Unnatural Immunity IC

[TechnoScrabble]

A mist lies over Diamond Vale far to the east of Arastag, pouring from the shining and slow river that gives it its name. Deep green grass sways in the wind, and the clouds seem to have disappeared to make room for the ominously grey mists below. Upon one of the peaks overlooking the vale, a small collection of heroes (that would be you) awaits. With them is a court wizard, Ester, and two soldiers, Simon and Dremm. The lot of them wait patiently, silently. Not even the wind makes a sound.

The mood is tense. The air itself trembles.

There is a deep groan from below the peak, similar to that of metal or stone ready to break.

A great, white stone tower floats upward into view. Then another, and another. Soon, an entire aged, vine and moss coated castle and courtyard is in view, perched atop a great stone base that looks like it tore itself straight from the ground. Tunnels both natural and unnatural stick out of the flying crag, joined by twisting roots and clods of dirt that occasionally fall off.

The stone base scrapes against the peak, grinding away years of nature's work. The courtyard and its ruined bridge are quickly rushing past you.

"Jump! Now!" Dremm shouts, readying his spear and gripping the belt on his chain tunic, "This is our chance!"

Simon, Ester, and Dremm rush forward, their devotion to their homeland stronger than their fear of death by horrible disease.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin takes stock of the jump, deems it to be within his capabilities, and silently leaps, flying through the air with elven grace.
Ooooh, shiny. IC thread :smallbiggrin:

[arkol]

Close behind the first four a frail looking elf you've come to know as Aramil follows screaming "Larethiaaaaaan!" as he does so.

[Aron Times]

Dale Keter, archer and sorcerer, jumps towards the flying castle.below, backpack and bow and arrows in tow.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian takes a running leap through the air, looking somewhat less graceful than the elves.

[TechnoScrabble]

Tharin takes stock of the jump, deems it to be within his capabilities, and silently leaps, flying through the air with elven grace.
Ooooh, shiny. IC thread :smallbiggrin:

Dale Keter, archer and sorcerer, jumps towards the flying castle.below, backpack and bow and arrows in tow.

Tharin and Dale both manage to jump straight into one of the tunnels hanging off of the underside of the castle, moss and roots softening the landing. The tunnel goes straight into the rock, lined with grey cobbles and coated with moss and roots. Sunlight lights the way in, and it's obvious being torn from the ground did NOT do the construction well...


Ian takes a running leap through the air, looking somewhat less graceful than the elves.

Ian lands in the tunnel as well, though somewhat less gracefully, tripping over a branch.


Close behind the first four a frail looking elf you've come to know as Aramil follows screaming "Larethiaaaaaan!" as he does so.

Aramil almost misses! His hands manage to grab a hold of the tunnel's jagged, crumbling edge! Inches from death, he hangs on!

Dremm manages to land, but in a tunnel sticking out just beneath yours, one looking to be in a much worse condition/

Ester misses entirely, colliding with Simon mid-air! Eyes wide, she disappears into the mist below, her descent roiling it around her. You think you can hear her saying something, but you're not sure what...

Simon, on the other hand, manages to grab a hanging root, his spear falling after Ester. He clings on for dear life, heart racing, he looks up to those above him. Dremm reaches an arm down for him.

"Grab my arm, Simon!"

((And yes, I did roll jump checks for everyone, including the NPCs))

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"NOOOOO!" - screams Aramil as Ester fails the jump (apparently he screams a lot...). is loss of focus however means he doesn't fair much better and tries for his life to hang on to the ledge.

His strength is not what it used to be however and his finders are slipping...

"HELP!"

[Aron Times]

"Damn it," curses Dale, too shocked to feel sadness by a comrade falling not to the enemy but because of sheer dumb luck. He quickly drops his backpack on the ground and pulls out a 50-ft. coil of rope. "Everyone grab hold of the rope! Someone lower the other end to Simon!"

[Vixsor Lumin]

Seeing that Simon already had someone helping him, Ian runs to Aramil and tries to help him up.

so glad I put ranks in jump haha.
Strength check in case its needed.

[roll0]
If that fails then ill do an aid on a climb check [roll1]

Edit: this was supossed to go through about an hour ago while I was at work. Idk why it just went.

[TechnoScrabble]

Simon manages to grasp the rope and Dremm's arm and holds on tightly, trembling like a child. He is lifted up to the rest of the party and immediately dashes into the tunnel and clings to the wall, brown hair sticking to now ghost white skin.

Dremm looks up from his tunnel.

"Do you think Ester made it?"

[arkol]

I supose I need a climb roll to get back up?

Oh dear lord I need a first good roll!

[roll0]

YES!!!!!!!!!

[Vixsor Lumin]

So aramil wasn't hanging onto the edge? If not then ill go back and delete my post.

Ian looks down sadly and calls back, "Probably not, unless she had some spell hidden up her sleave. And if she did then, as much as id like to, we can't go back. The whole castle is moving away from her and we won't have a way back." He hopes that the others won't think less of him for not even trying.

[TechnoScrabble]

((Woops, sorry.))

Aramil is also lifted up, but as DM and not player I won't describe how he reacts to it.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Apparently the adrenaline is enough to get the frail elf up the ledge by himself but he thanks the human anyway.

As Ian speaks about not going back for Ester Aramil looks down in sorrow.

"Yes... I think you're right" he says after a moment, still looking down in the hopes of seeing something.


Making a spot check just in the off chance I see her. And last post before the others have a chance to post otherwise we'd be getting like 3 round while they're in the air.

[roll0]

[Valdren]

Conrad hesitates a moment after watching one person not make it before finally gripping his staff tight and muttering "Ah hells, why not?" and takes his leap of faith.

[inexorabletruth]

"May the wisdom of Correllon guide you," Malor hastily prays as he places an encouraging hand on Ayana, sending a surge of power through his touch to her.

Standard Action:
Casting Guidance on Ayana

Next Available Standard Action:
Casting Guidance on myself.

[inexorabletruth]

"May the wisdom of Correllon guide you," Malor hastily prays as he places an encouraging hand on Ayana, sending a surge of power through his touch to her.

Standard Action:
Casting Guidance on Ayana

Next Available Standard Action:
Casting Guidance on myself.
Move Action:
Charge
Jump [roll0]

[missmvicious]

Mir scoops up Honey and breaths deeply channeling the magic of nature to help guide her leap. "If this goes on its gonna be bad for all of the world, lets hope this works" And with she charges into a leap towards the flying castle, clutching Honey as much for Honey's safety as much as her peace of mind, fighting back the fears of falling.

Obviously casting guidance on myself for this.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

"Ok, that's not a long fall at all..." I murmer nervously as I see the court wizard fall presumably to her death and wishing desperately that feather fall had been in my spellbook so I could have prepared it for this moment.

I realise the castle is still moving by and tat I'm about to miss my chance, so I receive Malor's benediction greatfully before taking a running jump:


Move action: Run to edge then jump.
Jump check: [roll0]

[Lord Hakura]

Whoops :smalleek:, I forgot to subscribe to the thread, so I've been missing all of this...

Tharin stands, dusts himself off, and looks back at the rest of the group, checking they are ok. He flinches when the Warrior misses, and he runs back to check.
When its obvious that He fell, Tharin's face hardens and his fists clench. Turning, he walks back into the tunnel, looking around for anyone sneaking up on them.
Spot check, [roll0]
EDIT: well, that's a great roll...

[HearTheRequiem]

Esmeralda closes her eyes, and leaps gracefully off the edge, trying to land with a roll in order to not hurt herself.

Jump check: [roll0]
Tumble: [roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

Conrad hesitates a moment after watching one person not make it before finally gripping his staff tight and muttering "Ah hells, why not?" and takes his leap of faith.

It seems for a moment as though Conrad won't make it, as if he jumped at the wrong angle and is going to hit the side...

Luckily, the castle is moving, and he is merely nicked by a wall as he lands in the tunnel, scuffing his shoe and lending him a clumsy landing.


Mir scoops up Honey and breaths deeply channeling the magic of nature to help guide her leap. "If this goes on its gonna be bad for all of the world, lets hope this works" And with she charges into a leap towards the flying castle, clutching Honey as much for Honey's safety as much as her peace of mind, fighting back the fears of falling.

Obviously casting guidance on myself for this.


Mir almost misses, but she's called on the world, and it listens. A gust of wind pushes her into the tunnel, badger and all.


Ayana

"Ok, that's not a long fall at all..." I murmer nervously as I see the court wizard fall presumably to her death and wishing desperately that feather fall had been in my spellbook so I could have prepared it for this moment.

I realise the castle is still moving by and tat I'm about to miss my chance, so I receive Malor's benediction greatfully before taking a running jump:


Move action: Run to edge then jump.
Jump check: [roll0]

Ayana lands in the tunnel, stumbling and slipping on fuzzy green moss, but otherwise safe.


Whoops :smalleek:, I forgot to subscribe to the thread, so I've been missing all of this...

Tharin stands, dusts himself off, and looks back at the rest of the group, checking they are ok. He flinches when the Warrior misses, and he runs back to check.
When its obvious that He fell, Tharin's face hardens and his fists clench. Turning, he walks back into the tunnel, looking around for anyone sneaking up on them.
Spot check, [roll0]
EDIT: well, that's a great roll...

There's a smaller light towards the end of the tunnel, indicating that it goes all the way through the rock. Wind blows gently through the passage.


Esmeralda closes her eyes, and leaps gracefully off the edge, trying to land with a roll in order to not hurt herself.

Jump check: [roll0]
Tumble: [roll1]

Esmerelda lands and rolls with the fall, tossing up some dust and most but otherwise no worse for the jump.


"May the wisdom of Correllon guide you," Malor hastily prays as he places an encouraging hand on Ayana, sending a surge of power through his touch to her.


Standard Action:
Casting Guidance on Ayana

Next Available Standard Action:
Casting Guidance on myself.
Move Action:
Charge
Jump (1d20+1)[2]

The air rushes past Malor's face.

So does the tunnel. And Dremm's tunnel. And a few more. Dirt and stone and brick race past, and then are suddenly still. There's a sharp pain in his back, but nothing seems to have been damaged.

A clump of dirt falls onto him from above.

Dremm looks down and whistles in amazement at the elf stuck in the roots.

"You lot...you lot really are chosen, aren't you?"


Meanwhile, the mist has now floated back into the void that Ester's fall left. There's no signs of whether she made it or not...

[missmvicious]

Mir blinks in amazement that she managed to make that jump. "You are pretty lucky Honey. I am definitely going to keep you around." She says kissing Honey on the head before putting her down. She then turns to survey the others that made the jump and the tunnel she is in now.

Spot
[roll0]
Listen
[roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

Even with your famed elven vision, the lot of you see nothing down the tunnel but vines and moss. However, there is a stairway a few yards down that leads up. it isn't very well lit, though, and there are odd shuffling sounds coming from it, like wood being dragged across grass.

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Chosen is one word for it..." Ian says as he looks over the egde again. "You alright down there?" he calls down.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin draws his bow, readying an arrow, and watches the passageway
I forgot to add the +2 racial bonus to spot and listen to my character sheet, so re-rolling in-case I just missed something, rather then nothing being there.
spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Valdren]

Setting his quarterstaff against the wall, Conrad loads his crossbow as he glanced around to the others. "Well that could have gone better. Anyone got some rope?"

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Yeah, I've got some." Ian said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a rough 50 ft section of rope and throwing one end over the edge. The other end he looped around his fist.

[inexorabletruth]

Standing up and dusting off his clothes, Malor gazes up at the floating above him and curses his dumb luck.

"I'm ok! No worse for the ware, guys. Send down a ro-" he says as a length of rope drops on his head. "Ow! Ok. I'm going to try to climb up."

He ties a section of the rope under his arms in case he loses his grip
Use Rope:
[roll0]
and begins to climb its length to rejoin his comrades. He clenches his teeth through the pain in his back and wishes silently for a good masseuse.
Climb:
[roll1]

[missmvicious]

"Who all is together?" Mir calls out of the tunnel hoping to figure out a plan to get the group together. "Honey and I made it find, thank Ehlonna, and there is a stairway ahead of us. I wanna find out where everyone is before checking it out."

She pulls out her spear in case the her calls brought her unwelcome attention. "Keep guard Honey' she instructs as well.

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Mir! Are you hurt? I'm in the main tunnel with Conrad, Tharin, Ayana, Esmerelda, Aramil, Dale and the court soldiers. Malor is on his way up, but I didn't see where Dremm went." he calls down to his cousin.

[missmvicious]

"No, I made it fine. The winds of Ehlonna guided my jump. I am not sure where he at the moment. Did anyone see what happened to Ester?" Mir calls keeping alert.

[arkol]

"I think we lost her Mir..." says Aramil with a rather sad voice.

[TechnoScrabble]

Tharin draws his bow, readying an arrow, and watches the passageway
I forgot to add the +2 racial bonus to spot and listen to my character sheet, so re-rolling in-case I just missed something, rather then nothing being there.
spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

There still don't seem to be any threats in the tunnel, but the noises coming from the stairwell are growing louder.


Standing up and dusting off his clothes, Malor gazes up at the floating above him and curses his dumb luck.

"I'm ok! No worse for the ware, guys. Send down a ro-" he says as a length of rope drops on his head. "Ow! Ok. I'm going to try to climb up."

He ties a section of the rope under his arms in case he loses his grip
Use Rope:
[roll0]
and begins to climb its length to rejoin his comrades. He clenches his teeth through the pain in his back and wishes silently for a good masseuse.
Climb:
[roll1]

And a few harmless rope burns later, Malor is up in the tunnel!


"Mir! Are you hurt? I'm in the main tunnel with Conrad, Tharin, Ayana, Esmerelda, Aramil, Dale and the court soldiers. Malor is on his way up, but I didn't see where Dremm went." he calls down to his cousin.

"I'm down here!" Dremm calls up from his tunnel, "How's Simon doing?"

Simon is still trembling and hunched up against the wall.

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Simon isnt doing well." he says throwing the rope down again, but this time to Dremm. "Speaking of Simon can someone check top make sure hes not to far into shock?"

[arkol]

"On it."

Aramil quickly goes to the man and crouches near him snapping his fingers in front of him. "Are you ok?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Simon is shaking, but he nods.
"Just a bit of vertigo. I think I lost my spear. I'd...I'd be grateful if we stayed away from any ledges for right now."

[inexorabletruth]

Scrambling into the mouth of the tunnel, Malor sees Aramil hovering over Simon. He makes his way over to the two with concern in his eyes.

"Simon! Are you injured?" Malor examines Simon's body for apparent injuries:

Search:
[roll0]

And just in case you use some common alternate checks to examine a body:
Knowledge (Local, subcategory: People):
[roll1]

Heal or Survival:
[roll2]

"Protector of Life and wise Creator, bless us now as we seek to do your will. Have mercy on poor Simon here and..." He continues to pray in a soft hum as he feels for bone breaks or anything else that may be serious.

[TechnoScrabble]

"Thanks," Simon half-smiles, his skin still ghost-white with fear, "But I'm fine. Just...that was the closest call I've ever had."

Evidence backs up his words. Malor can't find any injuries on the guard aside from a bruise where Ester bumped into him.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

With Simon well looked after, and the recovery of those who had not made it into the main tunnel well under way, I tentatively begin to explore up the passage by Tharin. I'm intrigued by the noises emanating from the stairs. With the immediate danger of the jump over, it takes me a moment to recognise that our task's only just beginning. On seeing Tharin's drawn bow I quickly fumble for my own, setting an arrow to the string.

"Who's there?!" I call out into the dark.

[HearTheRequiem]

Esmeralda stands up and dusts herself off.

"Whew..."

Seeing Ayana and Tharin drawing their bows, she draws her kukris in one swift motion, running up to and stopping just in front of them.

"If it's anything big, I'll distract it, okay? Then you take it down with a hail of arrows, like in the stories. Just try not to hit me~!"

[TechnoScrabble]

Dremm grunts and works his way up the rope, wrapping it around his hand, moving up, wrapping it again, moving up again. It's slow, but he'll make it.

Meanwhile, the shuffling in the passageway stops suddenly when Ayana calls out. Then there's a quiet, shorter shuffle, a tentative sound.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Arms burning from holding the rope for so many people, Ian calls over his shoulder "How's it looking back there?"

[arkol]

Seeing that Simon is ok and the small commotion his clan-kin is stiring he quickly draws his own bow and moves towards her quietly.


move silently if it matters:

[roll0]

[inexorabletruth]

Malor smiles placidly at Simon after fussing over him for a bit. "I'm sorry about Ester. She was as brave as she-" He stops short and looks up when he hears the commotion in the passageway. Suddenly realizing that the danger has only just begun, he stands and unties the knot of rope around him.

"Simon," he whispers, "it would seem we have company."

[arkol]

Might as well roll perception checks, since obviously there's something ahed. While at it, with so many elfs around, how you gonna do the auto-search with secret doors? You secretly roll for us?

spot
[roll0]
listen
[roll1]

[HearTheRequiem]

Listen: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[Valdren]

"Great," Conrad joked, "We hardly get into the door and already they want us out. These plague folk don't make very good hosts, do they?" With that he stands off to one side and aims his crossbow down the hall, ready to help pincushion the whatever is on the way.

Ready an action to shoot the first obviously hostile being that finds its way into the corridor

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin pulls his bow back, aiming at the doorway, waiting for a target.
same here, readied action to shoot anything hostile coming through.

[TechnoScrabble]

The shuffling stops.
Then, there's a heavy wooden clomp. And then another. And then the shuffling heads farther away. Some of you can make out strange huffing noises, like heavy breathing.

Then the shuffling comes back, with badly muffled stepping sounds, and a heavy clanking noise. The stairs lead up and around the corner, around which you assume there are more stairs, especially considering the way the shuffling becomes clomping at a certain point.

Whatever's up there throws a heavy stone down around the corner, where it bounces off of the wall and down the stairs, stopping its roll at Conrad's feet.

[missmvicious]

"Hey guys, any idea what that is?" Mir calls to the group, holding her spear out defensively.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian pulls his longsword from his back, ready to strike while the archers reload. "Something big and dumb, with a lot of hit points." he says as he raised his blade into a fighting stance.

use Break the 4th wall (Su) [roll0] :smallbiggrin:

If anyone prefers, ill edit that to be more serious

[missmvicious]

Mir nods and readies some butt kicking action.
Preparing an attack action if an enemy should appear in the room.

[Valdren]

"Oh gods! My leg! I think this blasted boulder just broke my leg!" Conrad laments in the best acting voice he can muster, hoping to goad the enemy into thinking one of the party was out of the fight.


Bluff [roll0] to sound hurt/ disabled

Still holding readied action

[missmvicious]

Mir pauses confused for a moment about Conrad's action, then understands. "My god Conrad are you alright? There is no way you can fight like that. If only our cleric hadn't fallen to his death, then he could heal you." She adds hoping to assist his bluff.


Rollin to aid another
[roll0]
We don't ad anything to that right? Its just a straight ten or better I think.

[TechnoScrabble]

There is snarling and growling from above and two mange-ridden hounds tear down the stairway, their mouths foaming and patches of fur missing or covered in crusty scabs. The hounds are shortly followed by a skinny man in a thick, stained doublet with patches of leather stitched to it and a wooden leg and another, significantly larger man clad in hide armor and bearing a well-kept blue painted round shield and a shortsword. Both men have their skin drawn tight across their faces and are covered in disgusting yellow-grey boils. The man with the wooden leg is missing all but a few filthy strands of hair.

Tharin and Conrad's arrows pierce the first dog's flesh as it lunges at Esmerelda, the force of the shots sending it skidding down the floor of the tunnel, whereupon it whimpers and twitches.

Honey claws at the second hound, tearing through its skin but failing to kill it.

The second hound bites down onto Esmerelda's upper arm, but is unable to pierce the chain shirt. Confused and feverish, it scrabbles with blunt, harmless claws at her torso.

The man with the shield takes a few steps forward, but then thinks the better of it, and stands with his shield raised, the peg-legged man hiding behind him and fumbling with a crossbow.

Howling and baying echoes down from the stairway.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin takes aim at the shielded man, and fires another arrow.

Standard action, firing at the man with the buckler
To hit: [roll0]
Damage [roll1] (They sound like they are humans, but if not, the damage becomes +1)

[Valdren]

Conrad reloads his crossbow and hopes to get a lucky bolt into the man with the wooden leg.


Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Vixsor Lumin]

With a roar Ian charges the second dog, hoping to get it off of Esmerelda before it could do any real damage.

attack roll [roll0]
Damage [roll1] plus [roll2] from stance

[inexorabletruth]

I look around for the nearest warrior within reach, and beckon for his weapon.

DM:
I'm going to attempt to cast magic weapon with my standard action and draw my sword with my move action, but I don't know how to RP this, since I don't know who is near me enough to touch their weapon without burning a move action. I know that Simon dropped his spear, so he's probably unarmed. If he's the only one within reach, then I'd like to just cast Magic Weapon on my own sword.

[HearTheRequiem]

Taking her cue from Ian, Esmeralda lunges forward, kukris glinting as she plunges them into the dog.
Full Attack vs. bitey-dog!
Attack #1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Attack #2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[missmvicious]

Deciding its best to clear the number of foes on the field rMir moves to strike down the hound that had attacked Esmerelda. She tries to put the poor beast out of its misery with a jab to the neck but her aim isn't true and she misses the beast entirely.

Moving to flanking if at all possible, though doubting that possible +2 would help a lot.
Going out on a limb and guessing that I didn't hit.
[roll0]

[RCgothic]

Ayana

My heart skips as the misshapen foes come down the stairs! I figure the skinny one may be more dangerous than he appears, so I loose my arrow at his ugly, balding head!

Attack: [roll0]
Critical Confirmation: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]

[arkol]

Aramil. Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil also let's fly his arrow.



Not sure of the target but whatever is in range and apparently easier to hit, ie: no cover/concelement and not in melee.
attack
[roll0]
damage
[roll1]

[inexorabletruth]

Seeing no allies within reach and unsure if Simon is psychologically ready for battle, Malor draws ready his blade, holding it before him. He sets a stern visage on the polished wooded crescent moon symbol of his god. "Mighty Ruler of Elves, guide my sword and give it strength that I may vanquish your foes."

He steps in front of Simon, legs spread wide in a protective stance, and grasps the hilt of his sword in both hands. "Stay behind me, Simon and keep a wary eye for those who may strike at our backs."

He surveys the battle field, trying to glean how he might best serve his team.

Move Action: Draw Sword, Shift
Standard Action: Cast Magic Weapon
Knowledge: Local (humanoids)
[roll0]
Knowledge: Nature (animals)
[roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

Tharin takes aim at the shielded man, and fires another arrow.

Standard action, firing at the man with the buckler
To hit: [roll0]
Damage [roll1] (They sound like they are humans, but if not, the damage becomes +1)

The man raises his shield-bright blue with a white tower emblazoned on it and crossed out with a red x-and attempts to block the arrow.

Instead, it smashes through his armor and he looks down at the bright red blood escaping through matted brown hides.

"Well shoit."


Conrad reloads his crossbow and hopes to get a lucky bolt into the man with the wooden leg.


Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]


The bolt zips past the man's head, making him yelp and drop a bolt.



Taking her cue from Ian, Esmeralda lunges forward, kukris glinting as she plunges them into the dog.
Full Attack vs. bitey-dog!
Attack #1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Attack #2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Your first swing streaks past the shaking and growling dipstick of a dog, but the second kukri goes straight into its side, drawing a yelp and much more blood than you expected. The dog falls off ad starts limping away, but...


With a roar Ian charges the second dog, hoping to get it off of Esmerelda before it could do any real damage.

attack roll [roll0]
Damage [roll1] plus [roll2] from stance

...Ian bisects the poor thing with his sword! The back end collapses, but the front whines and whips about before staying still.


Deciding its best to clear the number of foes on the field rMir moves to strike down the hound that had attacked Esmerelda. She tries to put the poor beast out of its misery with a jab to the neck but her aim isn't true and she misses the beast entirely.

Moving to flanking if at all possible, though doubting that possible +2 would help a lot.
Going out on a limb and guessing that I didn't hit.
[roll0]


Your spear misses the hound, probably because half of it just found itself three feet away from the other half.


Ayana

My heart skips as the misshapen foes come down the stairs! I figure the skinny one may be more dangerous than he appears, so I loose my arrow at his ugly, balding head!

Attack: [roll0]
Critical Confirmation: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]


An arrow sticks the peg-legged man in the neck and he screeches, grasping at the arrow and dancing around like a man on fire!


Aramil. Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil also let's fly his arrow.



Not sure of the target but whatever is in range and apparently easier to hit, ie: no cover/concelement and not in melee.
attack
[roll0]
damage
[roll1]



A second arrow sails past the now dying peg-legged man, who falls to the floor and coughs, one hand trying to yank out the arrow in his neck while the other tries to stop the first.


Seeing no allies within reach and unsure if Simon is psychologically ready for battle, Malor draws ready his blade, holding it before him. He sets a stern visage on the polished wooded crescent moon symbol of his god. "Mighty Ruler of Elves, guide my sword and give it strength that I may vanquish your foes."

He steps in front of Simon, legs spread wide in a protective stance, and grasps the hilt of his sword in both hands. "Stay behind me, Simon and keep a wary eye for those who may strike at our backs."

He surveys the battle field, trying to glean how he might best serve his team.

Move Action: Draw Sword, Shift
Standard Action: Cast Magic Weapon
Knowledge: Local (humanoids)
[roll0]
Knowledge: Nature (animals)
[roll1]

Your blade glows a soft silver-green color and elven runes appear on the moon symbol.

You discern that the men were both afflicted by the disease, but somehow their skills were unimpaired. You suspect that the dogs were also infected.

The man in hide armor coughs and falls over, clutching a silver chain he wears around his wrist as he slowly writhes out of this life and into the next.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian twirls his sword about him and then snaps it out in front of him sending the blood flying off, before walking up to the dying men. He places the tip of his sword at the base of the skinny mans skull and quickly severs his spine, ending his misery. "Well that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." he said sheathing his sword again.

swift action to refresh manuevers. (That's what the twirly bit was) the way I read it, we won. You just never specified he was dead and this fit my character, if I need to roll attack or damage just let me know

[TechnoScrabble]

((Nah, that's cool.))

The skinny, bald, peg-legged man dies without a sound. Not even a gurgle.

[missmvicious]

"Well these guys responded really quickly. I hope that means the forwent notifying others about the disturbance. This battle will be a lot tougher if we have to fight every single solider here." Mir says surveying the crumpled masses that were once foes. "Not that they put up much of a fight though. That was easier then taking out goblins." She walks walks over to Honey and coos a good girl at her. Mir then turns to Esmeralda. "You are the only one they touched, are you alright?" Mir asks looking a little worried.

[HearTheRequiem]

"Oh, no, don't worry yourself on my account. I'm fine, I have armour! It protects me!" the teen smiles.

[missmvicious]

"If you are sure you are fine then I won't worry." Mir nods. "Everyone about ready to press forward with the mission?" She asks looking at her comrades.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"One moment...kin" The last word has a bit of an ironic tone to it.

The elf stows his bow away and approaches the human bodies and with using his tools carefully searches the bodies



[roll0]

[missmvicious]

Mir scoops up Honey, using the actions to help mask her pursed lips while the elf searched the bodies of the dead.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

I ride the exhilaration of my first kill of the mission! It's a shame I didn't get yo try out my spells, but it would have been a waste against such foes.
I also purse my lips at Aramil's comment. I know right now I have less issue with Mir being my clan kin after what he put me through recently.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin Draws another arrow, and keeps it knocked, holding the bow loosely with both hands, and looks around for any other enemies before they can catch the group by supprise.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

He then procedes slowly upstairs, looking making an effort to be quiet and remain unseen, whilst still looking around.

Spot: [roll2]
Listen [roll3]
Move silently: [roll4]
Hide: [roll5]

[missmvicious]

Mir moves to the stairs as well. She tells Honey to track the scent of the armored man in hopes of avoiding any potential mazes. She waves for her companions come to and follows as quietly as she can, spear out defensively.

Hide
[roll0]
Move silently
[roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"One moment...kin" The last word has a bit of an ironic tone to it.

The elf stows his bow away and approaches the human bodies and with using his tools carefully searches the bodies



[roll0]

The skinny man with the peg leg has five few dirty silver coins in his pocket, and a quiver with six bolts for his light crossbow. The larger man with the shield is dead to rights, and has a bit more on him. Twelve gold coins strung through each other in his coinpurse, a silver chain with a tower charm on it on his wrist, and his shortsword's sheath has a gold chevron on it.

Then it hits you. The (now crossed out) castle on his shield, the tower charm, the chevron on the wonderfully crafted sheath and shortsword-this man used to serve as a mounted captain for the city of Lett, one of the Plague Lord's first targets!


Tharin Draws another arrow, and keeps it knocked, holding the bow loosely with both hands, and looks around for any other enemies before they can catch the group by supprise.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen [roll1]

He then procedes slowly upstairs, looking making an effort to be quiet and remain unseen, whilst still looking around.

Spot: [roll2]
Listen [roll3]
Move silently: [roll4]
Hide: [roll5]

There is still baying and barking and growling from above-and flickering firelight. A reek of disease and feces-specifically, that of dogs-hits your nose like a hefty sack of bricks.

AND EVERYONE GETS 125 EXPERIENCE. WHAT JOY.

[Valdren]

"Well that was fun," Conrad commented as he gave the hound corpse a slight kick. "I'll have those bolts if nobody else will, at my accuracy I'll need every shot I can get," he quips as the bodies are being looked over.

Conrad loads his crossbow and grabs his staff before waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Once most of the more combat-ready members of the party start up, he heads up behind them.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

Bow at the ready, I follow Mir up the stairs.

[HearTheRequiem]

The green-haired teen reaches down, and, using the deceased's clothes, wipes blood from her kukri.

"Anyone need a backup weapon? If not, I'll carry the sword and sheath, if you guys'd like me to."
She then follows the others up the stairs.

[inexorabletruth]

"Hm" Malor grunts, somewhat disgusted by the stench and the gore. "The magic on my blade won't last long. Perhaps we should use this time to take the advantage and press on quickly. Our foes don't seem to provide much resistance in their sickened state."

He turns to Simon and extends a hand to help him up. "Come, Simon. We have a mission before us. Let me help you to your feet."

(If Simon no longer possesses a weapon, I'd like Malor to hand him his dagger after he helps Simon to stand. If not, I'd prefer Malor to keep it in his belt.)

Option B:
If Simon takes the sword and shield, then I'll keep my dagger, pat Simon on the shoulder to cheer him up and head up the stairs quickly to join the group. I'd like to be close to the front if possible, since I'm wielding a (temporarily) magic melee weapon. I'll recede to the back of the line when the spell wears off. I've got a minute (or 10 rounds) but I don't know how long it will take for us to find another encounter. If the spell wears off before an encounter, I'd like to take up the rear and ready a standard action to heal if someone takes enough damage to bring them close to dazed or dying.

[TechnoScrabble]

Simon no longer has a weapon. He'll accept the dagger graciously.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry I was useless there. I think I'm good on my legs now."

"Right then," Dremm grabs his spear, "Let's press on."

Meanwhile, those who went upstairs find themselves in a filthy, noisy room.

Those upstairs-http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd460/TechnoScrabble/kennels.png
(You are at the bottom stairs, each square is 5 feet)

You find yourselves in a large kennel, the room lined with the same cobble as the tunnel below, and the floors covered in filthy straw. There are four large cages, each full with snarling, slobbering dogs that jump at the bars to try and get at you. Towards the other side of the room there is a stairwell and a pair of chairs next to a small card table.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor gives Simon a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder for good luck then sprints off up the stairs. He covers his nose just as he gets to the threshold.

"Gods, what a stench! I don't think I've ever smelled anything so foul."

Malor picks his way through the room, keeping a respectful distance from the thrashing dogs. "This must've been where the guard's post was before he came for us. We should be thankful he didn't release all the dogs when he came down the stairs."

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil smiles finding the coins and speaks to no one in particular "Well our first pieces of loo. Not bad.". He pockets the coins and keeps the other valuable items on his backpack.

Dusting off his shoulders he draws his bow and calmly moves towards the room.

Upon entering the room the elf faces twitches a bit from the smell.

"Indeed" he says to Malor. He looks at the dogs with some pity. "I don't like it, but I think we should ki... end their suffering, least they be released on us later on."

[inexorabletruth]

Unhappy with the grim assessment, but seeing it's wisdom, Malor nods to Aramil.

"Swords will be fine for this unpleasant work. No need to waste arrows. We'll need them for the fight ahead."

With that, Malor moves to the nearest cage and with a frown, clasps his sword firmly and thrusts it at the neck of the nearest beast, growling in frustration at the act.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage (2 handed): [roll1]

Option B:
If someone has a better solution, Malor will hold back and listen. He's not very excited about executing defenseless animals.

[TechnoScrabble]

One of the dogs suddenly finds that it has a sword in its chest. That makes it rather hard to snarl and bark. It falls to the floor with a whine, and almost immediately, every other hound in the cage stops barking and runs to the back of the kennel, paws scrabbling over waste-coated cobbles.

Nevermind that, history was rewritten.

[HearTheRequiem]

Esmeralda gasps, her eyes filling with tears as Malor puts down the dog.

"...C-Can't we...leave them? T-There'll be no-one to release them if we go on from here...I mean...there'll be nobody left here to do it..."

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"They're infected Esmeralda... they are already suffering... and they could further spread it AND someone could release them after we move on... Imagine facing all his dogs when we're getting out?"

[missmvicious]

Before Malor strikes down a helpless beast Mir says comandingly "Stop."
Working of his option B action now. And as its a free action even if my Init issue isn't solved yet I can be doing this.
"We might be able to help these creatures." Mir goes on "Or at least have them help us."
And history is rewritten.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin walks over to another one of the cages, and sits down in front of it, speaking gently to the dog inside.Wild empathy check[roll0] I really should have put some ranks into djplomacy...

[missmvicious]

Mir also walks directly in front of a cage. She kneels before and studies the animals body language and stairs into its eyes. She slowly adjusts her own position to represent that she does not want to harm the animals hoping to sway them being a helpful force.
Wild empathy check, I wish I had a higher charisma. Fingers crossed
[roll0]

[HearTheRequiem]

Bumping to stop post-eating.

[RCgothic]

Ayana
"I think a swift end may be the kindest thing we could do for these creatures. We dare not release them, and they'll face slow starvation or be recovered by our enemy if we leave them."

I'm not happy with that bleak assessment, but I see no alternative. I walk slowly over to the table and examine it for items to distract myself.

Search [roll0]

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"I'm sorry kin, but I think we don't really have a choice..."

Aramil raises his bow at the dog inside the cage he's nearest to...

Purposely not attacking yet to give everyone a chance to stop me if you want.

Can' we assume a sort of ranged coup-de-grace? I know that technically they would need to be helpless and for a ranged coup they would need to be adjacent but... well they are inside a cage and cowering...

[TechnoScrabble]

Tharin walks over to another one of the cages, and sits down in front of it, speaking gently to the dog inside.Wild empathy check[roll0] I really should have put some ranks into djplomacy...

The dogs inside simmer down a bit, hackles still raised but growling ceased. They gather around, sniffing at Tharin to see if he has any food. The plague has been eating away at them like a tapeworm, but they're still alive somehow.


Mir also walks directly in front of a cage. She kneels before and studies the animals body language and stairs into its eyes. She slowly adjusts her own position to represent that she does not want to harm the animals hoping to sway them being a helpful force.
Wild empathy check, I wish I had a higher charisma. Fingers crossed
[roll0]

Meanwhile, Mir finds herself being lunged at by a particularly irate dog that tries to claw at her from behind the bars!


Ayana
"I think a swift end may be the kindest thing we could do for these creatures. We dare not release them, and they'll face slow starvation or be recovered by our enemy if we leave them."

I'm not happy with that bleak assessment, but I see no alternative. I walk slowly over to the table and examine it for items to distract myself.

Search [roll0]


Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

There are a couple of chewed on playing cards and a pile of coins. Eighteen gold coins, to be exact.

"I'm sorry kin, but I think we don't really have a choice..."

Aramil raises his bow at the dog inside the cage he's nearest to...

Purposely not attacking yet to give everyone a chance to stop me if you want.

Can' we assume a sort of ranged coup-de-grace? I know that technically they would need to be helpless and for a ranged coup they would need to be adjacent but... well they are inside a cage and cowering...



((Eh, I guess that'd work, then.))

[missmvicious]

Seeing no hope in the situation but unable to bear this terrible action Mir excuses herself to wait outside. "I'm sorry, I just can't do this..s" her voice trails off as she and Honey step outside to keep guard instead.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil takes that as permission to continue. He nods to Malor and shots the first dog in the head. He then proceeds to "euthanize" the rest of the dogs.

Once that is done he tries to pick the lock on one cage and takes a search inside.

Take 20 on the lock and take 10 on the search

[Lord Hakura]

Speaking in a deep and fairly resonant voice Tharin states:
These dogs are victims of the plague as much as anyone else. If there is a way we could cure them, then that would be the right thing to do. Else, putting them out of their misery would be the right course of action.I do not wish to be the cause of their end however, so I shall scout ahead once more.

Tharin then proceides towards the other stairwell, and ascends again, looking around for hostiles while making an attempt to remain silent, his bow drawn and another arrow held loosely.
Going up the second stairwell, the one we didn't come out of.
Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Hide: [roll2]
Move Silently: [roll3]

[inexorabletruth]

"Then let's be done with this," Malor says resolutely, preparing his sword.

He heads towards the next cage and goes about this unpleasant business with a stony expression.

@ DM:
Are we handwaving the kills, or am I rolling attack for each one like in my previous Option A?

JIC:
Attack [roll0]
Damage (2 handed): [roll1]
You may want to check that I did that right. I'm counting my bonuses from memory, because I can't look at my character sheet from this computer. It's so old it can't handle multiple windows.

[TechnoScrabble]

((You guys really don't need to roll attacks.))

Several dogs are slaughtered, but others are smart enough to sit down, shut up, and crawl into that unreachable spot a few feet away from the cage and huddled up next to the wall.

[arkol]

I'm using my bow... plus the whole unlock the cages and search inside thing I posted...

[Valdren]

As Conrad makes his way up the stairs to see the commotion going about in the next room, he has a momentary look of surprise on his face before he regained his composure. He takes a look around and decides to resign himself to keeping watch at the bottom of the next flight of stairs with his staff at the ready. He hadn't the stomach to kill the dogs, but scouting ahead wasn't an option for him either. To keep himself occupied and calm, he begins softly singing a mournful song; the only thing he could deem appropriate.



Perform (Sing) Taking a 10 for 17

[inexorabletruth]

"I've done all I can from here," Malor says, choking a bit from the stench. "Aramil, if you'll be so kind as to let me in, I can finish this deed without you emptying your quiver."

[missmvicious]

Mir hears Conrad's song and sighs heavily. "War is such an awful thing." she thinks aloud.

[RCgothic]

Ayana


Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"I'm sorry kin, but I think we don't really have a choice..."


I look up from the table at this comment. For a moment I'm not sure whether that snide pronunciation on kin is aimed at me as I had more recently spoken, but I quickly realise Aramil's again being disparaging towards our half-kin. Mir may not have reacted, but I let my annoyance show.

Elvish:
<Aramil! Don't be such an ork! Mir has done nothing to earn your disrespect. Right now I consider her better kin than you!>

I leave him to finish putting down the dogs and storm off to cover the northern stairway with my bow.

[HearTheRequiem]

Tears streaming down her face, Esmeralda runs out of the room, following the others up the stairs.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler


Realizing that replying in elvish wouldn't do much good from keeping the conversation from the others Aramil replies in Gnomish:

Gnomish:
"She's half-human! She's not my kin!" - he then makes a face just considerign the tought

Aramil says two short sentences that most of your don't understand and ends it with a funny angry face.

Then, almosty under his breath he adds: <Kuu`Datto U`Raanu Ittee>*


He then turns to Malor and nods heading for the nearest lock and trying to pick it (take 10, if it doesn't work take 20).





*untranslated from elvish. bonus points to whoever figures it out. caution strong language! viewer discretion advised! Don't let your children be exposed to foul elven language!

(I would like to reinforce that it's nothing personal against missm of course)

[TechnoScrabble]

I'm using my bow... plus the whole unlock the cages and search inside thing I posted...

Ah. Well. The dogs cower for however long it takes for you to get into the cages and then-

Animals are smarter than we give them credit for. Especially when trained. They know how to fight. They know when not to.

They still have the same instincts, though. You can never get rid of that. Even the mouse is ferocious when backed into a corner.

Aramil finds himself being pounced on by four dogs!

((Now we use initiative order...I think I rolled one beforehand in the OOC.))

[RCgothic]

Ayana, shortly before the dogs

I'm slightly surprised Aramil's fluent gnome, pity about the rubbish he's using it to spout. I'm half way through rolling my eyes when his final comment in elvish makes me bristle. It's incredible. He seems to spout one fantastically stupid comment after another! I snap back at him in Gnomish, aware most here understood his elvish barb.

Gnomish:

<That's pretty rich coming from a lowlife like you! Perhaps if you remember the mission and stop insulting those you need to watch your back you may yet live to regret what you just said!>

I turn my back on him and jog up the stairs after the others ahead of me.

Elvish:
<Hey Mir, wait up!>

Yes, this does mean I'm skipping this combat and giving up my INIT place.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil shrugs and ignores Ayana's comment and gets back to the task at hand no one wants to do despite all agreeing it's necessary.

"Hypocrites" he thinks. As he finishes picking the lock he elizes his mistake however and he tries to slam it shut, drawing his sword preparing to defend himself.

"Hey Malor, how about that tahlavel*"


* sword-blade. I know it's kinda redundant but sounds cool :P

5ft step back, move action to draw sword, standard action going full defense for +4ac for 1 round, for a total of 21Ac.

Also, what's the dogs initiative?

[missmvicious]

Mir turns to face the approaching Ayana, slightly surprised. "Mani?" She asks.
I figure if we are getting all nerdy with it might as well roll with the elven crowd. :smallcool: So roughly translated its "What?"
Then she hears the the guys and dogs and looks concerned and asks "Rashwe?"
"Trouble?" so I might be enjoying the whole elven thing.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

I stop to listen for a moment, and I realise now that I've stopped jogging up the stairs I can hear something from below.

"Hey, I can hear that too." I listen for a few moments more. "It's probably just Aramil screwing up again. I'm sorry for what he said to you. He's just the spoiled brat of Kytae, shirking his responsibilities! Unfortunately I've been landed with the duty of redeeming his sorry skin. I wouldn't have brought him, but this mission is something we have to do and I actually trust him less on his own than surrounded by a group, you know?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil shrugs and ignores Ayana's comment and gets back to the task at hand no one wants to do despite all agreeing it's necessary.

"Hypocrites" he thinks. As he finishes picking the lock he elizes his mistake however and he tries to slam it shut, drawing his sword preparing to defend himself.

"Hey Malor, how about that tahlavel*"


* sword-blade. I know it's kinda redundant but sounds cool :P

5ft step back, move action to draw sword, standard action going full defense for +4ac for 1 round, for a total of 21Ac.

Also, what's the dogs initiative?


((The dog's initiative has them going fourth in this encounter, so if everyone who's involved could post in initiative order, we can see if arkol becomes a chewtoy))

[inexorabletruth]

Free Action:
As Aramil begins to work the lock on the door, Malor discusses strategies...

"Ok... there are four dogs left. Those of us prepared to do what is necessary should ready themselves by the door to charge in and quickly dispatch them. I'm not overly eager to be surrounded on all sides by disease-ridden snarli-"

Malor hears the door start to open out of the corner of his eyes and hesitates, caught a bit off guard, "ARAMIL, WAIT!" he stretches out a hand just in time to see the one of the dogs charge toward Aramil...

[TechnoScrabble]

Unfortunately for Aramil, this cage door swings both ways, and the dogs push their way through it and lunge onto him! One scrambles right past him, the others pushing it out of the way, and another can't get a good grip on him, but the third and fourth bite down on him, the fourth actually getting a good grip on his leg and shaking viciously (aka doing 2 damage)! Oh the karmic horror!

[Valdren]

Hearing some commotion from the next room, Conrad stops singing and shouts " You lot all right in there?" as he makes his way back into the room while loading his crossbow.

Move action to load, move action up the stairs

[missmvicious]

"Stay" Mir says to Honey as she moves, spear at the ready, back towards the room with the dogs. She wastes no time when she sees the dogs on Aramil. She takes a tentative jab at one of the dog, careful not to hit her ally.

Attack
[roll0]

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin hears the commotion, and runs back down the stairs, loading his bow as he does so. He then looses an arrow at the dogs attacking Move action to get downstairs, then standard action to load and fire. I'm guessing I can move within 30'ft of the dogs?
[roll0]
[roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

"Stay" Mir says to Honey as she moves, spear at the ready, back towards the room with the dogs. She wastes no time when she sees the dogs on Aramil. She takes a tentative jab at one of the dog, careful not to hit her ally.

Attack
[roll0]

The spear goes straight past the dogs head. Not a hair is harmed.


Tharin hears the commotion, and runs back down the stairs, loading his bow as he does so. He then looses an arrow at the dogs attacking Move action to get downstairs, then standard action to load and fire. I'm guessing I can move within 30'ft of the dogs?
[roll0]
[roll1]

The confusion of the melee makes it hard to aim, and the arrow zips past the dogs and clatters against the wall!

[inexorabletruth]

Malor charges up to the dog attacking Aramil, and with sword held in a tight, two-handed grip he brings it down from an overhead chop at the dog's hip. "RrrrrRAH!" he growls as he slams his blade downward.

Move: Charge (+2 Att, -2 AC)
Attack: +1 for Magic Weapon; +2 for Charge: [roll0]
Damage: +1 for Magic Weapon, +1 for 2-handed: [roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

"Yowp!" the dog is flung against the wall by the force of the blow!

[RCgothic]

Ayana

Clearly not a good time to chat! I think as Mir dissappears back down the stairs. I pause, exasperated. On the one hand it now sounds like there's a proper fight going on downstairs and if anything were to happen to Aramil I'd be in serious trouble. But on the other hand I'm sure what was left downstairs is nothing the others can't handle and I really can't face another sniping encounter with Aramil right now. Instead I scout up the stairs, and take the opportunity to see how Esmerelda's doing.

"Hey! Are you ok? I know that must have been pretty tough to watch, but it really is for the best."

[HearTheRequiem]

Esmeralda smiles up at Ayana, wiping tears from her eyes.

"...Y-Yeah...It's just...I have a dog back home, so..."

Her voice trails off as she resumes wiping her eyes.

[TechnoScrabble]

I forgot about attacks of opportunity.

Luckily, the one dog that can make an attack of opportunity on Mir apparently doesn't properly understand how to chew on somebody's leg. That, or the dice gods hate him. Mir takes one point of damage.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian throws himself into the clump of rabid animals and gets to work. He swings his sword in a looping overhand strkie trying to do as much damage to as many of them as he could.

[roll0] attack roll
Damage [roll1] I use steel wind to hit 2 dogs
Bonus damage from stance [roll2]

[TechnoScrabble]

The remaining dogs are cut and pushed off of Aramil, yelping, squealing, and managing to fall down the stairs before dying.

And everyone gets 75 exp!

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"Uf... well that was stupid of me - ahah" says Aramil as the last dog falls.

[inexorabletruth]

"Never-mind that. Your courage to do what is needed is admirable. Are you injured?" Malor asks as he sheaths his sword and extends a hand to bring him to a stand.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian wipes his blade clean before saying, "Ending their lives was the right thing to do. What happens and what you do when you choose to do the right thing matter less"

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil kneels to observe the leg wound. It looks a bit nasty, but he tries to dismiss it. "Eh, I've had worse"

Unless Malor tries to heal him or something, Aramil will carefully enter the cage and make a quick search.

Take 10 on the whole cell

While doing so he adds "We still have to take care of the others... How many are there?"

while the question IV is for anyone willing to count them up, ooc it's for the dm. :smallsmile:

[TechnoScrabble]

There's a skeleton buried beneath some trampled hay. It's got a gold tooth and a leather thong (like from a sandal or a leash) wrapped about its wrist.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

"Well, look at that. I wonder how this poor sap got here... can you tell what he was Malor?" says Aramil while once again pocketing his finds.

i'm not hogging the loot btw... we'll divide it when it comes up of course :smallbiggrin:

[RCgothic]

Esmeralda smiles up at Ayana, wiping tears from her eyes.

"...Y-Yeah...It's just...I have a dog back home, so..."

Her voice trails off as she resumes wiping her eyes.

Ayana
"That's nice! I never had a pet growing up. You should tell me about him sometime." I smile at Esmerelda. It's nice to have a conversation that isn't antagonistic. "Anyway, chin up! I'm sure there'll be plenty of nasty work before this is over, but it's all to protect our homes! Now come on, let's make sure it's clear up ahead.

And I do like your hair, by the way", I add with a mischievous grin.

[HearTheRequiem]

Ayana
"That's nice! I never had a pet growing up. You should tell me about him sometime." I smile at Esmerelda. It's nice to have a conversation that isn't antagonistic. "Anyway, chin up! I'm sure there'll be plenty of nasty work before this is over, but it's all to protect our homes! Now come on, let's make sure it's clear up ahead.

And I do like your hair, by the way", I add with a mischievous grin.

Esmeralda chuckles at the compliment.
"Well, I just love yours! Such a lovely colour, it suits you! It's nice to see someone else bold enough to have green hair. I'm surprised it doesn't get in your way while reading, it's that long...Have you thought about plaiting it?
And you're right, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...So let's go!"

[TechnoScrabble]

Esmerelda and Ayana
The room upstairs is walled with stone bricks instead of cobble, though it is still filthy, with dust all about the place and cobwebs in the corner. There is a single lit torch and a hallway going to the left and to the right.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin shakes his head at the banter, never really understanding the strange things people seem to do.

He then moves to see if he can retrieve his arrow that missed, a look of sadness crossing his face as he sights the dead dogs.
Trying to retrieve the arrow, dunno if I can or not... If he can, he'll just pop it back in his quiver.

He then walks back up the stairs, toward the other group.

[inexorabletruth]

Knowledge: Local, DC 10+HD
[roll0]

"I can't say I know much about him. There aren't many clues left behind. I'd guess he's just another poor soul afflicted by the disease. Do you suppose the dogs ate him?"

[Valdren]

Conrad rushes up the stairs just in time to see the dogs being cut down, "If you lot are going to kill the dogs, just kill them. I don't think we have time to mess around." he jests. Seeing everything pretty well handled, he makes his way on to the next room; assured in that fact that if something nasty pops out at him, he can run back to the group.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian checks that his blade is still sharp before sheating it over his shoulder. He turns to Mir and says with a rye smile, "You know, this was a lot more fun when the bad guys were pretend."

[TechnoScrabble]

Knowledge: Local, DC 10+HD
[roll0]

I'll post content when the DM tells me what I know.

It's a human skeleton, presumably male, judging from the hip.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Making sure there are no dogs alive in the 3 cages left, Aramil picks the locks on those and makes a quick search on them.

As before, take 10 on locks, if it doesn't work, take 20. Take 10 on search cells.

[inexorabletruth]

Ian checks that his blade is still sharp before sheating it over his shoulder. He turns to Mir and says with a rye smile, "You know, this was a lot more fun when the bad guys were pretend."

Malor smiles and agrees, "...halcyon youth." He says almost as if finish an inner monologue verbally. "Perhaps we can get this awful business over with quickly and we can get back to those simpler times. After this, I could use a carefree adventure. It hasn't at all started the way I thought it would. I don't feel at all like the fairy tale heros I read so much about back home."

He stares contemplatively at the carnage for a moment more, then sets his jaw and looks up at Aramil.

"Aramil, I'll let you finish up what you're doing. I'm going to rejoin the group. Let me know if that scratch gets worse. I don't want to risk any of us getting infected. Mir, Ian, are you staying here to help Aramil, or joining the group with me?"

[RCgothic]

Ayana

Having established that the next room is clear, I linger at the top of the stairs and go back to my conversation with Esmerelda.

"Actually that's one of the things pointy ears are useful for!" I say, tucking my hair behind them to demonstrate. "See? The weight helps hold it back as well. I guess it's not quite so easy when you have it relatively short!"

[HearTheRequiem]

"Oh, I hadn't even considered that! That kind of makes me jealous...Plain old human ears mean I have to tie my hair up! Still, I do like hair ribbons..."

Smiling, Esmeralda gestures to the large red ribbon in her hair.

[missmvicious]

Mir returns to the top of the stairs with Ayana and Esmerelda. Feeling more at ease with the racial mix.

[TechnoScrabble]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Making sure there are no dogs alive in the 3 cages left, Aramil picks the locks on those and makes a quick search on them.

As before, take 10 on locks, if it doesn't work, take 20. Take 10 on search cells.

Two of the cages have nothing more than waste and hay, but one clearly held the kennel master's favorite dog, as there is a large, perfectly clean silver bowl with a bone and some dried meat in it. There used to be a name etched into the bowl, but it is now quickly fading away into the bowl, leaving a smooth surface.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Aramil quickly stores the silver bowl leaving the meat behind and hurries to get to the others.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

I flash a smile at Mir as she appears at the top of the stairs and finish gossiping with Esmerelda.

"...it is a lovely ribbon! I had a similar one a few years ago until one day I left it somewhere and couldn't remember where I'd put it...

...anyway, now we really should get back to beating the bad guy, saving the world." I smile guiltily at Mir and Esmerelda as the male members of the group start appearing.

"Gentlemen! Everything ok down there? Lead on!" I step aside to let the ones with the swords lead the way.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian climbs the stairs and catches the end of the conversation about hair. He brushes his fingers over his close cropped hair. "Do you think I should start wearing a bow?" he said laughing.

[HearTheRequiem]

Esmeralda smiles guiltily as everyone else appears.

"So...Saving the world! How's that sound, everyone?"

She laughs light-heartedly at Ian's question.
Hmmm...Maybe not a bow...I'd say with your hair, a veil or a tiara. Right, Ayana?"

Aside to Ayana:
"Don't tell anyone, but I have a whole bunch of hair ribbons, tucked away in my pack. Once we get a break, you could take a look, see if there's one you'd like? I mean, as the nicest, and prettiest, ones here, we should really co-ordinate our accessories..."

[HearTheRequiem]

As she talks, Esmeralda fumbles, and one of her kukris clatters to the ground.

"Whoops! Sorry, guys..."

She kneels down to pick it up, then dusts herself off and stands back up.

Sleight of Hand: [roll0]

Anyone who beats the SoH roll on a Spot check:
As she kneels down, Esmeralda uses her other kukri to scratch a cross into the stone floor.

[TechnoScrabble]

The two tunnels in the room suddenly light up, the one leading to the right with green light, the one leading to the left with normal, soft white light, as if from one of those fancy lanterns with the mirrors in them. The castle groans and shakes slightly.

[arkol]

(I wanna check that spoiler!) [roll0]

Guess I beat it.

@Requiem/DM only

As Aramil enters the room Esmeralda is picking up her kukhri but Aramil can't help nut notice the strange hand movement on the floor. He says nothing but casualy approaches the spot after Esmeralda move away, arching an eyebrow when he sees the symbol. He makes a mental note of it but says nothing.

Aramil walks into the room and pause for a moment, as everyone gets moving he falls a bit behind but then catches the rest of the group.

Upon seeing the lights Aramil asks "Any ideas?"

[HearTheRequiem]

Success! Someone actually wanted to see the spoiler!

Esmeralda's eyes light up with the lanterns, beaming.

"The green ones, let's go that way! Green means go, and they're green! Come on, Ayana!"
With the last sentence, she tugs on Ayana's sleeve eagerly.

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Well the green light is certainly ominous." Ian said as he drew his sword yet again. Why do I even put this away? he thought to himself.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

Aside to Esmerelda:
"Maybe later, but that would be great!"

Spot check to catch SOH:
[roll0]
Edit: I notice Esmerelda marking the flagstones, but don't comment on it.

After the corridors light up, I quickly grab Esmerelda's arm to hold her back! "Hang on, I think we may have triggered something magical. Detect Magic!"

With that exclamation I hold my arms in front of me as if trying to sense something ethereal, focusing on the two corridors and the room in between for long enough to detect any magical auras and give myself a chance at identifying the schools of magic to which they belong.

[missmvicious]

Mir watches Ayana as she detects magic patiently waiting to press on. Her grip on her spear more casual and Honey at her side.

[TechnoScrabble]

The green tunnel has faint auras of conjuration and illusion.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor nods his agreement to carry on.

@DM:
How much time is left on my Magic Weapon bonus?

If my weapon is about to fade, I would prefer to hang out in the middle of the marching order. If my weapon is holding strong, I'll join the front lines.

[TechnoScrabble]

You're only level one, so it'll short out any time now...

FZZZRT! the runes disappear from Malor's sword.

Well lookit that.

[Lord Hakura]

Spot: [roll0]
Tharin notices the scratching, but makes no comment besides a raised eyebrow.
Tharin keeps is bow drawn, but stands back while the magic types do their thing.
Tharin will Stay in the middle of the group, but he will try and keep a clear line of sight to any enemies.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian will do his meat tank duty and stand at the front with his sword drawn
"So who else votes for the scary green tunnel?"

[missmvicious]

Towards the front of the pack.

"Scary green tunnel sounds good to me." Mir says smiling at her cousin.

[Lord Hakura]

Indeed, Let us continue.

[Valdren]

Conrad hurries along with the group, humming as they make their way down. When Esmarelda drops her kurki, Conrad only quips "And I thought I had a clumsy streak!"
When the hallways light up, he adds "I'm all for the earie magical path!"

[RCgothic]

Ayana

I nod to show the group I'm done, and having relayed my findings I slot in behind Esmerelda with my bow drawn.

[TechnoScrabble]

The green lit tunnel seems to have no light source. The light is just there. About ten feet down the tunnel is a large wooden door with no decoration or handle. Just a large keyhole in the center.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor leans in and strains his ears to hear for any noise coming from the other side of the door.
Listen: [roll0]

He gestures to those with more practiced ears to have a listen as well.

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

Carefully as to not make any noise, the grey elf silently approaches the door and leans his against it trying to perceive something.



Move silently
[roll0]

Listen
[roll1]

[RCgothic]

Ayana

That door definitely doesn't look right, and where is the magic emanating from?
"Um, I'm going to go and stand over here whilst you do that." I say, moving back out into the main room. Whilst I'm here I glance down the other corridor and covering it with my bow.

[TechnoScrabble]

The magic doesn't seem to come from a specific source. It's just...there.

From beyond the door there is a soft humming noise.

[missmvicious]

"What do you hear?" Mir mouthed to Malor, moving her head to the door as well.

Listen check, don't fail me now.
[roll0]

[Valdren]

When he sees Ayana withdrawing from the door, Conrad eyes her wearily and inquires "Is something the matter Ayana?"
Without waiting for a response, Conrad double-checks that his crossbow is loaded and takes a couple of steps back so the people in front have some space to maneuver.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ians heart is punding in his ears making listening closely practically impossible. He tries to take a calming breath and lowers into the Punishing Strike stance yet again.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

"Well, it's probably nothing... ... but a corridor ending in a strange door with an aura of illusion and conjuration magic with an unidentifiable source... ...I'd just rather not be standing in there when they open it is all...

Anyway, I thought I should at least check what's down this other corridor before we all move on."

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin moves forward, giving him a clear view of the door listens closely, straining his ears for the source of the sound.

listen: [roll0]

[TechnoScrabble]

The humming behind the door grows very loud and easy to hear-almost painful-and then fades away as if the source is leaving.

Simon shudders, and Dremm keeps his spear pointed at the door.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."

[Valdren]

Conrad shrugs at Ayana's cautious words, smirking as he rambles "Oh, well, if all you're worried about is strange magical auras and odd doors, we'll be fine. I mean, the whole castle is a floating evil spire of doom that is hellbent on destroying all we know and love. But let's just concentrate on getting that nasty plaguelord who's hopefully taking a nap in the throne room whilst completely unguarded."

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Well" Ian says, "we can either stand here and admire the woodwork, or get on with the mission." with that he throws open the door and steps inside.

[TechnoScrabble]

The door just falls over. It wasn't a door. It was a plank of wood.
"Well...that was..."
"Anticlimactic?"
"Er...yeah."

[Vixsor Lumin]

I REALLY wish I would've said I kicked it in like I wanted to >.<
"Very." with that he walks sword first into the room.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

Whilst the others are occupied with the green door, I check down the white corridor, but I don't stray far.

[inexorabletruth]

"Well... I heard a humming," Malor says, frowning at Ian's... tactic. "No real point in stealth or caution now, I suppose. After you," He gestures toward the entryway, inviting the host of melee fighters to go through first, but stops Simon.

"You may want Esmeralda's spare sword and shield for now. It will serve you better in battle than my dagger. If that's okay with you, Esmeralda..." he looks to Esmeralda and nods deferentially.

[HearTheRequiem]

Esmerelda nods, handing the sword and shield over to Simon.
"Here you go! And take good care of them, they're keepsakes of our adventure, okay?"

[inexorabletruth]

"Thank you, Esmeralda. May the Protector watch over you. He returns his gaze to Simon.

"If you don't need the dagger anymore, it may come in use to me. Portioning material components for my spells are easier if I can cut them rather than tear them with my bare hands. I would be grateful to have it back."

[arkol]

Aramil, Grey Elf Beguiler

With his bow at the ready, Aramil carefully follows Ian into the room keeping a sharp eye on everything.


Spot
[roll0]
Listen
[roll1]

[missmvicious]

Mir follows in after Aramil with her spear ready and Honey at her side.

[TechnoScrabble]

Simon nods and hands Malor back his knife, accepting the sword and shield gracefully.
"I really hope this is the right way. I'd be fine with joining Ester if it meant we could stop this damned castle..."

Dremm pushes past him, spear ready, and looks down the hall.
"A stab at the Plague Lord would be nice, too."

The tunnel ahead is well lit by the green light, and is sharply sloped upwards. Every few feet, there is a small indentation in the left side of the wall.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

As the others advance up the green corridor I shrug and follow them.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor follows in kind, taking his dagger with a polite "thank you" and heads in with the rest of the group.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian walks up to the first indent and examines it carefully.

[TechnoScrabble]

The stone around the indent is cracked, as if something hit the wall over and over until it gave way in this one specific spot.

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin follows the group silently, falling back into the middle of the group with his bow still loaded, looking around for any danger.

[Valdren]

Conrad makes haste to follow the group with his crossbow at the ready. Quite fine with staying in the rear of the party, he turns around every now and then to check for charging ogres or the like.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor examines the destruction of the walls with some concern...

Is it cool to pool from all my knowledge with one roll? It's the same bonus for each one:
Knowledge Check: [roll0] (Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Local, Nature, Planes, Religion)

"What happened here?" He touches the indentations with sensitive fingers, and looks up at the ceiling with a sudden sense of claustrophobia. "I hope these walls are stable enough, with the beating they've obviously taken."

[TechnoScrabble]

Malor examines the destruction of the walls with some concern...

Is it cool to pool from all my knowledge with one roll? It's the same bonus for each one:
Knowledge Check: [roll0] (Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Local, Nature, Planes, Religion)

"What happened here?" He touches the indentations with sensitive fingers, and looks up at the ceiling with a sudden sense of claustrophobia. "I hope these walls are stable enough, with the beating they've obviously taken."

The stone in the tunnel is not local, not even for the stone holding the castle up. It also seems that maybe the different stone and bricks in the walls are used to help the inhabitants of the castle find their way around it? MAybe it's just the green light bouncing off the walls, but the stone here is a different shade than it is in the room the tunnel is connected to.

Whatever is hitting the walls is strong and precise, and probably blunt, given the shape of the dents and how the rest of the wall is in fine condition.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor frowns slightly at his findings.

"The brick types serve as a pattern for navigation through this labyrinth. Perhaps we could use that information to find our way out of here, should we get lost rather than using chalk markings. That way, we don't leave unnecessary sign of our passage. Well, except the trail of corpses we leave behind. Though it seems like corpses are a bit of a regularity around here." He rambles on a bit about "if this, then that" probabilities, but stops short when he looks closer at the pits in the wall.

"But I don't like these indentations. See here," He makes a fist and presses it against the indentations, "something very powerful bludgeoned these walls. Perhaps some kind of trap? I think we should be on our guard. Those with shields may wish to ready them. For others, I advise caution and quick reflexes."

[arkol]

Aramil who's natural short attention span was already overcoming him brighhts up at the mention of traps.

"Yes. A trap defiantly..."

He starts looking around for traps.



Search
[roll0]

[TechnoScrabble]

You notice some small holes in the right wall of the tunnel, but none big enough to launch whatever might be making that indentation.

[missmvicious]

Mir stands back letting everyone examine the walls.

[arkol]

(Are the small holes from some sort of dart trap or something?)

[TechnoScrabble]

You see no darts in the holes. The holes are actually really shallow, you can only fit maybe one or two inches of whatever you stick in there (straw, twig, finger) in there.

[arkol]

Intrigued, Aramil keeps looking for anything odd.



sigh, hope we're not wasting all this time on a little doodad on the wall :smalltongue:

Take 20 to search for traps in the area.

[Valdren]

"What if the trap was sprung on the plague prople when they where first making their way through the castle?" Conrad asks to nobody in particular.

[TechnoScrabble]

You find a single floor plate about fifteen yards down from where the 'door' was. Another fifteen yards past that is a staircase leading up past your view. The floor plate is as wide as the hallway and is a full yard long.

[arkol]

Aramil spends a couple minutes searching every dent and crack till he finally finds something.

"AH! Here it is! You might wanna stand back in case this goes wrong"

He grabs his tools and waits till everyone is a few feet away and tries to disable the pressure device.



Disable Device. The +2 extra bonus is from mwk tools.

[roll]1d20+8{/roll]

[arkol]

botched roll

again:

[roll0]

uhoh...

[TechnoScrabble]

SHVOOP!

Dull orange blasts of magic shoot out from every little hole in the hallway, splashing across the opposite wall and deepening the dents!

Each bolt does 1d4+1 damage, reflex save negates it.

[arkol]

ouch.. what's the DC?

[roll0]

ufff...

[TechnoScrabble]

Oh, sorry. DC is 16.

[arkol]

Aramil kneels down to work on the floor plate working with some weird looking tools getting underneath it with a sort of flexible scissor type of thing. He closes his eyes trying to focus on what he can't see and feeling around the mechanism more out of instinct than anything else.

"Almost there... almost there..." then suddenly he feels the scissor like tool touch a cable that shouldn't be there. In the millisecond that follow the word CRAP runs trough his brain but it never makes it to his mouth. He rolls out of the way avoid the fusillade of darts shooting throughout the corridor.

He gets up and dusts off his clothes "Sorry about that. Everyone alright?"

[missmvicious]

"I'm fine" Mir responds."Is it safe to press on now?"

[arkol]

Oh beloved DM, is it? Would my character know?

[TechnoScrabble]

It should be now. If everyone would just avoid the pressure plate.

[arkol]

Aramil looks around

"... well I think so. But it might self-reset. Better avoid this area here."

Aramil gestures to indicate the area containing the pressure plate.

[missmvicious]

Mir carefully steps around the pressure plate and continues on her quest to stop the Plague Lord determinedly.

[Lord Hakura]

Reflex save: [roll0]
Incase of failed save [roll1]

Tharin looks shocked at the explosion of magic, but remains silent, Then carefully steps around the pressure plate and follows the rest of the party.

[Vixsor Lumin]

I'm gonna post my rolls then edit in my actions

Reflex [roll0]
Damage (just in case) [roll1]

Ian snaps his hand away from the indentation just as the magic slams into it. "S**T!" he curses as he throws his sword up defensivly. He carefully but quickly steps past the plate and heads up the stairs.

[inexorabletruth]

"GYAH!" Startled, Malor backpedals to avoid the danger, stumbling and falling to the ground in his haste.

Reflex: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Fortunately, the only thing he injured was his pride as the stuff whizzing past him only hit the area he previously occupied. Dusting himself off, he smiles sheepishly toward the group.

"Ha... heh heh... well. That was certainly exciting, wasn't it." Then Malor passes gingerly around the pressure plate, not interested in experiencing that embarrassment again.

[TechnoScrabble]

There are stairs leading up not to far past the pressure plate. They're wide enough for three people to walk through side by side comfortably, but spiral upwards and are crudely carved, making the walk itself uncomfortable. At the top is a landing with a large circle carved into an otherwise featureless wall.

And everyone gets 50 exp because apparently traps that don't kill you give you half the exp they;d give you for disarming them.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

As I realise Aramil is going to attempt to disarm the trap, I fling myself sideways just in time to contort myself out of the path of the magical blasts. Idiot! He should have known a magical trap was beyond his skill! Quietly fuming, I spring lightly over the pressure plate and follow the others up the stairs. I make a quick search of the new room. Search:[roll0].

[Valdren]

Completely oblivious to what's going on Conrad barely even has time to let out a "Huh?" as the bolts strike him dead on. After the momentary shock, he exclaims "What in the hells was that?!"

After seeing that he's still alive, Conrad makes sure to avoid the pressure plate of pain.

[roll0]

[inexorabletruth]

Seeing the large circle on the wall, Malor reflexively ducks... fearing another blast from a magical trap.

"Another trap?" He asks after composing himself. When he sees Conrad join the group looking much worse for the wear, though, he turns his attention toward him. "Are you well enough to continue? I'm running out of spells, but I can perform some healing yet."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ayana

As I realise Aramil is going to attempt to disarm the trap, I fling myself sideways just in time to contort myself out of the path of the magical blasts. Idiot! He should have known a magical trap was beyond his skill! Quietly fuming, I spring lightly over the pressure plate and follow the others up the stairs. I make a quick search of the new room. Search:[roll0].

There are two small, hidden panels that can be pressed inwards next to the stone circle, and a hole in the middle of the circle.


Seeing the large circle on the wall, Malor reflexively ducks... fearing another blast from a magical trap.

"Another trap?" He asks after composing himself. When he sees Valdren join the group looking much worse for the wear, though, he turns his attention toward him. "Are you well enough to continue? I'm running out of spells, but I can perform some healing yet."

"I think the shield took the blow, there was a warm feeling on my arm, and then I was fine," Simon looks over the shield, which is now missing some paint.

Dremm grunts and nods. "'M'fine."

[Valdren]

Conrad holds up a hand to Malor, trying to keep from doubling over, "I'll live, better to save what you've got for the real fighting rather than these bruises. Just don't make me run any marathons for a while, deal?" He straightens up a bit, tightening his grip on his crossbow. "Well, no point in standing around, right?" He adds as he catches up with the group.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian claps Conrad on the shoulder. "There's no shame in a healing, and your looking like you just wrestled with a bear."[/COLOR he says with a smile. Then he walks up to the wall and stares inently at it. His eyes seem to resemble those of a guru seeking enlightenment. Then they flash with understanding, and he steps back. He takes a deep breath and halfheartedly kicks the wall. Seeing nothing happen, he turns to the others. [COLOR="SlateGray"]"Well, anyone have any other ideas?"

[missmvicious]

"There was that other path" Mir offers.

[RCgothic]

Ayana

I step back from the stone circle a few paces. "I think I've found something! There are two hidden pressure plates, there... ...and there..." I say, pointing them out. "And a hole in the centre of the circle. Could be a trap, or it could be a secret passage, but just in case I'm going to stand well back this time, as my confidence in Aramil's trapwork knows no beginning! There may other hidden things in this room as well, I didn't search too thoroughly." With that I retreat back to the room entrance to give myself some clearance.

[Valdren]

Conrad waved off Ian saying "Oh, it isn't that I'd rather not get healing. I'd just rather it be saved for you lot. I'm smart enough to run like hell if enemies get too close, but you don't have as much a choice." He then adds with a smirk and heavy sarcasm "Plus, if you die then who'll I put between me and the plague thingys?"

[inexorabletruth]

"Good eyes, Ayana!" Malor says with a smile. "I'm with you..." He says a bit more seriously as he steps back away from the pressure plates to a safe distance near Ayana.

Full Defense.

[arkol]

Aramil makes a not so heartfelt smile at the lack on confidence in his skills. Still he allows everyone time to get to a safe position and inspects the panels and then tries to disable them.



take 20 on the search check to examine it

disable device
[roll0]

BOYAH!

[inexorabletruth]

Malor emits a relieved sigh at Aramil's apparent success. "Well done, Aramil!" It would appear the Plague Lord will have to try harder than that."

[TechnoScrabble]

The panels are easily pried from the wall and taken apart, revealing that they were not traps but the opening mechanism. Luckily, they're still usable. The first, when pressed, rolls the stone circle clockwise, the second turns it counterclockwise. There are a series of arrows on the circle, each a different size, and one on the outside.

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Well, you could always put some distance between you and them haha!" Ian says to Conrad. Having not moved from his place beside Aramil, he is one of the first to see the. arrows. "It would seem that we just need to lign up the arrows."

[arkol]

Aramil looks around the room trying to see if Ian is correct or the room has some other clue.



spot check for any clue or numeric values around the room

[roll0]

If he sees nothing he tries to align the arrows as Ian suggested adding. "Like so?"

[RCgothic]

Ayana

The area having been declared safe, I set about a more thorough inspection.
Take 20 search check =27

If the others still haven't figured out the control system by then, I'll give it some thought.
Intelligence check: [roll0]

[inexorabletruth]

Listening to the conversation, Malor puts his hand to his chin and frowns. "I think you're right Ian. Perhaps this is some kind of combination lock, rather than the trap we suspected it to be." He offers an amused smirk to Ian. "The castle's dungeon has me on edge, I suppose. I'm beginning to suspect everything is a trap."

He stands back, looking at the "big picture" of the circles and arrows... sifting through memories of ancient lore, dungeon construction, and whatever else may be of use.

Knowledge (Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Local, Nature, Planes, Religion): [roll0]
Intelligence Check: [roll1]

[TechnoScrabble]

When the inner arrow that's the same size as the outer arrow lines up with the outer arrow, there is a loud thudding noise, and then a rolling noise, from behind the wall. You imagine a stone sphere rolling down a chute somewhere back there.

The stone circle slides back into the wall, and then to the left, out of your way, revealing an old cellar full of empty wine racks.

[RCgothic]

Ayana
"Huh? Why would anyone bother to hide a wine cellar?"

I explore the newly opened room.

Take 20 search =27

[inexorabletruth]

Malor's face brightens up at the sight of a wine cellar. "We should... uh... take some of these. They can be used... as weapons! Because, you know... you stuff a rag in them and light the rage on fire and throw the bottle. It will spread fire everywhere."

Bluff: [roll0]
Malor is not a good liar.

[Vixsor Lumin]

Ian gives Malor a look and says, "I bet they also taste pretty good." he laughs and walks in with his sword drawn.

[arkol]

Oh boy....

I call a will check on myself to restrain from running to a bottle and opening it right now. What would be a fair DC?

Remember he just did "rehab" the past week :smalltongue:

[Valdren]

"Oh good, I could use a drink. Perhaps they have a good vintage hiding under the floor?" Conrad says as he makes his way into the cellar. "And I wonder if we're close to the dining areas then? which would mean we should be kinda close to the main entrance, right?" He adds, rambling on about the possible layout of the castle.

[missmvicious]

Mir smiles at Malor's thinly disguised attempt to get some wine and pulls a bottle out and looks at the year/ kind. "Well it couldn't hurt could to have some with us."

[Lord Hakura]

Tharin follows the group in, and walks further on, looking around carefully for any sign of danger.
Spot: [roll0]
listen: [roll1]
I think I've ended up being the scout :)

[TechnoScrabble]

Careful inspection of the room reveals a wall mounted rack full of different kinds of wines and beers and brandies, even a bit of dwarven vodka.

Mir pulls out a fluted bottle of Lowland Draft Beer, 284 AH (after the ascension of the heroes), a fine vintage that, if memory serves you, turns 50 years old today. When the bottle is removed, several large kegs roll down from the ceiling, filling two other racks, and old dwarven mechanism for protecting drink from thieving kobolds.

[inexorabletruth]

Malor can barely mask his childlike grin at the groups acceptance of pillaging the wine cellar.

"As the old adage goes, Mir, 'Show wine to your foe and he will present you his troubles. Show wroth to your foe and he will present you his sword.'" He winks at Mir happily as he bounces over to the nearest bottle.

[missmvicious]

"It would be a shame for all of this to be wasted. Let's just take some of these, for later." Mir says picking out a few bottles of nice drinks.

[TechnoScrabble]

As a flask of Cobble Brewery Brandy (The best in Cobble!) is pulled, there comes a dull thump from one of the kegs...then another thump...

And then the keg explodes, along with three others, spilling its contents across the floor!

[Vixsor Lumin]

"Hey guys, we should just be happy with what we grabbed and stop pulling things off the shelf. Or at least check for traps first." Ian says sniffing all the fumes from the spilled alcohol.