 |
| The first section of the Gauntlet of Walls. |
Leaving the observatory, you find the hallway bends first to the east, then narrowing to turn south. You emerge into a new room. The stone walls, floor, and 20-foot high ceiling of this bare chamber have been worn smooth as if by hundreds of years of erosion.
 |
| You enter at B1. |
An iron door is set into the east wall, ten feet above the ground. Flanking the door on either side are mithril plates etched with the image of a robed acolyte wearing a trident medallion.
Good luck, crusaders!
Addendum Imagery:
 |
| Section 2 of the Gauntlet of Walls |
 |
| Section 3 of the Gauntlet of Walls |
 |
| The final section of the Gauntlet of Walls! |
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/miabiboy_14/GIFs%20And%20Funny%20Stuff/AwHereItGoesKenanAndKel.gif
ReplyDelete[Palim]
ReplyDeleteStepping into the room, the cleric pauses for a moment to study the face and gems inlaid for any sign of a mechanism or trap. He will also attempt to determine if the acolytes in the eastern wall are particular religious or historical figures, or if they are instead generic figures.
Wary of the strange room, Palim will pull out from a pocket his newly obtained spyglass of true seeing and scan the room to see if any illusions or spells of masking are present, focusing particularly on the demon's face and the wall with the door.
Tech: Perception +9 on the demon's face and the figures on the eastern wall. Do I notice any further details or recognize them (History +9, Religion +11)?
OOC: I'm very wary of traps here, but I'm not the best at finding/disarming them. It would be nice to have some skill checks from more apt characters!
OOC: I can't find them, but I can surely disarm them if they're found. :)
DeleteOOC: Yeah, I'm genuinely worried about any room with the word "gauntlet" in the title... :P
ReplyDeleteKallista pauses and studies the wall directly beneath the iron door, asking her allies "Does this room seem at all to you like it might be designed for drowning guests?".
ReplyDeleteTech: Perception +3
[Palim and Kallista]
ReplyDeletePalim investigates the room with the new spyglass, and detects NO illusions. The faces and figures (even the ominous demon) are not ones you recognize. You do spy a big lock on the iron-banded door above (10 feet up), and the smooth wall might be a challenge to climb. (DC 20 Athletics to get up to the door)
Suddenly, you feel a loud slam as a wall drops out of sight from where you came! The connecting hallway betwen the obervatory and this wicked place is now sealed off. To make matter worse, the ceiling of the small connecting hallway begins a close, crushing descent.
The ochre eyes of the demon begin to glow, then burst forth with two sleep rays! You feel yourselves getting sleepy, but through sheer force of will you fight off the effects... this time...
Tech: Targets - Palim and Kallista, both misses!
GAUNTLET OF WALLS: Begin Round 1!
The sleep ray gems have beaten you in initiative, and have already gone.
You have until Thursday Noon CT to get posts in. Those of you who are still in the connecting hallway at that time are DEAD (crushed by the slow ceiling trap). Palim and Kallista, would you declare you positions on the map? Choose any spot.
OOC: In case you're wondering, I pulled a DM override and had you all leave the observatory.
ReplyDelete[Gargain]
ReplyDeleteThe demonic face engraved into the wall ahead gives the dwarf a start, but not nearly so much as the ear-drum shaking boom of the wall falling behind their group. He quickly looks to his ‘silent’ cleric companion and grimaces. “Anothr’ fine mess we’ve gotten intae…” He grumbles as he tosses off his pack and rummages around in it for a moment, pulling out a climbing kit.
With as much haste as he can muster, he straps on the spiked boot-treads, ties his grappling hook rope around his waist and grabs his hammer and pitons in one meaty hand. Slipping his crowbar into his belt-loop, he checks his equipment once again, making sure everything is secure. Stepping back close to the demon’s carved face, he takes a running start and leaps at the wall, a piton in each hand as he attempts to drive them home and gain purchase on the smooth stone surface.
Using the pitons as makeshift climbing hooks, he drags himself up the wall’s face and uses the hammer to drive one into the stone and loops his grappling hook into its eye. Leaning back on his tether, the dwarf’s muscles bunch and strain as he attempts to drive the crowbar between the seam of the iron door and its frame, pulling with all his might to break the lock.
Tech: Equip climbing kit [+2], move to B4 and run to E4, jump at the wall and attempt to grab hold with pitons and boot-spikes, Athletics +9[7+2], Strength +3. Climb to the door [again, Ath +9], use crowbar on the locked door, Str +3.
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteGardain makes it look easy! The dwarf ascends the wall with superb skill, and once at the top, breaks the lock open with his trusty crowbar.
The door swings open wide of its own accord, and Gardain gains a view of the next section of chamber beyond. In the second chamber, he spies yet another wall to get through. This one is an iron plate bolted to the bottom five feet of the wall's front face. A 10-foot wide set of mechanical jaws bite down over an opening that leads through the wall, and into a possible third chamber in this gauntlet.
Two iron balor skulls are also set into the upper corners. Unlike the jaws, they are not animated... but they look dangerous nonetheless.
Off to the left is a small nook which contains a damaged, ruptured portal. It gives off crimson sparks, and leaks a cloud of noxious gas all about it.
As if this wasn't all bad enough... off to the right, Gardain spots the blood soaked slits all along the southern wall... a trap?
Map updated in vitals, and new screenshot above in the addendum imagery. Gardain can drop down into this new section if he wishes. Those of you wanting to join will have to ascend the wall in section 1.
Kallista flies into the second chamber and grits her teeth at the sight of the crushing metal maw. Thinking of the safety of her companions, she attempts to disable the trap before the skulls have a chance to show any sign of life.
ReplyDeleteTech: Fly up and through the adjoining passage, which should cost me all eight squares to end up adjacent, assuming my last four squares can be a diagonal descent (please) and Thievery +8 to disable the jaws, much as I would like to just fly straight through.
(Destination L3)
Delete[Kallista]
ReplyDeleteKallista flies into the chamber, determined to stop the balor skulls from doing whatever they will. Disappointment is all that will come to her, however; she is not sure how to shut them down. What she does discover, is that they are about to fire a volley of superheated nails (close blast 5)!
Care to action point (if you have one) and try to get to chamber 3? You need a DC20 acrobatics check to pass through unharmed. Miss the roll and you still get through... but suffer the damage of the BITE!
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteAs the door pops open, the dwarf unhooks his rope and anchors the grappling hook to the doorframe for others to follow easily. Eyeing the blood-soaked slit in the wall warily, he braces himself in the doorframe and pushes off, aiming away from the wall and keeping his shield raised as he lands.
Carefully stepping along the northern edge of the room, he heads towards the portal, eyeing it closely as he holds his breath amid the noxious fumes and winces as crimson sparks jump and etch jagged scars across his armor. Turning what little he knows about the arcane arts to the task, he attempts to sense the nature of the portal and how it might be properly aligned.
As Kallista flits into the room, he joins her at the gaping metal jaws, trying to time his attempt as the jaws pull back into their slot, quickly jamming a piton into the seam and slamming his hammer home to drive the metal spike into the mechanism.
At Kallista’s warning, the dwarf tucks himself into his armor, pulling his shield up to cover himself against the oncoming spray of nails as he mouths a word of power and begins to exude a golden light, the radiance forming around Kallista as well.
Tech: Jump to I2 and proceed to K2, Arcana +3 to determine the nature of the portal and how it may be attuned, move to L3, use piton and hammer to attempt to disable or at least hinder the movement of the jaws, Dungeoneering +7, Reflex 17, Total Defense stance, activate Righteous Shield Enc. Power.
[Gardain - RetCon]
DeleteHis time limited, the dwarf focuses on attempting to block the jaws that snap hungrily from within the adjoining space in the wall. Using his crowbar and trying to time his move just right to block the falling jaws long enough for the crusaders to pass through unharmed.
Tech:Reflex 17, Dungeoneering +7, block the jaws with his crowbar
"You fools!!! Are you *trying* to get me killed?!?"
ReplyDeleteShazi is quick to react to the activation of the traps in the area, and bounds up the first wall with little effort and looks towards the other wall.
Tech: YAY for Ghost on the Rooftops (at will move action)! ... Can climb a number of squares up to my move speed without an Athletics check. :)
Now I don't know where I'd be allowed to start my movement, but if it's close enough to the wall it should only take one move action (move speed 6) to get through it. If I have enough movement left, I'll try to go through the mouth (Acrobatics +13, use Flagellant on failure).
Analyze the portal and the walls with a jaw dropping Arcana +3, Perception +7.
If I do not have enough movement to get through the second wall, if I find a trap and am in any position to disarm it I will attempt to do so (Thievery +14).
If I can't do any of the above, Total Defense and pray.
So-tin
ReplyDelete"No resting with you guys. I like it!" So-tin is just as quick (hopefully), following right behind Shazi through the first wall and takes some time to examine the portal while others work on the second wall, readying himself to help protect others from the attacks of any traps.
Tech
Quickling Stride to get through the wall and to the portal
Athletics +3, Arcana +13
Ready Firedeath for the burst attack
[So-tin]
ReplyDeleteSo-tin scrambles up the first wall, through the door Gardain opened, and into the second section.
Quickly analyzing the portal with Detect Magic.... the cloud around the portal is unstable magic. You know that if you enter the cloud, it will teleport you somewhere randomly. The portal itself is malfunctioning and damaged, but possibly repairable.
[Shazi]
Following So-tin, Shazi is through the first two walls easily. She crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon's up the first wall, through the door and into the second section... right past Gardain to tumble through the opening in the second wall. She feels heat coming from the iron plate of the second wall, but doesn't wait to see how hot... she's dodged the hungry jaws and is into the third section!
[THIRD SECTION]
The third chamber in the gauntlet of walls contains very little. This challenge wall contains two portals that flank a curious sliding puzzle...
OOC: See addendum imagery for new screenshot.
If you're adjacent to the puzzle, you may slide one piece as a minor action. I have the sliding puzzle up on the Vitals tab with numbers on the pieces. I've never done a puzzle like this on a play-by-blog, so we'll see how it goes. I will try to use imagery to full effect to help you.
Also, you may leap through one of the two portals in the wall and make a saving throw. On a success, you emerge on the other side of the wall, unharmed. On a failure, your body is turned inside-out and ejected from the other portal (dead). You may choose to incur any amount of blight BEFORE making this save – for each point incurred, you gain a +1 bonus to the saving throw.
Good luck!
Resisting the urge to repair the portal, Kallista attempts to fly through the jaws to the third chamber, headed for the puzzle.
ReplyDeleteTech: Acrobatics +3, and muttered prayers to all available demons and gods. Headed for Q3.
[Kallista]
ReplyDeleteKallista makes it to the third chamber of the gauntlet, but not before the iron jaws get a good bite out of her! But it's just blood. Blood has been drawn before, and will again.
Tech: 35 points of damage, but you're through. Kallista is bloodied at 10 hp.
I believe that's everyone's actions with the exception of Palim who still has full actions yet. Unless you want to bust out an action point, if you have one.
So-tin
ReplyDeleteTech
Use AP to use Arcana (+13) to fix the portal
[Palim]
ReplyDeletePalim's eyes narrow as he glances back towards the demon's face. Though he isn't the most competent climber in the group, he moves forward and, grabbing hold of the rope left by Gardain, begin the 10 foot ascent towards the door. Once he's near enough, he throws a hand out to the dwarf, who can hopefully help pull him through.
Tech:
Move: Athletics +1 to ascend to the door and move through. If I don't succeed on the roll, I'll downgrade my standard and try again. If I don't succeed on *that* one, I'll use my minor to drink my blighted haste potion picked up in the second trip to the Ambulatory and try a third time
OOC: Halp.
[Palim]
ReplyDeletePalim is the guy who couldn't climb the rope in gym class. It's just much more tougher than it looks!
Tech: Three failures. And the potion chug gives you two more points of blight. You are up to 4 now.
[So-tin]
> Use AP to use Arcana (+13) to fix the portal (I saw this post in my email, but not on the site.... Odd.)
So-tin feels his efforts start to pay off, but then he loses it. Damn! So close.
Tech: Needed a 27, and you rolled 23. Try again?
The Shifting Walls
The walls each shift five feet westward!
====== START OF ROUND 2 ======
[CONSTELLATION OF LIVING SPHERES OF ANNIHILATION]
The failure of Palim to breach the first wall is made much worse when the mouth of the demonface opens, and out emerges the CONSTELLATION OF LIVING SPHERES OF ANNIHILATION! A mass of black orbs, they swarm all around Palim and threaten to pull him into the VOID.
[Demonic Sleep Ray Gemeyes]
In addition, the demon's gem eyes continue to blast Palim with sleep magic, and he really begins to feel its effects. So sleepy...
Tech: 35 points of damage to Palim (from the SoAs), and Palim is slowed (save ends). Should Palim fail this save, he will go unconscious (save ends). Palim is bloodied at 8 hp.
Section 2: TOMB-TOUCHED VORPAL RAZORJACK WALL
So-tin barely has time to duck as a vorpal blade is comes spinning at his head, launched out of slits in the southern wall!
Tech: Hit, 20 damage. So-tin down to 40 hp.
Note: Shazi detects a closed pit trap to her left, at N2 on the map. Map updated.
ReplyDeleteCrap, forgot about the volley of superheated nails that are shot out of the balor skulls... coming right up!
ReplyDeleteThe balor skulls fire an intense burst of superheated nails at everyone in section 2 (which in this case is just So-tin)!
DeleteTech: Hit on So-tin for 5 fire damage + 5 ongoing fire damage (save ends, reduction for fire resist taken into account). So-tin is at 35 hp. Should you fail this save, the nails will polymorph into wriggling iron cobras! Good luck with that!
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteHis attempts to reach the door failing, Palim begins to pray silently to his goddess as the spheres of annihilation approach. As they reach him, their incredible gravity pulls at the cleric, tearing clothing and ripping large chunks of flesh from his body. A terrible sound issues from Palim's throat as he lets loose a hoarse scream of agony that dies as his voice, silent so long, breaks totally.
The spheres recede from his torn and bleeding form, now crumpled on the stone floor. Sure that death will claim him soon, he whispers to his goddess to take him. His words, muttered into the floor, are raspy and faint, but audible. "F...forgive me, lady...I did not have the strength...to keep the vow."
"I am yours." He whispers this, and then gives himself up to death.
But he does not die. Golden motes of light begin appear around his form and coalesce into the holes where flesh used to be. Flaring as they gather, the light solidifies into flesh, making the kalashtar whole again. His lungs draw a sudden deep breath, and his eyes flash open. The pain gone, the astonished cleric speaks, his mouth unfamiliar with the words: "I'm...alive? How can this..."
Then he remembers his surroundings, and his head whips around to spot the spheres. His fist clenches in resolve. "My faith is doubled, and my end is not here." He raises his eyes to the door and throws himself at the wall and rope once more.
Tech:
Minor: Healing word on myself for 21+3d6 HP back.
Move: Move action to try again to climb to the door.
Standard: If So-Tin succeeds on repairing the portal, Palim will move through that. If not, Palim will try to get through the jaws,with an acrobatics of +2.
Saving throw against slow is made with +4 from the benefits we've gotten so far.
OOC: I lived! :P
Edit: Also I get +2 to all defenses until the end of my next turn, from the healing word.
Delete[Palim]
ReplyDeleteEmboldened by his deity, Palim bounds up the rope and into the second chamber!
Tech: One move action to get to the door, free action to drop down if you wish. You have a standard and a minor to still spend this round. Good job!
OOC: I actually spent my minor to heal myself! I can wait on the standard to see if So-Tin can repair the portal. Or maybe I'll spend it to help, depending on what So-tin wants to do.
DeleteCan you give me your heal numbers? Thanks!
DeletePalim heals 29 hp and gains 2 to defenses until end of turn 3. He is now at 37 hp and has 3 surges left.
Delete"GAH!" Kallista grimaces at the pain of the trap, drawing a deep breath and holding it until the bright first insult of her wounding fades, before reopening her eyes to focus on the puzzle before her.
ReplyDeleteTech: Standard: Second wind to spend my first surge (12) and heal to 22. +2 to all defenses. I would like to delay the rest of my actions until the end of the round, to spend thusly unless anyone objects:
Trade move for minor then spend both minors on moving the first two tiles of the sequence, which I believe to be 4 and 5. If anyone does object to this before the end of the round, I will post an amendment.
I have an encounter power that could get me through a portal but if this puzzle clears the path for anyone those 35 HP were worth it.
OOC: I just noticed I am on N4 on the map. I'm not sure why I said I was headed for Q3, but I meant P3.
DeleteDid I make it, or do I need to spend my move flying to P3 (perception +3 checking for more traps before landing)?
My mistake. Consider yourself at P3.
Delete"Pit traps... Watch out!" yells Shazi as she slowly moves down the hall trying to detect more pits.
ReplyDelete[Tech]Move to O3 -> O2 -> P2, checking for more pits along the way (Perception +7). I'll use my two minor actions to move pieces, but I'm going to reserve saying which ones to move until I or someone else can figure out the puzzle (can't look at it right this second). It also might not be possible if I fall to my death... :P
Kallista moves tile 4 and then 5, turning to Shazi and asking if she thinks 7 and 8 are next...
DeleteOOC: They totes are. For reals.
"Puzzles? How demeaning... Who do they think we are?"
Delete[Tech] Minor & Minor to move 7 and 8, as recommended by Kallista.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteImmediately sensing So-tin's plan to repair the portal, Palim adds his arcane abilities to the genasi's.
Tech:
Standard: Aid another check to help So-tin's arcana check this turn. Arcana +9.
[Kallista]
ReplyDeleteKallista bolsters her strength and begins to slide the puzzles pieces...
[Shazi]
Shazi works her way through the third chamber, leaping over a 20' pit trap as it threatens to open underneath her. Strange animated gauntlets line the bottom, grasping for anything that might fall into the pit. Shazi too manipulates the puzzle pieces... the picture begins to take shape...
[So-tin]
With Palim's help, So-tin invokes the power of magic, and fixes the damaged portal! However, the cloud around the portal does not disperse...
OOC: I'll update the puzzle on the vitals page as we go. The portal of section 2 is fixed, but the dangerous cloud still lingers around it.
I was WRONG! The dangerous cloud around the portal (that So-tin fixed) dissipates! I'm glad I re-read that.
DeleteOOC: Only one person can use it right now... *hint, hint!* ;)
Delete[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteDropping down from his place in the doorway leading to chamber two, the dwarf lifts his shield as he barrels towards the gap into chamber three. Trying to time his jump right, the stocky fellow moves with surprising speed as he launches himself with a grunt towards the snapping jaws. His shield held tight against his torso, he flies like a broad torpedo of fiery red hair and shining metal towards the searing gap!
With all the grace of a falling walrus, he slams into the now-closed jaws with a reverberating clang. Shaking the stars from his field of vision as he stands, he turns to see the resident cleric and arcane blademaster focusing their magical energies towards the portal, the smoking, sparking gateway jumping into clear focus as the noxious fumes dissipate. Looking from the razor-edged jaws to the ebbing gateway of magical energy, he weighs his options for a moment longer before taking to his heels and pushing past the two magi, praying that the realigned portal leads not to certain doom.
Tech: Drop into chamber two as a free action, run from G3 to K3, then double move to enter the portal at K1.5
[So-tin and Gardain]
ReplyDeleteThe pair of crusaders enter the portal to find themselves at the far end of the Gauntlet of Walls. Behind them is a wall of solid ice, presumably the wall of the fourth section.
Ahead, are two alcoves. The first is dead center and contains a pedestal upon which rests a miniature sphere of onyx carved into the likeness of a planet... the ONYX PLANET.
To the right, yet another portal...!
Gardain stops So-tin from proceeding further, having detected a large pit trap in front of them!
ReplyDeleteOOC: See vitals tab for new map.
OOC: About to run the monsters... All crusaders have saved against ongoing effects. Good rolls for you guys.
ReplyDelete[Spheres of Annihilation]
ReplyDeletePalim's luck falls short, as the spheres of annihilation overcome him. Palim is annihilated, disintegrated, drawn into the VOID... along with all the items he carried. All that's left of him now is a small pile of fine grey dust. Like a dread terminator, the sphere continues right through the wall bent on killing more crusaders!
OOC: List all items you lost, but do not include any planets. Those are assumed to be in someone else's EQ.
[Wall Movement]
Meanwhile, the wall shift yet again. Kallista is pushed with great force into the pit behind her!
Tech: Natural 20, critical hit in the pit! Kallista takes 30 points of falling damage and is KO'd at -8 hp. She is grabbed by the gauntlets at the bottom of the pit, and at the end of her next turn, the pit will fill with lava doing 100 points of fire damage. Good luck.
The Vorpal Razorjack Wall has no targets.
The Sleep Ray Gems have no targets.
The Balor Skulls have no targets.
Currently, the portal fixed by So-tin is blocked by the second wall.
====== START OF ROUND 3 ======
Oh noooooooooooooo.
DeleteI had:
1 spyglass of true seeing
1 soulsphere
1 Khaldun's heart
:(
RETCON!!!! KHAN!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteKallista is flying. She does not fall into the pit, and is restored to 22 hp. She is hovering above the pit.
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteSlowing to a stop, the dwarf holds out an arm, stopping the Gensai and wheeling just at the barely visible lip of the pit-trap beneath them. “Whoa t’ere lad… Tis an awful fall…”
Walking back and forth along the edge of the trap, the dwarf drops to a knee and rummages around in his pack, quickly pulling out an empty sack and a coil of rope. Working quickly, he cuts a small hole through the sack and laces the rope through it, tying it securely to the bag as a tether. Next he loosens the tie string at its mouth, opening the bag as wide as he can. After a few practice swings, he tosses the sack at the bottom of the pedestal.
After it lands, he pulls out his extending 10” pole and stretches out, keeping his heavy boots away from the edge of the pit as he grunts, gently tapping the planet towards the sack opening and off of its pedestal.
Tech: Use sack + rope to make a tethered bag, ranged attack [+6 VS AC?]to get it seated and open at the base of the pedestal [spend an AP to retry if it doesn’t fall nicely open], use 10’ pole to try to guide the planet into the open sack, Dex +1 VS AC?
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteIt's tougher than it looks, and it takes him a couple of tries... but third time is a charm!
With the moves like MacGyver, Gardain reels in the best catch yet, the ONYX PLANET!
Tech: You did have to spend an action point and have none left.
"It's time to go! MOVE!" yells Shazi as she makes her way around the pits and waits for the chance to enter the portal. As she stands clear, she is surrounded by a cloud of deep darkness in the hopes that she doesn't become a target.
ReplyDelete[Tech]
I'm assuming I can't make it through the portal with the wall in the way.
Move: Ghost on the Rooftops ... Move/Climb/Jump my way to M3, avoiding the two detected pits. I don't know if I can just do a simple diagonal walk between the two pits there (I apparently did that already, so I assume so).
Minor: Cloud of Darkness, centered on M3
Standard/Minor: Shift back to N3, still within cloud ... Stealth check to hide (+17).
[Next Turn]
Unless something really dramatic happens that prevents me from doing so, take a move action to dive through the portal and, if possible, use Ghost on the Rooftops to either long jump across the big pit or climb across the wall and through the portal to the South of it.
Exit, stage right... :)
OOC: I realise now that the walls moved, hence my map confusion earlier. I guess the puzzle isn't worth it any longer. I spend my daily (Walk through Darkness) to phase to the portal, then fly through.
ReplyDeleteIC: Kallista melts disappointedly into the air and appears at the final portal.
Kallista flies through one portal, to teleport near Gardain and So-tin. Without wasting a moment, she's through the final portal as well.
ReplyDeleteShe finds herself, once again, at the Ashen Ambulatory, stepping out of the Mirror of Scrying.
The rest follow suit... Gardain with the new Onyx Planet, and So-tin right behind. The leaps over the pit are strong and desperate, the desire to flee this place is most on their minds.
Shazi gets out as well though the same "two portal method" that Kallista uses, the Spheres of Annihilation hot on her heels. Shazi experiences the event horizon of the sphere's influence; the sensation of nearly being drawn into the void is unique, to say the least.
RIP, Palim...