept Charging
Philosopher's Crown (heroic tier)
Brooch of Vitality +3
Thieves' Tools
Ten-foot pole
Iron spikes
Crowbar
Adventurer's Kit
And of course you lose your remaining coins, but that's no biggie.
Delete[Teryn]
ReplyDelete"Oh man, I've heard of this thing. This could make or break us right now. But I'm feeling lucky, so here goes!"
OOC: Teryn will draw!
[Teryn]
ReplyDeleteTeryn draws the fourth card. After two baleful attempts, would her's be a blessing? She gazes upon the image of a beautiful princess.
Princess: You are IMMUNE to all harmful conditions except ongoing damage.
Teryn is no longer subject to any of the following: Blinded,Dazed,Deafened,Dominated,Dying,Helpless,Immobilized,Petrified,Prone,Restrained,Slowed,Stunned,Surprised,Unconscious,Weakened.
ReplyDeleteTwo ways Teryn can die... if she takes enough hp damage to go to negative bloodied.... OR if she fails a Save or Die effect.
Kin Kuro joins the others, scuffing at them all as they draw a card..."fellows, we should not be sitting here taking gifts from the undead. Half of us are cursed already. This was a trap in it's own way. Now we have a thief with no tools, and a poisoned Mage. These are things I can't heal. We Are here to kill the lich, not gamble. Let us go forward".
ReplyDeleteOOC: Kin will not draw. No boon is just as good as no bane.
[Kin Kuro]
ReplyDeleteThe skeleton does not seem bothered if you do not take a card, and if you all withdraw from his presence, it closes the small box and places it back in its ribcage.
OOC: Crusaders, where to next? The northern doors... the skull with the gems? The odd pillars with the sounds of cracking bones? I eagerly await your next move...
[Teryn]
ReplyDelete"Ha!" Teryn exults at the card's effects, feeling a supernatural clarity of mind and body. "Well that certainly evens things out a bit. I'll do my best to make up for the poor luck experienced by our comrades here. We will not fail."
Teryn moves from the skeleton to the northern doors, taking a moment to inspect them for mechanical traps or other unusual features. As she does, she calls out, "Maybe the more magically inclined of us can take a closer look at that skull while I check this door out. I like emeralds as much as the next guy, but I'd rather not touch something left out in the open like that..."
While she waits for her companions to finish their rounds of the room, she returns her gaze to the doors. holds a hand to her chin and taps her foot thoughtfully. "An inverted trident, eh? Do I recognized this symbol...?"
Tech: Perception (+12) to inspect the doors for a method of entry, traps, or other odd features. History (+8) on the symbol on them.
OOC: Anyone else going to draw from the deck?
[Teryn]
ReplyDeleteTeryn doesn't recognize the inverted trident symbol, but feels very positive that the doors are both unlocked and not trapped.
OOC: In general, the inverted trident symbol represents the foe. In contrast, the Templar's Cross represents the crusaders.
[Brathu]
ReplyDeleteBrathu stays silent as the others draw, but will not partake himself. "This is not helping us, friends." His eyes are ever moving, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Does the emerald-skull react when the cards are drawn?
OOC: Not drawing. Arcana +11, Perception +15 on the gemmed skull. Is the skull magical? Did I miss that? Should we take it just in case? It may have use somewhere else...
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteThe dusty skinned mage turns to watch Brathu fidgeting, feeling the toxin pumping through his veins and lamenting the scout's loss of gear. "You are right, but I'm afraid the innate aura of this place has skewed my senses, I cannot discern the nature of that skull..."
He leans on his staff, suddenly out of breath, a faint sheen of sweat breaking out over his forehead before he regains his composure, straightening up. "But perhaps I could assist our querulous Princess..."
He strides towards the large double doors, peering closely at the symbol emblazoned there, searching his vast studies for any references to the unusual standard.
Tech: +19 History, +19 Arcana, +10 Perception
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil gives only the barest flicker of a frown as the others are cursed. That would be...troublesome. With that, he moves to aid the "princess" at discerning the nature of the skull.
Tech: +15 Arcana +13 Perception (training gives +5, right?)
[Brathu]
ReplyDeleteBrathu casts Detect Magic and focuses upon the skull and gems. He too is sensing an aura, but isn't sure of the type. Looking with more mundane senses, he doesn't see any traps about it either.
[Hanrar]
Thinking back to both stories he's been told and history studies, he does remember a link between the inverted trident and the Iron Lich. However, it doesn't seem to be the symbol of the Iron Lich solely, as the symbol has been found in other villian's abodes as well.
Hanrar notes that the doors are not trapped, nor locked.
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil isn't sure what to make of the skull, but he does notice something that the others have missed... the gems are actually quartz. They couldn't be sold for coin back in town, but they do look precious nonetheless.
OOC: Yes, training gives +5. It also unlocks some things; Sometimes an adventure will say, "If the crusader is trained in xyz, allow...."
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteWith a sigh, the mage rubs his eyes, offering what little he knew about the trident to his fellows. Already feeling the stress of this terrible place bearing down on his shoulders. He looks around at his comrades, his mouth twisted into a thoughtful grimace. He steps away from the doors to join Yursil beside the skull. “Anything of interest?” He rasps, peering closely at the helmed, bejeweled bone.
One of the now green veins in his temple throbs as his comrades peer and ponder over the skull, slowly becoming frustrated, first by his inability to discern the magical nature of the skull itself, his suddenly cursed blood and the tension of the tomb itself getting to him. He takes off his pack with a huff, setting his staff down as he dives into the satchel, pulling out various sundries before extracting a thick roll of fabric, fastened with leather clasps, and setting it aside, returning his other belongings.
He unclasps the latches and unfurls his bedroll, slipping it over his hands. “If no-one objects, I suggest we retrieve this item for a more intensive study further on. Our way does not appear to be barred, and so long as we prepare ourselves for any sudden eventualities garnered by removing this, we should continue on. The longer we dally the greater the chance that the Lich detects our presence.” He scoffs, making a face. “It is likely he is already aware of not only our presence in his tomb but our intention as well and is making preparations as we speak.”
His haste has bitten him rather harshly not moments before, but a nervous trickle of sweat down his spine tells him they should not tarry. Perhaps it was the alien toxin in his blood, or the chemical taste of the corrosive air, or even the wailing and snapping of the pillars around them and the dead-eyed stares of the iron guardians, but he found his hands trembling slightly.
[Tak-tha]
ReplyDeleteUpon seeing the image of the Thief, Tak-tha feels himself becoming lighter, at first thinking that the card is a boon making him faster and more agile. It isn't until he takes a step that he realizes the floor feels different until his feet. Taking a moment to check over himself, he realizes just what the card truly meant. "Ilka tuk tak. This is...unpleasant." Taking a moment to regret the loss of his gear, he instead refocuses on the mission at hand. Even with only his blades and his armor he can still help remove the plague of the Iron Lich from this world.
With assurances from everyone else that the door is unlocked and untrapped, Tak-tha waits for Hanrar to retrieve the skull before taking point and opening the door to whatever lies beyond.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteWith his companions in agreement, the mage steps forward, gently wrapping his bedroll around the helmeted skull, then stepping back. He quickly looks around the room for any movement, his staff at the ready as his eyes dart around the room, using his free arm to gather the bundle of padding, fabric, bone and metal up and away from the pedestal.
In a flash of motion, he jumps back, his staff crackling with power as he point it around in a circle, ready to unleash arcane hell onto anything that might animate or appear hostile, keeping a keen eye on the iron guardians and the skeleton still slumped in its throne.
Tech: Move to M5, Readied action Spectral Ram +16 vs fortitude on anything hostile towards the party
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteThe precautions are wise, but seemingly not needed this time. Hanrar has no problems obtaining the skull. Nothing untoward happens. The quartz "gems" are loose in the eye sockets, and can be collected with ease.
OOC: Congrats, you have a replica Iron Lich skull and two quartz gems. Where to next?
Since Tak-tha announced a trigger to open the doors upon Hanrar obtaining the skull, the adventure continues with the Cobblestone Path.
ReplyDelete