Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns [IC]

[lostsole31]

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/deah59t-26a10cab-d248-4fa8-b5fe-c179282157db.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_355,q_75,strp/way_of_the_wicked_banner_by_lostsole31_deah59t-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI 1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjphcHA6 Iiwib2JqIjpbW3siaGVpZ2h0IjoiPD0zNTUiLCJwYXRoIjoiXC 9mXC8wNTlkODA4OS03NjRhLTQwMzQtYTJlNC00ZmUwOGNmODli ODNcL2RlYWg1OXQtMjZhMTBjYWItZDI0OC00ZmE4LWI1ZmUtYz E3OTI4MjE1N2RiLmpwZyIsIndpZHRoIjoiPD0xMDI0In1dXSwi YXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmltYWdlLm9wZXJhdGlvbnMiXX 0._htf9xFLbMHXJ2jU9-HvlDVKIeSyqa3uv-rJYy-6puI

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/deah5e4-3e275881-c2d4-47c4-b7ac-61bc43fe90e8.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZWFoNWU0LTNl Mjc1ODgxLWMyZDQtNDdjNC1iN2FjLTYxYmM0M2ZlOTBlOC5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.RptZyS79gY1sEcR5DjDjIwqstmCcnd7zAVYDbyRUcs0



The rumor, if it is too be believed, is that Talingarde's most notorious prison - Branderscar - has fallen into chaos. Weeks ago, a whole crop of the island nation's worst criminals were enjoying what was to be a brief stay before their individual forms of execution were to be enacted. Somehow, the few prisoners (less than a dozen) broke out of their cells, and quickly fell to killing the surprised guards. The Warden Mathias Richter was killed, most of the guards were killed, but by the end four of the prisoners died and another four managed to escape. Adding to this, corruption and scandal pointing to embezzlement came to light regarding Branderscar's second man, Sergeant Tomas Blackerly, who managed to escape himself before he could be arrested for his own betrayal of the funds entrusted him by the Warden and Talingarde.

But that chaos did not last long, as a powerful knight and his entire complement took over Branderscar. Now, too, the forging of the runic "F" (meaning "Forsaken") on the inside of the right forearm is now done by local magistrates before transfer to Branderscar. And that, my friends, is what happened to you ...

Each of you were caught having committed (and or having attempted to commit) heinous crimes ranging from dueling unto death, to desecration, to attempted murder, and in one case it was reputedly high treason. You are guilty of your crime, and were each in prison carriages being sent to the new-and-improved Branderscar, awaiting your forced removal from this accursed world.

But you never made it there. Each of you were saved by four others - two humans (man and woman); a blue-skinned, white-bearded man; and some type of giant - possibly an ogre - with small horns (Leonidas Brackenship, Kel Sal Koth, Ved Taruush, and Grumblejack, respectively). They ambushed your transport with a mix of magical and martial might (and even stranger abilities).

Individually, you were led to a small town (Varyston) not terribly far from Branderscar, to an old manor house with impressive grounds. At the door of the manor house, you wee met by a woman that introduces herself as Tiadora, a green-eyed woman, wearing a diaphanous white gown that makes her look almost angelic. When she speaks, any illusions about her angelic character were quickly dispelled.

https://wotw.wdfiles.com/local--files/vip-01/Slide1.jpg

“Dearest, you took long enough,” she said pitilessly. “We were beginning to wonder if you’d ever make it. The master commands you to appear before him but before that, you must be made presentable. Slaves!”

She clapped her hands. A dozen young attractive men and women all wearing very traditional servant’s livery appeared quickly, their heads bowed. “These people are our guests,” she commanded imperiously. “See them to their rooms. I want them cleaned, dressed and refreshed. Quickly.” There is something in that last word that sounded like a threat. Certainly the slaves take it that way, hustling to perform their duties.

Each of you are refreshed, cleaned, well fed and wined (or watered), and brought before your unknown patron, your rescuers having already peeled away to other duties.

At last Tiadora leads you to a beautifully appointed office richly decorated with dark wood and sumptuous brocade tapestry. Sitting in a leather high-backed chair is a devilishly handsome fellow who smiles as you enter. “You are one of the first people to ever be rescued from Branderscar by those who were the only ones known to escape from Branderscar Prison themselves. I hope they did not treat your gruffly themselves,” he says with a wicked smile. "You see, half their number died in the attempt, so you can't discount their bloodlust in killing the guards that escorted you to me."


https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/images/1862132/adrastus-thorn.jpg

“But enough with the pleasantries. You must be curious why I’ve helped you. Rest assured this is no random act of altruism. I have brought you here for a reason. My name is Cardinal Adrastus Thorn. I am the last high priest of Asmodeus left on the island of Talingarde. Once the Prince of Nessus was rightly revered alongside the other great powers. Now, the king of Talingarde has become a puppet to Mitran fanatics who wish to destroy any religion that does not bow to their insipid sun god.

“For their blasphemy, I will see the same people who imprisoned and condemned you suffer. I understand what you went through for I have faced it myself.” With that, he pulls down the sleeve of his robe and reveals his own runic ‘F’ brand. “I am going to burn Talingarde to the ground and from the ashes I will build a new nation that knows its rightful master. I cannot do this alone. I seek servants worthy of our Infernal Father’s majesty. Have I found them in you?”

He rises and his eyes flash with hellfire and divine purpose. “Join me! Serve me well in this holy endeavor and I will raise you up in the eyes of gods and men. I will make you princes of the new Talingarde. Today, swear fealty to me and to Asmodeus.

“Put aside forgiveness and I shall give you vengeance. Put aside mercy and be made powerful. Put aside peace and become my harbingers of war. What say you? Will you swear your allegiance or will you burn with the rest of the blind fools?”


DRAMATIS PERSONAE




Name
[Player]

Speech
Color

AL

Gender ID
Race
[Ethnicity]

Side #1

Side #2

Crime


Kel Sal Koth
[NPC]

Golden Rod

LE
Female
Human
(???)
Guru 1
(Sin-Eater)/
Investigator 1
[Toxin Codexer]/
LA 1
Monk 3

Murder



[B]Leonidas Brackenship
[Blackhawk101]

Dark Orange

LE
Male
Human
Sorcerer 3
(Elemental Water)
[Tattooed Sorcerer]
Swashbuckler 3
[Rondelero Swashbuckler]
Piracy



Saiden Raidec
([B]"Baroness")


Purple

LE
Female
Aasimar
[Angel-blooded]
Oracle (Battle) 3
Warlord 3

Dueling Unto Death



[B]Scathaniel Sacrelos
("Scathe")
[Tooterfishpopkin]

Indigo

LE
Male
Human
Antipaladin 3
[Dread Vanguard;
Seal-Breaker]
Rogue 3
[Dark Lurker]
Desecration



Ved Taruush
[NPC]

Blue

LE
Male
Samsaran
Arcanist 3
Inquisitor 3
Heresy



Kyr, Imogen's Raven

FireBrick Red

LE
Male
Raven
Corvid 3
Good Birdy 3
Existing

[Endrak]

As Cardinal Thorn speaks, Imogen rubs her wrists where the manacles chafed against them and wiggles her stiff fingers. She only half pays attention to the man, lost in her own thoughts and fantasies of what this opportunity represents. She tries to imagine what she could do to those arrogant, light-blessed fools with actual power behind her hand. No more blagging merchants or burglarizing shrines. No more waylaying marketgoers in back alleys. Even if she dies tomorrow, it will be a far sight better than dying after twenty years in a salt mine for almost killing a priest.

Maybe she'd even get to go back home and finish the job. That would be nice.

"Cardinal, you had me convinced at 'burn Talingarde'," says Imogen. "But by all means, continue. I'd like to hear more of the horrible things you'll be asking me to do."

[lostsole31]

When Imogen accepts, Cardinal Thorn smiles. “Excellent. Let us make it official. Signing in blood is traditional.”

He brings out a quill, a silver ritual knife and two copies of a contract written on some unidentifiable leather and written in dark red ink – the Pact of Thorns.

Does Imogen Wynne sign the following by cutting herself with a ritual knife enough times to mark her name clearly and legibly?

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/059d8089-764a-4034-a2e4-4fe08cf89b83/deah9ky-299ba0a4-7ac6-4fd2-8656-52ceb4714e77.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJ IUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOiIsImlzcyI6InVybjph cHA6Iiwib2JqIjpbW3sicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMDU5ZDgwODktNz Y0YS00MDM0LWEyZTQtNGZlMDhjZjg5YjgzXC9kZWFoOWt5LTI5 OWJhMGE0LTdhYzYtNGZkMi04NjU2LTUyY2ViNDcxNGU3Ny5wbm cifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6ZmlsZS5kb3dubG9h ZCJdfQ.weLLOy1YRJ_NFIl9Ap5jElizqR8GRYR37lYsWtJYQjw

[Endrak]

The free spirit of her Elven ancestors is usually something Imogen brings up as an excuse to get out of doing something boring, but this time she can almost feel it rebelling at the sight of the infernal contract. She speed-reads the document in a few seconds, managing to contain a sigh of relief at the sight of at least three loopholes she can exploit if need be. Eager as she is to stab someone in Asmodeus' name, she isn't about to get piked by fine print.

With a flourish, she opens the tip of her finger with the knife and signs her name at the bottom.

"Shall I date it, too, since I'm already bleeding?"

[lostsole31]

The date fills in automatically, and seems to mystically draw more blood out of Imogen. It is a slight pull, but not too much to notice all things being equal.

There are two copies, of course, that have to be signed (the assumption is you sign both) .... one for the Cardinal and one for yourself.

The Cardinal smiles to Imogen. "Perhaps you need a seat. You're about to feel ... a little strange."

Imogen, what do you do?

[Endrak]

Imogen looks around the room, spotting a second chair by the door. She strides over to it and plants herself firmly with her hands in her lap.

[BananaPhone]

https://pasteall.org/media/f/1/f113c009c5735c620d92c6b6a34081bd.jpg The Baroness

Saiden was not used to counting on the generosity of strangers. Nor was she tempered with the regularity of being 'rescued' by others, even if their relief had simply delivered her into a different prison altogether.

Towering above the others, Saiden's trim, fighting-fit figure was hugged by the comfortable cloves the slaves had laid out for her. A Knight by instinct, she had eschewed the presented feminine gown and opted instead for the boots, leggings and shirt of a fighting man outside of his armour. But even so, without a sword by her side, the Baroness still felt naked.

When presented with the seated figure of Cardinal Thorn, Saiden stood herself before him as if she were his equal. Out of practiced etiquette she produced a polite bow, but beyond this gesture of civilised society she did not bow or scrape. Secular by nature and not particularly interested in the babbling dominions of priests and holy men, particularly underground ones, the Baroness had to resist the urge to simply thank him for his rescue and take her leave. But something told her that doing so would be...unwise. Perhaps she could tolerate the boring pontifications of this man of the cloth until she could rid herself of him.

A thought at the back of her mind surmised, darkly, that that may take longer than she hoped.

“Put aside forgiveness and I shall give you vengeance."

'Your true intent sir is that we would do your work for you...' the Baroness thought cynically to herself.

"Put aside peace and become my harbingers of war. What say you? Will you swear your allegiance or will you burn with the rest of the blind fools?”

The memory of the stinging pain from the insulting 'F' brandished into her skin still lingered in Saiden's mind. The mere thought of it made the Baroness bristle, her skin rippling with goosebumps as her wounded pride stirred deep within her soul.

"We are in agreement, Sir, that this realm requires a new, guiding hand..." the Baroness stated, taking a step forward once the elf had withdrawn.

"To make that vision a reality...I am willing to work with you."

Saiden beheld the contract and read it once, then twice. Not a speed-reader like the elf, the Baroness instead moved at her own pace and on her own time, not bringing her blood to the parchment until she had decided to do once.

Once the document was signed, the Aasimir stood aside so that the next fellow could follow.

[lostsole31]

He lets the Saidec keep one copy of the contract. The other, he takes.

“Well done. Your first command: prepare yourself. Stay within the manor. You are still hunted by the Talirean soldiery. In three days we begin your training.”

[FreeSol]

Scathe stands tall and cold, refusing to acknowledge the lingering discomforts of the manacles and the Forsaken brand.

Though practised at remaining cool of emotion and calm of face, no sooner does Scathe enter the presence of the Cardinal than his blood begins heating and rushing, a gradual blush suffusing his face. As the Cardinal speaks, a fire ignights in Scathe's eyes, and he begins trembling slightly, ecstatic to have such a marvelous beneficience come his way, not surprised (for, as a perfected man, be deserves all good things of this world), but grageful and invigorated, empassionned with the ambitious opportunity thus afforded.

He holds back while freezing his emotions, carefully rereading the contract, then speaks in soft, somewhat constrained tennor,

"O Cardinal, long have I strove to be worthy of an audience with your eminence. To hear that the Great Lord should desire such direct service from me... (he pauses to reassert control of himself, attempting as he does so to "flex" his evil aura)... is sweetest music to my ears. So use me. Let me be your foremost instrument. Let me bring trembling and fear to the lesser minds who fail to recognize the truth of the Great Lord. I will gladly sign".

Having done so I will go stand next to the wall to the Cardinal's left.

[lostsole31]

He lets the Scathe keep one copy of the contract. The other, he takes.

“Well done. Your first command: prepare yourself. Stay within the manor. You are still hunted by the Talirean soldiery. In three days we begin your training.”

[lostsole31]

The Respite

The escapees/ rescued have now been fed, fully rested, bathed, and clothed in garments more befitting nobility than prisoners on the lam. For several days (three, in the case of the last rescued, Scathe) they live a life of luxury and ease in the manor house. Tiadora offers them each one of the slaves as a ‘companion’. Advances towards Tiadora herself are simply met with a laugh.

There is a small laboratory here that Kel uses to restock her supply of interesting gear. During this time, the PCs all dwell on what they have dealth with of late (which levels them up into their current state). During this time, Tiadora moves quietly about the manor house observing the proceedings.

During this period of a 3-7 days, each of you then receive with some basic equipment. A slave approaches each PC and meekly asks what equpiment they require. Each slave then takes the requests to Tiadora who spends the money - a fantastic sum, actually, allotted for each PC. By the end of that period up to a week, all PCs have the gear listed on their sheet.

In addition, any other basic equipment necessary is likewise found and a spellbook and formulae book are retrieved for Ved and Kel, respectively, who spend their time furiously copying in several scrolls and the like (as found and retrieved by Tiadora). [This brings you up to your current + extra paid-for spells and extracts.]

During this time, Cardinal Thorn is nowhere to be seen.

One final object is given to each recruit ... a silver medallion and an iron circlet. The silver medallion is an unholy symbol of Asmodeus (worth 25 gp if you could find a buyer). The iron circlet is magical.Iron Circlet
Aura faint illusion; CL 1st
Slot head; Price 1,800 gp; Weight –
DESCRIPTION
This circlet of wrought iron alters itself to comfortably fit any wearer (that has a head). It allows the wearer to alter their appearance as with a disguise self spell. As part of the disguise, the circlet can be changed to appear as any sort of hat, headgear, or hairstyle the wearer desires.
It is likely that the PCs, while enjoying the comforts of posh living, have some questions. These are the most common questions that might be asked and their answers ...
Question: “Can we leave?”
Answer: “The master commands you remain. There are yet patrols searching for you. Soon your training will begin.”

Question: “Are we prisoners?”
Answer: “Yes, you are prisoners of fate as are we all.”

Question: “Do you worship Asmodeus?”
Answer: “All praise and honor are due our Infernal Father.”

Question: “What are you?”
Answer: “Why, I am a devil and I’ve come to do a devil’s work.”

Question: “Who are the slaves?”
Answer: “Weak willed fools who thought themselves worthy of the master. They were wrong of course, but still they have their uses.”

Question: “Where is Cardinal Thorn?”
Answer: “In his sanctuary.”

Question: “Can I speak with him?”
Answer: “Soon enough the master will grant you audience.”

Question: “Who is Cardinal Thorn?”
Answer: “Your master and mine. Anything more is for our master to say.”

During your respite, the PCs will learn that they are not alone in the large manor house. Besides the slaves and Tiadora - there are a few others about. In another wing, there are four more individuals. They also possess iron circlets and holy symbols.



Elise Zadaria (f human witch), leader of a group calling themselves "The White Ravens"
Dostan Alfson (m half-elf barbarian)
Tallus "Rack" Rackburn (m human ranger)
Titus "Trik" Rackburn (m human cleric)

[Blackhawk101]

During this period Leonidas will request from a slave the materials he needs to perform the familiar bonding ceremony with his pet turtle Snappy.

[lostsole31]

After about two week's time ... with Kel and Ved having fully gotten their formulae and extract books up to date, Leonidas having gotten Snappy, and everyone having gotten their shopping list of goods, six of you are summoned, for the first time all at once, by Cardinal Thorn.

Ved Taruush ... Leonidas Brackenship .... Kel Sal Koth .... "Baroness" Saiden Radec .... Scathaniel "Scathe" Sacrelos ... and Imogen Wynne (with her conspicuously large raven).

“Have you enjoyed your gifts? The iron circlets allow you to move amongst your enemies as one of them. The silver amulets will remind you of your true loyalties. And the other items – well, you need them now.

“You have done well to escape from Branderscar and the prison transports and to accept my offer. However, you are still not ready for my service. Tiadora will lead you to the basement of this domicile. There you will find nine chambers each more dangerous than the last. Somewhere hidden within these chambers is a pendant of silver and sapphire. Recover the pendant and bring it to me. Let nothing and no one stand in your way.”

He stands up and looks out of the manor house window across the grey moor. “It’s almost dusk. You have until dusk tomorrow to bring me my prize. Do not fail me.”

Cardinal Thorn takes a seat at his desk. Tiadora arrives right on cue. “This way,” is all she says.

Will you or no, Tiadora ushers you out of his private study, but if you have any questions for her, you may ask.

I do need to know .... of what is on your character sheets ... what are you not taking with you? Obviously, you do not have any mounts. It doesn't sound like you need "camping gear," but then again, you don't know what you will need.

[Endrak]

Imogen cracks her neck and double checks her gear. Normally, she wouldn't enter into this sort of situation without casing the place first. Perhaps she'd been too caught up in acting like a rich layabout to explore, although thinking about what kinds of secrets a hidden cult of Asmodeus would keep in their mysterious estate brings to mind risks and threats she can't reliably prepare for. She decides it's too late to consider this anyway.

When entering an unknown situation, it's important to have rope. Any thief worth a pike -- both in real life and in stories -- had a rope strapped around them. In the words of a nameless mentor from her early days, you don't pikin' know what you're gonna need it for. You just always need it.

She might be able to leave the crossbow, but decides against it. She does, however, remove it from inside her backpack and secure it to the outside where it will be easier to reach. Her money stays where it is, on the unlikely but not impossible chance someone would try to steal it if she left it behind, even hidden. Her two potions likewise stay in place.

Finally, she pats herself down and nods. The daggers are still there.

"Hey Tia," Imogen pipes up. "How often do these nine-chambers-each-more-dangerous-than-the-last get used?"

[lostsole31]

"Your use of past tense might possibly be implicative of the test having been passed before," she answers Imogen. "Attempted ... maybe."

[Endrak]

Imogen cups her chin, thinking. After a moment, she taps her finger against the corner of her mouth and grins, dropping her arm back to her side.

"In that case, I'll give you two-to-one odds on our success, with a buy-in of a hundred 'n fifty gold. I know you're tempted. You don't get a blank face like that unless you're an incorrigible gambler, eh?"

[lostsole31]

Tiadora doesn't look impressed. Her less-than-impressed enough is to cause Imogen to be shaken (for 2 rounds, actually).

[Ahus]

Entering the room Ved eyes Tiadora. "As you command, Shepherd, but, a moment to prepare? " The unarmed Ved says, before turning on his heals and striding out of the room.
He returns a moment later with his bow in hand and quiver on his back.

Ved, will not be taking his 2 dust containers, nor the wand that seems will be useless in the basement. I also note that I neglected to purchase a backpack in which to store all of the rest of my stuff, so...I've rectified that.

Reason to be sent via discord pm. [roll0]

"Perhaps another time I'll take you up on a bet, however Ivery much prefer to gamble at cards." Ved says to Imogen, overhearing the discussion with Tiadora.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas will leave his haversack but move the Ioun torch to his belt pouch and bring his water skin. He dons his weapons and Snappy is now a stylized turtle tattoo on his left bicep.

[Ahus]

"Leonidas, that is new since we Branderscar. Ved says tapping his own bicep. He continues I got another as well.
Hopefully this won't be as easily taken from me as my last." Holding his left palm up revealing a tattoo the Red metallic ink of which blending with his blue skintone to form a iridescent shifting deep purple Archstar.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas grins. “You do you, brother!”

[lostsole31]

Kel takes a direct approach with questioning, asking Tiadora, "What is down there?"

Tiadora simply answers, "The master has already told you all you need to know."

"No, really. What's down there?"

"Monsters. Death. Worse."

[FreeSol]

Scathe's fine tenor cuts cleanly through the moment following his companions' worried remarks:

"What awaits us matters little. We were chosen, and none of us here is so meager, so small as to fail to return from a mere test - don't you think so, Duchess?"

His fine pale features stand out sharply from the black and charcoal cowl and armor which otherwise covers him completely, heels clicking smartly against the marble floor as he follow behind all.

[lostsole31]

Kel ignores the blonde uber-munch, as she thinks about what to bring. "Should we be ready for a fight?"

Tiadora answers, "You are servants of Asmodeus in Talingarde. You should always be ready for battle."

[Endrak]

Imogen seems a little off ever since Tiadora turned down her wager, but she joins the conversation anyway. "Personally," Imogen mutters, running her fingers through her hair, "I'd be more worried about acid pits, bear traps, poison darts, false walls and ceilings, and getting my soul ripped out than battle. I've thought you lot must be at least as capable as me on that front."

[lostsole31]

Imogen, making sense, makes Kel nod to her as she thinks of something else - the end goal. "So, this pendant. What does it look like?"

Tiadora gives a non-answer with "You will know it when you see it."

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas buckles on a small shield rimmed in dull grey metal to his left forearm. Once finished he chants a arcane incantation and a blue field of translucent force surrounds his form briefly before disappearing.
“Lead the way beautiful.”
he says to Tiadora with a roguish grin.

cast mage armor

[Ahus]

Ved, looks to Tiadora, "Yes, yes, very helpful. I suppose that is part of the test.
Ved then watches Leonidas fall in behind Tiadora and awkwardly does the same.

[BananaPhone]

https://pasteall.org/media/f/1/f113c009c5735c620d92c6b6a34081bd.jpg The Baroness

Having said nothing so far, the Baroness was stationed in the centre of the group when they formed up in preparation of pushing into the maze. Her tall figure could easily see over the heads of her compatriots, as the statuesque Aasimar rolled her shoulders once against the straps of her backpack and withdrew the finely crafted blade that hung from her hip.

"Plans rarely survive their first encounter with an enemy," Saiden proclaimed, her eyes sweeping over the scene before them.

"In a place like that? Wit and adaptability will serve one best."


ooc:
Activating Scarlet Einhander for +2 AC. Saiden now has an AC of 19

[lostsole31]

Tiadora doesn't lead you down, she simply points the way, and with that the party heads down the set of stone stairs, through an archway and into an unfurnished chamber beyond. Inscribed upon the archway in the common tongue is:


"Deception is a tool. Self-deception is death. Deceive always thy enemy but never thyself."


The room beyond is lit by a small oil lantern hanging from the center of the chamber that is roughly 30' x 30'.

What do you do? What is the relative marching order?

[Ahus]

Ved notices the text above the archway.

Ahh, hold here a moment. This is a paraphrase of a paraphrase of a translation of an ancient text.

'Know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
Know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
Know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.'


Ved's hand touches the circlet on his head briefly. A moment later standing in his place is an muscular looking elf in blue leather armor with the crest of the Knights of the Alerion emblazon on the front. The tattoo on his left hand still exposed though with the change in his base skin tone the metallic red is more apparent.

Once the change is completed Ved will follow the others into the room staying near Kel.

[lostsole31]

Nobody has gone into the room yet.

Also, there is a door directly across the chamber on the eastern wall.

[FreeSol]

"Then let us get to know this enemy."

Scathe moves ahead, eyes peeled for traps as well as taking in the scene as he descends.

Approaching the door, Scathe opens all his senses to try to glean whatever information he can.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas is fine with working from the back of the group.
He strings his bow and knocks an arrow.

[lostsole31]

As soon as Scathe gets w/in 10' of the door, the floor suddenly yawns open underneath him as he gets a bout of brief bout of vertigo. Though Scathe failed to notice the trap, he luckily does manage to barely catch himself on the edge with his free hand (never drew a weapon, luckily) and his shield. Everybody watches him struggle just a little bit before pulling himself back up onto the main floor.

Now what?

[Endrak]

Imogen's upper lip curls into a slight smile at the irony of a trap being literally the first threat the group encounters. "Hold still a moment," she says to the rest of the group, holding up a hand to reinforce her words. "Scathe's taken a bit of a spill." She looks carefully around the room and instructs Kyr to fly forward and do the same. Although it's slightly unlikely that the first chamber has a second trap that close to the entrance, the thought of embarrassing herself like Scathe just did is a little mortifying.

[Perception rolls for Imogen and Kyr to find traps.]

[lostsole31]

Other than the one already tripped, Imogen+Kyr don't find any other traps. The pit trap in the floor is still yawning open, and it seems like there may be something glinting below, but Imogen can't quite make it out.

[BananaPhone]

https://pasteall.org/media/f/1/f113c009c5735c620d92c6b6a34081bd.jpg The Baroness


When that abyssal mouth gaped open and almost took Scathe into that black maw, Saiden instinctively snapped her hand forward to grab at the mans shoulder and draw him back. Thankfully, he managed on his own, and the Baroness' hand of halting turned into a reassuring pat on Scathe's shoulder.

"We will be laughing about it in a months time," she gave her companion a nod and a wink, knowing how self-conscious such a potentially lethal mistake could be - and she needed everyone to stay frosty.

Moving up to the lip of the pit, Saiden peers down its length and to its bottom, her keen eyes and ability to see in the dark of great help...

[lostsole31]

She sees, as does Scathe, that the pit is fully 20' deep and lined with spikes. She also sees what seems to be a plaque or something on the east wall, but in the pit ... 20' below the door that you really can't get to now. But from this angle, neither she nor Scathe can see what's on that plaque.

[Ahus]

Not wanting to be the last one left in the hall any more than he wanted to be the first one into the room, Ved will follow the Baroness.

Ved hugs the wall moving North from the entryway. He moves deliberately but cautiously inspecting the floor and wall for secret doors, additional pits, signs of other creatures passing through etc. The whole time muttering to himself in various languages Deception, Deceive
Blekking Illusion, Deceit
Dhokhe cheat, fraud spoof
Decipio Mislead, ensnare
Qīpiàn fool, trick


Perception (+10) to search for traps (not that I have trapfinding but it can't hurt right) and secret doors.
Survival (Track) (+12) to see if I can find any sign of activity not related to us.

[lostsole31]

Basically searching the top 180-degrees of the chamber, Ved doesn't find anything before he gets to the open pit.

Even Kel moves into the room a little bit .... leaving Leonidas way back. "See anything down there?" she asks.

What now?

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas will follow the others into the room.

[lostsole31]

Kel moves up to the edge with the others. She says, "I see something down there."

She looks at what is effectively a brick wall. "Difficult climb. Someone have rope that wants to tie me off? I'll go down."

[BananaPhone]

Silently, Saiden withdrew her backpack from her shoulders and stuck her hand inside. After rummaging about for something, she withdrew her fist that was now clenched around a length of hemp rope.

Curling it around her strong hand, she held the other end out for Kel to take, as the Baroness braced herself to help safely lower the smaller woman into the pit.

[lostsole31]

Kel doesn't even really tie herself off, and makes sure the rest of the rope goes down. She then moves down the length of the rope - all 20' of it - in a single round. It is like watching a monkey climb down a rope! She doesn't even really contact the wall much at that point ... just using the rope to climb down.

For those that can see into the pit (darkvision or light source, as the lantern light is too weak then), she easily steps around the spikes and goes up to the plaque, calling out, "Thou wert deceived. Pain is thy reward."

Shen then zooms up the length of the rope to get back to the top. "So, if we were 'deceived,' I am thinking that's a false door and we have to find some other way out of this room."

[Ahus]

"I don't know that I would say we were deceived. There are two parts to that quote. We know our enemy well enough to expect that they had laid traps. We know ourselves well enough that we allowed Scathe to enter, being one of the more likely to be able to recover from such a trap without injury." Ved says to Kel, whilst pulling his pipe out and packing a small pinch of tobacco into it.

Holding his pipe in one hand Ved makes a series of arcane gestures and rote incantations. His eyes flash purple for a moment then fade to their normal, if disguised, state. With another wave and quick incantation his pipe begins to smoke in his hand.


Cast detect magic and continue looking around. Use Prestidigitation to light pipe. Hoping that the smoke from the pipe may accentuate any draft coming through any secret doors.

[Blackhawk101]

“Ha! This will be fun!” snorts Leonidas. He begins his search of the room for other hidden exits.

[Endrak]

Imogen sends Kyr to search along the ceiling while she begins to move along the wall. After a moment, she rubs her eyes.

"Wait a minute. What if this whole room is the deception? Tia didn't tell us this was the first chamber, we just assumed it was 'cause the lantern was already lit. Why was the lantern already lit?" She walks back through the archway and begins searching the area of the stairs more closely.

"Maybe there's something over here?"

[More Perception checks for Imogen and Kyr, for the stairway and the ceiling of the chamber, respectively.]

[lostsole31]

With a quick pass (not T10 or T20), the group doesn't find any other secret doors, hidden items, or anything in the room or stairs.

[Blackhawk101]

“Kel, can you climb the walls and reach the door to open it? If we can secure the rope to the other side, I reck’in that we can swing over to the door from the side and climb and be pulled up like a fine catch o’fish!”

[lostsole31]

Kel says, "Yeah, no."

[Endrak]

Imogen scratches her head and starts to pace back and forth in front of the archway.

"Okay, let's put it all on the table. We've got some cryptic messages about deception. Maybe the door is the deception, and it's not the way forward. Maybe the simplicity of the room is the deception, trying to get someone to walk out and trigger the pit like Scathe did. I'm going to throw my hat in for option two. If I was designing a series of elaborate magic chambers to challenge my minions, I'd probably start with a "gotcha" moment to take the stupid and unlucky ones out of the running with the least effort.

She walks toward the pit and looks her comrades in the eyes, stretching her shoulders as she moves.

"Either way, I don't really want to stand here trying to figure out something that may not be a riddle in the first place, so unless anybody has something they want to try in the next minute or two, I say we go for the door."

[Blackhawk101]

“Mayhap the pit trap is part of the deception?”
The pirate tosses a gold coin into the pit with a visible expression of regret on his face.

tosses a coin (to your Witcher) into the pit to try and determine if the spikes and bottom of the pit are real or illusion based on sound and the movement of the coin.

[Ahus]

"I don't really think it is a riddle so much as a lesson that we should take away from this room."
Ved tells Imogen quite matter of factly.
Then pacing Ved begins speaking to no one in particular whilst looking down at his feet.
"Now this lamp has a magical aura about it, however, only the lamp and a handful of the items that we each possess carry such an aura. I presume that the lamp's aura corresponds to it being a flame giving light without heat.
The absence of magical auras on the walls, ceiling and floor makes it unlikely that an exit is being concealed by illusionary magic.
We could try the door but if it is suppose to be about deception why would they put a door where there is a door, unless the deception is a deception and the door is actually a door but we are meant to think its not a door.
<Ved spins for a bit through several levels of indirection regarding what the Cardinal would think they would think the Cardinal would think about the realness of the door.>


Ved abruptly stops pacing and mumbling at the same time and says in a clear and determined voice."Well there is no further value to be had down that like of logic. The door is either the way out or it is not.

I recommend that everyone ready themselves in the event that opening the door triggers additional traps, and/or allows a creature to enter.

Finishing that Ved begins to make some arcane gestures and intonations.

Pacing 10' South of center Directly east to west, stopping and turning 10' from each wall.

Cast Mage Hand to try the doorknob.

[lostsole31]

Ved casts mage hand. He manages to turn the knob, and as soon as the door clicks open, it slowly swings to reveal a brick wall on the other side.

[Ahus]

"Well, that was anti-climactic. Ved says moving next to Leonidas and looking with him into the hole.

Ved's Mage Hand will retrieve Lonidas' gold coin for the bottom of the pit.

[lostsole31]

So, is the group going to stroll around in here randomly, or attempt to work as a group to systematically do a thing?

[BananaPhone]

Saiden attunes herself to the ley ways of the arcane as she gives the room a once over gaze, her eyes moving from one side to the next as if she were a sentry on patrol.

Unless she spots something, she speaks out loud to no one in particular.

"It was mentioned that there were other entrances?"

ooc:
Activating Detect Magic as Saiden checks out the room.
Perception: [roll0]

[Blackhawk101]

“There must be a hidden entrance. Let us start peerin’ at one corner and work our way ‘round the room in pairs (each wit’ a helper) and see what we find. Ifen that fails, we might try examining the plaques.”
Not being much good at finding things, Leonidas will assist if needed.

[lostsole31]

Leonidas' recommendation seems solid enough, and the party works together. As you do (here and later), you will find that the most aware member of your party is Scathe, followed closely by Ved and Kel.

By taking your time, the party finds a secret door hiding a niche in the north wall. Inside that niche is a small pedestal that holds a jewel that glows with a pale blue light. It is cold to the touch. There is another inscription:


"Though hast seen through deception to discover a useful tool."


Though it seems like it should radiate magic, to Saiden's eyes it does not. Looking at it, it is Imogen who realizes that it is not really a 'jewel' but a cleverly crafted bit of sealed quartz. Then, it is Kel that figures out that the crystal is cold because it holds a substance inside called "liquid ice" ... the cold version of alchemist's fire.

What now? Since she nows what it is, does anyone have a problem with Kel holding onto the liquid ice for now? You only checked the northwest and part of the northern wall.

[Endrak]

Imogen shrugs and starts working her way slowly down the southern wall with Kyr's help. "Yeah, Kel, why don't you hold onto that? We'll see if we find any other fun toys."

Take 20 on Perception for both Imogen and the birb.

[Ahus]

Ved nods in agreement that Kel should hold on to the crystal before moving to the middle of the room. Holding his arms out he aligns himself with the middle of the stairs and the false door, then briskly rotates 90 degrees to align North/South with the hidden stone door. Choosing a point on the south wall in line with this arms, he moves to the center of the south wall. As he approaches the wall he will intone a spell in the dark language of their master.
"Lord Asmodeus Guide my vision such that we may find the path to complete our service."

With a puff of his pipe he blows, a smoke ring at the wall, watching as the smoke moves between the stones looking for the gap that would indicate the presence of a door.

Cast guidance
Move to center of the south wall
Look for a secret door. (Perception +11)

[BananaPhone]

Saiden moved back into the room with the others and then stood and watched as Ved performed his magical trickery. Or rather, his method of uncovering deceptions, arcane or not.

It was moments like these that the Knight wished she had more of an interest in enigma's while growing up, as she felt particularly out of her element pondering a crypt for clues and hidden messages. Though she did not like to admit it, she was relying on her compatriots to an uncomfortable degree.

Well, no matter. She knew that in other area's of their cooperation, it would be she who would be baring the brunt of the responsibility.

[lostsole31]

Working together in various ways, the group finds what appears to be another secret door to the south. What do you do at this portal, as I do NOT assumed for you to have simply opened it up?

[Endrak]

Imogen glances at the rest of the party and--seeing them in various states of caution and anticipation, but with no obvious objections to her unvoiced decision--simply shrugs her shoulders and opens the door.

[lostsole31]

Imogen opens the door to a dark hallway that is 10' wide and goes 20' to the south before ending at a door.

Now what?

[Ahus]

Ved turns away from the darkend passage, and moves to the lantern in the center of the room to take a closer look at it.

Ved spends a few seconds removing any fixtures that hold the lanternin place.
Ved draws an arro from his quiver, and with a brief Gesture and incantation the arrowhead illuminates. Waving the arrow back and forth quickly he seems satisfied and holds it out like a torch.

Ved takes his light source to the edge of the doorway and shines it down the hall. Looking for another cryptic message. He waves his free hand at the more martially inclined indicating that he would appreciate their leading the way.

[lostsole31]

The lit lantern is hardmounted in some fashion to the ceiling.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden moves to get behind Imogen, assuming a position where she can cover the woman in case something inhospitable is lurking behind the door.

[lostsole31]

The spot behing Imogen is taken up by her raven, but Saiden is next to Kyr (the raven)

[Endrak]

"Let's keep an eye out," Imogen says to Scathe as she pats him on the shoulder and points to his side of the corridor. She stalks forward, searching for traps or suspicious sections of wall or floor on her side, and sends instructions to Kyr to search the ceiling.

Take 10 on Perception for Imogen and Kyr.

[lostsole31]

Scathe, Imogen, and Kyr do their search down the hallway, with the group following. They find nothing of interest in the hallway.

Now at a door. Imogen and Scathe are in front (Kyr flying above). Now what?

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas retrieves his ioun torch and sets it alight. He will follow the group as before.

[Ahus]

Ved holds his illuminated arrow nocked, but not drawn, aloft over the others as he follows them down the hall a half step ahead of Leonidas.

In your minds, you receive a "non-verbal message" telling you to check the threshold of the door for a message like the one found outside of the first room.

Bonded Mind + Solo Tactics works like the Message Spell but shares "non-verbal messages" as though the recipient is reading the sender's mind. Unless one of them actually has bonded mind they cannot initiate but given Solo Tactics should be able to receive,
TBD whether or not they can reply.

[lostsole31]

They may or may not have received such a message [TBD], but either way, they don't have to look hard at all as the short passage from the north ends in a wooden door with another inscription:


“Following the herd is for fools. Fear not their icy derision. Instead, fear only thy Infernal Lord.”

[BananaPhone]

Saiden followed in behind Imogen and Scathe, her tall figure armed and ready to leap into action should any mobile physical danger emerge to threaten them. Fortunately, such was not yet the case.

Reading the plaque, the Aasimir pursed her lips and snorted lightly in amusement.

"Be an individual and don't give into peer pressure..." she uttered under her breath. A quick glance around at their assorted number would suggest they had all followed such advice so far...otherwise, they would not be here.

[Endrak]

"Well said," Imogen mutters back. "I don't like all this fancy talk. Thee and thy and thou, poppycock. Forsooth, to protract the most simplistic turn of phrase for no goodly reason but to exhibit vast intellect instead exhibits one's lack thereof. Oh pike, listen to me go. It's contagious."

She stands up from her crouch and stretches her arms and back, shivering with a combination of pleasure and pain as she works out a kink in her spine with an audible crack.

"Ouch. Anyway, Ved, you want to do that ghost hand thing to open this door from a distance? The other one only had a wall behind it, but for all we know this one's sporting its very own portal to Hell."

[Ahus]

"Indubitably" Ved says is a slightly mocking tone whilst curtsying, whilst secretly appreciating the formality of the verbiage.
"Prepare, thine selves for the opening of the door is at... Hand." with that Ved once again conjures his spectral hand and open's the door.

Make bad pun
Chuckle to self momentarily while anyone takes any preparation action they need
Cast Mage Hand
Open door from third rank

[lostsole31]

The door does not open, not even the doorknob.The reason that this otherwise never-works tactic actually worked on the first door, is that it was a light, loose, cheap knob that wasn't made for any real stoutness like a knob of a normal door. Once the catch was released internally, the door just creaked open of its own accord. Please note that while now was a great "control group," a doorknob is a component of an object, not an object to itself, and the object you manipulate can be no more than 5 pounds.

[Ahus]

Elf Ved blushes slightly saying, "Um, the door seems to be stuck, or at least requires more force than I can muster with this spell."

In that case, is there anything preventing me from manipulating a glove or hook of some sort to open the door?

[Endrak]

Imogen sighs and raises her hands in surrender. "It was worth a shot. I can try to open it myself, but maybe you should step outside first. That inscription makes me think the more closely clustered we are, the more whatever this is will hurt."

[Blackhawk101]

“Aye. Spread out ya’ scurvy dogs!”
Leo moves back out of the short hallway.

[lostsole31]

What does everyone else do?

[Ahus]

Ved, already near the back of the group, edges off to the side of the hallway and levels his bow preparing to launch his illuminated arrow at whatever creature lies in wait. "OK, Imogen, I'll cover you but try to give me a clear line of fire through the door as you open it."

[BananaPhone]

Said takes several paces back - enough to separate herself from the others and to help them be apart from her. She then grips her weapon and readies herself should anything come ploughing through the door once it has been unlocked.

[lostsole31]

Scathe, what do you do?

[Endrak]

Imogen makes sure everyone has stepped away from the door before she begins. Stepping to the side, she reaches an arm out and turns the knob. If it opens, she will open it slowly.

[lostsole31]

Imogen opens the door, and Scathe steps right in.

Inside the stone chamber, there are four doors - each facing a cardinal direction (you are at the door to the north). The entire chamber seems strangely cold. The ground is dirty and dusty. He calls out, "At least a dozen individuals have walked toward the southern and eastern doors. No one seems to have approached the western door."

The room is also lit with a small lantern that is suspended from the ceiling, as before. There is a small amount of frost on the lantern's glass panes.

[Ahus]

Hearing no obvious signs of danger Ved lowers his bow and walks into to room. Ved observes the trails of footprints headded south and east stating, "Well, I expected these hints to be less painfully obvious. Expect those two doors to be leathally trapped. Now, Icy derision, frosted lantern? It has got to be this way out."
Ved will then move in the direction of the western door and look for anything unusual.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas will enter the room and observe from the center.

[Endrak]

Imogen lets out a breath and enters the room, beckoning Kyr after her. "Okay, so... don't follow the herd and fear not icy derision. Maybe we should try the door that doesn't have footprints leading to it?"

[lostsole31]

Ved says to Saiden, "C'mon, it's clear."

She then heads into the room, along with Scathe.

The western door is covered in a strange, pulsating violet mold. Imogen and Ved, the two most savvy regarding this field (so it turns out), can't seem to figure out what they're looking at (and neither can anyone else). Nobody gets too close to it, though.

Meanwhile, Scathe says, "Confirmed. Definitely a trap behind the eastern door." He will then check the south, and determine that yes, there must definitely be a trap there was well.

Saiden, do you come into the room?

What does the rest of the party do/ say/ recommend?

[BananaPhone]

Saiden moves inside, her weapons till in hand and her eyes sweeping over the room suspiciously.

The pulsating, wall-mold was not particularly comforting, though the knight agreed with the sentiment that the Western door seemed the most apt. At least as far as alignment with the motto of this room and its warning, were concerned.

"I concur with Imogen," Saidens smooth, sonorous voice spoke.

"Particularly a herd being plural: no evidence of which went to the Western door," she pointed towards the portal with the tip of her weapon.

Having kept herself generally in the centre of the party arrangement, so that she could react to any physical danger in equal time, Saiden now moved slowly over towards the Western door in the wake of Scathe.

[Blackhawk101]

“Well we have the ice weapon we found in the other room. Mayhap, this purple rot can be kilt with some of our “icy derision”?”
Leo sets down his bow and levels his arm at a center of most mass of the purple fungi and points his index finger at it. A blue bolt of cold energy streaks from his hand to strike it.

move 5 ft to clear line of sight to door.
cast “Ray of Frost”
[roll0]
[roll1]

[lostsole31]

Saiden moves up (per her post), but it feels like the heat is being sucked out of her body even as Leonidas speaks. She takes 13 nonlethal (NL) and reels from the cold, but at the same time Leonidas' ray of frost impacts the violet mold and it seems to freeze dry the mold and instantly destroy it.

Saiden took some pain from that, but quick thinking or luck on Leonidas' part killed what was there.

Now what?

[BananaPhone]

Saiden grits her teeth and narrows her eyes as a blast of cold shivers through her armour and across her skin, seemingly from nowhere.

What the blasted hells was that?!

Glaring hatefully at the now-dead fungi upon the wall, the knight clicked her tongue and shook her head. Drawing her free hand up alongside her shoulders, she willed into being a spell that was cast across her own body and revoked a modicum of what ill tidings had befallen her.

ooc:
Cast Cure Light Wounds on myself: [roll0]

[Ahus]

"Are you Ok?" Ved asks Saiden. "It seems like that was some sort of heat absorbing fungus, and Leonidas' cold spell overloaded/starved it of heat. Scathe/Imogen, can you make sure the door is clear of further traps?

[BananaPhone]

Saiden nodded, a scowling on her face as she looks down at her own body inquisitively.

"Vile thing," the Aasimir dismissed the dead fungi.

[lostsole31]

Scathe and Imogen take a look, and the door does not appear to be trapped.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas picks up his bow.
“Let’s cast off, ya bilge rats!” he smiles affectionately.

[Endrak]

Imogen shivers in the cold a bit, but nods to Scathe and opens the door.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden readies herself once more as Imogen moves to open the door.

Hopefully there was not any heat-draining fungi behind this door...

[lostsole31]

When you open the door, a 10-foot-wide passageway is revealed that immediately heads south. What do you do?

[Ahus]

Ved, with his illuminated arrow nocked, falls in line behind Saiden making his way into the tunnel.

[Blackhawk101]

Leo follows Ved with bow in off hand and Ion torch in the other.

[lostsole31]

Leonidas, do you release and light your *ioun torch* into orbit? It doesn't act as a light-rock unless it is orbiting your melon.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas knew that, of course! “Light rock activate!”

[lostsole31]

Scathe and Saiden look for anything as they lead the party some 30' south before the hallway takes a 90-degree turn to the left/ east.

35' later, the hallway takes a 45-degree turn to the left/ northeast.

20' laster, the hallway then turns 45-degrees left again to the north, and there is 20' remaining of passageway.

On the right/east wall of the passage, there is a door. As expected, there is an inscription on this plain wooden doorway that reads:


"Know your enemy. Shatter all that blinds you and then burn thy adversary to ashes."

[Endrak]

Imogen sighs and speaks to Scathe and Saiden. "Do you two notice anything about this door? Do you think it's trapped, or is the inscription talking about something in the next room?"

[lostsole31]

He moves up to bring Imogen closer to the door. "I don't see anything untoward. As far as the inscription, I expect something will try to hamper our vision in some way, and that we should use fire if we can. Who has fire attacks?"

[Ahus]

"I agree with your interpretation of the message. I would also add that, given how literal these messages have been, I suspect that the things that will hamper our vision is likely to be crystalline and inanimate, however, given the plurality used there is likely to be more than one. While I am not so well equipped for fire damage, if you'll spare me a moment, I may be able to better contribute. " having said that Ved opens his spellbook and flips through the pages.

Spend 2 Arcane Pool points on Quick Study to replace Silent Image with Color Spray and Prestidigitation with Open/Close

"OK, Stand back from the Door, I've got it. Let me know when you're ready. " when it seems like there is a consensus on the ready Ved will cast Open on the door.

[BananaPhone]

"Perhaps mirrors," Saiden uttered, her eyes alert for any sign of danger.

The Knight within her was growing restless in this situation, as she was far from her forte. She belonged on the front lines, upon horse-back or fighting an enemy directly with blade or word. Not sauntering around a crypt in pursuit and adherence to apocryphal little riddles and their death-fungus enforcers.

[lostsole31]

Ved casts his spell, one far more suited to opening doors, and it clicks and swings open revealing a space beyond that is completely dark. The light from the party penetrates only a few feet in.

That said, Scathe and Saiden do see a bit in there, noting that there is a large chamber beyond.

What does the party do now?

[Endrak]

Imogen blows out air as she looks into the deep darkness beyond the doorway. "Well now... shall we?"

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas huffs loudly.
“If’n ya cowards are scared to face the darkness, I be the man for the job.”
He slings his bow across his back, dons his buckler and draws his long curved blade. He advances into the room.

[BananaPhone]

With her beautiful and lethal weapon grasped in one hand, Saiden moves forward and just behind Leonidus. She trusted her good vision and ability to see in the dark to somewhat guide her against the doubltessly "cute" little traps that would await them in this new chamber.

[Ahus]

Unable to make out much in the room beyond what meager light shod from his arrow tip, Ved stays in the hallway as the two warriors enter. Ved draws a second arrow from its quiver in preparation for a quick second shot should any motion other than that of Leonidas and Saiden prompt him to fire a quick volley. As the two enter Ved partially draws his bow, his arrow point follows the orbit of Leonidas' Ioun Lantern and his fingers slide gradually up the string matching the gradually changing range to his associates.

Wait close to the left wall a bit back from the doorway.
Ready action to shoot anything that moves, and is not a party member.

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

S16: Scathe starts to look at nothing in particular (the looks one has when in thought or using other senses), and then barks, "Something is in there!" before rushing in while drawing his bastard sword.

S13: Saiden, you also sensed ... something ... around the corner to the left of Leonidas. What do you do? This is a surprise round, so MA or SA, not both or FRA/FAA/1RA.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden furrows her brow as she detects the presence of something just out of vision around the corner.

Reaching out and putting her spare hand on Leonidus' shoulder to halt the mans advance, Saiden then reaches into her backpack and withdraws a steel mirror.

Using her long arm, she reaches it forward so that she can see around the corner to what may be laying there.

______________________________

Move action: Withdraw mirror and hold it out to spy around the corner.

Swift Action: Activate Scarlet Einhander for +2 AC and +1d6 damage.

[lostsole31]

S13: Saiden furrows her brow as she detects the presence of something just out of vision around the corner. Reaching out and putting her spare hand on Leonidus' shoulder to halt the man's advance, Saiden then reaches into her backpack and withdraws a steel mirror.

S12: Something roiling to Leonidas' left (north) touches his left lower arm. Leonidas is struck with pain, even if he is not physically "struck." From the wound, he feels his blood pulled out of his arm (2 CON), and his arm begins to bleed profusely (1d6 bleed).

S10: Ved, you did sense something and you may react, but as with any surprise round, a MA or SA, not both or FRA/FAA. What do you do?

[Ahus]

Ved, without moving into the room, prays to Asmodeus to grant him his senses within the room. As he does his eyes roll back in his head and his hands move about as if trying to feel around for something.

Casting Sift on the approximate center of the room. Perception (+10 - 5 = +5) Sight and touch 10' cube.

[lostsole31]

S10: Ved, without moving into the room, prays to Asmodeus to grant him his senses within the room. As he does his eyes roll back in his head and his hands move about as if trying to feel around for something.There is a podium in the center of the room.

S7: Sensing danger and that Imogen wasn't quite aware, Kyr hops in front of his mother, looks north, and caws."WTF is that?!"
End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ...

R1T21: Kel rushes in and makes a front snap kick with her left foot to impact that which is there to do 5 mod NL. "Some kinda' floaty dark cloud-thing! Leonidas is bleeding!"

R1T20: Leonidas, you are no longer flat-footed, and you suffer 2 bleed. What do you do?

Scathe on deck, Saiden in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas will retreat from his attacker, clutching his bleeding arm and moving back into the corridor.
“Some kinda ghosty just wrecked my arm! Anybody good with bandages?”

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Leonidas will retreat from his attacker, clutching his bleeding arm and moving back into the corridor. “Some kinda ghosty just wrecked my arm! Anybody good with bandages?”

R1T16: "It's no ghost, you fool!" shouts Scathe after the fleeing pirate. "Vampiric mist, and it is quite corporeal, I assure you. But it is a sapient mist that siphons your blood and gets faster and hardier in doing so! Need magic, and it has no 'sweet spots' to hit. Fire's good, though."

Scathe steps into the far northern corner and hits it for 1 mod, as there is a little bit of blood spatter on the ground now. "Not that brute force doesn't hurt."

R1T13: Saiden, what do you do?

Mist on deck, Ved in the hole ...

[BananaPhone]

Saiden's eyes narrowed as the corporeal mist of the vampiric cloud drifted into reach.

Narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth, Saiden brought her weapon about in a glittering arc as she struck at the creature...

ooc:
(Assuming we do this for ourselves: if we don't, discard this) Initiative (War Sight): [roll0], [roll1] - Will take the 14 (If applicable)

Stance: Scarlet Einhander
AC: 19 (11 Touch, 18 Flat-footed)

Action: Using Iron Wake to Attack the Vampire Mist
--> Attack: [roll2]
-----> Damage: [roll3] + [roll4] + 3 = 16 damage.

Move Action: Sheath her weapon.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas makes a rude gesture at Scathe with his good hand and suggests that his birth was not legitimate.

[lostsole31]

R1T13: Ignoring the bleeding man, Saiden's eyes narrowed as she steps into the room and espies the corporeal mist of the vampiric cloud drifting there, now within her reach. Narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth, Saiden brought her weapon about in a glittering arc as she struck at the creature (11 mod) and puts her weapon back in its sheath.

Leonidas makes a rude gesture with his good hand in the direction of Scathe's voice, suggesting that his birth was not legitimate.

R1T12: The vampire mist lashes out to hit Saiden in her left shoulder, siphoning 2 CON worth of blood (and doing bleed) before moving back against the north wall by Scathe. It also gained 8 healing from the siphon. Though healing some from that, the damage Saiden and Scathe means it no longer enjoys the speed of blood overload.

R1T10: Ved, well, one healer ran away from stopping a party member's bleeding. How about you? Do you ignore Leonidas? What do you do?

[Ahus]

Ved calls out to noone in particular "There is a podium of some kind in the center of the room, my guess is that we need to smash it or something on it, to 'Shatter all that Blinds'"

He then turns to Leonidas "Let me see that arm.

Cast CLW for [roll0]

[lostsole31]

R1T10: Ved calls out to noone in particular "There is a podium of some kind in the center of the room, my guess is that we need to smash it or something on it, to 'Shatter all that Blinds.'"

He then turns to Leonidas "Let me see that arm." He casts a spell on Leonidas that stops and heals the wound where the bleeding was, but sadly does nothing for Leonidas' blood loss.

R1T7: Imogen, FINALLY, you are no longer flat-footed as a flurry of things have happened all around you in a few seconds. What do you do? Do you ask Kyr to do anything?

Kel on deck, Leonidas in the hole ...

[Endrak]

"I've got it!" Imogen slips into an almost dance-like combat stance, weaving through the doorway and attempting not to be hit by the unseen enemies as she moves toward the podium Ved mentioned. As she does, she sends a mental command to Kyr to swing around to the north and rake any enemy he sees with his claws as he goes.

Imogen enters Leaping Spirit Dance and moves to the space south east of Kel. Kyr to perform Fly-By Attack if practical.

[lostsole31]

R1T7: "I've got it!" Imogen slips into an almost dance-like combat stance, weaving through the doorway and attempting not to be hit by the unseen enemies as she moves toward the podium Ved mentioned. As she does, she sends a mental command to Kyr to swing around to the north and rake any enemy he sees with his claws as he goes. Meanwhile, she gets to the podium. She sees something small and particularly black against the muted colors of the podium. What does she do with her remaining action?

[Endrak]

Making a split second judgement, Imogen rams one of her daggers into the darker section of the podium. She sends a silent prayer to Asmodeus that the podium is what breaks and not the dagger.

[lostsole31]

Making a split second judgement, Imogen rams one of her daggers into the darker section of the podium. She sends a silent prayer to Asmodeus that the podium is what breaks and not the dagger. With her own lack of light source, her eyes are getting buggy trying to focus on the darkness, but she stabs and it sounds like a hard glass cracking, but not breaking.

Meanwhile Kyr flies but doesn't go for altitude as it flanks with Scathe and attacks and seems to have pecked successfully, but doesn't seem to have done anything as it then circles back to where it was before.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T21: Kel takes out a spiked chain as she steps up to the podium and brings it down hard, this time shattering what later will be revealed to have been a piece of obsidian - volcanic glass. As soon as she does this, the darkness goes away.

R2T20: Leonidas, what do you do? The magical darkness in the other room goes away.

Scathe on deck, Saiden in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas smiles and pats Ved on the shoulder in appreciation before dashing back into the fray. If space allows he will cast a spell or attack the creature.

move into the room. Try to position Leo for casting burning hands spell. I know it does cold damage but WTF. If he cannot position himself for the spell without including his allies, Leonidas will attack the creature with his Falcata with a risky strike.
[roll0]
[roll1]
Prepare to use his panache deed :Dodging Panache, should he be attacked.

[lostsole31]

R2T20: Leonidas smiles and pats Ved on the shoulder in appreciation before dashing back into the fray, getting right up to the creepy floating mass and striking it as hard as he can with his falcata for 4 mod.

R2T16: Scathe smiles, dropping his bastard sword to the ground in a clatter. He thrusts his hand into the cloudy mass, as dark energies roll out of him into it to corrupt it for 3 NE (negative energy).

R2T13: Saiden, you take 2 bleed. What do you do?

Vampiric mist on deck, Ved in the hole ...

[BananaPhone]

Saiden gritted her teeth against the amorphous leech that drew from her a bodily humor that ran most strong in her ancestry - blood.

"Wretched fiend!" the Aasimir hissed under her breath as she withdrew her blade from its sheath and struck at the creature once more.


ooc:

Stance: Scarlet Einhander
AC: 19 (11 Touch, 18 Flat-footed)

Swift Action: Using Mithral Current Style to Feint the Vampire Mist as a Swift Action.
--> Feint: [roll0] vs 10 + BAB + Wis Mod (-4 penalty for performing feint against non-humanoid already factored).

Standard Action: Attack: [roll1]
---> Damage: [roll2] + [roll3] + 4 = 12

I couldn't find where her randomly determined maneuvers where, so I don't know if she has Flowing Wake or not. If she does, she'll use it if the Vampire Mist attacks. If she doesn't, then discard this.

Counter: Flowing Wake: [roll4] vs Target To Hit roll.

Move Action: Sheath weapon.

[lostsole31]

R2T13: Saiden gritted her teeth against the amorphous leech that drew from her a bodily humor that ran most strong in her ancestry - blood.

"Wretched fiend!" the aasimar hissed under her breath as she stepped forward, withdrew her blade from its sheath, and struck at the creature once more, hitting it for no damage before sheathing her blade again.

R2T12: Deprived of its beautiful darkness, the vampiric mist recoils in unknown emotions/ thought processes to move forward and siphon blood out of Kel's rump (she was facing the podium) for 1 CON (and 1d6 bleed).

R2T10: Ved, what do you do? You actually partly see the vampiric mist now.

Imogen/ Kyr on deck, Kel in the hole ...

[Ahus]

"There is no way that I can keep up with this thing just healing everyone. We need to put it down, quickly then I'll do what I can to patch everyone back together." Ved says, moving into the room to where he can get a clear line of sight/fire to the Mist. He then drops the illuminated arrow at his feet and nocks another standard arrow. As Ved draws back his bow it is engulfed in an unholy divine light which pulses into the arrow as he fires.

Move : 15ish feet from mist with clear line of sight.
Swift : envoke Judgment (Smite) - Weapons are Magical
Attack : [roll0] Damage :[roll1]

[lostsole31]

R2T10: "There is no way that I can keep up with this thing just healing everyone. We need to put it down, quickly, then I'll do what I can to patch everyone back together." Ved says, moving into the room to where he can get a clear line of sight/fire to the Mist. He then drops the illuminated arrow at his feet and nocks another standard arrow. As Ved draws back his bow it is engulfed in an unholy divine light which pulses into the arrow as he fires, glomming right into the thing for 5, and blood spattering on the deck.

R2T7: Imogen, what do you do?

Kyr on deck, Kel in the hole ...

[Endrak]

Imogen dashes past the podium to the right of the mist, reaching out with her limited magical ability to form a connection between her and it. "If anybody has a way to set this thing on fire, now's the time. I'm not sure we can hurt it otherwise."

She puts her guard up and lashes out with a dagger, expecting to distract the mist more than anything.

+2 Dodge AC, -4 AB until next turn from Fighting Defensively. +2 Dodge AC from stance
Dark Claim on the mist. -1 to its attack rolls (Dark Authority)
AB with dagger after penalty = +5
Total AC = 21
Touch AC = 18.

[lostsole31]

R2T7: Imogen dashes past the podium to the right of the mist, reaching out with her limited magical ability to form a connection between her and it. "If anybody has a way to set this thing on fire, now's the time. I'm not sure we can hurt it otherwise."

She puts her guard up and lashes out with a dagger, expecting to distract the mist more than anything.

Meanwhile, Kyr flies past the vampiric mist, slashing it for 1 mod, but the mist strikes it back in response for 2 CON (+1d6 Bleed) and in doing so regained 7 blood siphon healing.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T21: Kel takes 1 bleed. She uses full power in the spiked chain for 8 mod before stepping back.

R3T20: Leonidas, you are set to use dodging panache if attacked. What do you do?

Scathe on deck, Saiden (bleeding) in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas slashes with his sword and then steps to his right (South).
“Don’t Box me in you lot! I need room to move.”

Attack with Falcata. Risky strike
[roll0]
[roll1]
spend 1 panache for dodging panache

[lostsole31]

R3T20: Leonidas slashes with his sword and then steps to his right. Luckily, Imogen is there on the other side to distract it and the heavy falcata cuts through the mist for 7 mod. “Don’t box me in, you lot! I need room to move.”

R3T16: Scathe steps into the void created by Leonidas, likewise taking advantage of Imogen's distraction to reach into the mist and cause corrupting damage for 2 NE.

R3T13: Saiden, you take 3 bleed. What do you do?

Vampiric mist on deck, Ved in the hole ...

[BananaPhone]

Glaring at this wicked cloud that refused to die, Saiden pointed her blade in its direction and spoke to the souls of her fellows.

"Come'on and at it, lads!" she encouraged her sonorous voice taking on an assuring quality when raised in a fight.

"Not going to let a cloud beat us will ye?"


ooc:

Swift Action: Boost: Encouraging Roar (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/alternative-rule-systems/path-of-war/disciplines-and-maneuvers/golden-lion-maneuvers/encouraging-roar/). All allies within 30 feet get +2 to Hit and Damage as a Morale bonus.

Standard Action: Casting Moment of Greatness (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/m/moment-of-greatness/), which doubles all Morale bonuses for one roll, so they can turn the +2 to Hit into +4 or +2 to damage into +4 damage.

Immediate Action: If Saiden gets attacked by the Mist, she will roll Flowing Creek: [roll0] vs Mists Attack Roll.

[lostsole31]

R3T13: Glaring at this wicked cloud that refused to die, Saiden pointed her blade in its direction and spoke to the souls of her fellows. "Come' on and at it, lads!" she encouraged her sonorous voice taking on an assuring quality when raised in a fight. "Not going to let a cloud beat us will ye?"

R3T12: The vampiric mist withdraws ..... down. Down through many tiny holes in the floor.

R3T10: Ved, what do you do? Kel, Saiden, and Kyr (the crow) are all bleeding.

Imogen on deck, Kyr in the hole ...

[Ahus]

"Its gone, let's get out of here before it comes back. " Ved says, before making some arcane gestures. As the door opens on the far side of the room, Ved breaks for the door.

Cast open/close, to open the door.
Run for the door as fast as much little blue feet will carry me.

If I have any actions left I'll pull a wand of CLW out once I'm 5' into the hall

[lostsole31]

R3T10: "Its gone, let's get out of here before it comes back. " Ved says, before making some arcane gestures. As the door opens on the far side of the room, Ved breaks for the door and gets just into the hallway there while drawing a wand on the way.Drawing a "weapon-like object" .... which includes a wand, can be done on the move. However, drawing a wand cannot be performed with Quick Draw, in case anyone reading the spoiler is curious.
R3T7: Imogen, you realize that the mist is just beneath the floor where it went down when your claim ends. Also, Kyr is bleeding. What do you do?

Kyr on deck, Kel in the hole ....

[Endrak]

Imogen commands Kyr to get behind Ved, and she herself makes a break for the door on the other side of the room, staying in her combat stance just in case the mist re-emerges. She barks to the rest of the party over her shoulder, "It's still under the floor. This is our chance to get out of here. Come on!"

[lostsole31]

R3T7: Imogen commands Kyr to get behind Ved, and she herself makes a break for the door on the other side of the room, staying in her combat stance just in case the mist re-emerges. She barks to the rest of the party over her shoulder, "It's still under the floor. This is our chance to get out of here. Come on!"

Kyr takes 5 bleed, and then flies out to be near Imogen.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T21: Kel takes 2 bleed before sailing past the crowd at the door, and heads north a little before stopping and trying to tend to her wound. "I can't stop the blood loss!" she calls frantically.

R4T20: Leonidas, what do you do?

Scathe on deck, Saiden in the hole ...

[Ahus]

Ved yells out in response to Kel, "I Can!"

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas moves quickly to follow the group.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden hisses under her breath and glowers at the vent through which the wretched cloud escaped.

Next time, she thought to herself, as she moved with the group, making sure to hang near the back and with her eye upon the vaporous menace to ensure it did not get the jump on anyone else.

[lostsole31]

Ved yells out in response to Kel, "I Can!"

R4T20: Leonidas moves quickly to follow the group.

R4T16: Scathe picks up his bastard sword and follows as well.

R4T13: Saiden takes 2 bleed. Saiden hisses under her breath and glowers at the vent through which the wretched cloud escaped. Next time, she thought to herself, as she moved with the group, making sure to hang near the back and with her eye upon the vaporous menace to ensure it did not get the jump on anyone else.

R4T10: Ved, what do you do? Bow in one hand, wand lf CLW in the other. Your light arrow left behind, so no longer an effective source of light for you, and Ved's voice several feet to the north out of your ability to see.

Imogen on deck, Kyr in the hole ..

[Ahus]

Ved sensing the supernatural bond that the Raven has with its master, in a way that hopes to someday have, activates the wand and touches Kyr with it.

CLW on Kyr for [roll0]

[lostsole31]

R4T10: Ved senses the supernatural bond that the raven has with its master, in a way that hopes to someday have. He activates the wand and touches Kyr with it for 4 healing, which also stops the bleeding.

R4T7: Imogen, despite two humanoid allies bleeding out, it is interesting to note that Ved healed your bleeding raven first. It could be as simple as convenience of location. Anyway, what do you do?

Kyr on deck, Kel in the hole (Kel and Saiden are still bleeding) ...

[Endrak]

"Kel!" Imogen says. "Get back over here so Ved can staunch you!" Imogen stays in her combat stance, prepared to fight in case the mist re-appears.

Imogen will use the Half-Gone counter if she is attacked and stays in both Defensive Stance and Leaping Spirit Dance.

[lostsole31]

R4T7: "Kel!" Imogen says. "Get back over here so Ved can staunch you!" Imogen stays in her combat stance, prepared to fight in case the mist re-appears. Kyr settles to ground by Imogen, but is very wary (like its mistress).

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T21: Kel takes 1 bleed, but a second later calls out, "No, I'm good. I just stopped it. Protecting us from the dark. Passage goes north and turns east. Somebody shut the door to the dark-room!"

R5T20: Leonidas, what do you do? Saiden is still bleeding, and you have the party's only currently active light source (as Ved's light arrow is on the western floor of the room).

Scathe on deck, Saiden in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Not having any lernin in the ways of fixing ouches or magic vampire cloud bites, Leonidas instead readies to close the door to the dark room once everyone is out.

ready an action to move to the hallway and close the door behind him once everyone is out and there is room for him.

[lostsole31]

R5T20: Not having any larnin' in the ways of fixing ouches or magic vampire cloud bites, Leonidas instead readies to close the door to the dark room once everyone is out.

R5T16: Scathe thinks for a second, sheathes his bastard sword, and then walks over to the lit arrow. "No need for blue bird to waste a perfectly good arrow."

R5T13: Saiden, you take 4 bleed. What do you do?

Ved on deck, Imogen in the hole ...

[BananaPhone]

Saiden is the last one out of the room, her front facing it and walking backwards to ensure everyone gets out - which they do.

Stepping through the portal, the Aasimir turns about and brings her spare left hand up before her. The appendage glows with an inner light as she presses to herself to relieve the annoying wound.

ooc:

Move action: moving through the door.

Standard action; Casting 'Cure light wounds' on myself, which also stops bleeding. [roll0]

[lostsole31]

R5T13: Saiden is the last one out of the room, her front facing it and walking backwards to ensure everyone gets out - which they do. Stepping through the portal, the Aasimir turns about and brings her spare left hand up before her. The appendage glows with an inner light as she presses to herself to relieve the annoying wound for 9. The bleeding has stopped, much of her wounding is gone, and the pain she felt from before (i.e. NL damage) is completely mitigated. She is still hurt ... but only a little now.

R510: Ved, nobody is bleeding now. What do you do?

Imogen on deck, Kyr in the hole ...

[Ahus]

Ved weaves the wand back into the leather lacing on his right hip, and checks to see that it is secure. Then drawing another arrow from his quiver and illuminating its tip, he moves carefully further into the hallway.

[lostsole31]

R5T10: Ved weaves the wand back into the leather lacing on his right hip, and checks to see that it is secure. Then drawing another arrow from his quiver and illuminating its tip, he moves carefully further into the hallway. Of course, as soon as that arrow is lit, the one in the room goes out. Luckily, Scathe seems to be comfortable in the dark and Leonidas is by the door so other than a dark room where the creepy vampiric mist is hiding under the floor somewhere, it is just a sudden sensory jolt, is all.

Combat Ends ...

Scathe will get the arrow and give it back to Ved, people will clear the room, and then everyone will be in the hallway.

The hallway goes north 55' and then turns east, no doors beyond the one you just closed. Anyone muck around in the hall for anything, or head north and east?

[BananaPhone]

Saiden moves herself and prepares to be second in line to move forward. She will not take point, as it is not her forte to spot hidden dangers and traps. There were others who were better equipped for such detection.

"Everyone fine?" she asked with her sonorous voice to all those as she moved and readied herself to advance.

[lostsole31]

The party advances north along the hallway's 50'/60' length before turning east for the remaining east until there is a door. As expected, there is an inscription:


The chosen are revealed by their might.
The weak deserve no sympathy.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden looked at the plaque with a click of her lips.

"Might makes right, essentially," she uttered quietly to herself.

"I've seen it on the battlefield before: the weak are broken by its violence. I wonder what type of "might" this next chamber will favour? Keep your wits about you, for if the prior area's are anything to go by, it will be the might of the mind."

[lostsole31]

The front line is shared by Scathe and Imogen. Not noticing any traps, Scathe shows his hands occupied with bastard sword and shield, and looks at Imogen expectantly (to open the door).

Imogen?

[Endrak]

"I'd prefer might might, actually," says Imogen. "It would be a nice change of pace. I haven't stabbed anything for a while." Imogen puts her off-hand dagger away, then opens the door.

[Ahus]

"You know I could have just, whatever." Ved says whilst moving up the ranks to look into the room.

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

S20: Just as Ved goes strolling on in, something zips down from the northwest corner. Ved actually just barely noticed it, but didn't have time to react before it charges him and he feels a stabbing pain in his foot for 5. It bit him right on the top of the foot where the lesser return vein feeds from the foot back to the rest of his body. A body that is now starting to feel sluggish.

S14: Ved was just about to react, but is a little more sluggish than expected, when another one of the things zoom at him. Oddly, his sluggish step is what throws off the bite of the second assailant.

S12: Ved, you are feeling sluggish. Worse, you know that sometime of poison is doing it. Roll a Fort save vs. poison. Regardless of the save, what does Ved do?

[Ahus]

Ved fights through the pain of the poison, his surprise at the arrival fading with the pain. Instinctively Ved's free hand swirls in an arcane gesture, and with a bold statement, a wave of color washes over his attackers.

Fort:[roll0]
Concentration to cast Defensively: [roll1]
Cast "Color Spray" Will DC 16 or
"2 HD or less: The creature is unconscious, blinded, and stunned for 2d4 rounds, then blinded and stunned for 1d4 rounds, and then stunned for 1 round. (Only living creatures are knocked unconscious.)

3 or 4 HD: The creature is blinded and stunned for 1d4 rounds, then stunned for 1 round"

[lostsole31]

S12: Ved fights through the pain of the poison, his surprise at the arrival fading with the pain. Instinctively, Ved's free hand swirls in an arcane gesture, and with a bold statement, a wave of color washes over his attackers.

End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ...

R1T28: Leonidas, you see ... two somethings, but not really well ... and Ved casting color spray. What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas sheathes his Falcata and readies his bow.
“Move in ya lot!”

[lostsole31]

R1T28: Leonidas sheathes his Falcata and readies his bow. “Move in ya lot!”

R1T24: Imogen, what do you do? What do you have Kyr do?

[Endrak]

Imogen draws her second dagger again, leaping over the closest snake while it's distracted with Ved. She drives the blade down into it as she lands in a combat stance. In midair, she instructs Kyr strafe the same snake with cursed talons.

Imogen will attempt an Acrobatics check to get behind the snake without provoking an AoO and enter Touch of the Witch just before she attacks. Kyr will attack the snake with Mockery, resulting in a Gloom on Imogen.

[lostsole31]

R1T24: Imogen draws her second dagger again, leaping over the closest snake while it's distracted with Ved. She drives the blade down into it (10 mod) as she lands in a combat stance. In midair, she instructs Kyr strafe the same snake with cursed talons. As Kyr does so, the one attacked snaps at him even as Kyr's talons slam hard against it with a metal clang but don't penetrate. As Kyr continues, the other one snaps at Kyr to hit him in the outer tip of the right wing for 2."The tip of my wing tingles. Poison, but it is too far out to really effect me."Even though Kyr missed, despite what appeared to be a good attack that was rebuffed by what seem to be metallic scales, there is a strange .... something, almost shadow-like, but not actually affecting lighting .... surrounding Imogen.

R1T22: Lit by one of those ceiling lanterns, the snakes appear to be some type of hooded snake whose scales glint and shimmer brightly as from the finest polished steel or silver. It was a little off-balance from when it attacked Ved but recovers. It spins around and bites Imogen in her left forearm with an incredibly powerful bite (6). The bite threatens to numb her arm, but she was warned of the poison and Imogen quickly sucks blood at the wound and spits it out. Strangely, even though any simple animal would know when it is surrounded and would likely have moved a little, this is truly a dumb animal that doesn't even respond to being flanked.

R1T21: "What kind of snake is this?!" Scathe mutters with equal parts admiration and annoyance. He makes a calculated and dangerous decision and moves past Ved, to which the snakes do not respond much to his movement, and gets into position with Imogen. Seeing how the scales gave Kyr's talons trouble, he goes for precision over power with his bastard sword, but then ends up missing wildly.

R1T20: Saiden, what do you do?

[BananaPhone]

Glaring suspiciously at the metallic snakes, Saiden stays in position and withdraws her blade - the weapon flashing out with a hiss of silver as it strikes the metallic serpent.

ooc:

Stance: Reaching Blade Stance (+5 feet to first attack, +1d6 damage)
AC: 17

Standard Action: Swift Current - unsheathing during attack so opponent is flat-footed. Going for what looks like a blue snake on the map. With Reaching Blade Stance she has 10 foot reach for her first attack.

Attack: [roll0] + 2 for attacking from the flank possible, for 18 total (maybe, your call)
Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] + [roll3] = 20

---> If she is directly attacked, Saiden will perform Flowing Creek: [roll4] vs enemy attack.

---> Attack of Opportunity Roll, if one is needed this round: To Hit: [roll5], Damage: [roll6] + [roll7]

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Glaring suspiciously at the metallic snakes, Saiden stays in position and withdraws her blade, the weapon flashing out with a hiss of silver as it strikes the metallic serpent, bouncing off with a noticeable clanging sound (it was the red that was closest .... 10' from her).

R1T14: The metal snake rights itself post-charge to spin and bite at Scathe.

R1T12: Ved, what do you do in your sluggish state with bow in hand but threatened by two of these unknown metal snakes?

Kel on deck, Leonidas in the hole ...

[Ahus]

Ved disappears from the point adjacent to the pair of snakes, reappearing immediately behind Saiden. Ved pauses for a moment to consider the snakes, before drawing his bow he fires past Saiden at the Red snake.

Dimensional Slide to the space diagonally behind Saiden.
Attack = [roll0]
Damage = [roll1]

Knowledge = [roll2] + 14,15,16 depending on the type, dungeoneering, religion, or Arcana/Planes respectively (18,19,20 total).
Then tell the group if I figure anything useful.

[lostsole31]

R1T12: Ved disappears from the point adjacent to the pair of snakes, reappearing immediately behind Saiden. Ved pauses for a moment to consider the snakes, before drawing his bow he fires past Saiden at the Red snake, with his arrow skipping on the stones of the floor to go to the other side of the room. "Variant on a steel cobra!" he calls out. "Mithral, maybe. But it's a construct, which is why it is too stupid to realize it is in danger being flanked."

R1T7: Kel shakes her head. "Great. Can't stun it. Then hit it hard, people!" she says as she springs into position carefully and winds for a powerful axe kick that misses (red).

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T28: Leonidas, you have your bow in hand. What do you do?

Imogen/Kyr on deck, red mithral cobra in the hole ....

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas acrobatically moves through friendly and threatened squares to enter the room and end up SE of Kel and 10’ from the metal snakes. He points a finger at a snake and a blue bolt of energy shoots toward the creature.

move action to enter the room and move to the south
[roll0]
hold bow in one hand
cast ray of frost at blue snake
[roll1]
[roll2]

[lostsole31]

R2T28: Leonidas acrobatically moves through friendly and threatened squares to enter the room and end up SE of Kel and 10’ from the metal snakes. He points a finger at a snake and a blue bolt of energy shoots toward the creature, but learns that these things are shockingly fast as well as small as it just ducks out of the way.

R2T24: Imogen, your gloom goes away. What do you do/ have Kyr do?

Red cobra on deck, Scathe in the hole ...

[Endrak]

Imogen casts a dark pall over one of the cobras as she instructs Kyr to attack again. As the bird swoops in, she exhales and thrusts both her daggers into the other cobra, attempting to slide the blades in between the scales of the snake.

Imogen Claims the red cobra. Kyr attacks blue cobra with Woeful Burden maneuver to trigger Gloom on Imogen again, ending his turn in flanking position on the diagonal from Kel. Imogen spends 1 guile for a +1 to hit, and attacks the blue cobra with both her main hand and off hand weapons. Imogen will use the Spilled Salt counter on the first enemy to attack her, giving it a -4 to hit.

[lostsole31]

R2T24: Imogen casts a dark pall over one of the cobras as she instructs Kyr to attack again. As the bird swoops in, she exhales and thrusts both her daggers into the other cobra, attempting to slide the blades in between the scales of the snake. Kyr's attack doesn't penetrate the metal hide, and as he veers off blue bites him in his left talon for 4. Painful, but not a great place to insert poison. Imogen, likewise, has no ability to penetrate the hardened scales as the pall once again appears around her.

R2T22: The red cobra snaps at Imogen while she uses a counter to mute the attack on the cursed construct. It "hits" her, and yet it seem to go right through her with no effect.Please don't "go from memory" when updating. You didn't have spilled salt readied. "R" = Readied, "E" = Expended, and "***" means known and not readied (maneuvers), or known and not active (stances). Since you did want a counter, though, I used half-gone instead.
R2T21: Scathe throws power into an attack that hits the blue cobra for 14.

R2T20: Saiden, what do you do?

Blue cobra on deck, Ved in the hole ...

[BananaPhone]

Seeing that her attack had glanced off the steely scale of the cobra, Saiden attempted to be more precise with her next attack.


OOC:
Stance: Reaching Blade Stance (+5 feet to first attack, +1d6 damage)
AC: 17

Standard Action: Attacking closest snake.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] + 3 = 10

---> If she is directly attacked, Saiden will perform Flowing Creek: [roll3] vs enemy attack.

---> Attack of Opportunity Roll, if one is needed this round: To Hit: [roll4], Damage: [roll5] + [roll6] + 3]

[lostsole31]

R2T20: Seeing that her attack had glanced off the steely scale of the cobra, Saiden attempted to be more precise with her next attack. She "hits," but the scales still repel the blade.

R2T14: The blue cobra snaps at the bird, this time nipping Kyr in the belly for 2.

R2T12: Ved, what do you do?

Kel on deck, Leonidas in the hole ...

[lostsole31]

R2T12: Ved casts a spellon Saiden. "When next you need guidance from our Infernal Fire, call on the glimmer of insight this guidance provides, Baroness."

R2T7: Kel focuses her ki and releases a triple-burst of power kicks. The first strike against blue nails it with a crit for 7 mod, enough to destroy it. The second kick is against the remaining one to do 6 mod, though her third kick is deflected.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T28: Leonidas, you have bow in hand. What do you do?

Imogen/ Kyr on deck and in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas will move to right and around Scathe until he has a straight line of sight on the remaining snake. He calls out a spell in a guttural language and there in a barely noticeable drop in the temperature of the room as a glowing ball of ice crystals appears in his hand. He chucks it at the snake.
“Suck on this, ya greasy metal worm!”


move right and up around Scathe until he is in line with the snake.
cast snowball
[roll0]
[roll1]

[lostsole31]

R3T28: Leonidas will move to right and around Scathe until he has a straight line of sight on the remaining snake. He calls out a spell in a guttural language and there in a barely noticeable drop in the temperature of the room as a glowing ball of ice crystals appears in his hand. He chucks it at the snake. “Suck on this, ya' greasy metal worm!”

As for the snowball, it whallops the snake it destroys it!

Combat Ends ...

What does the party (and individuals do now)? Remember that nothing is taken for granted, assumed, or "automatic."

[Endrak]

"Whew, finally got to have a serious run at something. Shame it didn't bleed, but..." Imogen shrugs and walks over to inspect Kyr's wounds. Her own don't seem to bother her that much. "I say we break for a few minutes. Heal up, rest a bit. We're doing pretty well for ourselves, so I think we can afford to take the time."

[Blackhawk101]

A smug Leonidas agrees.
“Anyone a book learned type with paper and such? Seems like mapin’ our course would be prudent, lest we loose our way in the twisty turns of this here labrinth.”

[lostsole31]

This chamber is lit by an oil lantern hanging from its center. There is nothing else of interest here. The constructs have no treasure per se but their smashed forms are worth (from Imogen's estimation) 1000 gp each (the scavenged mithral alloy weighs 10 lbs. each). That is 2000 gp worth of mithral, but at 20 pounds a piece.

South is a barred door. The bar looks heavy.

Kel speaks up, "I have a basic understanding of geography, if that helps. I am carrying too much weaponry right now to carry any mithral. Also, I don't have anything to draw a map with, but I think I have a good sense of the spatiality of where we've been."

What does the party do? And there are also active responses other characters are waiting for. [Note that not one PC has any skill at really doing anything with maps, cartography, navigation, or orienteering ... Kel seems to be the single-point source.]

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas will try to break off a smaller piece of Mithral and put it into his belt pouch. He will then examine the bolted door while the others rest, or whatever.

[Ahus]

The immediate threat now seeming passed, Ved cautiously reenters the room saying "Does anyone have any injuries that require immediate attention?"

[I don't know as I'd say Kel is the only souce, Ved is pretty good at Tracking, Dungeoneering and Architecture/Engineering.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden gestures to her backpack.

"I am sturdy of frame, my Lady," she says to Kel, as she makes the physical gesture for the woman to put the mithral snakes into her backpack where she could carry them.

ooc:
Saiden is spending several Standard Actions to return her spent Maneuvers.

[lostsole31]

Leonidas will try to break off a smaller piece of Mithral and put it into his belt pouch. He will then examine the bolted door while the others rest, or whatever.Leonidas will find that he is not strong enough to break off a smaller piece of mithral. The mithral cobras were not "shredded" so much as simply battered into inactivity. That is when Saiden takes the mithral snakes (see below) and puts them in her pack.

Examinining the door, he sees that it is barred, not bolted. The bar is on this side, though, so while it looks heavy it just looks like a little muscle gets put into it and you lift the bar into the detent slot at the side of the door.

The immediate threat now seeming passed, Ved cautiously reenters the room saying "Does anyone have any injuries that require immediate attention?"
Without anyone coming forth, and with you as the party's best healer .... but having no healing training...
Kel: Light wound
Imogen: Light wound (75%)
Saiden: Minor wound
Ved/ Self: Grievous injury
Kyr; Wounded, but can't tell status
For her part, Kel puts the snake forms into her backpack (and is amused by Leonidas' failure to snap off a piece of mithral). On the other hand, she does not take "several standard actions" to get maneuvers back.....

.... for everyone, the battle is over, you get all maneuvers, and nobody is "in stance."

[Blackhawk101]

“Y’all ready to ship out?!” demands the impatient pirate.

[lostsole31]

Scathe nods, but wielding sword and shield he makes no move to the bar.

Kel, annoyed, goes to the bar and lifts it to detent position. Beyond is a hallway 40' long, ending in a door.

The party gets back into some semblance of order and proceeds down the hallway, Scathe and Imogen alert for danger.

The northern door (of course) bears an inscription: "Suffer not the fool. Stupidity is our faith's cardinal sin."

The door seeming clear, is opened by Imogen. Beyond is a 30' x 30' chamber with a podium in its center. There is also a wide stairway heading upwards from the east.

What do you do?

[Endrak]

"What do you think, folks?" Imogen asks, letting go of the door but not entering the chamber yet. "Last time there was an obvious way foward, it was a trap."

[Blackhawk101]

“Aye. Fortune favors th’ bold!”
Leonidas knocks an arrow and advances into the room, stepping to the right ten feet and stopping to give the others room. He examines the room more carefully.

He is aware on some level that his words do not match his actions. This doesn’t concern him over much.

[Ahus]

Ved swishes his hands again before pressing them to the wounds caused by the snakes. Then careful to not step in "it" again, Ved waits patiently for the group to flow into the room before joining.

Cast Cure Light wounds : [roll0]

[lostsole31]

Leonidas enters in and heads immediately west while Ved gets rid of the last of the wound on him (but not the sluggishness).

Scathe moves in only 5' before he calls others to do what he is doing. "Stop!"

He looks around, "We knew to expect it, and it was called out enough on the placard, but we do have a trap. "Imogen, you're up, and I will help you if you'd like. But I am not as agile with my armor."

[Endrak]

Imogen cracks her knuckles loudly. "All right, let me take a look."

Making sure Kyr hangs back, she treads softly up to Scathe and puts a hand on his shoulder, inspecting the trap closely before she gets to work.

[lostsole31]

Imogen, you think the trap is disarmed. Here's hoping ....

What now?

[BananaPhone]

Saiden, her backpack now heavy with two "deceased" mithral snakes, moves in slowly, her right hand resting on the pommel of her sword as she remains alert for anything else in the room that might leap out at them.

Every now and then she will risk a glance over to Imogen as she works on the trap, but otherwise pays attention to the rest of the room.

[Ahus]

Ved struggles to shake off the drained feeling but realizing that Imogen is working on a trap, he tells her, "Do what you can but I can reach out with magic from across the room if needed."

[lostsole31]

Kel moves up next to Imogen. "Is it safe now?"

[Endrak]

"Should be," says Imogen, dusting off her gloves and smiling. "If I'm wrong, you can haunt me all you like."

[lostsole31]

"Haunt you? Ha!" Kel laughs. "Check your own handiwork, thief, and go to the podium."

[Endrak]

Her smile falters, and Imogen shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath. On the exhale, Kyr coos ominously, and the smile is back. "All right, I suppose that's only fair. You don't know what I'm about, after all." She steps forward without hesitation, heading to take a closer look at the podium.

[lostsole31]

Upon the podium lies a pendant of silver - a dragon with sapphire eyes. Endrak, what do you do, as the party looks at you with expectant curiosity?

[Endrak]

Imogen looks at the rest of the group, then back to the pendant, then back to the group. "Well, I think this is what we came here for." She describes the pendant. "Didn't expect to find this here. There are supposed to be nine chambers, right? We can't be done early, otherwise what's the point of having nine?"

She gestures to the stairs leading up, ostensibly to the surface. "Am I wrong in thinking that this is the stupidity part of the cryptic warning?"

[lostsole31]

Scathe says, "It is suspect. May I see that? Let us see what this is worth, shall we?"

With Scathe assisting Imogen (it only makes sense that the "thief" is good at Appraise, right?), the two of them determine that the sapphires are merely cheap costume jewelry - little more than cut glass. The pendant is silver, though of no great craftsmanship and worth no more than 5 gp.

Scathe nods to Imogen. "I do believe you are correct. This is a decoy."

[Ahus]

"I definately think we should take it either way. I don't recall the Cardinal actually saying that the pendant was greatly valuable, and this whole place is clearly a test. Although, why have 9 chambers and only use 4, unless the point is that stupidityis the act of overcomplecating a reasonably simple situation." Ved intersects.

[lostsole31]

Kel shrugs. "Yeah, sure, take it with us. But the Cardinal told us we'd know it when we saw it. These two," here she points to Scathe and Imogen, "noted right off the bat that this probably isn't it. I say we take a look around, and if we don't find anything else in this room, we backtrack."

[Blackhawk101]

“Aye. Smart.” Leonidas begins a closure examination of the podium and then the room.

[lostsole31]

At this point it is assumed that everyone else follows suit to check out this very large room. Together, the group will find a secret door on the west wall. As a secret door, there is no placard. Imogen and Scathe check that the secret door is safe and then spring it open. Beyond you see an L-shaped passageway that heads south before heading to the left (east).

What now? and how do you progress? This is mainly a prompt for Imogen, who is in the front.

[Endrak]

Imogen waves the rest of the party into the passageway after her, then draws both her daggers. "Keep an eye out for more traps, or an ambush. Things may get a bit more difficult, and this looks like a turning point." Imogen snickers at her own bad joke as she moves forward slowly.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas smirks and follows Imogen into the passage bow ready.

[BananaPhone]

Saiden had kept quiet and watchful as the more klepto-inclined did what they did best. Once the route was clear, she moved in with the rest so that she was at the centre of the group, just in case of trap or ambush. She ensured that she was in a position that she would be able to respond to aggression from which-ever way it came.

[lostsole31]

The passageway is about 35' before turning left/east, still 10' wide. 15' farther down on the right/south of a passageway that appears to otherwise end is a door. As with the others, there is an inscription: “Secrecy is our greatest ally. Exposure brings death.”

[Endrak]

Imogen sways her hips from side to side, rubbing her hands together. Anyone who moves in front of her would be able to see a strange smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Everyone be quiet from here on out. We don't know what's waiting for us."

She glances from side to side, toward the walls of the passageway. "Let's make double sure there isn't a secret door here."

[lostsole31]

The walls of each side of the door are rechecked .... nothing.

Now what?

[BananaPhone]

Remaining where she was, knowing she was out of her niche with the puzzles and riddles of the maze, Saiden utters something under her breath...


ooc:
Casting: Detect Magic

[Endrak]

Imogen notices Saiden casting a spell, and waits patiently for the results before deciding on a course of action.

[lostsole31]

Assuming Saiden is casting in front of the door, she sees no glow or escaping mote of magic from the other side of the door.

[BananaPhone]

"I cannot detect anything magical from here," Saiden reported to the group.

[Ahus]

"Ok then, everyone take a few steps back and ill open the door from afar. Ved says quietly to the group.

Wait for folks to back up a bit then cast "Open/Close" on the door from down the hall.

[lostsole31]

I need to know .... how far back to people go?

[Endrak]

Imogen stays where she is, but presses herself to the wall to lower her profile as much as she can.

Stealth.

[Blackhawk101]

“You’ve got this!” Leonidas gives Ved an encouraging wink before retreating back behind the corner.

[lostsole31]

Ved magically opens the door.

Scathe calls out, "Dark inside, but I can see. Ring of stones in center of room. Something bulbous in the center, but I can't tell what it is from here. It's not moving."

Okay, what now?

[Endrak]

Imogen creeps forward to the door, Kyr in tow. "Probably best not to antagonize the bulbous object in the center of the room," Imogen whispers. "Let's hug the walls, keep slow and keep quiet. The only question is, do we split up or stick together?"

[lostsole31]

Understand that if Imogen does this (and I am not having her do it until she gets some reply, because that would be weird ..... "Umm, question...." and she's gone when answered), until Ved or Leonidas moves up, she won't have light herself. She has low-light vision, not no-light vision.

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas takes a coin from his belt pouch and chants a spell. The coin glows with a cold blue light. Stalking forward, he stops at the door and offers the coin to the large bird.
He surveys the room. “Aye, together me thinks.”

[Ahus]

Ved moves, as quietly as possible, up about 5' short of the door. Allowing the light from his arrow into the room but not, to the extent possible exposing himself to danger from within. As the group filters into the room he will step to the side of the door less occupied, i.e. if everyone goes left he will go right, and vice-versa.

[lostsole31]

Imogen creeps forward to the door, Kyr in tow. "Probably best not to antagonize the bulbous object in the center of the room," Imogen whispers. "Let's hug the walls, keep slow and keep quiet. The only question is, do we split up or stick together?"
Endrak (with Kyr behind her) will get to what is apparently/likely the NW corner of the room before ...

Leonidas takes a coin from his belt pouch and chants a spell. The coin glows with a cold blue light. Stalking forward, he stops at the door ... having been about to see if Kyr was close enough to take the pretty shiny from him, but instead the light spills onto the thing in the center of the room ..... which seems to be some kind of like weird tree or something.

At the same time ...
Ved moves, as quietly as possible, up about 5' short of the door. Allowing the light from his arrow into the room but not, to the extent possible exposing himself to danger from within.
..... but it doesn't matter, because as soon as Leo's light falls on the weird thing in the center of the room, there is a terrific, high-pitched keening sound!


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


Begin Round One ...

R1T27: Leonidas, what do you do? You have a lit gold piece in your hand, that's it (because you had one hand on coin, one hand to cast light).

[Blackhawk101]

“Fudge!” only he doesn’t say fudge.
He grabs the ioun stone to deactivate it and drops the coin back in his belt pouch.
“Kill the light Ved.” he whispers.

[lostsole31]

R1T27: “Fudge!” ... only Leonidas doesn’t say fudge. He grabs the ioun stone to deactivate it and drops the coin back in his belt pouch, instantly darkening the room beyond (but not the hallway, courtesy of Ved's arrow). He whispers something, but considering the loud noise, what he whispered is unknown.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T21: Scathe disappears into the darkness of the room. There's a sickening wet crunching sound followed by some type of thick, heavy plop.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T13: Imogen, you do see light from the doorway lighting up Leonidas from the side, but no longer from him and not in this room. You are in blackness in the NW corner of the room (you think), and you can barely hear yourself think (literally). What do you do?

[Endrak]

"Leo!" Imogen rasps over the screeching. She feels her way along the wall, heading in the direction she thinks is south. "I think it can still see you! Get out of the light!"

Imogen moves as far as she can, in stealth, at half speed.

[lostsole31]

[QUOTE=lostsole31;24986555]R1T27: “Fudge!” ... only Leonidas doesn’t say fudge. He grabs the ioun stone to deactivate it and drops the coin back in his belt pouch, instantly darkening the room beyond (but not the hallway, courtesy of Ved's arrow). He whispers something, but considering the loud noise, what he whispered is unknown.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T21: Scathe disappears into the darkness of the room. There's a sickening wet crunching sound followed by some type of thick, heavy plop.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T13: "Leo!" Imogen rasps over the screeching. She feels her way along the wall, heading in the direction she thinks is south. "I think it can still see you! Get out of the light!"

As she feels her way along, she gets to (and slightly past, but inclusive in the square where she stops after a double-move) a door to the west.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T9: Saiden, what do you do? You have nothing in hand right now.

[BananaPhone]

Saidens grits her teeth as the screech claws at her skull. From what she has observed and given the lesson of the room mural, she believed that their detection was causing the ultra-sonic reaction.

Reaching one strong arm out, she grabbed Leonidus by the scruff of his collar and yanked him out of the doorway.

[lostsole31]

R1T9: Saidens grits her teeth as the screech claws at her skull. From what she has observed and given the lesson of the room mural, she believed that their detection was causing the ultra-sonic reaction.

She moves forwardReaching one strong arm out, she grabbed Leonidas by the scruff of his collar and yanked him out of the doorway. He was still somewhat "in line" with the doorway, but no longer right AT the doorway. He is also still lit up by Ved as well.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T8: Kel surprises Ved as she brings her spiked chain down to snap the light arrow, destroying it and extinguishing the light, which in turn douses all light in the hallway and that can be seen from inside the chamber as well.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T7: Ved, with Kel destroying your light -arrow, you are now in darkness, with the ear-piercing noise going. It's impossible to do anything more than shout loudly if you want to communicate. What do you do?

[Ahus]

Ved moves back down the hallway toward the previous room, drawing another arrow.

Get the mental impression that Ved says, "Patience, let's us regroupin the previous chamber"

Curnch =Bonded mind +Solo Tactics

[lostsole31]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R1T7: Ved stumbles back down the hallway, out of sight as he moves north along the previous hallway, drawing an arrow as he goes. It is pitch black, so he can't see anyone with whom to communicate.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!


R2T27: Leonidas, it is now pitch black. You have your light coin in the pouch, and ioun torch extinguished in hand. Saiden had moved you directly back from the doorway. What do you do?

Scathe on deck, Imogen in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Leonidas feels his way down the corridor until he turns the corner. He opens his belt pouch once he reaches his destination to provide a dim light.
”Bloody Hell,” he hisses .

[lostsole31]

R2T27: Leonidas feels his way down the corridor until he turns the corner, but that took more trouble and time than expected to fumble past Saiden, then Kel, to the corner and around the corner for him to have time to take out the light. He hisses something, but nobody hears quite what.


EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*!*

And finally the loud piercing sound is heard no more.

R2T21: Scathe calls out for everyone to hear, "It's okay. I killed some plant thing that was making the noise. It just took a few extra seconds to finally stop!"

R2T13: Imogen, you and Kyr are now plunged into truly pitch black darkness. You are currently adjacent to a thick wooden door on the western wall of the chamber you found yourself in. What do you do?

Saiden on deck, Kel in the hole ....

[Endrak]

Imogen doesn't move. She raises her voice, just shy of a shout but loud enough to be heard by Scathe, at the very least.

"I found a door on the west wall. About thirty feet south or so. Can you see me, Scathe? Anything creeping toward me I should know about?"

[lostsole31]

R2T13: Imogen doesn't move. She raises her voice, just shy of a shout but loud enough to be heard by Scathe, at the very least. "I found a door on the west wall. About thirty feet south or so. Can you see me, Scathe? Anything creeping toward me I should know about?"

R2T12: Kyr gives out a desperate warning: "CAW-CAW-CAW!"

Scathe yells out, "Bogey to west!"

"Dungheap!" Imogen curses.

R2T9: Saiden, what do you do?

Kel on deck, Ved in the hole ...

[Endrak]

"Dungheap!" Imogen curses.