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| What lies within these strange sarcophagi? |
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| What is this used for? |
Those of you who search the temple find a number of traps. The pillars themselves are set to fire some kind of spikes, and the door you entered in seems to have some kind of heat-based lock/trap... but all the traps is this chamber are completely deactivated. Even the pyramid itself looks like it could have been closed, but now is open. And with your knowledge of thievery, you know that this deactivation was recent, within the past couple of hours.
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| You are at J1/K1. |
Cobwebs cling in thick patches to the tarnished steel walls, and the pang of rust drifts on the stale air.
Addendum Imagery:
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteMoving slowly, Hanrar walks down the hallway, paying close attention to the sarcophagi, an uneasy chill rippling over his dusky skin. Seeing the gear-shaped halo on each metal tomb, he reaches into a belt pouch, hefting the mithril gear in his gloved hand, tossing it gently as he continues forward. Careful not to disturb their surfaces, he peers intently at each coffin he passes, studying their surfaces for runes or signs of traps and tampering.
Tech: move to J7, Perception +10, Arcana +19, History +19, Religion +19, are there scratch marks on any of the lids or their rims, indentions that the gear might fit into, or any kind of arcane markings? Specifically are there any of the runes we found in the treasure room?
Being cautious of traps, the deva walks forward,blade out and ready for an undead horror to jump out from a Sacrophagi. He stops T each one, looking for a reason to investigate further or ignore and walk on.
ReplyDeleteOOC: el-Kal is going to move forward, ending hmself around the corner at j2 if nothing bad happens while he slowly makes his way there. Arcana +17, perception +16, dungeoneering +13. Looking for traps, a hidden door, etc.
[Hanrar and El-Kal]
ReplyDeleteThe two of you search your way forward. Hanrar tries to see if the gear he holds would fit here, but it seems it's not meant to be. Not here, anyway.
The various coffins look identical to one another.
Finally you arrive at the corner, and you peer to the west. A closed set of double doors terminates the hallway.
No runes here.
Delete[Yursil]
ReplyDelete"Probably best if we keep close together here." Yursil rasps. The strange tomb continued to amaze the normally bored warlock. Yursil follows closely behind Hanrar, not wanting to trigger any traps.
OOC: Arcana +15, Perception +13. Let's see if anything interesting is found!
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil is getting a hint of some kind of nearby magical aura, but it's really tough to tell where it's coming from. It's like a faint smell carried on the breeze. You get enough of it to know it's near, but not where the source is.
[Teryn]
ReplyDelete"Huh." Teryn muses as she peers at each sarcophagus in turn. "They alternate silver and gold...I wonder if that means anything. Can they be opened?" And then she calls out: "Hey, do we still have that ghosty friend? Salzacas or something? How about we get him to open one of these things and watch what happens? Preferably from around a corner or something."
Teryn inspects the surfaces of all the sarcophagi; are any of them noticeably different from the others? She is interested in having one of them opened and so searches them for indications that they can. If any can, are they trapped? Perception +17 for all of this.
[Brathu]
Delete"Yes Teryn, Salzacas still serves me. If everone stands away, I will summon him and find out."
OOC: Yup, summoning Salazcas is an encounter ability, and I haven't used him in a bit. Lets make sure and clear the area (and forgive my sulfur breath), then I will have him start to open the doors. Sound good?
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeletePursing his lips and twisting his quarrel, the mage nods as if deciding something. "Everyone stay well back..." He says as he cuts a few quick gestures through the air and intones an arcane command, a spectral hand shimmering into being and hovering in front of him. He sends the hand out to the far end of the hallway, and clutching his fist, makes it grip the edge of the silvery sarcophagus at the end of the hall. Taking a deep breath, he watches closely as he pulls, the hand mimicing his gesture...
cast Mage Hand and open the coffin at C6
[Vesten]
ReplyDeleteVesten hovers in place, waiting for what happens when the hand opens the sarcophagus.
While he's waiting, he looks at the angel iconography and tries to glean any information he can about gear halos, as that seems pretty unique.
Tech: History +8, Religion +8, Perception +10
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteHanrar opens (via Mage Hand) the coffin (at C6). It opens with a groan, and inside you see an iron skeleton encased in plate armor.
[Vesten]
As far as Vesten knows, the Iron Lich loves things related to gears, machinery, artificing and the like, so the angel/gear icons are not unusual in this crypt.
[Teryn]
ReplyDelete"Hmmm, seems safe enough. Since we're still missing a few things around here, how about we open all these things? There could be treasure in there, you know."
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteLetting out a shaking breath, he turns to his companions and nods to Teryn. "Indeed, let's open the sarcophagi on this passage and then those on the hall we entered." He looks over to Brathu, smirking. "We could use your Salzacas as well."
Taking a few steps back, he begins to open the sarcophagi one at a time, moving up the hallway and continuing to step back, keeping his distance from the closest open coffin.
Tech: Open C9-K9, move back to J3. Keep sensing for any unusual arcane presence and keep a keen eye for traps or shinies. Arcana +19, Perception +10
OOC: Moar!
Delete[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteYou open all the coffins in the southern wall. All of them contain armored skeletons, except for one (E9) that is actually empty. The back of that coffin opens into a narrow but steep slope leading south. You think you see hints of a cavern at the end of the slope.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteEmboldened by the lack of repercussion from opening the coffins, he continues on, opening the remaining coffins, wary of anything that might emerge from these tombs, but eager to see what other secrets they might hold.
Open L8-L2, I4 & I2 Just my luck, we'll all be vaporized because we opened the wrong one. Or these skeletons will attack because they've all been opened.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteYou open ALL the coffins. Two more hold secrets.
The first (G6) has a short hallway behind it, terminating in a swirling crimson portal. Ah portals... dangerous, unpredictable, often convenient devices.
The second (L2) lies in the very northeast, and is quite different from the rest. The inside glows violet and silver with necromantic runes. A humanoid-shaped indentation is set into the back of the coffin. You could recline in it and feel very snug.
The rest all have armored skeletons, that do not move.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteInclined to be wary of shimmering portals, particularly red ones, the mage instead inspects the runes inside the sarcophagus in the niche at L2. He studies the sigils, wondering just what effect they might have and particularly why there might be a humanoid indention at the rear of this coffin.
Curiouser and curiouser... Arcana +19 [In the name of Harven U'Lamor, I command thy dice to not roll below a 15...]
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteAfter studying the runes, you realize that this coffin is designed to transform someone who steps inside... into a LICH. You think that you'd still be under your own mental control.
OOC: Congrats, you rolled natural 19.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteStroking his chin, the Shadar-Kai considers the benefits of becoming one of the undead. He turns to his companions for a moment, a slight smile on his face. "So, Vesten, how is it being dead?" He asks as his smile breaks into a toothy grin.
OOC: Man, I should invoke Harven more often. Also, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! That is so fucking BOSS! Does anyone else want to be a lich? I know Selvantis got to be transformed last game, so I don't want to hog the cool physical mods in this game too. What kind of bonuses are we talking about here? Standard d20 or is 4e/4thcore something special?
I won't reveal what it is exactly, but I'll say that it's not out of any book. It's special for this adventure.
DeleteOOC: Maaaaaaan that's tempting. I'll give everyone till about noon - 1:00pm to chime in on whether they would like it or not starting from whenever this post drops [my time on blogspot is wonky] After that I'll go for it.
DeleteP.S. LICH!! Tune in this Sunday for a battle of the ages, Lich Vs. Lich in an all out undead brawl!
Oh man, this could be great. Also, a trap. What if the iron lich wwould have control of us? FUCK, I'll do it with you, unless the party doesn't want to risk it...
Delete[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil raises his eyebrows. "I've already come back from the dead once. Would another time hurt?" he muses quietly to the party.
OOC: Yursil would totally go for that!
You guys will have to decide who goes first, and then I will reveal how you are changed.
DeleteOOC: Tell you what, if we're all going to give it a shot and bring the hammer of half a dozen Liches down on this nerf-herder's skull, how about Hanrar goes through first and we see how he gets affected, what kind of bonuses etc. are imbued and if he goes fucking crazy and starts arcane blasting everyone. If he comes out okay, we'll do a round-robin sort of thing, one goes in, two guard him till we're sure he's not an undead servant of the Iron Lich, shiny?
ReplyDeleteOOC: Sure thing. I will wait outside the sarcophagi, blade drawn, to see if we need to put you down immediately. Brathu will not take part in this. I don't like the idea of it, on many levels.
DeleteIf your willing to give up first in line, I'd love to see what's happens. A deva lich blade singer? I'll sign up for that anyday!
DeleteOOC: Haha, this reminds me of the Head of Vecna story.
DeleteOOC: I hate to pull this but I did kind of find it so I'd like to go first. We'll send Hanrar through first and then get to work on our Lich-bred superteam that will eventually all turn on Brathu and eat his brains and fiddly bits.
DeleteOOC: Head of vecna? Do tell.
DeletePaul, go right ahead then. I won't be caught arguing around the who found it first. I will wait and see what happens, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if a lich super team is possible.
OOC: http://www.blindpanic.com/humor/vecna.htm
DeleteIt's right up there with the gazeebo story (http://www.brunchma.com/archives/Forum13/HTML/000133.html), if you ask me.
OOC: Alright, so we're going to be going in turns on this sweet boon. El-Kal, you got next, right?
ReplyDelete[Hanrar]
With a knowing look to Brathu, the paladin drawing his blade and standing close to the sarcophagus, the Sadar-Kai steels himself, closing his eyes and trying to quell the nervous ripple running through his veins.
Taking his last breath as a mortal, he steps forward and into the indention, letting the heavy door close behind him...
[Vesten]
ReplyDelete"Know that my mistress abhors what this... thing does. To destroy the greater evil I will traffic with whichever one of you wishes to use it, but know that in the end I will have to destroy you. I can not abide your leaving this place as a lich, or allowing you to take the Iron Lich's place."
Vesten looks to Brathu (OOC: who's also a RQ worshiper, right?) and nods his head slightly, as if to say, "You understand, right?"
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteThe coffin's lid seals shut with Hanrar inside. It begins to vibrate intensely, and purple light spills outward from the seams as Hanrar is transformed within.
The light fades, and Hanrar pushes the lid open.
Hanrar is now a LICH. He is still of his own mind and controlled by no one. The motives he had before, are still his motives now.
OOC: See above for an addendum card.
"Vesten, you have studied the tenets of our queen well. We will see this result a boon or we will see its folly as a reason to teach others the hazards of trusting in the undead.". Hanar, I once again warn you, do not do this thing. If we defeat the iron lich, you will not replace him.
ReplyDeleteOOC: I don't remember any clues to whether this was a good idea or not, so I will take the willy wonka approach: "wait...stop...augustus...don't...help...police...fire..."
I am ready to cleave hanrars skull off his newly liched shoulders if he even looks at us funny afterwards.
Hanrar - Add on to your lich abilities... You are now immune to poison and disease. That means the curse you drew at the beginning in the Hypostyle is now moot.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'll add that the Necrotic Resist stacks with your existing Necro Resist 5, for a total of Necro Resist 25.
DeleteOOC: Plus my Skull Mask +10 resist necrotic makes that 35. He's going to eat a big bowl of darkness for breakfast. Working on a reveal for Hanrar.
Delete[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteAs the gilded door of the sarcophagus creaks open, spilling thick, lavender smoke across the ancient stone floor, a groaning rasp echoes from within the tomb. Hanrar opens his eyes, viewing the world as if for the first time. The pulses of light along the weave are laid bare to his softly glowing eyes, his veins, once laced with toxins and viscous, profanely ‘mortal’ fluids now pump the purest of arcane power through his bones.
Taking a slow, easy step out of the sarcophagus, he holds out a gloved hand, his robes and shirt now hanging lightly on his significantly thinner frame. “Hold your blades…” He croaks, coughing and clearing his throat, his already gravelly voice almost unintelligibly thick as he choked up something black and thick, retching and spitting this onto the ground. He let out a rumbling sigh as he turned to face his fellows, a mischievous grin across his thin lips. “I’m not the lich you should be concerned about…” He says in a voice rather more like his own.
Little had changed about the dusky-skinned mage, his flesh tight against his muscles seemed dry and appeared to be cracking in places, and his cheeks appeared sunken and sallow, but the dark veins of poison were gone from his arms and neck. His silvery hair was thinner, but still hung off his shoulders, and while he smelled vaguely of dust and dry-rotted leather, no miasma of death pervaded him. His eyes, however, flashed in the light, reflecting back a silvery red sheen as he grinned, peering into the darkness.
“Our prize awaits us, my compatriots, and your Raven Queen shall have her sacrificial lamb, make no mistakes about that.” He lets out a dry chuckle, rather unused to not having to fill his lungs to speak as he strode confidently past the rather tense pair.
Onward then, we have a portal, a door and a slope to tackle. Which first? I’ve already taken a big risk today, so I vote for the door.
[Hanrar]
ReplyDeleteStriding forward on somewhat creaky joints, the newly born lich examines the doors to the west, searching them for arcane locks or traps, pushing them open if none are found.
Tech: Arcana +24 [Awww yeah], Perception +10
[Yursil]
ReplyDeleteYursil watches with interest. Hanrar now looked...somewhat like him.
"Most interesting." Yursil rasps. Yursil's eyebrow raised. Hanrar even sounded like him.
Yursil glanced at the coffin, before moving after Hanrar. No sense in risking death one more time.
Lowering his blade, but very slowly, Brathu keeps one eye on Hanrar and the rest of the room. With nothing dangerous in the immediate area, he moves towards the western doors as well.
ReplyDeleteOOC: So this room was to serve as a temptation for some, and maybe a trap with that other portal or this door. Lets get out before something happens. Never know when a new silent counter is ticking!
Tick, tock.
DeleteOOC: Crap....
DeleteOOC: Joe, how long was I supposed to wait till I turned on the gro... I mean saved the day and turned back into a mortal?
ReplyDeleteThe adventure continues in the Fast Forward Cutscene.
ReplyDelete