DrK Way of Wicked Take 2 IC

[Athaleon]

Salem continued shooting, not pausing to speak.

Spoiler

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Attack: (1d20+6)[8]
Damage: (1d8+1)[2]

Attack: (1d20+6)[21]
Damage: (1d8+1)[2]

[DrK]

In seconds the fight is over! Clearly the motto on on the door, that of The chosen are revealed by their might is true as the dwarf and the savage orc engage with sword and axe both slashing and gouging massive wounds in the wolverine and another arrow from Salem jutting into its broad shoulders. Blood spraying on the floor and spilling onto the floor the wolverine collapses in a heap, dying messily at your feet!

Inthe now quiet (if stinking and gore and filth covered straw filled room) you can take a breather, Oghash letting the rage subside briefly. THe door out of this room on the southern wall (your right as you enter) is stout bearing claw marks but has a heavy bar with a locking pin to hold it in place (easy to open when you have posable thumbs)

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash wipes the blood off her face, not bothering to do it thoroughly, but instead just clearing it from her eyes. "Now that's more like it. Oh that feels good!" she exclaims as she grins with satisfied, feral bloodlust. "Let's hope the Master set up more like that!"

[Bansheexero]

"Indeed, nothing like a kill to get the heart pumping."

[Farmerbink]

Stvari snorts in amusement. "Always preferred them on that end of my blade as well," he quips. After a moment, he frowns thoughtfully. "Seems almost too easy, though."

Shrugging, he roots around in the straw for a few moments, wondering if he'll find something more subtle about the immediate challenge before turning his attention to the next doorway.

Spoiler: OOC

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Searching for... things? (1d20+9)[27]
Inspecting the door for traps: (1d20+9)[10]

[Athaleon]

Salem lowered his bow. "Damn critter, of all things. How bad did it get you?"

[DrK]

Finidng nothing in the straw bar bits of gnawed bones and dried wolverine dung Starvi pulls open the door to reveal yet another short corridor and another wooden door. This time the words of warning a little more ominous "Suffer not the fool, Stupidity is our Faith's Cardinal Sin". Approaching the door it appears to not be trapped and opening up the room beyond reveals yet another 30ft or so square room.

The chamber is lit only by a hanging oil lantern from the centre of the room, under which stands and ornate black stone podium of sorts. Upon the podium lies a pendant of silver -- a dragon with sapphire eye, possibly the pendant you are searching for! There is also a stairway leading up to the east. (to the left as you look into the room, you enter from the North), although from where you you cannot see where it goes.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash visibly scowls at the written warning, an expression of self-conscious anger and...shame? Taking a deep breath she says, "I know I'm not the smartest, especially with allies like some of you," she acknowledges Ahkmathi with a glance. "...but that warning is pretty obvious. Something is wrong here - any idea what?" she asks, deferring to the other party members as she takes a deep breath and warily turns to glare into the largely empty room.

[Farmerbink]

Stvari frowns. "Figure it'd be way too easy for that to be the pendant we're lookin' for... Anyone wanna check it for magical stuff?"

Opting for a more mundane approach, the Dwarf carefully prowls through the room, looking for hidden doors or compartments.

[Athaleon]

"Sometimes the simplest solution is the right one. Doubt that's the case now." Salem squinted as he let his new-gifted sense for magic scan the room.

Spoiler

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Casting Detect Magic and pausing to study for the full 3 rounds, unless of course something happens first.

[Starbin]

Ahkmathi Sek, Elven Conjurist

The slaughter of the beast went the way the mage expected. As the others stood congratulating each other in the after glow of combat, Ahkmathi walked over to the dead creature and pulled free some shots and a couple of teeth. One never knew what items might be needed for future spells.

In the next room, he glanced at the ‘lesson’ then to the pedestal. He nodded in agreement with the others, frowning. ”I am certain your baser instincts are correct - this tableaux screams trap. If we wish to set it off and de with the challenges, I can assist. Otherwise, we should proceed on ... with causation, of course.”

---

OOC - Keeping an eye out. If we want to spring the trap, Ahkmathi will use mage hand.

Spoiler: Status

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Str 10 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 12 Cha 10
AC 13 HP 16 Init +11 Move 30' / F +2 R +4 W +4
Spells (4/2+1): detect magic, message, ghost sound, mage hand; enlarge person, silent image, color spray
Skills: Arcana/Planes +12; Local/Religion/Nature/Dungeon/History +10; Geo/Eng/Nob +10; Spellcraft +9
Teleport: 7/7
Effect: low-light vision

[DrK]

Pausing at the door the dwarf's keen eyes can clearly see the gems and the necklace are in fact not real! The gems being a cheap glass and the necklace smelling like a cheap tin rather than a better quality precious metal. He also notices the subtle lines in the floor that would suggest the door to the left is in fact "a fake" and will instead relapse some sort of trap and there is the outline of a secret door on the far side of the room....

It would seem a tricky room designed to catch the greedy or unwary and allow a massive boulder to crush them.

[Farmerbink]

Stvari snorts. "Figured something like that. Nobody mess with that door," he mutters, walking past the cheap mockery. "Let's just see here...." He turns his focus to the hidden door, expecting to find their prize beyond.

Spoiler: OOC

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one last perception for luck or to find the secret door mechanism, if needed. (1d20+9)[23]

Then Stvari will open it.

[Starbin]

Ahkmathi Sek, Elven Conjurist

The wizard smiled humorlessly with a slight nod. ”Yes, as you ascertained, it was a trap. If you would be so good as to find the true way onward, and we can commit this lesson to memory and leave the trap behind us.”. With little more to add, Ahkmathi stood back and waited for the door to be open.

---

OOC - waiting in the scout

Spoiler: Status

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Str 10 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 12 Cha 10
AC 13 HP 16 Init +11 Move 30' / F +2 R +4 W +4
Spells (4/2+1): detect magic, message, ghost sound, mage hand; enlarge person, silent image, color spray
Skills: Arcana/Planes +12; Local/Religion/Nature/Dungeon/History +10; Geo/Eng/Nob +10; Spellcraft +9
Teleport: 7/7
Effect: low-light vision

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash watches and listens silently, her scowl intensifying at the assessment of the fake amulet. She is creeping towards the trapped door when Stvari gives his curt warning. With a huff she complies and watches him as he approaches the secret, hidden one. "What is it? Another trap? Or a door?" she asks.

[DrK]

With the dwarves guidance you are all able to leap over the trapped floor, a few scrapes and a chip of bone suggest someone else in the past has been less successful in evading the trap! Reaching the far wall Svarti handles the wall and soon finds a loose brick that when depressed opens up into a pitch black corridor that heads sharply to the south and then after some 30ft turns left out of sight. The corridor is pitch dark and from the far end where it turns out of sight there is a faint musty earthy smell.

[Farmerbink]

"Always more darkness, but at least we're underground," Stvari grunts. He plods forward with bizarrely quiet steps for such a brawny and broad-shouldered figure.

Spoiler: OOC

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Still stealthy, still slowly to be perceptive:
(1d20+9)[24] perception
(1d20+7)[12] stealth

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash sniffs the air suspiciously. "Smells like earth...Does Asmodeus like using undead? I never liked them, but you don't suppose...?" she trails off, leaving the unspoken question for the others to consider as she places herself between the squishier members of the party and the likely dangers in front. She stays behind Stvari, though whether out of respect for his stealthy scouting or because she doesn't trust him isn't clear...

[Athaleon]

"Could be anything down there. The Lord of Hell takes necromancers as servants, same as any other useful servant."

Spoiler

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Just in case, Knowledge Religion? (1d20+7)[20]

[DrK]

The dwarf plods 30ft south down the corridor until it turns to the left (east), a door a few feet away with another message upon it "Secrecy is greatest ally. Exposure brings death." As they look at the door his dwarven senses tingle he spies the the outline of a secret door behind him, heading the other way (west). A quick pull of the loose mechanism lets it swing open revealing another passage and another door, “Beware the fallen for they may rise once more to threaten you.”

[Farmerbink]

"Well that sounds for sure like undead ahead." He gives Oghash an ugly but authentic grin, smirking as she cradles her axe like a lost child. "Hope you're spoilin' for another fight, pretty lady." Having wasted the allotted time on idle chatter, he turns back to the matter at hand.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash's scowl somehow gets even worse at Stvari's sarcasm. "Just find them so I can kill them...again..." she growls awkwardly.

[Bansheexero]

Stumbling around in the dark, Sarris sighs, "I'd give anything for a well lit passage."

[Starbin]

Ahkmathi Sek, Elven Conjurist

The wizard stared at the doors for a moment, tapping his chin before murmuring, ”These two lessons are linked. We were supposed to find the one, but the other was hidden ... I posit they are connected in someway. Surely the one is a test of our ability to sneak through. But is the other another test to solve, or a consequence of failure?”

After considering the situation, Ahkmathi clasped his free arm behind his back. “I suggest we either clear that room or bar it shut. I think we all would prefer to not leave enemies behind us.”

---

OOC - Coordinated Ahkmathi’s assessment with DrK.

Spoiler: Status

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Str 10 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 12 Cha 10
AC 13 HP 16 Init +11 Move 30' / F +2 R +4 W +4
Spells (4/2+1): detect magic, message, ghost sound, mage hand; enlarge person, silent image, color spray
Skills: Arcana/Planes +12; Local/Religion/Nature/Dungeon/History +10; Geo/Eng/Nob +10; Spellcraft +9
Teleport: 7/7
Effect: low-light vision

[Bansheexero]

"Barring the door could be a double-edged sword, as it may cut off a means of escape should there be some trap that advances upon us, like an advancing wall, fire, explosion, etc. It might be a better idea to have somebody guard it. I recommend somebody who can actually see in this darkness."

[Athaleon]

"We were meant to find the hidden door." Salem spoke up at length, but with conviction. "The hidden door leads to risk & reward, but the obvious one leads to certain failure. We can make all the right decisions and there'll still be some people we have to kill. That's how I interpret this, anyway."

[Starbin]

Ahkmathi Sek, Elven Conjurist

The wizard shook his head. ”I disagree. The lesson of each door is key. The ‘obvious’ door has a trial we must solve - stay hidden. If we fail that there are consequences, just like every lesson. The hidden door offers an additional lesson that serves to help. Much like the hidden alcove at the start provided us with a way to overcome a later task, this door tells us about undead, that we may be prepared. Perhaps there is something there to help us ‘sneak past’ the other challenge. Or perhaps remove the penalty of failure ...”

---

OOC - additional thoughts

Spoiler: Status

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Str 10 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 18 Wis 12 Cha 10
AC 13 HP 16 Init +11 Move 30' / F +2 R +4 W +4
Spells (4/2+1): detect magic, message, ghost sound, mage hand; enlarge person, silent image, color spray
Skills: Arcana/Planes +12; Local/Religion/Nature/Dungeon/History +10; Geo/Eng/Nob +10; Spellcraft +9
Teleport: 7/7
Effect: low-light vision

[Farmerbink]

Stvari considers his companions words carefully before offering his own opinion. "There's truth all around, but until we open the doors, it's all incomplete at best. As much as I hate to agree with an Elf, I figure Ahkmathi's got the right of it. Still, some of us aren't so gifted in the sneaking category, and it'd be a d***ed shame to let her talents go completely unused." He glances at Oghash again, with an impish smirk. "Let's kill us some dead things, sweetheart."

Spoiler: OOC

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It doesn't seem anyone else plans to actually open any doors, so Stvari will (assuming Oghash's backup) move to the undead-labeled door and open it.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash listens as Salem, Ahkmathi, and Stvari discuss the philosophies involved with each lesson with the expression of someone trying to understand who just...doesn't. "I'm not your sweetheart!" she grumbles, though she does ready herself to fight as Stvari gets ready to open the next door...

[DrK]

The door to the "un"death opens carefully revealing a room dimly lit by a black waxy candle at each corner that spread sickly green light across the room and 6 cheap looking wooden sarchopgai within. You can see the lids are loosely affixed but cannot see what lies within. As you enter from the secret door on the north wall you can see doors (similar to the others) to the east and west