Chapter Two: Heart of Darkness

[artofregicide]

*This thread is restricted to those who are playing in the Tavern at the End of the Universe Campaign, obviously*

And yes, I took way too damn long to actually create a second chapter. Oh well, we've nearly been playing a year now! :smallcool:

Link to New OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=319155)

Link to Previous Thread: Chapter One (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14622308#post14622308)

[artofregicide]

To the five remaining travelers, it feels as though they've come to a crossroads, a new page, one might even say... chapter in their strange and perilously adventure. Despite the dangers and mysteries, they have come far and this is a milestone... in their courageous trek.

Then the reality sinks in: they are trapped a forsaken temple seated in ruined city, full of alien and horrid things, most of which want to murder them or worse yet.

Still, there is no way but forwards.

[blackwind1kaze]

Welun stops the flame and ice on his swords as he looks to the rest of the group and asks, "So, where to next?"

[Rjanag]

Enrik

The sorceror spends much of the evening (if it even is evening) casting spells and poring over the objects. As he identifies them, he explains their powers to the others. Hoping that no one will object, he keeps the tyrant figuring in his hands after identifying it, rather than returning it to the pile with the others.

See the spoiler at http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16554536&postcount=618 for the items that were identified.

It takes him a while to notice that the half-orc has gone missing. When he does, he jumps to his feet, scattering the various unidentified items on the floor around him. "First the giants, and now this?! Why do people keep disappearing? We need to get out of here!" It does not seem to take much to drive him to panicky behaviorf. He had acted and resilient when fighting against cultists just hours earlier, but unseen threats and vague possibilities of danger still seemed to send him over the edge.

"Deeper into the temple!" he shouts when Welun asks where to next. "We can't stay in this room any longer!"

[Ripptor]

Ruslan is not pleased with Karr's disappearance either. The Orc had been his only known variable in this group, and he now found himself entirely surrounded by strange people. One of whom may even be responsible for his disappearance. Though the Sorcerer brought up a solid point about the Giants... where had they gone? That at the least was no fault of their group. They had all been with him the whole time.

Ruslan scans the area nearby for any clue of Karr's disappearance, and will keep it to himself unless he deems it worth sharing. Also, maybe he left some useable gear behind?

Spot: [roll0]

"Clearly a single nightwatch on shift is too few, if the abduction of our largest member can go unnoticed." Ruslan throws a pointed look at the Cleric Corwin, under who's shift the Orc had vanished. "We will have to adapt accordingly, and keep our future camps better defended. In the meanwhile, it may be best for individual safety if we keep within eachother's sight at all times." Ruslan, now in full battle dress, gathered his things and approached Enrik.

"I agree with you, Enrik. We must continue forward. However, we will be safer if we assure that our rear exit is unblocked. Shall we examine the last of the nearby rooms first, and then proceed? Karr may even be just nearby, and I do not wish to leave anyone alone in this... place." After consulting with Enrik on what he found, Ruslan brings the various items to the group and divvies them out to their best usage.

@Azoth:
Psionic Scroll (Did you learn this yet?)

@Welun:
Green Gem Ring of Profane Fortitude +2

@Corwin:
Two scrolls of Cure Light Wounds (1d8+4)
One scroll of Lesser Restoration
One scroll of False Life (1d10+5 hp)

@Enrik:
Tyrant Figurine of +1 CHA (Charm Person DC 19 1/day)
One scroll of See Invisibility
One scroll of Targetting Ray (+2)

Ruslan Keeping:
Lady Figurine of +1 WIS (Cure Light Wounds 1d8+5 1/day)
Fool Figurine (???)
Healing Potion (Regeneration + Restoration)
Orange Glowing Potion (???)
Beaded Necklace (???)

Also, someone had mentioned possibly sharing a Ring of Protection, but I forget who... If someone wants to help Ruslan's frontline AC, feel free to lend it out before we go anywhere :smallsmile:

[PowerGamer]

Well rested after studying all the scrolls, Azoth tries to do his best remembering all of the new faces. One of them seems worried about another who seems to have gone missing... Well it wasn't any of his doing so he stays out of it. He reads over one last scrolls as others are diving out the last days finds. Shuffling through his pack he pulls out a potion, "I'm sure someone could make more use of this than I"


1 potion of shield +2

[artofregicide]

It is not difficult to see some similarity between the sudden vanishing of the Giants and now Karr, the large Orc. Each were good-hearted but straight forward warriors... simply disappearing. It seems that their departure would have left some trace, some clue... but there is none to be found.

And now you are left with the choice of moving deeper into the Temple, and perhaps finding the truth at the heart of all this madness... or retreating in hope of keeping your bodies and minds intact.

Neither carries promise of success- you aren't even certain you can leave this place. The very air of the Temple fosters claustrophobia and paranoia, despite the lack of immediate threat or confined spaces.

The Party finishes their preperations- now you must make the choice.

Spot Check: Karr disappeared into thin air, leaving absolutely nothing at all behind. It was as though he had never existed...

The Scroll of False Life is an arcane spell, so unfortunately Corwin won't be able to use it.

In one hour, your character will gain a +1 INT untyped bonus and the ability to cast Disguise Self DC 19 (1/day) as a supernatural ability which does not provoke an AoO. This is the effect of carrying the Fool Figurine. However, Ruslan will not realize that his change has taken place, and won't know that he can cast the spell or that his intelligence has been increased...

The Scroll of False Life is an arcane spell, so unfortunately you won't be able to use it.

The Psionic Scroll seems to lay out in simple diagrams and descriptions an interesting psionic manifestation- Eradicate Invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/eradicateInvisibility.htm). You may now add this to the powers you know, and your total number of powerpoints have been permanently increased by 1.

To you, the scroll no longer has any use, but may have value to others and could be sold or traded or given as a gift, because other psionically inclined individuals or enterprising wizards could benefit from it.

[Ripptor]

Ruslan smiles at the Elan's offer. He seems... unused to the gesture. "My thanks, Scholar Azoth. I can already sense this will be of much help, in the possibly too near future."

With that, Ruslan draws his blade and walks over to the eastern door, and listens in to hear if anything has taken recent residence.

Ruslan moves to AL-22

Listen check: [roll0]

[blackwind1kaze]

Welun follows ruslan and stops right beside him and he attempts to listen in as well.

Move to AL-21

Listening in while Ruslan fumbles around XD: [roll0]

[Rjanag]

Enrik

Better them than me, Enrik thinks as Ruslan and Welun crowd near the door to listen to it. The sorceror hangs back at a safe distance.

"Make it quick, why don't you," he shouts to the others. "We should get moving sooner rather than later. Who knows what things might come wandering into this hall while we're mulling about listening."

[artofregicide]

Ruslan and Welun are the first to act in the new situation- they both move to the hallway from before, and listen for any sounds coming from within. While the scholar seems to become preoccupied with some other task, the keen-eared Welun seems to pick up something that disturbs him. Despite his distraction, the white-haired warrior soon picks up on the sound as well.

When Ruslan focuses himself, he picks up the muffled sound of a sort of "thumping", reverberating throughout the chamber beyond. It sounds like something is trying to break through a wall with great force, but a very blunt instrument.

Welun's aforementioned sense of hearing immediately picks up the muffled sound of a sort of "thumping", reverberating throughout the chamber beyond. It sounds like something is trying to break through a wall with great force, but a very blunt instrument.

It seems to be coming from the "South" part of the temple, where you sealed the... "thing" inside the hidden crypt.

[blackwind1kaze]

Assuming Ruslan is hearing the sound as well he whispers to Ruslan, "It's coming from the south. I believe it's the thing trapped below there." Welun's hairs standing straight everytime he manages to hear the thumping.

[PowerGamer]

The psion feels the knowledge of the scroll become engraved into his memory. Useful power, I keep it in mind he thinks to himself. To Ruslan he nods his head to respond in kind. After the two move to the door, he follows behind, but leaves a short distance between then, caution is the key to survival now it seemed.
"Do you hear anything?" he asks.

Moving somewhere within 20 feet of the 2 at the door. don't care where.

Apologies for late response. Finals took over my life

[Rjanag]

Enrik

"Don't open that!" Enrik shouts. "Whatever that was, it almost killed us before we managed to seal that chamber. Let it rot!"

He starts to head back towards the hallway in the west that has not been explored yet. Partway there, he stops in his tracks. "That reminds me," he says to the others, "has anyone checked on our captive?" He gestures towards the altar that they had sealed the captured cultist inside of before stopping to rest. "Perhaps now would be a good time to stop and interrogate him, while we still have a chance?"

[blackwind1kaze]

"Ow, geez dude, we're right here. There's no need to shout" Welun says while slightly rubbing his right ear. He then looks over where he had placed the captive, he had almost completely forgot about him already.

[artofregicide]

The chamber seems to be fairly well contained, for the moment. The impacts are dull, and you do not notice any signs of breaching. However, there is no promise that the heavy stone slab will hold indefinitely... it's really impossible to know without knowing what lies within.

All you know is for the moment it might be wise to avoid that particular area of the Temple.

[blackwind1kaze]

Welun quietly steps away as he moves over to the wooden container that holds the captive. He puts away his left hand sword (silver) and then carefully lifts open the lid ready for the captive to just pop up.

[PowerGamer]

Azoth backs away from the wall and waits to see what the others plan to do now.

[artofregicide]

Welun is quite surprised by what he finds inside the casket: specifically, nothing. The captive seems to have dematerialized- for the lid was still firmly shut, and no one on watch heard or saw someone free the acolyte from it.

The disappears are growing ever more troubling...

[Rjanag]

Enrik

"Another one?" Enrik sighs, more than a little exasperated and frightened now by the string of disappearances. "Let's get out of here, right away!" he says to the others.

[PowerGamer]

Azoth

Everyone is disappearing... I could be next He thinks to himself and shivers. "I agree. Let us leave this place. Lead the way."

[blackwind1kaze]

Welun isn't liking the disappearances himself but this might have been a more natural Magical one so he checks out the casket real quick before moving with the group.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[artofregicide]

You do not notice any secret passageways, or even stains from the Acolyte's blood (he was bleeding after all) which should be there. The casket is completely pristine.

[Rjanag]

Enrik

"Might as well get further into this temple, then," Enrik suggests. "We didn't see any ways out back there, so there's no point going back." He makes his way back to the altar, with the two sets of stairs behind it. "I say we take one of these."

[PowerGamer]

"So be it," the psion says as he follows Enrik. Azoth pulls out his dorje just incase he needs to use it in a jiffy