| Music: Atrium Carceri | Ptahil | A Place to Call Home |
A ghoulish yellow moon peeks over the broken spires of Zhaldanis as you journey to the Wyrm Prince's lair. At the base of a shattered watchtower, a jagged wide hole in the flagstone leads down into a pentagonal chamber, 30 feet below. The only light comes the glowing moon above you, and your torches and sunrods. You ready your ropes, peer intensely for hidden dangers, and carefully descend.
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Five thrones made from large ribcages and skulls surround and face the pedestal. Kneeling before each throne in supplication are sculpted snakefolk, arms raised, their fingertips nearly touching as if holding some unseen object.
At the center of each of the five walls is a closed iron door. Each is embossed with the image of a different creature... a hydra, a knight, a minotaur, a wraith, and a dragon.
Addendum Imagery
Welcome to Vault of the Wyrm Prince!
ReplyDeleteThe doors are labeled above, and the stone dragon statue is also currently pointing at dragon door.
The five small squares are the ribcage thrones.
We are not in combat, so feel free to tell me what you're doing in a more relaxed fashion.
Ask me questions is you are unclear about something!
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteHis soft leather boots whispering on the ancient flagstones, the orc lands quietly amidst the grisly thrones. His eyes narrow as they grow accustomed to the gloom, his great fist closing over the pommel of his longsword. With a quiet grunt he looks up at his companions as they too descend into the pit and he turns his eyes away from their light.
Stooping, the ranger's carefully trained eyes search the ground as he slides his feet across the stones, barely lifting them and making as much sound as an evening breeze as he surveys the area. He draws up towards the center pedestal, paying close attention to the stone dragon, seeking any creases or splits in the stone and checking the pedestal itself for any secrets the stonemasons may have included in their trade.
Tech:Perception +7, Dungeoneering +7, Insight +2. Is there anything particularly odd about the dragon or the pedestal? Is statue hollow or is the mouth just a carved opening? Can he recognize the script of the runes or are the arcane sigils beyond his understanding?
Motir
ReplyDelete"Mmm, cozy," Motir mutters as he carefully descends to the floor. His eyes quickly adjust to the light level and he kicks off to the outside wall, letting his orc companion investigate the center pedestal.
He cautiously circles around the room, inspecting each of the doors closely, but not too close. No need to activate any traps too early now.
Tech
Start with Wraith and move clockwise, avoiding touching the doors and thrones, Perception +11, Insight +4, Dungeoneering +4, Religion +5. Anything stand out about the creatures? Any indentations or protusions on the doors?
As Grelloc moves forward, Del-Kai takes a few cautious steps towards the center of the room.
ReplyDelete"Ah, these would be the thrones of bones we have heard of, yes?" Glancing at the snakefolks, Del-Kai takes a moment to wipe the dripping skin from his forehead. "Hmm...a throne in front of each door, and each snakefolk appears to be awaiting something to hold. My assumption would be that we may discover something behind these doors to place in the fingers of these serpentine creatures, yes?"
[Tech] Can Del-Kai figure out what type of thing it looks like would go into the fingers of the snakefolk? Insight +0, History +10 Also, do we have an OOC thread?
"Thi! !eem! odd" says the Thri-Kreen, his clicks and chirps unable to reproduce the motions of lips and tongue. His large eyes adjust to the low light quickly, not that there is motion in them to be detected. With a silence betraying his profession, Crx moves about the room observing, listening, studying, and pondering. But not touching. Never touching.
ReplyDeleteTECH: Insight +6, Nature +3, Perception +6. Are the snakepeople statues or petrified? Does the dragon statue appear to be able to rotate? Can we tell the type of dragon based on the statue? Any idea what kind of bones the thrones are made of?
Vengeance looks around the room, walking back and forth and staring at everything, deliberately refraining from touching anything. He peers at everything with both his normal senses and his arcane senses, wracking his brain for anything he might recall that would be useful.
ReplyDeleteTECH: Perception +5, Religion +8, History +8, Arcana +8. While we're asking questions, anything seem interesting/out of place about the areas between the doors, the floor, or the ceiling?
[Grelloc]
ReplyDeleteGrelloc can see that the entire pedestal structure can be rotated. There's a hole that passes through the side, so that one could insert a pole or staff to aid in the turning. The dragon statue can be positioned to point towards any of the five doors. Grelloc recognizes the dragon statue to depict the Wyrm Prince's father - Thran.
There is also some script written around the base of the statue, in draconic. (See Vengeance below for more on this.)
Tech: Grelloc rolled Perception 14, Dungeoneering 24, Insight 18, History NATURAL 20
[Motir]
Motir notices that each door features a single many-faceted diamond set within. Five doors, five diamonds. In addition, the dragon door is sealed by three bar locks. The other doors do not have this.
Tech: Motir rolled Perception 17, Insight 10, Dungeoneering 8, Religion 23.
[Del-Kai]
The thrones are speckled with a dry, crusty gray substance... but you're not sure what it is. As for what might go into the snake-folk's hands, something round - perhaps a little bigger than the size of a man's fist.
Tech: Del-Kai rolled Perception 8, Insight 10, History 14, Nature 14.
[Crx]
Examining the snakepeople, he can see that they are indeed scuplted statues. Not petrification. Crx verifies that the dragon can rotate, but does not know what type of dragon it is. Nor does he know what the bones are... however... He spies something shiny beneath one of the thrones, a crude obsidian dagger.
He also detects small needle holes in the floor near all the doors... a possible trap?
Tech: Crx rolled Insight 23, Nature 12, Perception 23, History 3.
[Vengeance]
Vengeance can read the script that circles the central pedestal. It reads, "At the end, the Wyrm Prince will inscribe his name upon your soul."
He knows that the substance on the thrones is dried brain matter.
He detects faint, indistinct magic on the crude obsidian dagger.
Tech: Vengeance rolled Perception 17, Religion 11, History 8, Arcana 24, Nature 18.
Thus far, nothing has been touched.
One more piece of info gained - Grelloc's natural 20 deduces that the center statue is of an ancient red dragon.
ReplyDeleteYou know that the Wyrm Prince inherited his name from his father... so they are both "Thran".
DeleteCrx looks at the diamonds in the doors and wonders aloud "Crx wonder! if diamond! fit into hand! of !nakepeople!" It's hard to tell if it's a question or a statement. It's also hard to tell if Crx understands that he's talking about himself in the third person.
ReplyDeleteTECH: Thievery +9, Perception +6. Do the diamonds in the doors appear to be the same size as the snakepeople's hands? Without touching the holes in the floor or the doors, can I detect anything about the workings of a possible trap? Any triggers or strings or anything attached to the dagger?
[Crx]
ReplyDeleteThe diamonds appear to be too small to fit in the snakepeople's hands.
As for the holes in the floor you detect a very faint residue of blood... but not human blood. Dark, perhaps even demon blood.
Finally, the dagger appears safe to take.
Tech: Rolls - Thievery 18, Perception 16.
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteWith no clear and immediate danger present, the orc sheathes his dagger and relaxes slightly. He looks at his companions and sighs, the breath whistling from between his tusks. “What now?” He asks; his voice hoarse and deep as he works his jaw around the common language. He reaches into his satchel and withdraws a strip of dried horse meat, shearing off a mouthful and chewing thoughtfully as he walks around the ring of thrones.
“What that barmaid say?” He muses aloud as he strokes the tuft of hair just below his lip, he grins and his lips spread wide around his oversized teeth. “Something about thrones…” He swallowed the jerky and stuffed the remaining half-slice into his mouth. “She have interesting pillow talk, that one.”
He snapped his fingers, nodding. “Thrones, they give visions when you sit.” He looked to the tiefling beside him and nudged the bard with his elbow, almost sending the lithe man stumbling. “But she say your head… boof!” He spreads the fingers of a clenched fist in pantomime. His eyes sparkle as he turns to their gensai companion, nodding to one of the thrones.
“Melted-man, you sit. If your head melt off we just put it back!” He chuckles, perhaps a bit too loud for their surroundings. “Think I have bucket around here somewhere…”
Crx mutters something in Thri-Kreen "X!!kkkrtx kykykkkx!!"* and reaches for the obsidian dagger. He brings it to the mage and asks "What it do?". Once satisfied with the answer (or lack thereof) he strides gracefully over to the door marked with a Knight and tries to determine if the trap is one he can disarm.
ReplyDeleteTECH: Thievery +9, Perception +6
Translation:
*"To be brave goes the glory and the riches and the bitches."
alternate translation:
*"Fuck it."
Two-Rocks is the last to descend the rope. His unshod feet crack when they hit the floor, his stony callouses scrape gently as he pads about the room.
ReplyDeleteThe gentle giant bends his thought to the statues and depictions of creatures upon the doors. He examines each in turn, looking for anomalies of anatomy or poses that contradict his knowledge.
Once satisfied that he has learned all that he can, Two-Rocks bends low to examine the doors and the ground before them. Perhaps something has pass trough them?
[TECH]
Perception +9, Nature +11
If the party spends the equivalent of a short rest here, Two-Rocks can use his wild knack for tracking and see if anything has entered or left the chamber and, if so, approximately when that occurred.
Del-Kai takes the obsidian dagger, and examines it carefully.
ReplyDeleteOnce he has gleaned what he can, he moves over to the statue, looking closely at the turning mechanism.
techArcana +10, History +10. For the turning mechanism, does it look as if it could take any shape, or like it requires a specifically shaped object to go inside?
[Crx]
ReplyDeleteCrx claims the Obsidian Dagger! As for the door, he's not exactly sure how the trap works, much less how to disarm.
See addendum imagery above. Rolls: Thievery 12, Perception 14.
[Two-Rocks]
Examining all the monstrous icons, he finds them all as expected. No unusual anomolies. There are also NO signs of any traffic; you are the first visitors to this place in a long, long time.
Rolls: Perception 17, Nature 19.
[Del-Kai]
You sense great importance tied in with this obsidian dagger.
As for the central stone dragon, it looks like any pole or staff can be inserted to help turn the pedestal. A strong person might even be able to rotate it without inserting a pole, even.
Rolls: Arcana 17, History 18.
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteAs his companions examine the dagger and statues, the ranger turns towards the doors that ring the room. Heading across the stone tiled floor, he inspects each in turn, looking for any queer markings or strange imagery besides the carved figures on each. Finally stopping around the room at the door marked with the knight, he looks for any apparent handle or latch is exposed and carefully checks to see if the portal is locked.
Tech:Perception +7, Dungeoneering +7, Thievery +3. Is there a latch or hasp on the door that could be pried open or are the doors slabs of stone slid into the walls?
[Grelloc]
ReplyDeleteGrelloc does find out the following.
1. The doors each have looped pull handles. With the exception of the door with the dragon image, each are unlocked.
2. Within the dragon-statue's maw, you spy a black gem firmly embedded at the back of the dragon's throat. It gives off strong magic, and now that you know it's there, anyone trained in Arcana can sense an aura of DESTRUCTION magic.
FYI, if you're going through a door, I will need to know the following:
ReplyDelete1. Where you're pointing the dragon statue.
2. What door you're opening.
3. Where you're standing when the door is opened.
That is all. :)
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteWary about the pin holes that speckle the floors before each door, the orc takes a moment to rummage in his pack and withdraw his grappling hook, extending rod and a length of rope. He squats on the ancient stone floor and sucks his teeth as he ties the rope to the hook and then around the ten foot pole. His work complete, he gives a tug on the rope, making sure it is secure on the pole before he walks towards the door and gingerly hooks the grapple into the ring. Feeding out the rope, he stands beside the carved dragon statue, the rope taut and a trickle of sweat creeping down his brow. “All might want stand well back…” He grunts as he pulls gently on the pole, easing the knight door open.
Tech:Dexterity check +3 to tie the rope [if needed], move to H7 and try to open the knight door.
EVERYONE: I AM OPENING A DOOR THAT MIGHT BE [Hah, is certainly] TRAPPED. JOE HAS ALREADY SAID TO MOVE TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. PLEASE DO SO IMMEDIATELY.
Motir draws his blade and watches the orc and the knight door from behind the minotaur's throne.
ReplyDeleteTech
M10 for me
Del-Kai watches the orc tie a rope to the door and stands back. "Ah, just what I was going to suggest. You have promise green one, yes?"
ReplyDeleteDespite his encouragement, Del-Kai casually steps to the far end of the room.
Tech
F13 please.
"You'll not want to sit in those, I think. That stuff on those seats is dried brains. Perhaps from those who've sat there before." He snorts at the inscription. "No one will be inscribing anything upon my soul." He watches the others search for traps, something they're much better at than he is.
ReplyDeleteHe tilts his head as Grelloc goes to open the door.
"I wonder if we don't want that statue turned to face it first. Well, we'll certainly see, won't we?" He moves back and watches from what he feels to be a safe distance.
Tech: Move to L8
[Two-Rocks]
ReplyDeleteTwo-Rocks "lines up the shot" and notices that the straight line from the dragon's mouth to the wall just so happens to pass RIGHT THROUGH where the sculpted snake-folk have cupped their hands.
The snakefolk would not be hit.
[Two-Rocks]
ReplyDeleteFurther following the path of the shot, he finds that the straight line from the dragon's mouth to the door would hit.... the diamond embedded in the door!
A reminder... five doors, five diamonds. None of them would fit in the snake-folk's open hands (too small). Most intriguing...
Crx mutters under his breath "Xxk!!kxeakk"*
ReplyDeleteTECH: crouching at F5, seeking concealment in the shadow of the throne. STEALTH +9
*Well this is gonna suck.
"I'll help", Two-Rock's offers and grabs Grelloc's rope.
ReplyDeleteThe druid inhales deeply and holds his breath as he leans back to take up the slack on the rope, then pulls.
[TECH]
Move to J9.
Whenever the party is ready, I'll assist with the pull. (Str +2 or Athletics +8; Powerful Athlete does *not* apply). Holding my breath as a precaution against gas.
If I'm out-voted and the party wishes to rotate the dragon, Two-Rock's thews are up to the task.
Eyeing the dragon statue, Del-Kai takes a few steps to the right.
ReplyDeleteTECH: Move to L11
OOC: Ah, what the hell, let's push forward. I have mapped out your locations as you asked for them. :)
ReplyDeleteYou get into your various positions, many next to a nearby throne in hopes it will deflect a trap. Grelloc attaches the rope to the Knight Door, and when everyone is ready to die, he pulls it.
The door opens!
The dragon fires its Obliterarion Ray at the dragon door. A beam of pure magical disintegration energy, passing through the sculpted snake-folk hands, past the throne (where your head would be if you sat there) and into the diamond on the door. The diamond refracts the energy and fills the southwest portion of the chamber with its deadly magic.
You are safe. You have chosen your positions wisely! The ray ceases as quickly as it fires. Nothing in the room is harmed. Even, the holes in the floor do nothing, for now.
Beyond the open Knight Door, you see that the hallway bends from northeast to directly east. From somewhere around that corner is a source of intense heat and light.
OOC: Map update coming soon.
Map updated.
DeleteCrx chitters in what most would interpret as laughter. Perhaps the Thri-Kreen version of a chuckle of relief. He wonders what would have happened had he been in the blast area, and is glad he was he not. Still curious about the holes in the floor, he approaches them cautiously and rolls an empty flask across them.
ReplyDeleteTech: PERCEPTION +6, what was the blast area from the diamond? THIEVERY +9, rolling an empty flask across the door gently into the hallway beyond to see if anything happens. PERCEPTION +6, does the light from the hallway flicker, as if it were fire based?
[Crx]
ReplyDeleteImagine a line from D5 to G14. Anything west of that line was blasted.
The empty flask rolls into hallway and comes to rest against the wall. Nothing happens.
The light does indeed flicker as if it were fire based, but a LARGE fire.
Crx examines the floor in front and on the other side of the door, looking for signs of pressure plates or trip wires.
ReplyDeleteTech: Perception +6, Thievery +9, checking for traps
Finding a trap, Crx will attempt to disarm it.
OR
Finding none, Crx will move as if a shadow caused by flickering firelight and peek around the corner.
Tech: Stealth +9, move to M4
The jolly green giant chuckles quietly, "Ho ho ho, the signs read (past-tense) true! This was indeed an auspicious time to attempt the Vault. May we complete our task while good fortune is still ours!"
ReplyDeleteTwo-Rocks retrieves Grelloc's rope and grapple while his fellow crusaders investigate the hallway.
The wind picks up around the goliath's feet as his animal companion, an elemental zephyr, finally descends into the chamber. The druid smiles affectionately in it's general direction, correcting as the whirlwind picks up just enough dust to become faintly visible.
"I lack stealth," Two-Rocks continues quietly, "but my companion is silent and moves lightly. He hasn't your wit, Crx, but it can scout ahead if you won't risk it."
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteThe orc grins and nods to the hulking stone goliath, coiling his rope and packing it away. "My thanks..." He looks back to where the fresh holes still smolder in the floor around the doors behind them with a shiver. "Shall we press on? The Wyrm waits for no man."
His entire demeanor changes as he draws closer to the open knight door, his stance dropping into one as agile as a panther in the night. He pulls his crossbow from his back, cocking a bolt into the smooth-worn channel of the gnarled, handmade weapon as he slips silently forward.
Tech:Move through the doorway into the passage beyond, Stealth +8, activate Ambush Expertise: All allies get +2 to stealth checks within 10'.
Del-Kai
ReplyDeleteThe wizard eyes the blast from the dragon's mouth suspiciously, before slowly following his companions, keeping his distance so not to disturb them as they snear around the corner.
Tech Moving up towards the passage, not entering in quite yet until everyone else has scouted around, but close enough that I can dive through if a door starts to slam shut.
You search your way beyond the door and into the Sentry of Shields...
ReplyDelete