The Complex of Doom (IC) Thread 2

[Cavir]

Kricen finishes healing himself and his minions, then continues the path they were heading- eastward on the north side of the river.

[J-H]

Caidacyn detects a number of life forms in the river, ranging in size from fingernail-sized to roughly dog-sized. Nothing appears to be moving towards the party with anything other than normal motion.

[razorback]

"Ok, back towards the lake?" Shim says once everyone regroups as he points east.

[J-H]

The river makes a sharp bend to the north, and you recall that it goes that way for a few miles before going east, and then south a bit. It would be a more direct route to strike east through the jungle, but it's faster to walk beside the river. Which one do you choose?

[razorback]

As the group slows when they come to the bend in the river, they look about for a moment as Shim ponders as the others look between the jungle and the river. "If you guys are thinking what I think you're thinking, I say we follow the river. I'd prefer not to get lost in there, with all of the cover the trees provide. Though the river's inhabitants haven't proved to be... nice."

[Cavir]

Kricen keeps it blunt. "Following the river is fine."

[Kish]

Matai considers whether anyone needs healing and concludes that the only ones who do are beyond his ability to heal, so he remains silent, following the river along with the others.

[J-H]

Following the river, the group fends off a couple of mutated crocodiles, but nothing too large. You arrive at the huge lake - equal in size to anything you'd see aboveground, but with the water having that slight tint of unnatural green. You can pursue finding another catapsi stone, or you can work your way back to your entry point and leave the area...or do something else.

The extra-humid air fills your nostrils, but as you inhale, it's easy to be reminded that you've gone without baths this entire time due to a lack of safe bodies of large water. It seems like you've been here a long time, even though it's really only been a week or two.

[Cavir]

Kricen pulls out the map from the goblin assassin. "Follow around the north side of the lake, along the next river, then up the stairs to the goblin outpost? Maybe they can give us a lead on finding this Whitemarsh. Some fresh supplies would be useful too."

[razorback]

Shim comes up and, surprised, looks at the map. "Yeah, sounds like a good plan. Caidacyn out front, invisible, with your critters behind. Kricen and me flanking Matai?"

[Dexam]

"As much as I would like to see first-hand the effects of this place on my fey kin, and possibly free them from its corrupting influence, I agree that it's time to leave here. Even if we found another one these psi-stones among the fey shown on the map, there's no guarantee that we could take it with us - we can barely move the one we have. Let us make for the stairs, then see if the goblins have any fresh ideas on how to locate Whitemarsh so we can end his tyranny."

Caidacyn turns invisible and takes point, following the edge of the lake (but not too closely), scanning for the presence of life, magical auras, and living creatures.

[J-H]

You head back the way you came, and at last return to the base of the long, circular stairwell you descended so long ago. You know that it’s a long, long climb up it and inside one of the support pillars to the top of the shaft. You destroyed the power crystals mounted above the stairs – it’ll be interesting to see if they’ve been repaired. From that, your path would take you on through the arch warded against Aberrations. Having rejected the promise of easy power, you don’t expect any problems there…

[Cavir]

Kricen looks upward. "That's the way you came down eh? Let's take a break here to eat before that trek." The necromancer has his undead form a perimeter while his pulls out his magic based food and drink.

"Lot less effort to fly up. Max would have to climb on his own. Once we know the top is clear I'll have Max start his climb. Caidacyn, want to go up first and scout invisibly? Then you can send the broom back down on its own."

[razorback]

Guisarme on the ground next to him, Shim nods at Kricen as he sets his pack down and pulls out his own food. Munching on the mostly tasteless food, he says as he thumps his breastplate "I'd go with you but... you know... this." he says with a grin between bites.

[Dexam]

Caidacyn pulls out her own rations - mostly dried fruit and nuts, with some small slivers of jerky - to snack on. She contemplates Kricen's offer of the magic broom for the purpose of scouting.

"While a lot faster, I might be more likely to miss something... it might be better to check first on foot, and we can travel via broom once we know the path is clear."

She finishes up her rations and turns invisible, before making her way up the stairwell.

"See you all soon."

Spoiler

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Walk Unseen invocation active.
See the Unseen invocation active.

Move Silently: (1d20+7)[21]
Spot: (1d20+4)[19]
Listen: (1d20+4)[21]

Detecting magic and living creatures every few rounds.

[J-H]

Caidacyn ascends the stairs, finding nothing significant on the two-hour climb. The room at the top of the stairs is empty, although the inset area in the ceiling above the stairwell hosts some dimly growing power crystals (the type that store power for the Complex). It takes her another hour to climb back down the long, circular stairs – unless a signal was pre-arranged?

[Cavir]

Before Caidacyn heads out Kricen adds. "We'll give you a half hour start then start ferrying up a portion at time so we aren't too spread out. Leave something on the stairs once in while so we know we're still on your trail and you haven't been taken by some Complex trick. If you see one of my undead let it see you. It will have orders to then wait for me."

About 15 minutes after Caidacyn leaves Kricen has Max start the climb with orders to stop once it sees Caidacyn or reaches the top of the stairs. The skeleton is quick on its feet just as it was when it was alive, but with its size it will need a head start. A few minutes later he sends Babs on its way up to stop climbing once it reaches Max.

Another fifteen minutes later Kricen will take either Matai or Shim on the broom up the stairs until they reach Max (who will still be climbing unless it catches up to Caidacyn). Victor will have orders to protect whoever is still at the bottom. Kricen will drop off his passenger once catching up to Max. He'll then fly back down to get the other and give Victor the order to climb the stairs until reaching Max.

Once gathered at the higher point on the stairs, start the process over until reaching the top or finding Caidacyn.

[Dexam]

Caidacyn agrees with Kricen's suggestion, agreeing to leave regular marks of two straight lines "=" if the way ahead is clear; or two crossed lines "+" if there is something they might need to wary of and she cannot otherwise alert them.

Other than noting with interest the power crystals, once she reaches the top she waits for the others to arrive.

Now we'll see if the way out just blocks the creatures who dwell here, or the power stone as well... hopefully this trip hasn't been for nothing!

[razorback]

Shim, after Caidacyn ascends for some time, waives on Kricen and Matai. "Go on. Me and Vic, here, will be ok." he says as he sets his polearm in the ground and pulls out his bow.

[J-H]

The broom makes things go faster, although looking straight down the middle of the stairwell is unpleasant due to the sheer depth of the drop. Everyone reaches the top with no problems.

[Dexam]

As the others begin to arrive, Caidacyn heads away from the stairs, invisible as usual and scouting for any signs of life, magic, or anything concealed invisibly.

Assuming nothing of interest is found, she returns to the rest of the party at the top of the stairwell.

"Where to next? Do we return to the goblin settlement and find out if they know anything new? Or do we press on in search of Whitemarsh ourselves?"

[Cavir]

"Not knowing the area, I'd suggest checking with the goblins for any updates and maps."

[razorback]

"Sounds good. Fan out but keep close enough to cover each other? Bab and Max flanking?" Shim says and, once decided, keeps his bow out as they start making their way towards the goblin settlement.

[Kish]

Matai nods silently, walking along with the others.

[J-H]

You exit the archway with no problems, leaving the repaired power crystals behind on the ceiling (?). You now enter the larger artificial room, where, a number of days ago, you traced some kind of tracks in the dust leading to the blank eastern wall.

To the south is a larger tunnel with an arched roof that curves out of sight; to the north is the tunnel leading back to the goblinoid encampment. You recall that there were several exits to the west, all connecting to a linked set of caverns that didn’t seem to have anything important in them, as well as the one eastern exit (with a shaft leading up) that you had originally entered that tunnel from.

It'll take you the rest of the day to get back to the goblins.

[Cavir]

Kricen's gaze passes along each of the ways out of the room. "No apparent danger right here, let's deal with the crystals in the ceiling behind us shall we? That is the reason at least most of us have entered the Complex is it not?"

Spoiler: OOC

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How tall is the ceiling with crystals? Can Victor or Max reach them? Victor standing on Max?

[J-H]

They are above the shaft down the middle of the stairwell, and recessed slightly into a ~15'H ceiling. You would need to strike up and at an angle for a distance of 25' to hit them. Ranged attacks are probably your best option.

[Dexam]

"Allow me to take care of the crystals," Caidacyn says, "Though I recommend that everyone stays back a-ways, as I'm not entirely sure what will happen here."

Once everyone else is clear, Caidacyn positions herself so that she can see (and affect) the power crystals, but still quickly move clear of any falling debris that may result from their destruction. When all is ready, she invokes a Word of Unmaking that causes everything in the area of effect to ring and vibrate like a struck bell.

Spoiler: OOC

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Baleful Utterance Invocation, area attack version (caster level 6): shatter destroys nonmagical objects of crystal, glass, ceramic, or porcelain. All such objects within a 5-foot radius of the point of origin are smashed into dozens of pieces by the spell. Objects weighing more than 1 pound per your level are not affected, but all other objects of the appropriate composition are shattered.

[Cavir]

Kricen has his pets form a defensive perimeter in the larger room leading to the many paths as his own curiosity has him staying near Caidacyn to study the crystals and the warlock's work. There were no answers here as to the overall reason for the Complex, how it worked, or why these crystals were in that very spot but not others, but perhaps watching the crystals demise would hint at something more than hearing their breakage from afar.

[J-H]

The crystals explode in a short-ranged puff of fire and energy, the crystal shards falling far down the stairwell below and out of sight. The room seems dimmer with them gone.
(anyone within 5' would take damage).