Runelords 2E IC

[DrK]

After waiting a few minutes Jon once more sembles into his rat form and scurries off to do some more exploration. He runs forward sniffing around, nose low to the ground. Scurrying down the first turning the rocky cavern leads to small chamber. The original purpose of this chamber is unclear, large mounds of rubble lie strewn on the floor. The wall to the west has been torn torn door where you entered and a door, engraved with thassilonian runes heads to the north

The next door to the right leads to a wide chamber, likley an entrance hall of some sort. A red marble statue of a strikingly beautiful but at the same time monstrously enraged human woman stands in the middle of this room, her stony expression twisted in fury. The woman wears flowing robes and her long hair is held back from her face by an intricate headdress of hooks and blade. In her left hand she carries a large hook, the face of which is inscribed with a seven pointed star. Her right hand clutches a glittering metal and ivory ranseur. Around the entrance hall a tunnel to the east vanishes into darkness, a door stands to the north and a tunnel to the south splits in two.

The rocky lava tube ends to the north in another stout door.

[Zero Prime]

Alexej Vladislav, Human Evoker AC: 16 | HP: 22 | Class DC: 18 Fortitude: +5 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +8 | Perception: +6 Spell Slots: 1st: 4/4 | Focus Pool: 1 Active Effects: None. Conditions: None. Intrigued by Jon's description of the red-stone statue, Alexej spoke quietly, "I would like to investigate the statuary, to determine it's origins, perhaps the person it depicts will assist us in determining the origins of these caverns?" He paused, "But as Lysander so aptly pointed out, there are likely more of these tainted creations down here with us, so we should move with caution and purpose, yes?"

Spoiler: Out of Character Actions

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OOC: Assuming it is possible to do so, I would like to a) Cast Detect Magic on the statue to ensure it isn't magically trapped or warded, and then b) use Lore (Archaeology) to determine it's origins, (1d20+8)[11].

[stack]

After making his report, Jon agrees with Alexej, "Yes, we should be safe to move into the room, though try to avoid excessive noise until we have investigated the side passages."

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

"A marble statue, you say? Guess we found our pay." the sellsword smirks, greed in his eyes "Should sell well on the market." sword pointing north, Lysander starts moving "Let's go. I'll stand guard while you do your stuff. Doubt I could be of much help, never learned much of the old empire."

[Farmerbink]

Jannis follows silently. He's more than a little nervous about their findings so far, and thoroughly uncomfortable in the dank catacombs. His eyes glance uneasily down the cross passages, leaving him if anything more uneasy as they fail to penetrate the darkness. He carries his bow with arrow nocked, tip pointed downward, and never keeps his eyes in one place for long.

[DrK]

The statue is impressive, the woman amazing in her grace and beauty although Alexej cannot place who she might be, other than clearly an ancient Thassilonian of some importance. As he casts about with magical senses the walls and the statue themselves glow with a dull abjurant aura of magic, some sort of magical preservative he would think. The ransuer in her right hand glows with a pulsing transmutation and after close examination the young mage realises that the Ranseur could be taken away and is in fact and enchanted weapon!

Its a +1 ransuer so, +1 potency rune for +1 to hit


Staring down the passages you can see the North leads to a door, the east leads downa long corridor rising up several little steps to a door after some 50ft and the south splits into two passageways that leads deep into the catacombs

[Farmerbink]

Jannis warily glances at his allies, particularly Alexej. "Anything here worth noting?" he asks the mage. "Otherwise, let's move on. That way, if no one else has a preference," he comments, nodding towards the eastern corridor.

[Zero Prime]

Alexej Vladislav, Human Evoker AC: 16 | HP: 22 | Class DC: 18 Fortitude: +5 | Reflex: +6 | Will: +8 | Perception: +6 Spell Slots: 1st: 4/4 | Focus Pool: 1 Active Effects: None. Conditions: None. Alexej, noticing Jannis' withering look, pulls his thouhts back to the present, "Sorry, the statuary looks familiar, Thassilonian in design, but the details escape me." He paused, "However, the spear she carries, it is engraved with a rune of potency, and, given time, I should be able to transfer the rune to Lysander's blade, so it may be worth the time to remove it from the dias, and bring it with us, yea?" He shrugged, "'n other than that I'd like to check these hallways 'fore we open that door, see what we can see?"

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Lysander throws a glance to the statue, frowning and squinting "Well, whoever she was she looks like someone who could mop the floor with us." and Alexej's words make him whistle in approval "If you manage to make my sword more powerful I promise I'll not complain about the lack of any reward for our work. At least for a while." the sellsword grins, quite pleased "I mean, Hemlock and Deverin are still cheapskates - but I guess something good came out of this whole mess."

The mercenary looks at the eastern corridor, then at the door right in front of them "I believe it would be better to have a look right behind this door. I mean, the corridor there'll take us somewhere else; the door here'll lead to just a room."

Spoiler

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The door Lysander is referring to is the one at I-11

[DrK]

The ranseur with a sharp tug is prised free from the imposing woman's grasp and feels light and agile in your hands. Its a beautiful weapon, with a craftmanship that you suspect would be struggled to be matched in modern times. Although none of you want to use it, you all realise that its worth a small fortune!

Casting about you look down the eastern corridor, the dancing lights floating down the stairs but only leading to another door. The passage to the south is more interesting, the furthest tuinnel leading back to where you started, the tunnel to the furthest south terminating a chamber that has nothing but large mounds of rubble strewn on the floor, the door opening you relaise has led you back to where you started.

The second path is far more interesting, as the tunnel of smooth worked stone widens into whatt appears to be a shrine. In the northeast corner some steps lead up to a platform of grey stone that bears an ancient grey stone that is little more than a jagged block of black marble. The basin atop it filled with a dark oily fluid

[stack]

"Doors do make scouting in rat-shape a bit difficult. Perhaps we at least open this one together." Jon suggests as they near the obstruction.

[Farmerbink]

Jannis snorts. "You can't really be that self-centered, Lysander. You just can't!" he insists, with a playful expression. When the sellsword confirms, apparently genuinely, that he absolutely can, the young cleric chuckles quietly. "I don't believe you," he whispers with a grin.

When no one else volunteers, he steps up and retrieves the enchanted weapon. He tests it heft with an appreciative expression, though it quickly becomes apparent that he wouldn't fare well using it in a true fight. "Fancy. I'll hold onto it for now, unless one of you wants to try?" he offers.

Returning his thoughts to the immediate issues, he quiets down and follows along while the party scouts the various hallways to their immediate ends. "I'm fine with your suggestion, Lysander," he adds, nodding towards the door nearest the statue.

He grips his bow, mostly unhindered by the long-handled blade now lashed to his pack, ready to continue.

Spoiler: OOC

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I figure someone needs to carry it, and Jannis is likely to be one of the least "in the thick of it" party members unbothered by the additional weight.

[DrK]

Eyeing the door to the North of the statue, (the closet one) Lysander approaches the door and pushes open the solid wooden door. The wood, ancient but still solid screeches in protest but creaks pen revealing a large room hewn out the rock beyond. The chamber was obviously once a prison as testified by the twenty or so narrow cells that line the walls of the chamber. the door you enter from opens onto a rickety wooden platform overlooking the room with a pair of stairs leading down to the rocky lower level to the left and right and a wooden walkway, still 10ft off the ground leads from your platofmr to another stone corridor heading east

Lysander is greeted by skulls and bones of long dead prisoners huddled in heaps in many of the cells, but hissing and grunting as they pull at the bones of a long dead prisoner are another pair of the disgusting grey skinned, toothy mawed Sin spawn arguing over a long forgotten prisoner's shiny skull. Both hiss in surprise as the door creaks open and the imperious Lysander steps through!




OOC:

Party win the initiatve

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Jannis snorts. "You can't really be that self-centered, Lysander. You just can't!" he insists, with a playful expression. When the sellsword confirms, apparently genuinely, that he absolutely can, the young cleric chuckles quietly. "I don't believe you," he whispers with a grin.

Lysander frowns, apparently confused by Jannis' words - it seems clear that from his point of view what he said to the others is completely reasonable "Look, Deverin and Hemlock want me to kill a bunch of goblins, a Quasit and a lass so mad at them she wants to burn the whole city down - and they expect me to do all that just out of goodness of my heart? You know, one time I did a job with a priest of Abadar - he was much more understanding."

The sellsword open the door cautiously, just a sliver to be sure no one's behind it and then enough to let everyone pass; as soon as he sees the two spawns he grips his sword and bellows "Enemies!" and rushes forward to engage the two monsters as quickly as possible, trying to win the battle with speed and ferocity.

Spoiler: Actions!

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Action 1 & 2 - Sudden Charge (1d20+10)[23] Damage (1d8+4)[10]
Action 3 - Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

[Farmerbink]

Jannis steps in urgently behind Lysander, and quickly appraises the situation. From the relative safety of the elevated platform, he releases a pair of arrows at the monstrous creatures.

Spoiler: Jannis, Round 1

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Jannis Sotheby
M NG Human Cleric, Level 2, HP 26/26, Speed 25
AC 16, Fort 5, Ref 6, Will 10, Perc 10
Composite shortbow +6 (1d6+2 Piercing) deadly d10 (Emblazon Armament)
Sickle +6 (1d4 slashing) trip, agile
Dagger +6 (1d4 piercing) versatile slashing, agile
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 14
Conditions
Divine Spells: Cantrips: Divine Lance, Forbidding Ward, Guidance, Read Aura, Shield
Soothing Words (1/1 focus)
Bless 2/2
Magic Weapon 1/1
Heal 3/3 (d10)

move to I/8
(1d20+6)[20] composite short bow
(1d6+3)[9] piercing damage (emblazoned)
(1d10)[2] deadly (on critical success)

(1d20+1)[18] composite short bow with MAP
(1d6+3)[6] piercing damage
(1d10)[10] deadly (on critical success)

[stack]

"More abominations? Very well, we shall dispatch them." He moves onto the platform and launches a bolt of lightning towards the two creatures.

Spoiler

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1A: stride 25' "north" to I 8 (I think, grid lines and coordinates are misaligned a bit)
2+3A: electric arc hitting both, (1d4+3)[6] electricity, basic REF DC17

[DrK]

The two savage looking sin spawn don't have a lot of time to react as the heroes leap into action, Jon, Jannis and Alexej all move to the top of the raised platform and release a flurry of attacks down on them. One is lucky as Alexej's small sphere of fire sizzles beside them before both of the sin spawn are hurt as the eletricity from Jon sizzles up and down the cell bars they are holding, their grey flesh blistering as the charge is amplified by the cells bar. The nearest one is then staggered as two arrows thump into it driving it to its knees!

That proves to be a mistake as with some grace and acrobatic flair Lysander leaps atop the rickety looking wooden banister and vaults over, driving his sword down into the top of the sin spawn's bale and puckered skull cleaving it apart ina spray of strange yellowish ichor. The second hisses and growls something in a weird and acient language (Aklo) before lunging at Lysander, claws lashing out before it's mawed bite snaps at the warrior's face.


Three attack actions at lysander
Claw (1d20+10)[12] dam [roll1d6+4[/roll]
Claw (1d20+6)[13] dam [roll1d6+4[/roll]
Bite (1d20+2)[16] dam [roll1d8+4[/roll] + Will DC18 or bad things....

[stack]

Jon launches another arc at the remaining foe.

Spoiler

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electric arc (1d4+3)[6] electricity, basic REF DC17

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

Lysander dodges and put his sword between him and the spawn to stave off the savage attack of the beast - even though the sellsword has quite the aggressive fighting style he certainly cares about his own well-being. When Jon conjures more flames to thow at the enemy, Lysander uses the distraction provided by his companion to try to trick his foe into believing the next strike's going to be an overhead, the sword instead going for the legs.

Spoiler: Actions!

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Action 1 - Snagging Strike (1d20+10)[30] Damage (1d8+4)[7]
Action 2 - Strike (1d20+5)[7] Damage (1d8+4)[12]
Action 3 - Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

[Farmerbink]

Jannis blinks in surprise as Lysander clears the rail. He brushes away the distraction and nocks another arrow, pausing long enough to cast a simple spell of protection on the sellsword.

Spoiler: Jannis, Round 2

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Jannis Sotheby
M NG Human Cleric, Level 2, HP 26/26, Speed 25
AC 16, Fort 5, Ref 6, Will 10, Perc 10
Composite shortbow +6 (1d6+2 Piercing) deadly d10 (Emblazon Armament)
Sickle +6 (1d4 slashing) trip, agile
Dagger +6 (1d4 piercing) versatile slashing, agile
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 14
Conditions
Divine Spells: Cantrips: Divine Lance, Forbidding Ward, Guidance, Read Aura, Shield
Soothing Words (1/1 focus)
Bless 2/2
Magic Weapon 1/1
Heal 3/3 (d10)

Cast Forbidding Ward, targeting Lysander and the Sinspawn, to increase Lysander's AC and saves by +1 versus it.

pew pew!
(1d20+6)[9] shortbow
(1d6+2)[4] piercing damage

[DrK]

Jon continues to channel the storm within himself as crackling lightning continues to arc between the railings and the remaining sinspawn, the beast blistering and crackling as the electric blast continues to heat it up and Lysander can feel his hair standing on end and tiny blue static charges flashing on his armour. Above him a shimmering light decsneds over him as Jannis brings down a ward against danger between him and the sin spawn, the ward enough to distract it long enough for the tough sell sword to land a perfect blow that hews into the creature's eck sending its ugly toothy head flying off its shoulder and its body crumpling into a heap....


A critical fail on the electricity saves last turn and then a critical success from Lysander make short work of it

[stack]

"Well, at least that is two less of those foul creatures. Strange times in Sandpoint."

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

Lysander breathes a sigh of relief when the two Spawns are dead, still pokes them with the point of the sword to be really, really really sure they're not a threat anymore; he grunts in approval at Jon's words and looks around "Seems a prison. Got my fair share of time in a place like this, most of the times the prisoners leave some messages for the poor sods that're going to be stuck there after them. Lifers, especially. Once I met this murderer who thought was a fine idea to write her own biography with the blood of her cellmate." the sellsword grimaces in disgust at the memory, but without offering much of an explanation of why he had this kind of experience. He then walks around the prison, looking inside the cells trying to find anything of interest.

[Farmerbink]

"Well fought, everyone," Jannis murmurs, as the sudden violence wanes. "If only more of the evil fiends in the dark proved this dangerous." Without being asked, he joins the search, not quite sure what he's looking for. "That sounds... hideous," he remarks to Lysander, genuinely disturbed by the image. When the sell sword leaves the obvious explanation unspoken, Jannis eyes him uneasily.

"You're a strange man, Lysander," he mutters, turning his attention to the task at hand.

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20+10)[14] perception

[DrK]

Searching the ancient cells Lysander proves he is partially right as even amidst the detritus of long dead prisoners who's bones flake to dust when touched the walls of the cells are liberally scrawled with thin stone carved messgaes, although what they say is hard to know as the runes and writing seems to be in ancient script. Even Alexej as he slowly comes down the stairs looks and shakes his head, "It appears to be Thassilonian, ancient Thassilonian but I cannot make out th words. Some are close, to Varisian, maybe a word here here or there..." as he points to a couple that feature quite regularly on the walls, "This may be Shalat, I think they were one of the ancient Runelords. This one, well..." he just shrugs and gestures at the 4 rune word and you can well imagine what prisoners would be writing.

THe now rapidly decaying bodies of the sinspawn bear nothing of value and there seems little of value in the this prison leaving the paths further south in the complex, or the doors by the strange shrine. Or the passageway leading east from the prison as routes that you might explore.

[stack]

Jon points to the eastern passage. "I can scout a bit, again."

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

"Well, it was certainly bothersome. Cleaning that cell took days." Lysander answers to Jannis, probably missing the point the priest tried to make. When Jon offers to scout again, the mercenary nods approvingly "That would be quite useful. That Quasit is nowhere to be seen, but always heard demons are cunning and dangerous - fear she might be laying an ambush." then points the sword towards the corridor east of the prison.

[DrK]

Jon shimmers slightly and with a blurring of form and motion once more shrinks down to a smooth furry rat and scurries along the wooden walkways to scout ahead. Scurrying to the next room, he spies a saet of stairs to the east leading down and a door ajar to the south. The room appears to his beady eyes to have once been a torture chamber of sorts and relics of what may once have been torture implements are attached, (now rusted beyond use) on the walls although their form and structure seem strange and archaic. In one corner of the room is the crumbling remains of a small spherical cage with spikes pointing inwards, in another stands the frame of a star shaped wooden frame its surface studded with hooks and in the centre of the room is a long table with metal fittings to hold straps and a number of cranks that seemed designed to swivel and rotate.

The room to the south has 3 more cells and the remains of a small study. The crumbling remnants of several chairs and a long table clutter the space and the open doors of the three cells each bear a seven pointed star upon them. Torn up pages and fragments of paper liberally cover the table and the floor and each cell is occupied by what appears to be the long dead remains of deformed humanoids; the first with three wizened arms, the second with an huge misshapen skull and the third with a rib cage that seems to be more snake like with dozens of extra ribs before ending in a twisted pelvis and stunted leg bones.



A noise from the eastern corridor distracts the rat-like Jon and he scurries to the top of the stairs and can peer down the stairs the vaulted chamber to the east. Cold air seems to flow up from the chamber, strangely chill against his fur and the chamber arches to some 30ft high. The floor has many wooden grilles, each covering a deep hole in the floor, more cells Jon supposes. From the darkness of these pits you can hear shuffling and groaning that you recognise as the sound of the restless dead. The most striking thing in the room though is the hulking green skinned goblin. Swollen ad muscled this things stands easily 6ft high and has an extra arm to go with its huge puffed up head. Its shuffles between the pits singing softly (and very badly in goblin) trying to shush the zombies like a kind of over attentive caretaker. Even with a brief 20 second glance Jon can see that this goblin is insane.



No combat yet as the insane goblin is still unaware of Jon. If anyone wants to get close enough to 2 stride to him please make a stealth check. Otherwise you can be in the torture chamber whispering and looking at stuff.

[stack]

Jon scurries back to report his findings, describing the undead and the goblin in detail. "The entrance to the room is narrow. Could use it as a choke point?"

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 34\34 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

While Jon is away, Lysander throws a look here and there in the chamber the party's in; he kneels to better examine the bones of the former prisoners, brow furrowed that shows how the sellsword seems worried by what he's watching "Why keeping cripples here? Were they criminals?" Jon's return puts an end to Lysander's conjectures; he looks at the corridor, seemingly weighing the risk and then nods "All right, fine. Hope that goblin is dumb enough to charge."

Spoiler

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Perception (1d20+7)[13]
Stealth (1d20+0)[20]