| Music: Atrium Carceri | Cellblock | Entrance |
| Guest Narration by @StephenChast of Hunter's Haven |
The secret door swivels open releasing a drought of chilled, damp air. The passage beyond leads to a secret chamber where black icicles drip from the low ceiling, lending it a cave-like appearance.
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| 1 Square = 10 Feet |
Eight crackling obelisks of charcoal-colored ice stand in a circle within this hexagonal prison. They dominate the chamber and obscure your view of the far end. A humanoid is entombed in each and, upon closer inspection, you realize that the incarcerated figures are GODS.
The nearest is a black-haired woman in bloodstained plate mail--whom you recognize as Kishar, Goddess of Slaughter & Retribution. To her left stands a stooped pale woman wearing sack-cloth and clutching an empty wooden bowl. She is Naia, Mother of Pestilence. To Kishar's right, is the defiant, winged form of Lyth, Mother of Beasts. The Mother is unabashedly nude, caked in emerald slime, and covered in crimson tattoos.
It is very quiet, and oh-so-cold in the Prison of Frozen Gods...
Addendum Imagery:
 | |||
 | Gardain obtains one more treasure, due to being a Maurauder... |  | Found within a small secret chamber... |
Leaning back out the doorway into the ambulatory, Kallista shouts "You lot should take a look at this chamber, it's really cool!" before venturing inside for a closer look.
ReplyDeleteTech:Perception +13 on the godcells and surrounds, looking for a clue to their release.
Stepping into the chamber, you inspect the black columns of ice. You notice that the ice of this entire chamber is actually frozen marilith tears.
ReplyDeleteYou identify each of the trapped deities as:
(1) Kishar, Goddess of Slaughter and Retribution: A blackhaired woman in bloodstained plate mail.
(2) Naia, Mother of Pestilence: A pale woman wearing coarse burlap and clutching an empty wooden bowl.
(3) Asar-Segt, Hand of Ritual Sacrifice: A six-armed ghoul bathed in flame.
(4) Teurama, Handmaiden of Fate: A woman in black funeral garb wrapped in silver thread.
(5) Kotaresh, God of Trickery and Secrets: A vaguely-humanoid shadow wearing an upside-down mask.
(6) Euryale, The Maelstrom Queen: This creature appears much as a snake-haired, shark-fanged woman.
(7) Marduk, Slayer of Tiamat: A nude, muscular man wearing a five-pointed scaled crown.
(8) Lyth, Mother of Beasts: A nude, winged woman caked in emerald slime and covered in crimson tattoos.
Getting a better view of the north, you spy a stone plaque on the north wall bearing three carriage wheel-sized shapes: a triangle, a circle, and a square. Runes have been etched into the plaque above the figures.
One final thing... there is a small sheepskin pouch resting on the floor in the dead center of the eight obelisks...
[Kallista]
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, you spy a secret door in the western wall. Looks as if it opens simply with a push, if you desire to open it. You do not detect any traps on it.
[Palim]
ReplyDelete"I had wondered where you all were." Palim strides into the Prison after Gardain, then stops short. His eyes catch the columns with the giant figures frozen in them, and they widen. "It can't be..." The kalashtar closes his eyes in prayer for a moment and then, "But it appears to be. The power of this heresiarch appears to be great indeed." His eyes spy the plaque in the back of the room, and he moves to investigate it. Stopping short at the pouch on the floor, Palim bends to investigate it for a moment before: "I daresay I've learned my lesson about touching unknown magicks, but perhaps I can identify anything present here." Reaching the plaque, Palim notes the shapes and studies the runes. Are they interpretable, he wonders?
Perception +8, Arcana +9 on the sheepskin pouch and on the plaque with the shapes and runes. Are the runes readable? Religion +11 if that's needed to do so.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteExamining the pouch without touching, you see that it has two sphere-shapes contained within, but you're not exactly sure without opening the bag. As far as you can tell, the pouch is not trapped.
As for the runes, they are Abyssal letters which read, when translated to Common:
C N O I Z E
The triangle, circle and square appear to be buttons you can push... Most intriguing!
[So-tin]
ReplyDeleteSo-tin keeps his distance from the frozen gods and the pouch as he circles around the room to the runes and buttons. His mind begins to analyze the letters, interpreting every possible meaning before finally settling on a solution. "These letters represent the number pi. If they are a clue to the buttons, then the correct choice is..." The Genasi steps forward and presses the circle button.
swish
DeleteMan, groups either nail this one immediately, or whine and moan and declare it impossible. Interesting.
DeleteNot including this PBP, I've run Fane twice now. And both times, they picked the right one. They picked from dumb luck and managed to beat the odds. This is the only one that managed to actually solve it with logic.
Delete[So-tin]
ReplyDeleteYou have chosen.... wisely!
The plaque ascends into the ceiling, revealing a treasure trove beyond. You each gain one magic item (see updated addendum imagery above). Feel free to swap/trade as you wish.
In addition, the Heart of Khaldun rests atop an icy mithril dais in the center of the alcove... It is yours to claim!
DM Joe Quiz Question: Who is Khaldun? No google/peeking/cheating!
OOC: I would very very much like to have the Soulsphere. I spent 3 daily powers and 3 daily item powers in the hydra encounter. I will happily nuke another encounter with them if we need them.
DeleteIf no one minds, I'll take that one!
What, nobody knows who Khaldun is? Hint: Revenge of the Iron Lich.
DeletePaul/Gardain, you don't get to answer, of course, due to our gchat conversation.
OOC: Ohhhhhhh. That's the name of the Iron Lich during his human life, correct?
DeleteOOC: You are correct! You possess the heart of the man who would eventually become the Iron Lich... Well done.
DeleteOOC: Is that how he got his power? Traded his heart to the Heresiarch to become a lich?
DeleteOOC: Very possible, only two people know for sure... :)
Delete[Palim]
ReplyDeletePalim's eyebrows rise curiously as the genasi swiftly defeats the room's puzzle. "I didn't realize we had a numerical scholar among us." Then he smiles. "Well done."
As the group claims their pieces of treasure, Palim takes the grotesque heart, wraps it in a cloth sack, and hangs it from a strap on the back of his armor.
Then he moves to the secret door and pushes it open, looking and listening beyond. If nothing is immediately apparently, the cleric will return to the center of the room, retrieve the pouch, and open it to see what lies within.
Move to the secret door, open it, and perception check (+9) beyond it. If nothing weird happens, he will then open the pouch.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteA section of wall covered by ice pivots to reveal a narrow tunnel, leading to a claustrophobic ice cavern.
Within, floating gently just feet above the ground are a pair of golden wings - the Wings of Wrath!. Behind the treasure is a standing teleportal of midnight blue, its frame caked with hoary frost.
See addendum image above for the Wings of Wrath
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteLeaving the secret door behind, you investigate the pouch to find that it contains two SALT SPHERES.
OOC: Well that was underwhelming. :P
Delete[Palim]
DeleteSalt spheres in his open palm, Palim looks upwards at the frozen figures around him for several seconds. "Yes," he thinks. "I understand now." Reaching into the mind of the newest member of the group, Palim communicates: "Gardain, if you could come here for a moment, I have an idea."
"I believe we can free one or more of these gods with these. They would probably be grateful, and perhaps grant their liberator a boon. Would you be willing to use one of the spheres? I suggest Marduk for you, though the choice is yours. If one sphere isn't enough, use the second as well."
Kallista hands Palim the soul sphere and claims the wings (and perfume, if no-one objects)
ReplyDeleteShe then genuflects before Lyth and applies the wings to her shoulder blades.
DeleteOOC: You'll have to barter with the person who has the item. Palim technically had the wings of wrath first, but I'm sure would part with it for the soul sphere. It's up to him.
ReplyDeleteOOC: Sure, I'll trade the wings for the soulsphere. You'll have to talk to Gardain about the perfume though!
Delete[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteWary of the gargantuan beings trapped within their icy tombs, the dwarf steps forward, his shield pulled up against his stocky body as he approaches the cleric. Once inside the shadows of the divine beings, a shiver runs through him that has nothing to do with the chill air.
Gingerly taking one of the surprisingly large spheres into a gloved hand, he slowly walks to the base of Marduk’s prison, staring up at the muscular giant. With a sigh he shakes his head and turns back to the cleric. “Ah’m nae a follower o’ this God…” He turns quickly, looking up at the trapped deity. “No that I dinnae think ye worthy, laird.” He adds, covering his ass as best he can. “I naer’ had much call fer religion, though I hae seen one o’ these who stand afore’ us once…”
He steps back towards the apex of the rhombus, rolling the salt sphere between his hands. “Ah was but a wee scamp, no more than fifty-two, may’e fifty-three… Ah twas set upon by a pack o’ slavvrin’ gnolls, likely a dozen o’ the brutes.” He chuckled as he walked across the icy floor. “Ah was dead f’sure, but then as Ah hefted my axe, and prayed for their death, Ah saw a light, dark an’ beautiful.” He grinned wide as he came to a stop at the closest pillar to the doorway, touching the sphere of salt to the glossy black surface of the ice.
“She guides my axe still.” He says with a grin.
Touch the salt ball to Kishar’s icy tear tomb thingie.
"At least my god isn't stupid enough to let herself get encased in ice..." comments Shazi. "These gods mean nothing to me, so release them under your own peril."
ReplyDeleteOOC: The perfume should go to the person with the highest Charisma. Mine is a 16 (+6 on the attack), but I don't know if anyone has better. Then again, whoever uses the helm could probably do better as well.
OOC: I didn't notice Gardain had the perfume, but Kallista's CHA is 20(8).
Delete[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteThe instant the salt sphere touches the pillar of ice encasing Kishar, both the ice and salt disintegrate. Kishar doesn't wait for the melting to be complete; she bursts forth from her prison with great force of sinew. She is the most powerful warrior you've ever laid eyes on!
"Two choices, and you chose me," she says, her voice sharp as the blades she wields. She steps to face Gardain directly, saying, "I saw your pathetic efforts in the Death Wyverns' Crucible. You're not going to take down my step-father with crap battle tactics like that. Receive my prowess in battle, and if you run into Lahamu, my mother, tell her I said 'Kishar is back and will kill her last...'"
Kishar's mouth twists into a wry smile, enjoying an inside joke, perhaps.
Then suddenly, the goddess of battle vanishes in a gout of great black fire that melts a small portion of the icy floor! The floor quickly refreezes.
OOC: Congratulations, Kishar has granted each of you (who are present right now) a permanent +2 bonus to attack rolls! You have one salt sphere left. Which of the seven remaining gods will you release, if any?
[Palim]
ReplyDelete"Excellent." Palim nods, satisfied. "As I thought. And now..." With this, Palim steps forward to Teurama's prison, remaining salt sphere in hand. "Though I am devoted to none of these dieties, I will happily work against the heresiarch's assault on our pantheon. With every step here we act to undo its crimes." His fist clenches in resolve as he finishes his thought, crushing the salt sphere to powder before pressing it against the Handmaiden of Fate's ice column. "Be restored."
Tech: Free Teurama, Handmaiden of Fate.
OOC: NICE TRY WITH THE KOTARESH JOE/SERSA. I'm not falling for freeing that guy.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteTeurama emerges from her prison, and is very different than Kishar. They both may be women, but they are as opposite as you can get. Her eyes are still sad, for she knows your fate... or does she for certain? "I thank thee, crusaders, for your faith in me. I wish I could do more, but I can at least grant you a bit of power over your fates. Fare well, for if you fail the Heresiarch will rule over ALL... including the Gods."
She vanishes, and you all feel a bit stronger in your purpose.
OOC: You all gain a permanent +2 bonus to saving throws.
OOC: Interesting note: we have a reliable rumor about this chamber.
ReplyDelete"Reliable: The key to reaching the Mothers' Cloister and the Altar of Seven Trees is hidden in the Prison of Frozen Gods."
We haven't found an actual key in here, and I think we've discovered all of this chamber's secrets. The heart, mayhaps? Unless this is the false reliable rumor.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteInvigorated by their newfound treasure and holy boons, Palim claps his hand on Gardain's shoulder. "Shall we return to the Pleasure Crypts? Or perhaps follow the icy portal in the secret chamber here?" I will follow whoever decides."
"I'm impressed... You're smarter than I had thought. Maybe there's hope for you still."
ReplyDeleteShe looks towards the portal. "The crypts did not impress me... There is a lot to this place, so I suggest the more areas we are familiar with the better."
OOC: Yeah, I'm expecting the heart is a "key" that needs to be placed somewhere.
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteWith a nod to his ‘silent’ companion, the dwarf grins, the boon of the freed gods filling him with confidence and thrumming strength. “Ah’m no th’ sort of fellow tae shy from th’ unknown. Ah suggest we take the gate, twas no hidden if no faer a reason.”
Squeezing into the narrow icy tunnel, his breastplate scraping along the walls on either side as he shuffles through, the dwarf pops into the opening beyond and strides confidently forward and into the swirling portal.
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteGardain is teleported to the Observatory.
Paul, post there from this point.
[Palim]
ReplyDeleteNodding silently at the dwarf's decision, the kalashtar follows him through the portal.
OOC: That's what I was thinking. Hidden portals probably aren't as dangerous!
Stretching her fresh wings, Kallista flies through the portal to join her colleagues in the observatory.
ReplyDelete