The Twisted Dungeon of Chaos [IC2]

[Joshua]

You stand besides a solid steel door, with no indications of what is behind it, set into a stone face at the base of a cliff. Various rumours from towns in the nearby area - the ones who don't tell you to stay well away - suggest that this is an entrance to the Twisted Dungeon of Chaos, home to untold riches. Nobody knows what is actually inside though, since everybody who has previously entered has perished inside or been driven mad.

Closer inspection reveals faint markings engraved on the door. A circular symbol in the middle of the door, with the a flame to the left, a drop of water to the right, stones to the bottom and the wind to the top. There are no other markings on the door at all, nor any handle or indication of how to open it.

[Villskap]

Zeus takes a few steps towards the door, examining it visually for any crevasses or seams that might be hidden mechanisms. How to get it open...?
He speaks up after a moment in a mechanical tenor, "Miss Moonsong, do these markings mean anything to you? If it's trapped, I may be able to disarm it, but I'm unfortunately rather bland when it comes to magical traps."


Knowledge Dungeoneering to see if I can think of the proper first procedure: [roll0]
Search, just visually so far, but to see if I can find any sign of traps or hidden mechanisms: [roll1]
Spot (if it's more applicable than search): [roll2]

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun stands toward the back of the group, leaning on his enormous hammer like it was a walking stick.
"Might be that I could break down that door. It'd take me a minute or two, but it's only steel. I don't much like the idea of hitting something that might me magicked though," His voice is low and dry, speaking of years spent in the harsh desert, "If someone can check that there's no magic on it, I'll get us inside."

[Joshua]

As you look closer at the door, you notice that it is remarkably clear of any kind of damage or wear. The surface is perfectly smooth, apart from the engraving on the door. The engraving is quite obviously a representation of the four elements, but nothing comes to mind as to what that could mean.

[Zdrak]

Vhaenys Moonsong grips the hilt of her sword tightly with both hands as the group approaches the door. The dying sunlight playing on the ancestral weapon grabs her attention as she scans the length of the blade for nicks and scratches. Distracted by this task, it takes a while until she notes the Warforged is speaking to her.

Markings? What markings? Ah, those. Right. Let me see... squinting her eyes in the gloom of the entry hall, she kneels down to examine the door and jog her mind for any pattern recognition flashbacks.

[roll0] knowledge, whichever applies: arcana +12, religion +8, history +12
[roll1] decipher script

If no conclusive answer appears, she'll move the sword to her left hand, and trace a small circle in the air between the door and her eyes, in search of more clues.

Detect Magic, Spellcraft [roll2]

[SlyJohnny]

Merla

Merla moves her neck from side to side, touching it to each shoulder as she raises her legs up to her chest, one after the other. She flexes her arms backwards and forwards. She's a short, freckled young woman with frizzy ginger hair held in place with a cloth handband, and she's currently smiling in anticipation. She's murmuring a prayer as she stretches, "May I bring pride to the memory of our most honored ancestors. Wee Jas, grant me the calm of Queen Ochrho XIV, the fury of Templar Giles the Unbroken, and the cunning of Lord Elgnub I."

She's wearing an steel breastplate over the top of a robe, coloured a mixture of blood-red, black, and grey. The robe is festooned with brass buckles and belts all the way down it's length. She's wearing a silver ring that depicts a stylized red skull, wreathed in a burst of fire. Both her robes and the elaborate holy symbol on the ring mark her as a worshipper of Wee Jas, though she looks a little young to be a priestress, and the robes she's wearing look more like a uniform than a cleric's vestments. She's carrying an iron-shod quarterstaff, and a long knife at her belt.

She finishes stretching and steps forward. Her eyes drift around the group; she nods deferentially to the elven woman, identifying her as a mage and therefore an intellectual and social peer, and openly stares at the warforged and the crucian, showing an undisguised scholarly fascination with their unusual forms. Her voice rings out, clear, confidant:

"My name is Merla. I am a member of the local sect of Wee Jas. The church has always had an interest in this dungeon, and the head priestess feels that this group is stronger and better prepared than the groups that have gone before it. She desired that a cleric accompany you, both to act as our representative and to ensure your success. I volunteered. The Ruby Sorceress has smiled down upon your little venture, my friends. Be glad in your hearts, and know that our victory is assured! Do tell me your names, and share what you can do."

Merla looks out over the door, examining the odd runes and trying to identify them. She searches her mind for anything she's heard about how to open the door, going over her education on locks or seals of this type, old legends about the dungeon, and the transcripts that her church painstakingly recorded of the mad ramblings of those few who emerged and made it back to them.


Knowledge: Arcana [roll0]
Knowledge: Architecture and Engineering [roll1]
Knowledge: History [roll2]
Knowledge: Local [roll3]
Knowledge: Religion [roll4]

[SlyJohnny]

She moves closer, peering over Vhaenys' shoulder. She nods, as if having checked something and satisfied herself.

"We are looking at an elemental key. The door is linked to four different destinations, and can be configured by applying a specimen of the appropriate element to the fresco. Observe."

Merla scoops up a handful of dirt and loose stones, and hurls them at the door.

[Zdrak]

Vhaenys presses her lips together after examining the door. It's an elemental key, and there's no way of knowing where it'll open to - although we may exert some measure of control by applying the right element to the portal. She runs a hand through her hair, sheathes her sword, and continues nervously, holding a waterskin, does anyone feel up for a swim? Alternatively, we can throw a pebble or blow some air on it and see what happens. The fire, I'd rather avoid ...

Her long-winded explanation, however, is too slow, and allows the priestess to take the initiative...

[Joshua]

As Merla throws the stones at the door, it simply disappears as if it was never there. Behind the gap is a staircase leading down to a sturdy looking wooden door, with a corridor leading away to the right where the staircase meets the door. The floors and walls are made of smooth stone, and whilst its dark the place isn't totally without light - there are glows coming from the walls somehow.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun heaves his massive hammer up onto his shoulder, resting its bulk on the edge of his shell,
"Well, that was easier than hitting it. That's why I let you types figure out these things." Armun begins to make his way down the stairs at a leisurely pace, and when he reaches the door he peers down the adjoining corridor, as far as he can see in the eerie, dim glow of the cavern.

EDIT: My roll messed up. To avoid polluting the IC thread, I've rolled it in the OOC thread.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla

Merla reaches in to her pack, producing a dull gray stone that appears to be on fire. She holds it before her as if it isn't wreathed in flame, however, and releases it. Rather than falling, the stone slowly begins to orbit around her head.

She removes a 6 inch polished iron hoop from a pouch at her side. She incants a prayer to Wee Jas as she slowly sets it down around her hair. She removes it, and a shimmering crown of force appears upon her head in its place. It seems to twist and oscillate when the light from the stone plays over it. A barely visible shield of force projects forward from it.

She turns to Zeus. "You. Warforged are marvellous creations. Living, speaking history! Walking among us! You'll still remember this journey long after your friends and I are dead and buried, won't you?" She smiles, clearly thinking that Zeus should find this uplifting rather than sad. "I don't recognize your design, though. You are a bit scuffed, and your finish is scratched in places, but that looks like battle damage... very little sign of natural wear and tear. You must be quite new. How old are you, marvellous creation?"

She approaches him and runs a finger over his segmented armor plates, trailing down over the track mechanism on his arm. She intones another prayer, and Zeus is suddenly hit by a sensation that something vast and beautiful and unknowably old is watching him with interest. He feels a rush of pride and self-admiration, his past accomplishments flashing past his eyes, followed with a momentary sense of future great deeds he is yet to perform. He feels as if he can do anything.

Casting Crown of Protection on Merla. +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 resistance bonus on all saves, can discharge as immediate action to gain a +4 deflection bonus to AC or a +4 resistance bonus on saves for 1 round. Lasts for 5 hours.

Casting Heroism on Zeus. +2 morale bonus on all his attack rolls, saves, and skill checks for 50 minutes.

[Joshua]

The corridor goes about 20' before turning to the right again, and has another right turn about halfway down its length. The end of the corridor has a glow from the wall again, illuminating the corner.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun turns back to the rest of the party, and calls,
"The corridor branches off in several places. I'd rather open up this door before we get lost in an underground maze." He walks back up the stairs to where his companions wait, taking his time with each step. When he steps out of the smooth stone corridor and onto the ground, his footsteps leave half-inch deep impressions in the dirt, clearly showing the detail of his two-toed feet, and send up tinny puffs of fine dust. He drops his hammer back to the ground - which leaves an impression as well - and leans on it, surveying this mishmash of people whom he was about to venture into unknown danger with.
The corners of his mouth turned down in an expression not dissimilar to concern.

[Zdrak]

Vhaenys is again lost in thought for a moment as she peers into the depths. Seeing her friends starting forward, she casts a charm of protection, and switches from sword to bow, arrow nocked and ready to let fly. For a while, she's the spitting image of Elven amazon warriors of old - but only for a short time. Soon her skinny arms tire from holding the string taught, and she gives up on her warlike stance, still peering cautiously forward.

Mage Armor before entering the dungeon

[SlyJohnny]

"The door it is, then." Merla agrees. "Zeus should check it first."

She stays behind Armun, reasoning that any creature that can swing around a maul that large must be much stronger and more resilient than she is. The thought annoys her, and she churlishly doubles the number of pushups she intends to do before she sleeps tonight. She examines the visible part of his shell.

"That is a beautiful painting, Armun. Is that where you come from? Who created it for you?"

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun turned around to look at the priestess, studying her form. She was strong for a human, he could tell, but she was thin and small, and looked more likely to dart in and out of a fight than to stand her ground. He responded anyway,
"No, but it's near there. I grew up at a small oasis in the desert. The mountains were always visible in the distance, day and night, no matter how far we would roam. Most tribesmen chose to have the elders paint scenes of battles on their shells when they came of age, or meaningless patterns. I took up the mountains, because I stand as one of them in battle. And I haven't lost yet."

[Joshua]

Whilst everyone is discussing the best plan of action, the door fades back into existence, as smooth and solid as if it had been there the whole time.

[Villskap]

Zeus replies to Merla: "That remains to be seen, Miss Merla. Warforged are mortal just like people made of flesh. Most of us have not existed long enough to tell for certain how long we can be expected to function before failing due to age-based wear and tear. ... Thank you though for the compliments, I'm flattered. I like your robes, they are very... staccato." Staccato may have been a poor choice indicating something that stands out... perhaps I should have said legato?
After a short pause, he adds "My design is unique, to my knowledge, specializing in marksmanship and speed. I will happily investigate the door to be certain it is safe. If there are traps I am sure I will find them... only, we may need to open the external steel door again first. I would suggest we all move in together this time."
With that, he draws and lights a sunrod, setting it in the brim of his hat before checking to be sure the crossbow on his right arm is ready.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla nods reflectively as Armun replies, "I see. It is an interesting choice you made. It must be like having a piece of home with you, always." She nods back to Zeus as he prepares to head down. "Agreed, then. We'll follow you down."

Merla kicks a small rock at the door, waits for it to open, and follows down after Zeus and Armun.

[Joshua]

Zeus looks over the door, and can't find anything untoward about it.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla moves to one side of the door, and stands ready, waiting for the warriors to open it.

[Villskap]

Zeus spends a few moments at the door, examining it's hinges, squatting down and checking the bottom for catches or cords, before taking a step back again. Leveling his crossbow at the door, he nods to Crucian next to him. "If you would do the opening, Mister Armun, I believe the door itself is quite safe."


Readying an action to shoot at any seemingly hostile creature on the other side of the door that comes within 30 feet.
Spot: [roll0]

[Joshua]

Armun grabs the handle to open the door, but as he does a needle stabs out of it into the palm of his hand, making him feel slightly weak and drowsy.

Opening the door reveals a large, mostly rectangular room, stretching 45' away in front of you and 25' to the right. The door you are in stands in one corner of the room. In the exact opposite corner is a walled off section, approx 5'x5', with a door on both walls into it. Along the wall to the right there is an archway leading into another room that you can't make out from here


http://i.imgur.com/YXYZS.jpg
Door to the top left leads to where you are



Attack: [roll0] vs 27
Fort saves: [roll1] vs 14, [roll2] vs 14

1 Temporary Constitution damage, no other effects

[SlyJohnny]

Merla curses as she witnesses Armund stabbed by the needle.

"That looks nasty. If you can't fight it off, I'll neutralize it when I pray for spells later."

She extends a hand before her and flexes her fingers, intoning words in a strange dark tongue. Her hand suddenly begins to jerk and twist spasmodically. With a sudden wrench, her wrist dislocates itself, and then with a sickening tearing sound the hand pulls itself free from her arm and drops onto the ground. The hand continues to writhe around, turning black and withered and spouting three other fingers from its ragged base, which narrow into legs. In seconds, it has swelled and changed into a three-foot wide spider.

The spider scurries across the center of the room, towards the doors. It pauses as it passes the archway, peering through it to check it's clear.

Casting Spider Hand. Passing the archway and looking through it before heading towards the door. Has Darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun quickly pulls his hand back from the door handle. Worried, he curls and uncurls his fingers, making sure his hand still works. He feels his head dip forward slightly, as if he were falling asleep, but the feeling quickly abates,
"Thanks, but I think I'll be fine by morning," he says to Merla, turning his head. He looks just in time to see her wrenching her own hand from her wrist. Briefly, he is rather shocked, but recovers his composure. He watches, fascinated, as the hand crawls out into the room.
"That's some sort of dark sorcery if I've ever seen it," he says, but under his breath. After watching it for a moment more, he looks up and squares himself in the doorway, bringing his hammer to bear, "Well, this looks just too ordinary to be safe."

[Joshua]

Through the archway is another room, significantly larger than this first one. The bulk of the rook is about 35'x35', but with another adjoining section to the right hand side that adds another 15'x50' to the room. Straight ahead of the archway into this room is another archway leading further into the dungeon, and to the left is an iron door. In the wall straight ahead, but further to the left is another wooden door. The hand can detect some faint vibrations coming from the other side of the iron door.

Like the previous room, this one is totally empty. You start to suspect that anything that may have been here to be found this close to the entrance has been sacked by previous adventurers before they fled or got killed.


http://i.imgur.com/28YdJ.jpg
Door at the top leads to where you are

[SlyJohnny]

Merla describes the layout she can see to the rest of the group. She finishes by murmuring "Something moving on the other side of the iron door through there. Not sure what."

She has the spider move over to the pair of doors in the corner of their room, selects the higher one, and has the spider crawl up the face of it and wrap itself around the handle, opening it.

[Joshua]

The handle turns, but the door refuses to open.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, never the sort to stand by and let other's do all the work, decides to walk out into the center of the first room, freeing the doorway for other to pass through. He keeps his hammer at the ready at all times, and keeps his eyes open for anything unusual. The stone walls of the room echo with the weight of his footsteps as he walks.

[SlyJohnny]

The spider attaches a spray of net-light webbing to the handle and attempts to pull the door open, bracing it's legs against the side of the door. "Locked, I think." Merla says, in a distracted tone of voice. "Let me try the other." If the spider has no luck, it drops down and moves around to try the door on the other side of the corner.

Failing that, Merla sends it scurrying through the archway and has it follow the wall on the right-hand side, moving down through the tunnel-like extension, all the way round towards the wooden door.

The map doesn't work for me, says I don't have permission to access it. The spider has has a strength of 7 if it's relevant, although it won't try to force the doors if they're locked or jammed.

[Joshua]

The first door that the spider was trying doesn't budge. The handle on the other door doesn't even turn, and it's obviously locked.


Try the maps again now, see if that makes a difference. If not I'll host them elsewhere

[SlyJohnny]

"One's locked, the other's possibly jammed. I'll try the wooden one down past the archway."

Merla sends her spider hand scurrying through the archway and has it follow the wall on the right-hand side, moving down through the tunnel-like extension, following it all the way round, past the second archway, towards the wooden door. She frowns in concentration as the spider moves, staring blankly ahead as if seeing something else instead of the room in front of her, and concentrating on it intently.

[Joshua]

When the hand eventually reaches the doorway, it too refuses to open under what strain the hand can put on it.

[Villskap]

Zeus steps through the door and to the right, keeping an eye out through the archway for any hostile creatures, crossbow at the ready.
"Terribly sorry, Mister Armun. I will be sure to check the doorknobs for such things in the future."


Covering Armun, readied action to shoot at any apparently hostile creatures coming from the room to the ... south through the arch? For ease of map reading, I'm going to assume up is north. I'm in the space just south of the doorway against the west wall of the first room.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, seeing no immediate dangers, crosses the room to the pair of doors, and is about to grasp the handle and try it himself, but hesitates, not particularly wanting to risk another needle,
"Zeus, would you mind?" Armun asked, indicating the door handle with a swing of his handle.

Sorry if I didn't get the directions quite right. A "You Are Here" would be helpful on the map, if it's not any trouble. If it is, I'll just keep working on getting this one right.

[Villskap]

Zeus moves up to Armun and nods, taking a look over the door the same as before, then standing up and checking the doorknob himself. If nothing happens and the knob turns, he steps back and lets Armun open the door. If the door seems locked, he'll attempt to unlock it.


Very similar to our normal system, but I'm checking the doorknob before Armun, so any trap that's on the knob like that should trigger on me if I missed it.
Search: [roll0]
Disable Device: [roll1]
Open Lock: [roll2]

[Joshua]

You can't find any traps on or around the door. The door is certainly locked, and you can't manage to unlock it with the tools available..

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun taps Zeus lightly on the shoulder, indicating he should move out of the way,
I don't know what's through here, but if it's still locked that means other people haven't gotten to it yet," He says, and faces down the door with his massive hammer. After a moment of steady himself, he heaves the huge hunk of adamantine upward from his side, smashing into the door with all his strength.

Taking a full round action to hit the door, since we're out of combat, which lets me avoid the attack roll (don't want to accidentally embarrass myself). Rolling for damage with a full +8 power attack:
[roll0] +9 (Strength); +1 (magic); +8 (PA); Ignore hardness <20
EDIT: 30 damage against the door, total. By RAW, that will smash through a standard wooden door up to 3 inches thick.

[Joshua]

The hammer strikes squarely into the door, and splinters straight through the wood panelling rending a huge hole in it.

Behind the door is a small room, barely large enough for one person to stand inside. The walls of the room have what used to be some fine garments hanging from them, but now with the age are mostly just rags.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun uses his hammer to knock some loose boards out of the way, making the hole big enough to clamber through,
"There're old clothes in there, if anyone wants a look. Nothing I'd wear, but there might be something else interesting in there," he says, stepping out of the way of the door and resting his hammer on his shoulder.

[SlyJohnny]

"Someone should check them for magic. I could do after this spell."

Merla sends her spider hand moving through the second archway.

[Joshua]

Through the second archway is a double-square room, with two 25'x25' overlapping squares making up the floor space. In the corner of the room opposite from the archway is a skeleton of a large lion-like creature, just stood there staring at the archway.

The room has four wooden doors around it, leading in various directions.

In the middle of the room there are some piles of bones, but without closer examination you can't tell how old or what they originally belonged to.


http://i.imgur.com/obZnu.jpg
You are entering the archway top-left. The skeleton is bottom right.
Better image can come later if necessary.

[SlyJohnny]

"We've got trouble." Merla says, in a voice that sounds like she relishes it. "Undead. A lion skeleton. Judging from the inanimate bones in the room, it likely has orders to kill intruders. I'll see if it will let me back away, but ready yourselves."

Merla has the spider crawl backwards, ready to fling webbing at the lion and dart back around the corner, should it attack.

[Joshua]

The lion-like skeleton just stays in the corner, not moving at all.

Note - Lion-like, not Lion

[SlyJohnny]

Merla gets a better view of the creature as her spider backs up.

"Wait... not a lion. It has the head of it, but it's much larger. Oh, dark-eyed lady don't take me, it's a chimera!" she murmurs excitedly. "I remember a picture of one from a textbook I studied when I was 12. It gave me nightmares. Matron made me read about it every day until I wasn't scared anymore. They're dangerous up close... teeth and horns and claws... there are reports of them ripping bison in half in seconds, out on the Plains of the Paynims. But it won't be very well armored without it's hide, and at least we don't have to worry about corrosive breath."

Merla has her spider withdraw, all the way out to the corridor they first entered the dungeon in. She has it scurry down to the end of the passageway, peeking down both side corridors.

[Villskap]

Zeus gives the clothes a quick look through to see if there's anything especially valuable or possibly enchanted.
All of these are aged terribly, what we're looking for is if any of them are still in pristine condition. Just maybe- it can wait."
He turns quickly from that search upon hearing Merla announce the presence of undead, getting back into a combat ready posture. Alright, so just stay away from it, and don't act like a bison. What is a bison, anyway?


Search: [roll0]

Will ready an action asap to attack the undead Merla described if it comes into this room.

[Joshua]

The passageway down by the entrance has two small side junctions, but nothing apart from dust and dirt can be found in them.

The clothing in the closet is all just tatters, and you can't find anything special amongst it.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla sends the spider down to the end of each corridor in sequence, checking for anything unusual, before summoning it immediately back to her arm and letting it fall again, sending it back down to the second archway.

The spider climbs up along the archway, to the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling, and crawls around the room to the right, making a full circuit of it.

If it arrives back at the archway without the skeleton having been provoked, it lowers itself to the ground on a line of webbing and tries the door to the left of the archway.

[Joshua]

As the spider crawls around the corner past the skeleton, one of the heads reaches up and bites it in two, killing it instantly.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla abruptly hisses in surprise, clutching her arm; her hand abruptly reappears, shaping itself back onto the stump of her arm.

"Bit my spider in half. Moves fast, for such a large beast. It's staying put, but it's definitely hostile. I don't think I can rebuke it, either... too large, too powerful, too much necromantic energy to control."

Merla waits for a moment just in case the beast is now coming to get them, and if it does not, she then walks over to the pile of raggedy clothing. She murmurs a quick orison and traces a fingertip over her eyelids, casting Detect Magic and scrutinizing the pile.

She idly wonders if she can make out what design the clothes were, whether they are old-fashioned or current, rich or poor.

[Joshua]

There's no indication that the clothing was magical at all. It's all very old, but was very fancy clothing for it's time. The damage all seems to be down to just age and decay more than anything.


Knowledge: [roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

Merla shakes her head. "Not magic. Nice clothing for it's time, but that's all I can tell. I've scouted as much as I can; do we try one of the wooden doors, the iron door with the creature moving behind it, or do we pick a fight with that skeletal chimera?"

[Villskap]

Zeus moves back toward the entrance slowly, keeping his crossbow leveled towards the archway. "There is also still the other side passage. If the chimera is still unaware of our presence, I should like to see what is behind us before engaging it."

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun nods at Zeus,
"Yes, I'd rather not have something sneak up on us from behind while we're fighting the skeleton. At least if we turn our backs on it, we can be pretty sure it won't ambush us."

[SlyJohnny]

"The side passages in the entry corridor? They're just dead ends."

Merla twirls her quarterstaff around and strikes a few defensive poses with it, the exercises almost an unconscious tic.

"Though I do find that suspicious. You're right, let's go back and check."

[Villskap]

Zeus moves to the entry door and stays there, keeping his watch on the archway. "I'll hang back here for a moment to make sure we aren't attacked from behind. Call me if you need me in the corridors."


Keeping that readied shot if something hostile comes through that archway... like a chimera skeleton.
Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Anzl_zcGbFR3dE1Kb2U1WmJJRXlueVgtOXNEd1hRV lE)

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun marches back to the entrance area of the dungeon, tightening one of the straps on his specially crafted breastplate, and turns down one of the dead-end side passages. He moves down it's length, searching for anything unusual as he goes.

Search: [roll0]

[Joshua]

Both the cubbyholes off the passageway have old wooden frames around them, which have rotted beyond use. Otherwise there's nothing but dust and dirt.

[dark.sun.druid]

Arumn, emerging from the side passage, says to the others,
"I don't see anything particularly unusual down there, just a lot of rotted away wood. If anyone else want's to give it a look over before we move on, I'll wait."

[SlyJohnny]

Merla smiles. "If you say there's nothing, that's good enough for me. Well, then. Our warforged seems jumpy about an attack from behind. Let's head back."

Merla moves back to the room Zeus is minding. She shakes her head. "Looks like old storage cupboards or cloak rooms. Nothing left there."

She murmurs a short prayer and touches Zeus on the forehead, imbuing him with a whisper of divine guidance.

"That chimera is dangerous, but unintelligent undead only follow the urgings of whatever force animates them; it hasn't attacked us yet, so it probably has orders to guard that room and stay put. Whatever's moving behind the iron door might not. I think we'd do well to check that door first. Do you all agree?"

She eyes Zeus' fine crossbow, frowning in thought. "Quarrels are poor weapons against skeletons. , anyway. A sling would serve you better."

Casting Guidance (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/guidance.htm) on Zeus

[Villskap]

Zeus nods his head in agreement, following Merla back into the room and moving down to look at the iron door. "Yes, perhaps we should. I... haven't really ever used a sling, and I'm ashamed to say I don't have one, or any bullets. It hadn't occurred to me that I might need one. This will have to do."


Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Anzl_zcGbFR3dE1Kb2U1WmJJRXlueVgtOXNEd1hRV lE) updated

[SlyJohnny]

Merla nods, following after Zeus and waiting for him to check the door. Her staff twirls in her hands, making a gentle whooshing sound against the silence of the room.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun follows Zeus and Merla until they stop in the corner of the room. He gives them a glance, and then walks across the room to the iron door. He tilts his head to the side to see if he can hear anything, and then speaks,
"Well, Merla, do you want to come check and see if it's going to be possible for us to open this door with a handful of rocks?" Armun says, giving the door a gentle rap with the knuckles of his left hand.

[SlyJohnny]

"Well... I suppose it is my turn."

Merla offers a quick prayer to the Stern Lady for guidance, and then approaches the door. She looks around for a handle or anything to grab hold of it by.

She pauses as Zeus leans over to check the door and steps back, allowing him to go to work before she opens it.

Guidance on myself.

[Villskap]

Zeus waits for Armun to catch up before turning to the door with them. As Merla reaches for the handle, he speaks up. "Would you like me to double-check that for you first?"


If allowed to check the door:
giving it a quick search over and disabling any traps he finds, listening for a few seconds to see if I can tell what is making the sounds/vibrations on the other side, and then testing the door knob myself, before stepping back and letting the others open it.

Search: [roll0] (using my guidance bonus on this)
Disable Device: [roll1]
Listen: [roll2]

[SlyJohnny]

Merla nods, backing away gratefully.

[Joshua]

Zeus thoroughly examines the door and the area around it, and just as he is about to give up spots something on the floor. On closer examination you notice that the floor itself underneath the door is rigged such that it would collapse under substantial weight, such as when a group of adventurers go through the door. After more time tinkering with it, you believe you have damaged the triggering mechanism so it would be safe to continue.

Listening at the door, you can hear noises coming from behind it but you can't make out what they could be, or any details about them.

[SlyJohnny]

"That... could've been very nasty. Thank you, Zeus. I'm glad we have you along."

Merla steps around the disarmed trap and opens the door.

[Joshua]

Opening the door reveals a comparably small room - only 25'x25' - with a recess containing a wooden door in the far left corner. The walls of this room hang with old decaying tapestries, too faded and damaged to make out the original designs now. In the far right corner is what can best be described as a makeshift altar, though the candles around it are long since burned out. Around the alter are stood two very obviously short and stocky undead creatures, with vaguely reptilian features. They pay no attention to you at all at present, and continue shambling around the makeshift altar.


http://i.imgur.com/KpQVs.jpg
You're entering from the door at the far left.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla stares at the altar, paying attention to the positioning and number of the candles and it's general design, trying to work out what deity or power it is an altar to.

"They look fairly weak. Don't kill them; I might have enough power to bring them under the sway of my goddess."

Without moving from where she is, she raises her fist, presenting the ring that bears her holy symbol. The grinning red skull emblazoned with fire seems to loom. "Uncreatures! Ugly scraps of rotted flesh clinging to bound souls! The Lady of Book and Bone liberates your wretched spirits and demands your fealty! Glimpse Her radiance, and tremble at Her terrible perfection! Bow before Her servant!" Merla commands, as she channels a surge of profane energy towards the shambling creatures.

Knowledge: Religion check to identify altar
Rebuke/Command Undead check (expending guidance): [roll1]
Up to total of [roll]2d6+5+1 hit dice within 60ft are affected.
Undead up to 2 hit dice are Commanded, higher hit dice are Rebuked.

[Joshua]

The altar doesn't look familiar, and you can't make out enough details from here to recognise it.

As you command the creatures, they respond by physically cowering and shying away, moving behind the altar as far into the corner as they can.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla is momentarily unsure whether the creatures are under her mental control or merely cowed by it, more powerful than she at first thought. She concentrates, attempting to send them a mental command.

:: Point towards any traps or dangerous features of this room that you have witnessed. Obey any verbal commands given to you by me or any of the three people standing close to me from now on. Approach me. ::

[Joshua]

They don't respond at all, and stay in the corner away from you.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla sighs in frustration.

"They must be more biologically complex than normal kobolds, somehow. I can't command them, but they should be cowed for about the next minute. You can kill them without resistance, if you're quick about it." she tells the others.

She stands aside so the party can storm the room.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun steps past Merla, and enters the room, moving quickly to get within fighting distance of one of the reptilian undead. He hefts his hammer at them, as if challenging them to approach.

That was a double move action, so I can't actually attack them yet.
Rolling initiative. With any luck I'll get to go again right away: [roll0]
EDIT: Nope, probably not.
Also, I updated the map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Anzl_zcGbFR3dE1Kb2U1WmJJRXlueVgtOXNEd1hRV lE#gid=0).

[Villskap]

Zeus steps into the room, takes aim at one of the undead and fires. "Very well."


I'm not sure why initiative hasn't been called for yet, but this does seem the appropriate time to roll it. I'd guess because the undead aren't fighting back?

Attack at Ur1: [roll0]
damage: [roll1]
initiative: [roll2]

[Joshua]

The shot just goes wide of one of the creatures and clatters off the wall behind it.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun takes a step forward, and swings his hammer in a downward arc toward the nearest undead creature. The heavy hammer makes a formidable whoosh sound as it pushes its way through the air.
Not using Power Attack.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Joshua]

The hammer strikes at the creature, hitting it across the head and chest and knocking it flying into the wall where it eventually clambers back up and continues to do its best to keep away from Merla.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla takes a moment to appraise her opponents before entering the room. She tries to recall the physiology of similar zombies she's seen guarding the temple back home.

Knowledge Devotion- [roll0]
15 or below +1 attack and damage
16—25 +2
26—30 +3

[SlyJohnny]

Merla strides forward between Zeus and the altar, drawing a knife from the side of her robe as she does so. It has a hande that appears to be made from carved horn, and a short, curved blade that glints wickedly in the flickering light of her ioun stone.

She grips it with the blade pointed to the floor, and brings it slashing down across the body of the zombie nearest her.

[roll0] to hit
[roll1] damage if hit

[Joshua]

After a while, the whole time the creatures just cowering in the corner, the rain of blows dispatches them back to whatever they consider an afterlife.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla sheathes her daggers, and picks up her quarterstaff. She's smiling as she prods one of the bodies with it.

"That was exhilarating. You two move fast and hit hard."

She kneels down to search the bodies, leaving the rest of the group to inspect the strange altar or investigate another door.

[Joshua]

There are two greatclubs dropped to the floor by the creatures, but otherwise you find nothing of note on the bodies.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun steps around the fresh corpses, commenting,
"That was not a particularly enthralling battle. It was like tenderizing a bag of meat; except the meat was old and rotting."

So, I'm going to pretend I helped bash in those undead. It was a busy week for me. My schedule basically consisted of waking up, going to school, doing homework, and going to sleep. Sorry. From now on I'll try to be more active.

[SlyJohnny]

Mera smiles at Armun. "Hah! Well, the chimera will likely provide more of a challenge. I probably wouldn't be able to subdue it like I did these creatures and I won't waste my time or energies trying."

Merla flexes, looking over at her companions. "So which door will you check next, Zeus? Or should we battle the skeleton in the other room, immediately? It's too big for that archway. If you shoot at it to gain it's ire, me and Armun can hit it as it squeezes through to get us."

Merla seems ready to follow the group wherever. If Zeus tries to open a door, Merla will move to the side of it. If they head towards the chimera, Merla will rest a hand on Armun's shell and intone a plea for Wee Jas to impart to him "the strength of Lady Brienne the Loyal" before battle is joined.

If we go that route, Bull's Strength on Armun before battle is joined, +4 Strength for 5 minutes.

[Villskap]

Zeus nods in agreement, restocking his crossbow bolts to be ready for the upcoming battle. "I feel that we should confront the chimera and get it out of the way before we explore further. Your plan of attack sounds bold and spicy, let us implement it. I suggest that Mr. Armun stand in front, in case the skeleton proves to be faster than expected."

He walks out into the previous room, pointing out a position. "I should be able to get a decent projectile trajectory from there. Mr. Armun, if you would stand there... and Miss Merla may wish to be behind you as well..." It may not have been proper to make that suggestion in the third person...


I marked Zeus' suggestions as tentative positions on the Map, if you want to move yourself to that spot feel free to just remove the asterisk and your old position.

[SlyJohnny]

"It could still grab Armun through the archway, from there. We want it to have to come through to get at us. Then we can hit it while it's squeezing through."

Merla casts her spell upon Armun and moves to the side of the door. She moistens her lips, shifting her grip on her quarterstaff in anticipation.

Readying an action to take a 5-foot step to the right and attack the chimera as soon as it starts squeezing through.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, on Merla's advice, takes a step back, and swings his hammer up, ready to swing. The effects of Merla's spell were powerful, more than compensating for the poison needle in the door earlier. His hammer felt lighter than usual in his hands - which was slightly concerning, but he knew it was because he was stronger, not because there was anything wrong with his hammer.

Right, forgot to officially say that I was readying an attack action, but it should have been rather clear from my post, I think.

[Villskap]

Zeus sights down his crossbow at the chimera. "... Perhaps better from here..." he mutters to himself, taking a step back and sighting again. "Better."

He waits until his companions are ready, taking careful aim through the archway at his target. And fires.


Going to take a full attack once my party members have readied their actions.
Attack 1: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Attack 2: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]

[Joshua]

The arrows let loose, flying clear towards the skeleton. One of them goes just wide, missing a head by a matter of inches, whilst the other one hits it clear in what passes for a chest, but the skeleton doesn't react in any way.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla waits for a moment, tensed to spring, until it becomes apparent from the lack of activity and Zeus' taciturn expression that the creature is not rushing them. "...Well, that was anticlimactic. Its orders must be so strict that it can't leave its post even to defend itself." Merla sighs, and silently curses her own stupidity in not bringing a sling along.

"It's too far away to throw rocks at. Zeus could plink away at it, but Armun's strength spell will probably wear off before it falls. That would be safest, though. What do you think?"

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun shifts his weight back and forth uncomfortably for a second before speaking up,
"Well, either we ignore it and just move on, or I can go attack it. I would want some sort of backup though; anything that's strong enough to be formidable without moving isn't something I want to tangle with unsupported. If I go in, and it's more powerful than I expect and I can't get away, you need to come and pull me out." Armun turns to face Merla directly,
"And if you have any more spells like that to cast before I go in, those would be appreciated."

[SlyJohnny]

Merla nods. "I'll have your back. If you go in first, I'll rush it, and we'll smash this thing together. If you think it best, I will cast a Shield of Faith around you to augment your defense. But I should probably conserve my magic. We've only just begun, after all."

Merla shifts position, moving next to Armun and giving herself a clear path to the creature. She waits for a response from Armun; if he confirms he wants the spell, she produces a small scrap of parchment with a bit of holy text written upon it, resting her other hand on his shell. As she reads it out loud with conviction and fervor, a gentle disturbance in the air appears around Armun, growing stronger with each syllable and finally becoming a shimmering, magical field as she finishes the passage.

This done, she readies herself to charge. She nods once to Armun.

Shield of Faith on Armun, +2 deflection AC for 5 minutes. Then delaying my action until after Armun moves in (and hopefully eats the AoO ;) ) and then Charging.

Initiative: [roll0]
Charging, -2 ac until my next turn.
[roll1]+2= 19 to hit
[roll2]+2= 11 damage if hit

Not counting knowledge devotion bonus: [roll3]
15 or below +1 to hit and damage
16—25 +2 to hit and damage
26—30 +3 to hit and damage

[Villskap]

Zeus listens to what his companions are saying, but doesn't take his eyes off the chimera skeleton. The lenses refocus and turn a few times, his lids narrowing at it as he tries to discern if he actually caused any harm to it, or if it is merely too rigidly obeying it's orders to try to defend itself. Undead... just like constructs and golems pre-warforged.
With a frustrated sigh, he fires another two shots, reloading and firing the second as a trained habit more than a deliberate motion.


Attack 1: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Edit: Confirming critical threat in the OOC
Attack 2: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun politely declines the spell from Merla,
"You're right, you should save up. I'll go after this thing without it."
Armun, holding his hammer behind him, braces himself, and then rushes forward, charging the undead beast.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
AC -2 until next turn.

[Joshua]

Armun hefts his hammer and charges in, striking the monster for a heavy blow, and receiving one of the heads snapping down at you in response, but thankfully it goes wide of the mark.

Merla follows suit, also getting a solid strike against the creature, this time getting nothing more than a loud roar as the creature is busy trying to eat Armun.

Seeing the other two charge in, Zeus lets loose another shot which hits the monster but with no reaction as it is otherwise preoccupied.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[SlyJohnny]

With an angry cry, Merla whips her quarterstaff downwards, bringing one end sweeping up to strike the chimera's lower jaw. She spins the weapon around to the other side of her body, and sends a second strike crashing into one of the creature's forelimbs.

Two weapon fighting
First Attack: [roll0] to hit, [roll1] damage if hit
Second Attack: [roll2] to hit, [roll3] damage if hit

Also, five-foot step to move down out of Zeus' line of fire, if that's relevant.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, after landing his first hit solidly, swings his hammer around in a wide arc toward one of the beast's heads.
Attack:[roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Joshua]

Roaring in pain as Armun's hit connects, the beast goes wild, lashing out with everything it has at the source of the pain but miraculously failing to connect with anything. As the beast lashes out, Merla manages to get a solid strike against it's head and it just collapses in a pile.


Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1]
Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage 2: [roll3]
Attack 3: [roll4]
Damage 3: [roll5]
Attack 4: [roll6]
Damage 4: [roll7]

[SlyJohnny]

Merla whacks the creature again a couple of times just to make sure it's well and truly broken. "And that is all she wrote. Well-struck, iron shell!"

She starts poking through the bones in the middle of the room with an an avaricious glint in her eye, looking for treasure, but treating the remains respectfully. Or as respectfully as one can treat bones that one is engaged in sifting through for loot with the end of a quarterstaff. She tries to identify what creatures the other bones might have belonged to, and how long they've been here.

"A live chimera might have given us more sport. Though clearly it was sufficient for these unfortunates. This is a poor way for a person's remains to be treated... chewed on and forgotten in some miserable dungeon. Once we're done here, I'll see to it that they are buried in their family plots, if they can be identified, or interred in my temple's crypt if they cannot." she muses to herself.

[Joshua]

Most of the bones in the room are humanoid in nature, though you can't make out exactly if they are human, elf, or what. Some seem to be dwarven, and a few are not humanoid at all, but you can't make out exactly what they are.

The age of the bones varies greatly, from some that look to be only a few years old back to some that could well have been there for decades.

Tucked amongst the bones you find some random coins, which amongst them total 23 gp. Everything else seems to be too badly damaged or age-worn to be of any use.


Knowledge: Nature: [roll0]

[Villskap]

Zeus follows into the room, appraising the crumbled skeleton with awe. "Well struck indeed! I thought this creature would be a much stickier obstacle."

He waits a moment, letting the others search the remains, before adding "I suppose we should continue checking the other doors then."

[SlyJohnny]

Merla counts the coins rapidly, rolling them over her fingers and dividing them up. She pockets 7gp's worth of change herself and then hands 8gp each to her companions.

"Agreed. Upper west door, next? I have a feeling that the eastern doors we've seen would take us further, and I'd rather check all the nooks and crannies first."

Merla waits for Zeus to check the doors, happy to delegate the ultimate decision to him as he's going to be the one that winds up checking them.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun holds up a hand,
"Just a moment, please," he said, turning back toward the remains of the chimera skeleton. He swings his hammer downward in several quick blows, cracking and shattering any bones that remained whole, and paying special attention to the skulls. The heavy hammer made small cracks in the stone floor as it struck the bones. When he was finished, he turned back to the party,
"Just a bit of extra precaution," he explained, "Don't want anything raising it again after we've moved on. Now, lead on, Zeus!"

[Villskap]

Zeus walks to the door in the west side of the room and begins checking it over for traps.


If no one minds, let's use our default system for this.

Search: [roll0]
Disable Device: [roll1]
Open Lock: [roll2]

[Joshua]

After a thorough investigation, there's no signs of any traps at all. However, when you try to open the door it won't shift. It appears the wood has warped from age and has become solidly wedged in the frame.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun steps forward,
"Looks like it's stuck? I'll have at it then." Armun taps the door lightly a couple of times, and then swings savagely at what seems to be a strategic point.

I'm assuming that spell has worn off by now.
Swinging with a power attack.
I'll roll attack just in case, but I should be able to hit that door: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Joshua]

Smashing your way through the door reveals a corridor behind it leading away for about 20' before it turns to the left.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla stalks down the corridor, swinging her staff up into a guard posture. When she reaches the end, she flattens herself against the wall. She reaches into her robes and draws out a small, dented metal case, decorated with delicate gold filigree. She flips it open to reveal a steel mirror, and holds it up to the corner, using it to peer around the corner without exposing herself. If the corridor looks clear, she puts the mirror away and walks down it.

[Joshua]

Peering around the corner, the corridor stretches away to another wooden door at the end, with a small barred window towards the top of it. A short distance away from the corner there is another left turn as well.

[Villskap]

Zeus follows quietly along behind Merla, his crossbow at the ready to fire over her shoulder at any hostiles.


Move Silently: [roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

Merla moves quietly over to the door and peeks through the window.

Hide, Move Silently: [roll0], [roll1]

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, knowing how poor he is at walking quietly, keeps about twenty feet behind Zeus as he follows him down the corridor.

Move Silently: [roll0]

[Villskap]

Zeus stops at the side passage to keep an eye down it for threats.



Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Anzl_zcGbFR3dE1Kb2U1WmJJRXlueVgtOXNEd1hRV lE) updated for everyone's stated positions.

[Joshua]

The side passage leads to a quick dead end, with nothing more than dirt down it.

The door at the end of the long passage has another large room the other side of it. From your view through the window in the door you can make out the wall along the right hand side of the passage continues down the room, but opens out widely to the left. You can just about make out another door in the wall across this room from the door, and can tell that the room opens up much wider to the left of that door but can't see enough through the window to tell what is there. The floor in this room has - for the first time you've noticed since entering the dungeon - a patterned floor of once-green tiles. You can't see enough to make out what the pattern could actually be though.

[Villskap]

Zeus steps forward and gestures questioningly towards the door. "This one next?" he asks at a whisper.


Same system for checking the door unless someone objects. Readied action afterward to shoot hostile things on the other side that move to attack us.
Edit: posting rolls in the ooc

[SlyJohnny]

Merla nods, waiting, her body coiled like a spring.

[Joshua]

Like so many other doors, this one is wedged in place and doesn't want to shift. It doesn't appear to have any traps or other dangers about it, apart from this.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla raises her staff with both hands wrapped around the end nearest her, and staves in the window with it. She brushes off the fragments of the glass from the window frame and then pauses for a moment, waiting to see if anything will come to investigate the noise. If nothing does, she withdraws a rose-coloured pearl from her pocket and contemplates it for a moment, staring at the way the light glints of its surface. Then murmurs and gesticulates, casting the same spell she did before that causes her hand to pull itself off her arm and scuttle off on it's own business.

The hand deftly clambers up the doorframe and disappears, clambering down the hall and scouting ahead.

Smashing the window, using my Pearl of Power to recall Spider Hand, then casting it and sending it on ahead, through the window and down the hall.

[Joshua]

Entering the room, you can now tell that there is the remains of a spiral pattern on the floor made out of greenish tiles. The room makes a roughly plus shape, with the spiral arms reaching into each of the extensions of the room. To the far left there is an open doorway, and almost straight across there is another solid wooden door.

As the hand enters the room, you spot another chimera skeleton in the far corner by the open doorway. Already as your hand enters this monster is moving towards the sounds of you behind the door.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun moves up from the back of the line, trying not to shove Zeus as he moves past.
What do you see up there? Anything interesting?"

[Villskap]

Zeus lets Armun past and steps behind him, again taking aim through the window of the door in case anything hostile should appear.

[SlyJohnny]

"Another chimera skeleton. Approaching us, fast." Merla says in a distracted tone of voice. She steps backwards, and the hand-spider rapidly crawls back through the window and retreats behind her.

Not sure whether to let Armun handle this, or help him at the cost of losing my spell... I guess it depends on whether it tries to squeeze through the door to get us, or just looms in the corridor and bars our progress.

Bull's Strength and Heroism should both still be up, anyhow.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, hearing Merla's warning, steps forward, and takes a quick swing at the door to knock it into the tiled room.
Using a full Power Attack:
[roll0] to hit,
[roll1] damage.

[Joshua]

As the door bashes open, you see the skeleton has stopped where it was in the middle of the room - seemingly just having frozen in place when the spider hand retreated from the room. On the door smashing open however, it appears to re-awaken and head towards you again.


Chimera Initiative: [roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

Merla steps back. Breaking her concentration would cause her to lose her spell, and she's confidant her comrades can handle the chimera without injuries.

((Passing actions indefinitely))

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, with a reptilian roar, rushes forward at the chimera skeleton, swinging his bludgeon viciously.

Making a charge attack for +2 to hit, but transferring +2 from attack bonus to damage using Power Attack, for a net modifier of +9 to hit and +15 (Bull's Strength is still active, I believe) damage. Also, -2 AC until next round.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
EDIT: Damn undead! What a waste of a critical! :smallfurious: Really awesome rolls though.

[Villskap]

Zeus steps forward into the doorway and takes a shot at the Chimera.


Marking tentative positions for myself and Armun (see OOC).
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Edit: Oh, well that's not good.

[Joshua]

Armun charges in, giving the new threat a big whack with his hammer as Zeus takes a shot from behind - unfortunately going ever so slightly wide. In response to the new threat, the chimera bites down on Armun but unfortunately snaps just above his head.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, recovering his balance after the charge, takes another quick sideways swing at the skeletal beast.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Villskap]

Zeus refocuses his eyes quickly, having no idea how he slipped up so badly, and fires two more shots at the undead chimera.


Full Attack.
Attack1: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Attack2: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]

[Joshua]

After the battering from Armun's hammer, Zeus's arrow managed to just strike the chimera in the exact right place to bring in down before it gathered up the momentum to retalliate again against the intruders.


You have no idea how close that was...

That makes 1,141xp each in total

[SlyJohnny]

Merla moves forward, her spider-like hand crawling down from her shoulder and skittering across the floor.

"Bravo." she says, distractedly, as the hand crawls up to the lower door and attempts to twist the handle and wrench it open.

[Joshua]

The handle turns smoothly and the door swings open, revealing a dark unlit corridor behind it stretching away.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla sends the spider scurrying down the corridor, calculating it's length as she goes.

[Villskap]

Zeus steps over the broken bones to stand watch, glancing down both open doors for potential threats as he watches the hand skitter off.

[Joshua]

The spider reaches a corner at the end, after about 50' of darkness. Around the corner the corridor stretches further away into darkness.

[SlyJohnny]

"Extends 50 feet, turns a corner..." Merla reports, sending the spider on further.

[Joshua]

The corridor reaches a dead end after another 25', but with another left turn 10' from this corner yet again stretching into darkness.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun walks across the room and, after looking down the long dark corridor for a moment and thinking, turns back to the group and sets his backpack on the ground. He fishes around for a moment before pulling out two slim, waxy looking rods.
"Sunrod," he says simply, beckoning to Merla, "It's dark in there. We don't want to be running into anything unaware."

Edited because Zeus has a sunrod already and I forgot... :smalltongue:

[SlyJohnny]

"Thank you." Merla wanders over to accept the sunrod, and has her spider follow the corridor.

Following the corridor until I reach a junction, a door, or a dead end.

[Joshua]

The hand takes the turning to the left, enquiring further into the darkness. As it does, there is a noise coming out of the darkness and the hand is struck dead.


[roll0] (Ouch. I'm not rolling damage as the minimum I can get is already too much)

[SlyJohnny]

Merla hisses in frustration and pain, as her hand abruptly reforms, broken and twisted, before shaping itself back into a normal human hand.

"Something killed the spider after I directed it up the corridor to the left. It could see sixty feet ahead in the dark, and yet I saw nothing approach, so it must have triggered a trap or been ambushed by something stealthy. It was... sudden."

She twirls her quarter staff around, then grabs it, abruptly arresting it's motion. Then she stalks ahead down the corridor, stopping five or ten feet before the point where the spider was killed.

Did it do more than 12 damage? The spider's toast either way, but I need to know whether I had time to make a move action and end the spell before the spider bled out, or whether I didn't have time, and therefore need to roll damage from the spell being ended abruptly. Spider Hand (http://dndtools.eu/spells/book-of-vile-darkness--37/spider-hand--257/)

Also, how far did it progress up the northern corridor before being killed? Or did it die as soon as it came to the T-junction?

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, instantly on alert from Merla's warning, lights his sunrod and tucks it into a front pocket of his travel cloak to free his hands. Then, grasping his hammer firmly in both hands, he follows Merla down the corridor...

[Villskap]

Zeus follows a couple of steps behind, his hat still providing illumination. "It might be best of Mister Armun goes first, Miss Merla. Of the three of us, he seems the most durable." he whispers as they cautiously move forward.


Move Silently: [roll0]

Map updated with tentative new positions and walking order based on actions already taken. It's in my signature.

[SlyJohnny]

Merla pauses, glaring at junction reproachfully. She looks for any smears, marks, burns or any other detritus on the ground that would provide a clue as to what happened to the spider, and how it died.

"It was killed there." she whispers, pointing. "If one of you would like to check that area for traps, it would surely be prudent. If not... it's probably my turn to go first, anyway."

Waiting for one of the party to check the area for traps. If they do so, she will head back around the corner and take cover there. If they don't, she will proceed to the junction, and use her steel mirror to peek around the corner without actually stepping onto the place the spider was killed.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun, temporarily taking one hand off of his hammer, retrieves the sunrod from his cloak pocket, and proceeds to toss the glowing stick past Merla and into the junction between the two hallways, attempting to illuminate any lurking dangers.

[Villskap]

Zeus peaks around the corner from where he is standing and looks the area over as well, searching visually for signs of what might have happened, but not going to the junction itself just yet.


Stepping up into Armun's space and looking around the corner for this, will be forced back out of his space if combat should start.
Not sure if search or spot is more correct for this. So here are both.
Search: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[Joshua]

Peering around the corner, you see a javelin lying on the ground in the junction, and you spot a huge skeletal creature ducking around the corner further down the passageway.

[Villskap]

Zeus whispers to his companions after ducking back around the corner. "We've got a very big, skeletal creature. It killed your hand with a javelin from the looks of it, so it can use weaponry. And it's smart enough to hide around the corner and throw things. I didn't get a great look at it."

[SlyJohnny]

Merla moves around the corner, raising her hand before her and blasting the skeleton with a focused burst of negative energy as soon as it appears around the corner to throw a javelin at her again.

Initiative: [roll0]
Knowledge: Religion check for knowledge devotion [roll1]
Rebuke/Command Undead check: [roll2]
Up to total of [roll3] hit dice within 60ft are affected.
Undead up to 2 hit dice are Commanded, higher hit dice are Rebuked.

[Joshua]

As you turn the corner you catch sight of a large, two-headed skeleton stood in the corner waiting to ambush you and manage to get off your blast of power before it could react. The power is enough to overcome it and make it flee into the corner, cowering in fear.


Initiative: [roll0]

[SlyJohnny]

"It is cowed. You can destroy it safely now. Zeus, you can use my fighting staff, if you like."

Merla tells her comrades.

[Villskap]

Zeus takes the offered staff and walks forward to join Armun in smashing the skeleton. "I am terribly sour with melee weaponry, but it will likely be more useful than wasting ammunition. Thank you."


Since I presume that's what Armun is probably doing. Here's some attack rolls with the borrowed beatstick, 1 attack per round, will continue to beat on it unless it shows signs of coming around, or some other threat presents itself:
Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage 2: [roll3]

Attack 3: [roll4]
Damage 3: [roll5]

Attack 4: [roll6]
Damage 4: [roll7]

Attack 5: [roll8]
Damage 5: [roll9]

Attack 6: [roll10]
Damage 6: [roll11]

Attack 7: [roll12]
Damage 7: [roll13]

Attack 8: [roll14]
Damage 8: [roll15]

Attack 9: [roll16]
Damage 9: [roll17]

Attack 10: [roll18]
Damage 10: [roll19]

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun also advances on the undead beast, hammer raised and ready to swing in a wide, crushing arc.

I'll do the same thing Zeus did, for 6 rounds. If it looks like it's going to get up, I'll hit it once more then move back. Obviously, if it dies I'm stopping:
Round1:
Attack1:[roll0]
Damage1:[roll1]

Round2:
Attack2:[roll2]
Damage2:[roll3]

Round3:
Attack3:[roll4]
Damage3:[roll5]

Round4:
Attack4:[roll6]
Damage4:[roll7]

Round5:
Attack5:[roll8]
Damage5:[roll9]

Round6:
Attack6:[roll10]
Damage6:[roll11]

[Joshua]

After a few swings, Armun quickly kills the cowering, defenceless creature as it tries to hide in the corner.


Armun single-handedly killed it before Zeus reached 10% damage!

[SlyJohnny]

"Well-struck. Again."

Merla moves over to the skeleton, hand outstretched to receive her quarterstaff back from Zeus. She sifts through the creature's remains and possessions as she tries to identify what creature it was. After that, she glances round the room they've found themselves in; she finds herself wondering at its original function, why it was even built.

"Heading south has been a dead end. Where next? I'd be inclined to backtrack to the room with the first chimera and check the north door there. It seems like it would lead to a narrow corridor or a small cubbyhole."

Knowledge: Something or Other [roll0] plus 8 or so.

Suggesting the door at V26 next, but have no attachment one way or the other.

[dark.sun.druid]

Armun re-hangs his hammer from his belt,
"Lead on," he says, kicking a bit of bonemeal from his foot, "It's a good thing we've only come up against skeletons and the like so far. Brittle bones like theirs break easily under the weight of a hammer blow. I'm loathe to see anything much more agile in these corridors though."