A ten-foot tall statue of an ancient red dragon coated in a thick layer of dust dominates the center of the room. Placed in a circle around the statue are eight beautiful, gilded chairs. They are adorned with delicately crafted gold.High on each of the four walls are sculpted the looming faces of crowned snakefolk. Three faces adorn each wall (12 total), and their eyes give off a soft ghostly glow. An inscription written in draconic above each, the same inscription that reads, "WHAT TOUCHES THIS WALL, WE THREE POSSESS."
At the far end, obscured by the dragon statue is another hallway exit that continues south. However, what you see there gives you pause. The hallway is covered by what appears to be some kind of translucent wall (a wall of force, possibly?), that holds back a intensely-hot, fiery river!
Should that river pour into this chamber, you would surely all perish.
Without touching anything, Crx will wander to the statue and see if it can be turned or if there are any levers or markings on it.
ReplyDelete[Crx]
ReplyDeleteCrx spies six arrows in each claw, 12 total. And, he sees some writing under the dust, only a word "King". There's more, but covered up by the dust.
No other levers or markings.
Del-Kai also walks in, and examines the statue. Specifically, does the statue's head look approximately the same size as the crown in the previous room?
DeleteGrelloc
ReplyDeleteThe ranger shies back from the flaming river, having spent quite enough time scorched, smoking and blistered for one adventure. Instead he turns to the chairs themselves, looking along the floor near their bases to check for wires, pressure plates or drag lines under the dust around their feet. He pays close attention to the chairs themselves, inspecting them in the shimmering light of the firey river.
Tech:Perception +7, Dungeoneering +7.
Crx
ReplyDeleteCrx wishes he'd studied during the history lessons his clutch received, but unfortunately he was too busy practicing sleight of hand. Perhaps one of his allies can help if he supplies more assistance.
tech
Blow gently (or stronger if needed) to remove the dust.
12 arrows, one for each head on the walls? But only 8 chairs? Anything significant I remember about that? History +0.
Del-Kai offers his expertise.
Deletetech
History +10
Two-Rocks enters the room and inspects the floor for the sign of anything that may have set foot there since the dust began accumulating ages ago. He lingers momentarily beside each chair and the central statue looking for tell-tale signs of disturbance that might appear if the objects were moved or manipulated.
ReplyDeleteOnce satisfied, The granite goliath mines his lore of nature to identify anything unusual about the depiction of the red dragon and attempts to read the faces of the snake-faced kings on the wall.
[Tech]
Wilderness Tracker
Perception +9
Nature +11
I assume the snakes are kings, they have crowns in the picture!
Could the dragon be Thran or his poppa?
Are the chairs identical?
[Grelloc]
ReplyDeleteGrelloc determines that the chairs are not attached to the floor, and indeed, there are lines in the dust indicating that they have been moved around some. No traps that he can discrn.
Rolls: perception 17, dungeoneering 20
[Crx]
Crx and Two-Rock's zephyr blow the dust away from the statue to reveal the writing, "ALL FEALTY TO THE CROWNLESS KING"
Rolls: history 3. :(
[Del-Kai]
Del-Kai knows ALL about this. He wrote a term paper on it at the wizard's school.
The faces depict the twelve counselors to the Wyrm Prince's father, the ancient dragon Thran. Legends tell that together these snakefolk shamans wielded power to rival Thran himself.
To placate the snakefolk councilors, the dragon planned to bestow a nation to each of them. Yet Thran had only eight thrones to give, and there were twelve of the shamans. The snakefolk were greedy and jealous, and each required a throne for him or herself. How Thran resolved this paradox is unknown, but the counselors did pledge themselves to him, and it is said that they serve his son, the Wyrm Prince, even in death.
One last thing - YES, the size of the dragon statue's head looks perfect for the crown of the previous room.
Rolls: history natural 20!
[Two-Rocks]
Two-Rocks also sees various tracks from where the chairs have been moved, all over the chamber.
The snakes on the walls do seem to represent the couselors that Del-Kai speaks of when he gives his history lesson.
Indeed, the central dragon is the Wyrm Prince's father... or at least a depiction thereof!
The chairs are identical with excpetion for minor differences in coloration, scratches, etc.
Rolls: perception natural 20, nature 20.
One more thing about the chairs, since Del-Kai got a natural 20:
ReplyDeleteSuch chairs are appropriate for subordinates to a monarch, such as viziers, counselors, or governors.
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteRubs his chin, fingering a newly risen blister on his scorched flesh as he tries to follow the ancient lines in the thick dust, wondering if these had been formed for some ancient meeting of delegates or councilors to the Wyrm.
“Probably just moved from against the wall to clear the space…” He mutters, his breath stirring the dust on the ground as he crouches, moving slowly as far as he can follow the tracks. Perhaps someone tried to hide the movement of the chair? Thinking sneakily he looks for the signs of dusting or sweeping under the first layer of grey-black fluff.
He looks up from the floor at the back of the throne behind him, eyes narrowing as he looks for a false backing or secret storage place in the gold, then up to the faces, each in turn trying to discern any difference about them that might match the chairs.
Tech:Perception +7, Nature +7, Stealth +8, History +0 [hah!] Were the chairs moved from a place of storage or from a certain arrangement? Perhaps the placement of the chair denoted the status of the seated and they have to be restored to each council member? Does it look like the chairs have been moved more recently and then their tracks covered up or brushed away and scattered with more dust?
[Grelloc]
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the chairs haven't been moved in a long time. But, once upon a time, they were moved all about the chamber, almost as if whomever it was couldn't make up his or her mind. It's nearly random.
Any differences between the council members that might tie them to each chair?
DeleteNot that you're aware of, since the chairs are (for all intents and purposes) identical.
DeleteCrx
ReplyDeleteCrx wishes he understood magic better to know if it was a good or a bad idea to give a statue a crown. He also remembers what happens when you sit in a chair in the first room, so he's not anxious to have a seat here. He's also a little worried that solving any puzzles may make the door open and the river to come in - and him without his galoshes!
Vengeance nods as he listens to the history lesson, committing it to memory for later tales. He looks about the room.
ReplyDelete"I like not the looks of this. Granted, I can stand the heat a bit more than most, but I doubt even I could withstand such a thing should we fail! Still, I'm intrigued by this." He walks around the room, inspecting things.
[tech]
History +8 on the arrows the statue is holding
Arcana +8 on the room in general.
"Someone help me with these." Two-Rocks outlines his plan to move the chairs. One in each corner and then one in the center of each wall.
ReplyDelete[Tech]
Two-rock performs his action if at least one other PC agrees to go along in a post.
Athletics +8, if necessary.
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteWith a grimace and a final look at the towering wall of roiling super heated magma, the ranger moves to assist his golliath companion, grunting as he hefts one of the chairs and moves it where Two-rock points.
"If this doesn't work... I'm using you as a shield."
TechAthletics +1, Str +2
As his allies start moving chairs, Del-Kai retreats to the top of the platforms of the previous room.
ReplyDelete[Vengeance]
ReplyDeleteVengenance doesn't know more about the arrows, but she does know that the barrier separating the river of fire from you is permeable; you can pass through it, but it also keeps the fire river at bay.
Rolls: history 11, arcana 22.
[Grelloc and Two-Rocks]
The moment you touch a chair, the sound of grinding gears - much like the ticking of a clock - can be heard within the dragon statue! Realizing that time is of the essense, you arrange the chairs... one in each corner, and four more touching the centers of walls.
Suddenly, all eight chairs turn into ghostly smoke, reforming into a total of twelve thrones! The ghosts of the snakefolk shamans appear sitting in them, eyeing you coldly. In unison, they ask, "WHAT QUESTION DO YOU BRING BEFORE THE COUNCIL?"
OOC: The counselors will truthfully answer the first yes-or-no question that you ask. Make it count!
Del-Kai steps up: "Oh wise council, will placing the crown on the head of this dragon statue bring us to harm?"
DeleteThey respond to your question:
ReplyDeleteSUCH A CORONATION WILL INVOKE THE PATH TO THE GREATEST DANGER YOU'VE EVER FACED... LEAVE US NOW. WHILE OUR KING REMAINS CROWNLESS, NONE SHALL CROSS THE RIVER.
Grelloc
ReplyDeleteThe ranger winces at the echoing, ethereal voices that fill the room, a dozen serpentine hissing apparitions filling his head with their words. He shakes his head, pressing the heels of his hands to his ears to block out the worst of it but their voices seem to transmit directly into his skull.
Finally as they die away he sighs in relief, poking a thick finger into an ear and wiggling to clear the popping sound the voices left behind.
"It seems we yet have work to be done, fellows. Shall we return?"
He adjusts his equipment, taking another glance at the sheaf of arrows clutched by the dragon statue and narrowing his eyes as his gaze moves from them to the carved faces along the walls.
"...Twelve."
Turning back towards the entrance he holds the ever-burning torch ahead of himself and returns to the chamber of the Golden Crown.
Crusaders, there are several ways to go. Choose!
Delete1. The stairway leading up to the iron doors and pull chain.
2. The door in the north side of the Golden Crown chamber.
3. Back up to the balcony, heading east, then north to a new hallway.
I await your decision.
Next person to post gets to decide where the whole party goes. Next person to complain about it, dies.
ReplyDeleteDel-Kai feels decisive, and head to the door in the north side of the Golden Crown chamber.
ReplyDeleteYou travel north to find the Prison of Ice.
ReplyDelete