City of Brass: IC

[Kobold-Bard]

The zoo is massive, the lower level is lined with barred cages for creatures that either aren't a threat or are fine to be left alone. The rest of the huge area is taken up by magical cages that hang from a molten metal "tree" that grows out through the floor.

The cages are a simple metal circle (annoyingly hot given your environment) and a two foot length of chain that connects to the air above your head. Surrounding you is an invisible force field that nothing you have tried can penetrate or escape through, though they technically don't prevent your abilities.

You are all on the middle tier, about 30ft up. The Efreet can fly so it's a long way down if your cage chain suddenly melts due to the intolerable heat (something that happens far too often).

To your right there is a Roving Mauler repeatedly slamming into it's invisible wall to try and free itself, and all around there are dozens of other "monsters".

--------------------------
Brief intro describing yourself and your current mental state. Fire and Ice are within sight distance of one another but more than 40ft away. Any abilities you have are stuck within your personal cage, you can't teleport out etc.

Because of the constant contact with heated metal you all have 1/2 your HP gone in non-lethal damage.

[Volthawk]

Fire isn't looking around at the others. His eyes are closed. He is thinking. Planning. There will be an opportunity. There always is. He opens his eyes, and starts to survey the area. I am Fire. I cannot be contained.

[FirebirdFlying]

Yun's humming, and sulking as only a floating ball of light can. Moreso than the physical confinement, she hates the silence. Not that it's actually silent - that bizarre lion-thing is only the loudest of the people around - but she can't hear any deeper noise except herself.

So she condenses and condensates, steam hissing off her from the intense heat, and focuses on her own inane little ditties.

When I went down to Terenshire I spied a pretty lass,
With ember-eyes and jeweled throat and scales of smooth grey ash…

[The Antigamer]

CLANG!
CLANG!
The sword, wielded by no one, strikes the force field again and again in the cage of the small humanoid in the black and white checkered suit. He takes no notice of it, staring at the opposite side of the cage with his eyes open hugely, never seeming to blink. He hardly seems to realize he's speaking, as words continually pour out of him.
"They tell me to rest,
But surely they jest,
I'm locked in a cage of cold iron.
This house arrest,
Is really not best,
I highly resent my environs.
But have I impressed,
With my feelings expressed,
The host of my misfortune?
At his behest,
I'm still his guest,
No matter how I importune.
And they came to divest,
Despite my protest,
All of my articles of note.
Yes, I've been dispossessed,
And now I'm depressed,
I'm starting to get a sore throat."

In time with his rhymes, the circular metal floor of the cage give peals of anger, as if some invisible force were trying to destroy them, and failing.

OOC
Using baleful utterance on every bolded word. Yes, he is trying to destroy the ground he's on. He's not the most stable even at the best of times, and this confinement has worsened that state.


Stats

Hyphonyse (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=244794)
Speed: 50'
Initiative: +3
AC: 20, Touch: 20, FF: 17
HP: 51/103, 52 non-lethal damage
SR: 22, DR: 5/Cold Iron
Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +7
BAB: +9/+4
Attack: +2 psychokinetic burst wand-chambered Naginata, +15/+10, 19-20/x2, d6 + 8, P/S
Hideous laughter: 18/18 uses, will save 22, 28 if feinted.
Devour Joy: 90' radius, up to 5 creatures, will save 22
24-hour invocations: Beguiling Influence, Entropic Warding, See the Unseen, Mind Augmentation(Cha)
Maneuvers readied:
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 24 (20)
Condition: None
Listen, Spot: +7
Search +9
Knowledge (Arcana),Knowledge (History): +9

[Kobold-Bard]

((There are no bars, just floor circle & holding chain)).

[The Antigamer]

My bad, I got a different picture in my mind when I was writing the poem :smallredface:
I'll edit it.

[Ladorak]

Ice is bored out his mind. For longer then even he can remember he has prowled. Since before the written word of a thousand peoples. Now, for the first time, he is caged. He stares at his brother, but his mind wanders on times long ago.
It was strange. Actually spending time with his sworn brother. Since they took the oath long long ago until now they were rarely together. Only then when plotting the destruction of empires. They always worked together but they also worked alone. Fire and Ice in harmony.
His mind drifted further back, back to when they took the oath. In a great vaulted hall deep below even the underdark they stood before the Great Shasas. There were gems everywhere, covering every inch of the high walls and arched ceiling. They were sapphires or rubies, it annoyed him that he couldn't remember which one it was.
They renounced their old names and sworn their brotherhood. The only creature in the multiverse one would never kill. Witnessed by Great Shasas killed long ago. The Great Shasas are ever greedy. A Rakshasa on the move is safer. Our kind are so hard to end. Preparation is required. But I'm never in the same place and you'll never see me coming. The Great Shasas and their giant gem encrusted kill me signs. At least they've stopped doing that now...
Once again he idly considers destroying the cage beneath his feet. One strike is all it would take. He had always enjoyed Stone Dragon experts, such wonderful straight forward people, easy to predict. But what would be the point? A force field is a force field.
Ice had always considered force fields to be cheating. It wasn't fair to wall him off, he was Naztharune Rakshasa, all land was his to walk. He had always made it a point to seek out and destroy any mage foolish enough to try such a stunt on him. Some chases took minutes, some took decades, the result was always the same in the end. Walls only ever delayed the inevitable, until now...

[Kobold-Bard]

A cloud of molten smoke billows up and ignites, revealing a huge Efreeti, complete with a sword about the size of your average Orc.

"Rathshtecka, koooruktana! it bellows before beginning it's rounds, slowly floating upwards around the tree, casually eyeballing each cage's support to check it was still in place.

Once he reaches the top he once again vanishes into volcanic clouds, which dissipate once he is gone. The silence invoked by his appearance is slowly replaced by the general buzz of captured creatures again.

----------------
OOC:
Infernal speakers:
Silence, pitiful imp!

Hyphonyse & Ice ONLY:
About 15ft below you you see what looks like an oversized cockroach peeking out from behind the "trunk" of the tree that holds you up. It is obviously scarred, but seems to be using it's feelers to disintegrate large portions of it. You also notice it is getting very close to a panel of levers that you know from past experience hold up most of the cages on your level.

I rolled for you to save time: Ice passes his Ref Save and may grab the chain to stop falling if he likes. Hyphonyse however rolled a 1 and so does not have that luxury because he was too busy trying to break his cage. You fall 30ft unless you can stop yourself by grabbing a walkway with a DC25 Reflex Save.
---------------------

2 minutes pass, then out of nowhere you feel the invisible magic around you vanish. The floor seems to hold (almost comically) for a second while your mind adjusts, then falls. Of the thirty cages around you 28 "unlock" in this fashion, most of their inhabitants falling with a scream, though a couple manage to grab their chain in time and one fortunately has wings. The Roving Mauler had somehow timed it's next assault perfectly and when it's forcefield had vanished it had lunged over to the metal walkway 5ft below its cage, dazed, but uninjured.

-----------------------
OOC:
I rolled to save time: Fire made his Ref Save and may grab the chain if he wishes. Yun can fly so it's irrelevant. There are walkways within 10ft of everyone, there are approximately 4 other monsters that haven't fallen the full 30ft to the cages lining the floor (bad times for those that did, that was where they kept the minotaurs).

The RM isn't important, I just love it :smallbiggrin:

[The Antigamer]

((Rolling reflex, editing in actions based on whether I pass the check or not.))
[roll0]

Hyphonyse feels something burst, and a smile of joy appears on his face, before he realizes he's plummeting to the earth. He ducks down, and rolls a somersault off the end of his falling platform, hoping to minimize the force with which he hits the ground.
He still hits the ground rather hard, and groans as he stands up, cracking his back as he looks around. He whispers to himself,
"One quick flex, now to find my effects"

Statblock

Hyphonyse (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=244794)
Speed: 50'
Initiative: +3
AC: 20, Touch: 20, FF: 17
HP: 43/103, 55 non-lethal damage
SR: 22, DR: 5/Cold Iron
Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +7
BAB: +9/+4
Attack: +2 psychokinetic burst wand-chambered Naginata, +15/+10, 19-20/x2, d6 + 8, P/S
Hideous laughter: 18/18 uses, will save 22, 28 if feinted.
Devour Joy: 90' radius, up to 5 creatures, will save 22
24-hour invocations: Beguiling Influence, Entropic Warding, See the Unseen, Mind Augmentation(Cha)
Maneuvers readied: Iron heart surge, Mithral tornado, give bomb, piano drop
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 24 (20)
Condition: None
Listen, Spot: +7
Search +9
Knowledge (Arcana),Knowledge (History): +9

[Volthawk]

Fire holds onto the chain, and looks around. He then slides down the chain and swings over to a walkway.



Spot: [roll0]

I have +15 Tumble, so I pass the DC.

[Ladorak]

Like his brother Ice effortlessly grabs the chain as the floor falls away, smiling smugly to himself as the other prisoners go tumbling down.
In a few seconds he has the chain swinging and in a few more he's built up enough speed to drop artfully onto the nearest wallway. He lands posed, ready. 'Brother, when I tell you of our rescuer I fear you will be embarrassed.' His keen ears easily pick out Hyphonyse's words, he knows his brother is no less vigilant 'The clown is right, we need are gear.'
He scans the room as he speaks. He knows every inch of it already, or at least every inch visible from his cell. Things can always change, always make sure everything is as you remember it when you enter a room.

Enter Flame's Blessing stance.

[Kobold-Bard]

Fire:
You see what looks like an overgrown cockroach on your level, shocked by what happened as it finishes disintegrating the series of levers that held your cages up. There are huge holes in the metal tree behind it and it looks very pleased as the metal dust coats it's body.

[Volthawk]

"Huh? Ice? You're here too? Huh, and I thought you were working for the Sultan, not his prisoner! You see that weird thing over there?"

Fire points at the creature he sees.

"But yeah, plain claws won't do the trick."

[FirebirdFlying]

Yun ignores the efreet with barely a glance in its direction. Her humming abruptly stops, however, when sound comes rushing back, and she sits there dumbly for several seconds. Hey…

It could be a trick.

Why would it be? Let's just go.

She floats down to the ground, the majority of souls within her feeling rather uncomfortable thirty feet above it, and gravitates towards one of the more intelligent creatures around. It's a bit - strange, looking honestly more human than anything, except in the odd costume of a court jester.

<Hist,> she says to it, mind to mind, <do you know a way out of here?>

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse looks up at the floating ball of light, then resumes examining his surroundings as he speaks.
"Though escape is my aim,
You've guessed correctly there,
To my shame,
I'm not sure of the how, or the where."

[Kobold-Bard]

The noise is growing to deafening proportions as all the other exhibitions demand you free them too. Around Hyphonyse & Yun some of the more resilient monsters get up from their fall; Owlbear, Minotaur, Ogre. Others are not so fortunate; a Satyr and some sort of glass construct.

Around you there are three ways out that you see: a large door at the ground level, a few smaller doors at the end of walkways every 30ft or so and a gap at the very top, almost 150ft up the red hot tree where the cages are dropped in from.

The noise will be noticed eventually; whether sooner or later is unknown.

[Volthawk]

Fire walks over to one of the smaller doors, and sticks his ear to it, listening for anything on the other side.


Listen: [roll0]

[Kobold-Bard]

Besides a singed ear you hear nothing.

[Ladorak]

Ice stares up at the opening far above them. An odd quiet fury glints in his eye. He speaks softly, although it is hardly needed over the dim. If they drop us down we're either deep in their dungeons... Or that's the way out.' He grinds his sharp teeth and eventually spits out the words 'We need the Wisp's help. Once we know where we are we'll know what to do.' He stares at his brother for several seconds 'We'll both agree to never mention this again? Good.'

He looks down and speaks to the Wisp telepathically Hello down there. We need to find out where we are. Go up and have a look.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse, upon seeing the door on the main level, stares at it with a wide-eyed expression for several moments before walking towards it and attempting to open it.

[FirebirdFlying]

<…Excuse me?> Yun's attention shifts from the jester upwards. <Did you say something?> The rakshasa's abrupt manner was - annoying, to say the least. But he had a point, if she understood him correctly, and she spoke to the gray fellow again. <Excuse me - what's your name? - d'you think we can try upwards?>

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse looks up from his attempt to open the door.
"By what means do you mean,
For me to reach a height so obscene?
From all I can gather,
I think I'd rather,
Use this door to flee from the scene."
He nods his head at the indicated door.
"Unless of course,
There's a better path to endorse,
To guarantee release.
And you may call me, Hyphonyse."

[FirebirdFlying]

<Well, I could probably get you up there. If you'd be willing to suspend disbelief for a little while.>

[The Antigamer]

The man in the checkered suit smiles.
"My dear little wisp,
How could I resist?
In point of fact,
How could I not act,
Upon a stratagem,
That has for a stem,
The suspension of something, I must confess,
I don't think I even possess."

He holds a hand up to the ball of light.

"Take me hither,
Yes, take me yon,
I just hope it doesn't lead to our,
Denouement."

[FirebirdFlying]

<Alright. Let me go up and make sure - we'll only have about a minute to get you up there and out. And I shouldn't like to see you fall. If you can get up to one of the walkways in the meanwhile, it might make things easier.> With that, Yun shoots upwards towards the opening in the ceiling.

[Volthawk]

Fire opens the door, changing his form into a human one beforehand.

[Kobold-Bard]

Fire sees a long corridor made of glass. There are orange clouds all around it and there is a t-junction at the other end.

Yun gets to the top and the hole leads into similar clouds. You can't see upwards but looking down and across you can make out the shaded outlines of grand buildings; the Sultan's palace.

[Volthawk]

Fire looks back at Ice, and says "Well, there's hallway here. Perhaps this would be better than the rooftops."

[Ladorak]

Ice stalks to the door, his claws racking into the wall as he lays hand to doorframe and leans out into the corridor. He snares, clearly annoyed 'We're not down, we're up.' He turns away 'I'd avoid going down that road if we can. Glass corridors and flying foes are to be avoided.
I'd say the clown has the right of it.
He steps into his brother's shadow and emerges, silent, behind Hyphonyse

Shadow jump down.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse raises an eyebrow at the creature who appears behind him, tilting his head near to horizontal as he stares at him wide-eyed.

"And who might you be,
my fellow escapee?"

[Volthawk]

Fire sighs. "Alright then. This better not get us killed. That time in the desert was close enough."

He then follows his brother down.


Shadow Jumping down as well.

[Ladorak]

Ice laughs 'Brother, this time will be far harder than that, I'd swear to it. his mismatched eyes turn down to Hyphonyse
I am Ice and this is Fire, we are the Death of Nations. He is my sworn brother, but for now we are all brothers in arms. We have to work together, lest we fall separately.'

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse bobs his head, intoning,
"Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire,
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate,
To say that for destruction ice,
Is also great,
And would suffice."

He takes a step back, gives a mocking bow, arms held out sideways towards the door.
"After you, O' Death of Worlds,
Open the door you've chosen.
And let us hope, that what's beyond,
Can be set aflame, or frozen."

How could I not use that poem in this opportunity? :smallbiggrin:

[FirebirdFlying]

<Pretty poem>, Yun says, having drifted down. <We're going this way, now?>

[Volthawk]

"Why do I get the feeling this will be a test of my sanity?"

[Kobold-Bard]

The other still trapped monsters are now deafening, some ordering you to let them out, some begging, some just making noise for the hell of it. Added to that is the fact that the big brown cockroach is continuing to "eat" the tree and its creaking worryingly. Guards will notice this and be here very quickly. You need to make a choice now.

The wheel-lion-thing has zoomed off down the corridor that Fire opened and a winged Humanoid has shot off up through the top. A floating spider has faded from view and gone with a Dwarf that had a stone arm and tentacles through another walkway door.

[Ladorak]

'Fools, we needed to work together. The alarm will be raised all the quicker now.' Ice crouches in a shadow and fades from view, the door then opens itself

Hide in plain sight:
Hide: [roll0]
Move Silently: [roll1]

[Kobold-Bard]

((Which door?))

[Ladorak]

((Sorry, the big one at the bottum))

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse gives Fire a misformed half-grin, then moves towards the open door, ready to enter it.

[Kobold-Bard]

The door opens to a similar corridor to the one Fire opened, except the floor is solid steel.

At the end there is an angry Efreet, ready to strike you down.

---------------------
Y'all go first. Good luck.
The Efreet is 25ft away.

[Volthawk]

"Joy. Of course the main door would be guarded. Killing time. Ice, get behind him. I'll keep him nice and distracted."

Fire charges down the hall and slashes at the Efreet.



Charging, and then attacking with both claws, from my Combat Style Mastery. I get a +4 bonus to attack and damage because of Favoured Enemy.

Attack: [roll0]

Damage (with claw): [roll1]
Damage (with claw): [roll2]
Bonus Damage: +7

If we're underground, add +2 to attack and damage.

[Kobold-Bard]

The Efreet laughs like a maniac as you try to harm it, your claw wounds healing as if they were never there.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse smiles, reaches out a hand towarnds the efreet, and beckons towards himself.

Using Devour Joy on the Efreet. DC is 22
Roll for cha drain: "[roll0]
"Devour joy: standard action, 90' radius, any laughing creature he chooses, up to 7. Save = 22. Creatures take 3d4 cha drain. Creatures normally immune to ability drain still take half damage from this ability. Heals him an equal number of HP as the Cha drained, and gains a bonus on his own Cha score equal to the highest Cha drained for 24 Hours


((Edit: Trip fours, alright! :smallbiggrin:))

[FirebirdFlying]

Yun shies away from the efreet, focus falling on the giant cockroach thing and the creaking tree. Oh, that's not good. <Hello?> she says. I hope it understands me…

Dungeoneering:[roll0]

[Kobold-Bard]

"I R Eaten Tree. Iz nummy!"

--------------
Despite the responce yo have no idea what it is.

[FirebirdFlying]

<Could you…eat something else? What do you eat?>

[Kobold-Bard]

"Nope. Yummy yummy tree!"

[The Antigamer]

OOC
So, did my cha drain work? Some healing would be very helpful for the jester right now :smallbiggrin:

[Ladorak]

Is the corridor big enough to slip by the genie while hidden? If not I'm gonna have to tumble him...

[FirebirdFlying]

…Dammit. <You know,> Yun says as she drifts a little closer, <there are trees like that out there.> And I really don't want that one to fall on me. Or anyone else, really.

<If you came with us, you could eat lots and lots of trees.>

Bluff:[roll0]

[Kobold-Bard]

@Antigamer: Don't you have to make them laugh first, then they have to make two saves; one to resist the drain & one to stop laughing?

@Ladorak: You'll have to tumble, when they wished the palace into existence they made the passages just big enough for Efreet.

@FirebirdFlying: More tree? Better tree? Tree made of gold, gold yummy yummy!

I'll assume you agree with the crazy gold tree thing, and the big bug does indeed stop eating the (significantly weakened) tree. Without any regard for anything else it launches itself of the tree, bits of the rust coating it glowing and vanishing. As it falls to the floor it stops just shy, and floats towards Yun, "tasting" Yun with it's antennae.

((Yeah, my monsters are moronic NPC's. Sue me, I wanted to see them in the background :smallamused:))

[The Antigamer]

Nope, it's anyone laughing, including those I hit with hideous laughter. For drain joy, the efreet makes one saving throw to resist being drained. If he was under my hideous laughter effect, then he'd make a second saving throw to stop laughing, since it's not natural laughter.

[Kobold-Bard]

Nope, it's anyone laughing, including those I hit with hideous laughter. For drain joy, the efreet makes one saving throw to resist being drained. If he was under my hideous laughter effect, then he'd make a second saving throw to stop laughing, since it's not natural laughter.

Crap, so coz I said he was laughing you get to use it :smalleek:

Err....I mean, that was totally supposed to happen...yeeeah...

----------------------------
The Efreet is so busy mocking Fire that Hyphonyse easily rips the laughter out of him ((he tanked his save)).

[The Antigamer]

Crap, so coz I said he was laughing you get to use it :smalleek:

Err....I mean, that was totally supposed to happen...yeeeah...

:smallbiggrin: That +12 to cha is gonna be a glorious thing.

Hyphonyse grins madly, his eyes wide-open as he exclaims,
"What's this my friend,
Your laughter has stopped?
Don't tell me,
That my jests have flopped!"
He pantomimes swinging a sword at the efreet, and suddenly a pale green sword of force appears next to the efreet and swings at him in imitation of the jester.

Initiative since I think we haven't done that yet: [roll0]
Using my Harkon's blade (Sword of Deception) invocation. (Spell Compedium, pg. 217 "Attack +11/+6/+1, damage 1d8, crit 19-20, successful hit causes –2 penalty on the target’s next saving throw roll (–4 on a successful critical hit), cumulative to a maximum of –5 on a single creature and lasts until the creature is forced to make a saving throw in a dangerous situation or receives the benefit of a remove curse spell."
Caster check to get past SR: [roll1]
If the check is successful, the sword can attack that creature with normal effect for the duration of the spell. If not, the sword of deception is dispelled.
The sword full attacks:
Attack: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]
Attack: [roll4] Damage: [roll5]
Attack: [roll6] Damage: [roll7]



Statblock

Hyphonyse (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=244794)
Speed: 50'
Initiative: +3
AC: 26, Touch: 26, FF: 23
HP: 103/103, 43 non-lethal damage
SR: 22, DR: 5/Cold Iron
Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +7
BAB: +9/+4
Attack: +2 psychokinetic burst wand-chambered Naginata, +15/+10, 19-20/x2, d6 + 8, P/S
Hideous laughter: 24/24 (18) uses, will save 28 (22), 34 (28) if feinted.
Devour Joy: 90' radius, up to 5 creatures, will save 28 (22)
24-hour invocations: Beguiling Influence, Entropic Warding, See the Unseen, Mind Augmentation(Cha)
Maneuvers readied: Iron heart surge, Mithral tornado, give bomb, piano drop
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 36 (20)
Condition: None
Listen, Spot: +7
Search +9
Knowledge (Arcana),Knowledge (History): +9

Effects:
+4 to cha (Mind aug)
+12 to cha (Drain Joy) 24 hours
Harkon's blade 11 rounds

[Ladorak]

Still in Flame's blessing stance. Tumble check to pass the Efreet (1d20+22)[36] DC25

Assuming that works add sneak attack damage, if not I take an AoO.

Either way useing Soaring Raptor Strike on the Efreet:
Jump check vs AC (1d20+16)[26]
If that lands:
Attack: (1d20+14)[25] (-2 if not flanking)
Damage: 1d4+6d6 (21 and 2 in the OOC) and sneak attack (6d6)[20]


'Finally, someone to pay the price of caging Ice.' He runs close to the ground, almost level to it but as the Efreeti turns his defence Ice leaps high over the genie's blade. He passes clear over his enemy's head, he has turned in his leap and while he is upside down their heads pass almost close enough to kiss 'It's been ages since I killed something.' He hits the floor but briefly, springing up again over a blade that had just lowered. Channeling the hallmark raw fury of the Tiger Strike school he had helped create and destroy Ice racks his claws through the Efreet's face. 'So thank you.'

OOC: Sorry about the post rolls. Obviously they were right but I went to cut and paste and apparently screwed things up royally.

[Kobold-Bard]

The Efreet roars in sorrow and fades into a rumbling, white hot cloud.

More wil be there soon.

[Ladorak]

'Consider that the first instalment of my revenge.' He flicks his claws dismissively and turns to his companions. 'Press on quickly, speed is more important than stealth now.'

[Volthawk]

"Once we get out of here and into the city, we can blend in. But for now, hunting time.

Fire starts going down the corridor, alert for any danger.



Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

I get +4 vs. Outsider (fire) or Undead, and +2 vs. Humans. And if we're underground, I get +2 to them.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse skips along behind fire, looking positively radiant jovial after draining the efreet.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse skips along behind Fire, looking positively radiant and jovial after draining the efreet.

[Kobold-Bard]

You go through the glass corridors until you meet another Efreet, this one bearing a ruby topped staff instead of a sword.

-----------------
Yun & Hyphonyse:
You spot an Arcane Lock on the door he is blocking.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse stops and tilts his head sideways.

"Good day to you sir,
and other greetings too.
By chance do you know,
a way out of this zoo?"

[Volthawk]

Fire steps up behind Hypotenuse and shouts in Infernal.

"Kdak okyja yn jya myga dra ydran 'a gymmaj!"

Translation:

Step aside or die like the other we killed!

[Kobold-Bard]

ZOMG! U wAnt me 2 g1ve http://www.hotmobile.org/2009/images/up_arrow_black.gif? U R teh suxxorz d00d!!

Clearly there is something...not quite right about this Efreet. As he finishes his sentence he points the staff at you and yells at the top of his voice "I'z in ur r00m, k1ll1n 5um n00bs!! and a wave of ice bursts forth causing the super heated glass all around you to suddenly screech and steam and crack.

-----------
Cone of cold, everyone make a DC 18 reflex save in your next post. 32 damage if you fail, half if you pass.

[FirebirdFlying]

…What…?

This thing is obviously insane.

The weave of the magic twists around her, and she starts humming as it pulls away and lingers on her allies' blades.

Ref: [roll0]
DR and ER kick in; also, I believe SR applies. EDIT: Ah, whoops, no VoP. Just 5 of DR, then. And the SR still.
EDIT: Tentatively 27 damage.
Yay, bardic music! +3d6 sonic damage, y'all. In case it helps.
And did the rust monster follow?

[Kobold-Bard]

((Yes it did, and its grumpy that you promised it metal but you're in a glass corridor.))

[The Antigamer]

Reflex [roll0]
Initiative [roll1]
If SR applies Hyphonyse has 22.
11 damage unless SR applies.
Hyphonse tumbles through the roaring blast of ice relatively unscathed, shouting out,
"Is it just me,
Or can everyone see,
I'm not the biggest fool in the room,
This creature's taken that nome de plume?"
His Harkon's blade moves in to attack, and Hyphonyse points at the air above the attacker, summoning a grand piano out of nothingness.
Statblock

Hyphonyse (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=244794)
Speed: 50'
Initiative: +3
AC: 26, Touch: 26, FF: 23
HP: 92/103, 43 non-lethal damage
SR: 22, DR: 5/Cold Iron
Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +7
BAB: +9/+4
Attack: +2 psychokinetic burst wand-chambered Naginata, +15/+10, 19-20/x2, d6 + 8, P/S
Hideous laughter: 24/24 (18) uses, will save 28 (22), 34 (28) if feinted.
Devour Joy: 90' radius, up to 5 creatures, will save 28 (22)
24-hour invocations: Beguiling Influence, Entropic Warding, See the Unseen, Mind Augmentation(Cha)
Maneuvers readied: Iron heart surge, Mithral tornado, give bomb, piano drop
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 36 (20)
Condition: None
Listen, Spot: +7
Search +9
Knowledge (Arcana),Knowledge (History): +9

Effects:
+4 to cha (Mind aug)
+12 to cha (Drain Joy) 24 hours
Harkon's blade 11 rounds

[The Antigamer]

The Harkon's Blade full attacks
Attack: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Attack: [roll2]Damage: [roll3]
Attack: [roll4] Damage: [roll5]

For every one that hits, the efreet gets a -2 (up to -5) to his reflex save to avoid [roll6] damage from the Piano Drop maneuver. Reflex DC is 28. The piano counts as chaotically aligned.

[Ladorak]

Reflex: [roll0]*

I'll do exactly the same thing I did last time then:

Tumble check to pass the Efreet [roll1] DC25

Assuming that works add sneak attack damage, if not I take an AoO.

Either way useing Soaring Raptor Strike on the Efreet:
Jump check vs AC [roll2]
If that lands:
Attack: [roll3] (-2 if not flanking)
Damage: [roll4]+ [roll5] + sneak attack [roll6]

*Improved evasion. No damage taken.

[Kobold-Bard]

The Efreet is very much crushed by the piano, a weak "3p1c fayl!!1! escaping his lips as he vanishes, dead.

[The Antigamer]

"It seems our jailers,
Are loathe to see us leave.
I suggest we make haste,
And an escape, achieve."

[Volthawk]

"Congratulations for stating the obvious."

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse gives a mocking bow.

[Ladorak]

Hide[roll0]
Move silently[roll1]

Once again Ice fades into the shadows before opening the door just a crack and slipping inside.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse waggles a finger at Ice.
"I'm sorry to say,
You can't go that way.
There's a lock on the door,
We must remove it before we explore."

He wiggles his finger at the door.

Voracious dispelling, check is [roll0]

[Kobold-Bard]

The lock cracks and shatters. Behind the door is an assortment of objects, some of which you recognise. As Yue passes near three formerly black orbs light up and glow gold before floating to her and becoming absorbed into her.

---------------------
Everyone gets 3 items of their choice from their inventory. Yue gets Levels 1-5 of VoP back.

[Volthawk]

Fire grins.

"Ah, my mdoogeb saoon!"

He grabs a light, shadowy hide and a dark shroud, and puts them on. He then grabs a sharp scimitar, getting familiar with it again.


Taking my Greater Shroud of Night, my armour and my +1 Scimitar

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse looks over the items, grabs a checkered cloak to throw over his shoulders, places a mask over his face, and picks out a long-hafted sword, almost a pole-arm, which glows with a green light.

His naginata, winged mask, and cloak of charisma+6



Statblock

Hyphonyse (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=244794)
Speed: 50'
Initiative: +3
AC: 30, Touch: 30, FF: 26
HP: 92/103, 43 non-lethal damage
SR: 22, DR: 5/Cold Iron
Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +7
BAB: +9/+4
Attack: +2 psychokinetic burst wand-chambered Naginata, +15/+10, 19-20/x2, d6 + 8, P/S
Hideous laughter: 27/27 uses, will save 31, 37 if feinted.
Devour Joy: 90' radius, up to 16 creatures, will save 31
24-hour invocations: Beguiling Influence, Entropic Warding, See the Unseen, Mind Augmentation(Cha)
Maneuvers readied: Iron heart surge, Mithral tornado, give bomb, piano drop
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 42 (20)
Condition: None
Listen, Spot: +7
Search +9
Knowledge (Arcana),Knowledge (History): +9

[Ladorak]

Do we get any armour/weapons crystals that would normally be attached?
Greater Blurring Mithral Chain shirt +1
Shadowstrike Magebane Cold Iron Spiked Chain +1
Mantle of the predator

'Oh, I have missed you.' The Rakshasa takes his chain in both hands. It is uncommonly like a cat with some string, although he's killed the last three hundred odd people who mentioned it. He's forgotten the exact number. 'I had to kill one with my claws, I feel dirty.'
Next he slips on a fine mithral shirt and next takes up a tiger's mantle. Setting it on his shoulders and head he covers up his mismatched eyes beneath the tiger's stern gaze.

[Kobold-Bard]

@the Rakshasas:
You notice through the cracked glass floor a trio of salamanders coming up a series of brass steps towards you. You may each take an action before they get here.

[Volthawk]

Fire hides, using his new armour to help.


Hide: [roll0]

Readying an action to attack one if it gets in melee range.

[Ladorak]

Ice hurries to the side of the door and vanishes from view. As he disappears he turns and smiles at Hyphonyse 'My brother and I would like to thank you for volunteering to be the bait. Prepare for salamanders.'

Hide: [roll0]
Move silently: [roll1]
Flame's blessing stance
Ready an action to use Stalker in the Night (Full round action) Elder Mountain Hammer on the first target to enter 10 foot radius.

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse looks morose.
"Oh lack-a-day,
That bait I must play,
I hope you don't run far away."
He sighs, props the naginata in the crook of his arm, and stands still as a statue.
Maybe they won't notice him.

[Kobold-Bard]

Sadly, despite his masterful attempt at disguise the Salamander does in fact notice Hyphonyse. And proceeds to throw a sphere of fire at him.

------------------
Fireball [roll0]: DC 15 Ref Save = 1/2 damage

[The Antigamer]

Reflex save [roll0]
Also, initiative: [roll1]
Let me know the initiative order and I'll post actions :smallsmile:

Hyphonyse stays as still as possible until the fire sphere roars at him, then he jumps to the side, avoiding the brunt of the flames, then picks himself up, waiting to see what his hidden companions do.

[Ladorak]

And when do our readied actions/AoOs go off?

[Kobold-Bard]

You all can go before they do again.

No-one is in melee range yet.

[The Antigamer]

How many salamanders are there? And how far are they from Hyphonyse?

[Kobold-Bard]

One biggun that threw the Fireball (20ft away), 2 smaller ones behind it (30ft away).

[The Antigamer]

"How I hope my newfound friends,
Come and to my health defend," Hyphonyse states morosely, flicking a hand at the salamanders. A piano appears over their heads.

Piano Drop Maneuver, 10' square. He gets both the smaller ones, and the big one too if they all fit inside a 10' square. Reflex save for half damage, DC is 31.
Damage = [roll0]
The piano counts as a Chaotic aligned magic weapon.

[Ladorak]

Using Stalker in the Night to move behind the Salamanders hidden and strike from behind without revealing myself. Striking the big one

Attack: [roll0]
Damage:[roll1] + Sneak attack [roll2] + [roll3] (Only against spellcasters)

Ice says nothing as the infernal clown chatters, slipping past his enemies like a drop of water in a river. He turns, strikes and never reveals his location.

[Volthawk]

Fire backs away from the salamanders, before speaking a few words and waving a paw at one of the smaller salamanders, unleashing frigid cold against it.


Backing away to 55ft away, then casting Hypothermia on one of the smaller salamanders.

It takes [roll0] cold damage, and is fatigued. A DC 17 Fort save halves the damage and doesn't make it fatigued.

[Kobold-Bard]

The big Salamander clearly had a heart attack when the piano landed on his allies. He seemed to grow even more threatening when he saw they had survived, but this quickly changed when they were in fact killed by the pair of followup attacks.

Meekly he turns to Hyphonyse and garbles something in Ignan before holding up a key and making a salute-like gesture.

Yun is nowhere to be seen and the Rust Monster has jumped into the lockar you just opened and is happily chowing down.

-----------------------
DC 10 Wis Check:
He seems to be offering you the key in exchange for his allegiance, or his survival, or both.

[Volthawk]

Fire speaks back in Ignan.

Ignan:

"Alright. I will spare you."


Fire looks back at the group, and speaks in common again.

"Well, we've got a prisoner here."

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse leans on his naginata.
"So the captives have a captive,
My we've been quite active.
But what shall we do,
We've lost one of our crew,
It's time to start being adaptive.
"

[Ladorak]

Ice regards Hyphonyse cooly 'There is wisdom hidden in your foolishness, mayhap I judged you wrong. Fire, ask him how we get out of here.'

[Kobold-Bard]

Volt:
The Salamander tells you he doesn't know the way out. He was originally just like you, brought for the Sultan's amusement, until he killed an Efreet and was given a security job. He basically roams the halls killing anything that escapes, but you guys are way too strong for him.

[Volthawk]

"Doesn't know. Apparently was like us, but impressed the guards."

Fire starts speaking again in Ignan to the salamander.


"OK. You can come with us. Help us out, and we'll help you out. On that you have you have my word."

[Kobold-Bard]

Ignan:
Thank you, thank you.

[Volthawk]

"Alright. We have a bit of help. The salamander will be helping us now. I'll see if it can speak something other than Ignan."

Ignan

"Do you speak anything other than this language?"

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse shrugs, and examines the room for exits besides the one the salamander came in through.

Search [roll0]

[Kobold-Bard]

The salamander speaks only Ignan, but for ease I'll just assume Volt translates.

The only exit is the way the salamanders came from, but the staircase splits in two part way down, the other veering up leftways. There is also a small hole the rust monster has "forged" getting bigger by the second. It leads to a large empty space with some Efreet floating around swords drawn. You'd need to be able to fly to survive through there becasue the floor is a loooooooooooong way away.

[The Antigamer]

"I suggest we fly,
And attempt to get by,
Avoiding hue and cry,
So long as we're spry."

[Volthawk]

"Fly? You have wings, then? I'd prefer not to go down there. Looks like there's decent security there."

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse points to the mask he put on.
"This mask enables flight,
But if you can't handle height,
I guess we must exit, stage right."

[Ladorak]

Ice nods 'Right is right I judge. We should keep going downward.'

[Kobold-Bard]

You carry on down and come to a dead end, but the Salamander takes the key and uses it to unlock the wall. Beyond it there is a passage, much smaller this time (small and below can walk unhindered, medium & large are reduced to 1/2 speed and a -4 on anything that uses Dex as a modifier).

Part way down you find another item apiece and another dead end, this time with something written in Ignan on the wall.

I am a chest without hinges, lock or lid
but inside a gold treasure is his

What am I?

----------------------------
I know this is an easy ass riddle but I'm tired. I'll assume if by some miracle you don't know it you can just google it. So instead, in order for your character to get it you need to roll me an Int & a Wis check.

[The Antigamer]

Well, it is from one of the most famous riddle-games ever :smallbiggrin:
Int:[roll0]
Wis:[roll1]
He picks up a glove of the master strategist.

If he gets it right.

"The answer we seek,
Comes from something with a beak,
And I'll bet you a keg,
The solution's an egg."

[Ladorak]

[roll0]
[roll1]

Beneath the tiger's stern gaze Ice snarls 'What the hell is wrong with this place? The jester's the sanest one we've encountered.'

[The Antigamer]

Hyphonyse laughs.
"Sanity is highly overrated,
My friend;
I was actually quite elated,
When my thoughts came un-penned."