Dark's Age of Worms IC

[Othniel]

Corinne

Despite Cordellia's arrogant behavior, Corinne was truly grateful at being rescued from the wind trap, and decided to hold her tongue...at least for a while. Turning to the matter of the next challenge, she spoke up, "Did you hear that...giggling? That can't be good."

[PepperP.]

Simone

"Hold fast, there might be more malevolent undead up ahead." Simone peered around Corrine as they waited for Louise to check for traps.

[Lord Of Mantas]

Louise

"Gladly."

Louise approached the beam and began to carefully search around for traps.

Spoiler: Actions

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Gonna take 20 on Search and Spot for 29 and 27.

[Tychris1]

Creeping up behind Louise with her dainty fingers folded behind her back out of sight, Cordellia puckered her lips, and made a soft kissing noise as she slid the bulky goggles over the Factotum’s eyes.

”Try that dearie,” She said whilst turning away immediately to retreat to the rear “It doesn’t have the same panache when I wore it but its bulky design suits your blocky features.” She giggled haughtily.

[TheDarkDM]

Edging towards the narrow beam, Louise withdraws a loose handful of sand from an inner pocket and tosses it high into the air. The constant eddies of wind that fill the cairn take hold, and soon a cloud of glittering mica is drifting across the room towards the far side. Her eyes unblinking, Louise watches the dance in solemn silence, until the last particle has disappeared into the multitude of openings between the iron spheres below.

Spoiler: Louise

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The room is indeed trapped. The central fifteen feet of the balance beam is rigged with a proximity trigger, which Louise guesses is tied to some device hidden in the geometric designs of the walls.

[Lord Of Mantas]

Louise

"Try to have some decorum, Cordellia," said Louise, but did not reject the goggles.

After watching the swirl and eddying of the sand, she turned back to the others.

"So, there is definitely a trap there - the center 15 feet of the pole is rigged to a proximity trigger, which, by the looks of things, I can only guess is hidden in the walls."

Spoiler: OOC

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From where we are, is there any easy way to access said wall?

"By my reckoning, our best bet would probably be to bypass the pole entirely and try and go over by our own rope, because I'm not currently spotting a way I could get to the trap to disarm it."

[CockroachTeaParty]

Reynauld retrieves the rope from the lantern shaft, and ties it to the nearest edge of the beam to assist in climbing out of or down into the pit of strange spheres.
"We might be able to walk across the pile of spheres," he said as he grabbed the rope and proceeded to climb down. "I'll test the footing."

He kept a firm grip on the rope in case it proved to be perilous.

[Lord Of Mantas]

Louise

Louise waited with bated breath. If they could traverse the spheres, it would allow them to bypass the trap - but if it was something too physically demanding, then it would mean no passage for a great many of them.

[TheDarkDM]

Reynauld lowers himself onto the sea of metal spheres, and though the footing is tenuous he is able to balance with little difficulty. The sound of metal grinding against metal begins to saw through the room as he moves deeper into the room, leaving little doubt to the depth and density of the iron spheres. Disconcertingly, the crusader sinks a little with each step, but eventually he finds firmer footing before the spheres have reached his knees. And while the noise is not so loud as to be deafening, it does manage to cloak the approach of danger from below.

Louise is the first to see it, the swelling in the spheres in Reynauld's wake, but before she can call out a warning all descends into chaos. There is a sudden explosion behind the stout warrior, revealing a horrid creature of green tendrils and grasping claws. Caught unawares, the bulwark of his armor is all that saves Reynauld from a raking cut,

Spoiler: OOC

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Corinne and Reynauld seize the initiative.
Then comes the monster.
Then Louise, Cordellia, Simone, and Rae

[CockroachTeaParty]

"Zounds!" cried Reynauld as the monster erupted from the pit of balls. He thanked Pelor's gross incandescence for his newfound chainmail as he brought his trusty maul to bear, swinging at the worm-beast with all his strength.

Spoiler: OOC

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Reynauld will take Iron Guard's Glare stance, so the monster is taking a -4 penalty on attacks against anyone other than Reynauld.

He'll then take a good'ol swing with his maul.
Attack: (1d20+5)[12]
Damage: (1d10+4)[6]

[Othniel]

Corinne

"Grick!" shouted the Bard, knowing the horrid creature for what it was. "You'll need magic weapons to cut through its thick hide!"

Spoiler: OOC

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Even though I don't have a magic weapon, I'll ready an attack with my longsword in case it comes at me.

[TheDarkDM]

Reynauld's blow goes wide thanks to his uneven footing, and in the opening the Grick launches into a furious assault. Four leathery tentacles scrape for purchase against Reynauld's armor, while its glistening beak gnaws unsuccessfully against a gauntleted arm.

Spoiler: OOC

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Reynauld is hit once for 3 damage.

[Tychris1]

Gasping at the disgusting creatures assault on Reynauld, Cordellia side skirted Louise, and with rapier in hand descended into the ball pit with a leap of faith. Wind howled and billowed around her golden laced black coat as her magically ringed finger came up to her face and she hissed in Common "Get your disgusting tentacles off of my knight you second rate Diamond Lake villager!" A stream of violet flame shot forth from her hands as she twisted her wrist and held her palm out to the creature as if to display her grand magics.

Spoiler: OOC

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Jump down into the pit and then BURNING HANDS

(4d4)[10] Fire Damage vs DC 15 Reflex Save for half.

[Lord Of Mantas]

Louise

Louise had hardly gotten the arrow up to her bowstring when Cordellia unleashed a torrent of fire, killing the Grick. She relaxed her posture, then turned to the elf, an eyebrow raised.

"Not that I'm complaining about how readily you were able to put down the beast, but was that last insult strictly necessary? There has to be at least a quarter of the people in town who aren't ill-washed or corrupt. Well, a sixth. Perhaps."

[CockroachTeaParty]

The grick had managed to land a decent scrape on Reynauld, but for the most part his new set of chainmail had proved excellent protection. He opened his visor to better share a grateful smile with Cordellia.

"Another excellent display of incendiary magic, Miss Cordellia. Perhaps now we can progress through this strange pit of spheres?"

The crusader awkwardly made his way towards the end of the chamber.

[Tychris1]

”Oh please Louise you take yourself far too seriously,” Cordellia rolled her eyes as she finished preening herself with the soot fresh clean off her dark gloves ”It’s all in jest. Mostly. Besides I can count the number of respectable folks from Diamond Lake with my two hands.”

She beamed at Reynauld’s compliment whilst quickly waltzing through the metal spheres to follow after him “Why thank you, Radiant Servant. It was my father’s favorite spell you know. The transcendant experience of sudden light and energy made manifest is the gift that keeps on giving.”

“Kind of like this cairn.”

[Lord Of Mantas]

Louise

Louise did not respond further to the back and forth of Cordellia, instead watching as she and Reynauld crossed the metal spheres. If they were able to cross safely, she then followed after.

[PepperP.]

Simone carefully lowered herself onto the spheres after the others.

"Let's hope there are no more nasty surprises lurking in these balls."

[TheDarkDM]

As the Grick falls dead, the tunnel of its passage begins to collapse back in on itself. However, the shifting of the iron balls is slow enough that Reynauld catches sight of a skeletal hand clutching a longsword in the shadowed recesses of the pit. If the remains of the Grick's victims remain, so too might their treasures. Yet, as the rest of the party lowers themselves onto the uneven surface, something far more pressing draws their attention. The giggling, once faint enough to be dismissed as a trick of the air, intensifies until it seems to be coming from behind the shoulder of each member of the party. There is a hiccup, the exclamation of a giddy child, and a light voice fills the chamber.

"Wow, you sure are strong! Boo!"

A specter materializes in front of Cordellia, a translucent 13-year-old farm boy with a broken neck, long black fingernails, and a demoniac glare in his eyes. While most of the party is simply unsettled, the wizard suffers the full brunt of the being's attentions. Staring fully into wide eyes edged with madness, Cordellia feels the horror begin to claw at her mind.

Spoiler: OOC

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Cordellia must succeed at a DC 14 Fort Save or suffer 4 Strength Damage, 1 Dexterity Damage, and 4 Constitution Damage from the Horrific Visage.

[TheDarkDM]

As Simone reaches for her holy symbol to banish the spirit, the young boy reacts with surprising speed. One long fingered hand reaches out to Cordellia, stroking against her hair. There is a pressure inside the wizard's head, as though someone was trying to cram something too big to fit inside, and she resists instinctively. The pressure mounts, the ghost's face screwing up in consternation, but eventually his hand withdraws and the feeling vanishes. Raising both hands between himself and Simone, he begins to drift towards the ceiling.

"Whoa whoa, I was just trying to have a little fun! Don't be mean, I need your help!"

[Tychris1]

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Cordellia yelped as the ghost teenager began to mar her face and mind. She clutched the sides of her cheeks with both hands and rapidly yanked her hat down as she stumbled away from the creature. "Don't look at me!" She screeched as she tried to submerge beneath the metal spheres and look up venomously at the apparition beneath black velvet umbrage "As someone who almost never has to ask anyone for help I can tell you that you really F****** suck at this asking thing! Why shouldn't my sunny friends just light your ectoplasmic ass with all of Pelor's screeching fury you cockmongling adolescence lacking floating CREEP."

[CockroachTeaParty]

There were few things that filled Reynauld's heart with dread, but ghosts were certainly one of them. He knew hew as all but powerless against the apparition. Instead he held out a plaintive hand.

"Stay your wrath, specter! As a servant of the Sun Father, it is my duty to bring restless spirits their rightful repose. Did you die here? We will gladly perform your last rites."

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy? (1d20+6)[11]

[PepperP.]

Simone's hand twitched as she just stopped herself from thrusting her holy symbol of Pelor at the apparition. She got the sense that the ghost boy didn't really understand the harm he had caused Cordellia, and that he needed their help.

"Perhaps we would be willing to help, but you must promise to cease with the pranks." Her face softened into a sympathetic look.

"Please, tell us what you need from us."

[TheDarkDM]

With a last dirty look towards Cordellia, the ghost turns his attention fully towards Reynauld and Simone. Drifting towards them, the fullness of the small creature's mangled neck and feral mien become dreadfully apparent. But for all of it, the voice remains that of a young boy.

“My name is Alastor Land. I have been here countless decades, punished for abandoning my family in a time of need. Over these years, I have seen explorers like you come and go. The trap in the walls kills most of them, but others have left in humiliation, unable to pass through the far metal door. I am unable to leave the way you came because of my curse, but I am able to push through the far wall. Beyond is a glorious chamber of strange carvings and a pillar of air. And there’s a catch on the other side of the door that opens it without a problem. I’ll trigger it for you if you take my bones from here and bury them with my family on a farmstead just beyond Diamond Lake. Do this for me, and I will be free. I assure you there is no other way through that door.”

[Tychris1]

Steadily pulling her scarf around her face and popping her jackets collar as high as it could go Cordellia formed a pseudo mask over her face. Only her piercing violet eyes were readily visible as long strands of golden hair fell and toppled between the holes in her obscuring visage. Her black hat was tipped forward to cast further umbrage over her face.

”Mr Land. I.... understand your dilemma. Fleeing from familial responsibility at a time of need. I have... floated where you’ve floated before. It’s never easy and you’ll never make the perfect decision,” She looked to her other party members meaningfully “I speak for myself constantly. I can’t speak of their intentions but I promise you I will help you find your immortal peace. But when you do pass on to the other side if you bump into a Cordon or Carenia Farenha in the afterlife let them know Cordelon is doing just fine. If you wouldn’t mind.”

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy?:(1d20+2)[5]

[Othniel]

Corinne

Corinne eyed the spectral lad with great distrust, but found herself nodding along with Cordelia when she agreed to put the poor creature to rest.

[CockroachTeaParty]

Reynauld nodded to the ghost, returning his maul to the loop on his belt. He trudged through the spheres to the skeletal hand clutching the sword he had found before.
"This wouldn't happen to be you, is it? Just point us in the right direction if you would be so kind..."

[PepperP.]

Simone put her holy symbol back from where she'd grabbed it.

"Of course we'll help you! How could we refuse a plea like that?" She looked to where Reynauld pointed.

"Oh dear, we should really put them all to rest with a proper burial."

[Lord Of Mantas]

Louise

Louise backed off onto her rear foot in a panic before breathing a sigh of relief as she saw the ghost wasn't hostile. Listening to its plight, she nodded her head in agreement.

"We would be happy to help you."

[TheDarkDM]

Alastor's harrowing visage softens into a wide smile at the party's sympathy, summoning up some shadow of the young boy he had been. He giggled at Reynauld's question, and something of the haunting echo faded away.

"Oh no, that's rust bucket. He got so far, but he took off his helmet for a breather before trying to cross the beam. Caught a metal ball right to the head."

The ghost's arm bats at his broken neck, sending it lolling to one side for a moment.

"At least it was quick. There are all sorts down there, but I'm at the far side. About three feet down. But you won't want to miss Sir Shiny."

With the ghosts aid, several corpses are quickly exhumed from the surrounding mass of iron spheres. Many bear the signs of the Grick's ravenous attentions, but buried three feet below the surface directly beneath the room's metal door is a small skeleton with a broken neck.

Spoiler: OOC

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You locate Alastor Land's bones in the sphere pit. You also recover 47 gp, 7 sp, 1 pp, a rusty longsword, and a suit of masterwork banded mail.