Rise of the Runelords IC 2

[u-b]

Iris casts some spells, but Justin does not wait to know what they reveal and starts to descend right away. You soon lose sight of him, neither you hear him. The rope keeps moving and bearing his weight. Eventually, you lower the rope as much as you can. It is still under tension.

Spoiler

Show

Is that 50 feet of rope?

Spoiler: Iris

Show

There is no evil down the shaft as far as the spell can sense. There is a number of magical auras, though. First, you keep sensing Justin (his gear) descending down on the rope. Second, you also sense three auras starting about 10 feet down the shaft, all of faint strength. They extend 20, 20 and 40 feet down from where they start. Eventually you sense Justin to be out of two of them, but still within the third.

Spoiler: Justin

Show

You hold on to the rope and get down the shaft. About 10 feet down it goes pitch black. You also lose all hearing. Assuming you continue down, it is 20 more feet of descent before you regain your senses. You see a total blackness above you, but below you see a grand hall is made of polished gray marble. It is illuminated by burning glass balls hanged around at regular intervals and makes an U-turn right under your location, going from the north and to the north. Its ceiling rises to a height of about twenty feet, supported by ornate columns whose central eight-foot-sections have been carved to resemble a beautiful woman. Below you is the piece of stone you threw down. It seems totally undamaged by the falling. A ten-foot-square platform sits in a wide alcove on the north wall, atop which lies a white marble sarcophagus with a painted lid. The painting is that of a beutiful woman. The sound of gently running water echoes along the hall to the west. You descend as much as the rope would let you, but are still a couple of feet shy of the floor.

[Erloas]

Lebwen sends the lights down with Justin as he goes down. "How long before we go after him or try to pull him up?" Lebwen says to the others then leans over the edge and yells "Justin can you hear me? Can you see anything or hear me?"
"If we don't hear anything back from him right away give a few deliberate pulls on the rope and see if he responds." He says to Lizuga

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu Looking around the cavern Justin looks in awe at the scene and the tomb before scrambling (or getting dragged) back up the rope. As he emerges from the darkness back to the top he grins, "We have a tomb! At the bottom, the rope is few feet short but looks safe. The well is full of weird darkness and silence though so don't freak out." Looking around he nods to the big chunks of statue. "Shall we tie up the ropes and shimmy down?"

Spoiler: Stats

Show

HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

"I hope we don't have to destroy any more of these beautiful creations".

Iris helps secure the ropes and then, with everyone else, descends the shaft down through the weird effects into the tomb below.

Spoiler: Climb check

Show

Climb (1d20+1)[12]

[CasualViking]

Lizuga Manescu Lizuga descends the rope, not winning any awards for grace while doing so, then arms up at the bottom of the pit.

Spoiler: Stats

Show

AC 20 (+4 counter), Touch 11, FF 19, CMD 17|Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +7|HP: 31/31

Triage 4/4. Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield +4 AC Counter,Encouraging Roar, Armor-piercing Thrust, Curate's Strike. Spoils of War Stance.

[Erloas]

"Well I guess that settles it" Lebwen says as the others descend. He takes another quick look around the chamber, helps Adalbert descend get started, then follows.

[u-b]

You descend down the rope through a zone of darkness and silence into a gray marble hall below. It is illuminated by burning glass balls hanged around at regular intervals and makes an U-turn right at your location, going from the north and to the north. Its ceiling rises to a height of about twenty feet, supported by ornate columns whose central eight-foot-sections have been carved to resemble a beautiful woman. A ten-foot-square platform sits in a wide alcove on the north wall, atop which lies a white marble sarcophagus with a painted lid. The painting is that of a beutiful woman. The sound of gently running water echoes along the hall to the west.

Spoiler

Show

You have descended around AK36.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga Manescu "Does anyone else have rope? We could tie up these stony strumpets before we disturb anything else, just in case the get any ideas".

Spoiler: Stats

Show

AC 20 (+4 counter), Touch 11, FF 19, CMD 17|Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +7|HP: 31/31

Triage 4/4. Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield +4 AC Counter,Encouraging Roar, Armor-piercing Thrust, Curate's Strike. Spoils of War Stance.

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu Shimmy down he stands looking around in wonder at the tombe, peering down the corridor to the left "Running water? Maybe some kind of river?" THen he glances down the corridor to the right, "Wow, that is some tomb and mural! Its very impressive." Creeping closer he walks slowly, ears and eyes alert, a shake of the head "''Fraid not Liz, no more rope, its pretty heavy for a young lad like me." Creeping forwards he moves to the sarcophagus to get a clear look, curiosity vying with caution

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Perception [roll[1d20+7[/roll]


HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[Erloas]

"We're on the coastline and underground, we very well could be under part of the ocean, so water could be just about anything.
I have a net, but that probably isn't enough to hold down statues if they decide to move" Lebwen says. He then casts detect magic and heads towards the sarcophagus with Justin.

[u-b]

The painted lid of the sarcophagus depicts a beautiful dark-haired, lithe woman sleeping with arms crossed over her chest. The lid is made of stone and looks rather heavy. Lebwen detects two auras. A strong aura on the sarcophagus and a strong aura in the sarcophagus.

Spoiler

Show

Roll know (arcana) twice if you feel lucky.

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu Wow, its amazing" he says to Lebwen and the others as he approaches and circles the casket carefully. Squatting down he looks at the lid carefully, "You thinking its trapped or can we prise the lid off this baby and see what is inside?" He grins at the others as he waits for the opinions from the others as well.

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Perception (1d20+7)[27]


HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[u-b]

Looking at the auras present, Lebwen concludes that:
1. The aura on the sarcophagus is a moderate illusion. Strangely, it seems dormant rather than active.
2. The aura in the sarcophagus is strong necromancy. How that relates to your pay grade is for you to decide.

[Erloas]

Studying the sarcophagus as they approach and seeing the auras Lebwen motions Justin to stay back a little bit and says "There seems to be some decently strong magic here, let me get a closer look first." Then continues forward studying it a bit closer. "As one might expect in an ancient tomb, there does appear to be some necromantic magic inside, as well as some sort of illusion on the sarcophagus itself, though it doesn't seem to be active. So maybe some sort of trap, or maybe only hides what is inside when it is opened. Necromatic magic can be used to preserve the dead as well as animate them, so it isn't a guarantee that there is an undead stuck inside, but we need to prepare as if there is. Maybe someone else can check it for some sort of trap or something else weird that might happen if or when we open it."

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

Iris gazes around the hallway in wonder before her eye settle on the painted sarcophagus. "Beautiful. Such talented artists".

Iris inspects the sarcophagus, looking closely but not touching it quite yet.

Spoiler: actions

Show

Detect evil on the casket & area
Perception (1d20+10)[15]

[u-b]

Iris detects no evil - neither in the sarcophagus nor in the surrounding area. The lid seems to be heavy and, it seems, cannot be just shifted aside, but must be lifted up before it could be moved. There does not seem to be any indication of possible trap mechanisms.

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu As Lebwen and Iris fail to find any dangers or evil and there seems to be no evidence of traps Justin looks at the others with a grin, "Shall we take a look. Can't be worse than a trapped Barghest can it!" Looking at the lid he walks towards and has a tug at it to lever it open. His face wise with a big grin of excitement

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Strength to assist or lift (1d20)[11]


HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[CasualViking]

Lizuga Manescu Lizuga sheds her shield and lays down her weapon to help Justin move the lid. Should be enough to slide it off. [/B]

Spoiler: Stats

Show

AC 20 (+4 counter), Touch 11, FF 19, CMD 17|Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +7|HP: 31/31

Triage 4/4. Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield +4 AC Counter,Encouraging Roar, Armor-piercing Thrust, Curate's Strike. Spoils of War Stance.

[u-b]

Lizuga and Justin start to lift the lid, with Lizuga doing most of the heavy lifting.

Spoiler: Lizuga

Show

You start lifting the lid and then, suddenly, the beutiful woman depicted on it turns into an undead horror, complete with empty eye sockets, rotting flesh, claws and all that and it jumps out of the lid and straight at you. Your heart makes a big *thump* and stops. The undead horror does not seem to persist its attack and disappears as suddenly as it has appeared and after a short time your heart starts beating again, with some irregularity. You then finish the task, still under the impression of the sudden event.

Spoiler: Everybody else

Show

Suddenly, Lizuga stops lifting the lid and turns pale white. After a short pause she takes a deep breath and finishes moving the lid aside.

Spoiler: Inside the sarcophagus

Show

Within the sarcophagus lies a perfectly preserved body of a woman identical to the one depicted on the lid, clad in diaphanous flimsy robes and an enormous amount of splendid jewelry. She looks almost as if she's sleeping, not dead. If touched, the body seems as warm as a living person would be.

Spoiler

Show

Lizuga has a heart attack for 10 damage.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga Manescu Lizuga hyperventilates for a while. arched in on herself. Then, she puts on her war-face and straightens up. She picks up her hammer and shield. Still breathing heavily, she asks: "Iris. This thing is still an undead abomination, right? Not a living creature?"

Spoiler: Stats

Show

AC 20 (+4 counter), Touch 11, FF 19, CMD 17|Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +7|HP: 21/31

Triage 4/4. Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield +4 AC Counter,Encouraging Roar, Armor-piercing Thrust, Curate's Strike. Spoils of War Stance.

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu Justin almost drops it as Lizuga pauses before staring at the beautiful woman. "Wow," is all he says, "By the Gods, she is a beauty." Reaching out a hand he strokes her cheek gently, "Oh my, in Desna's name, she's still warm.". At the sound of the heavy breathing from Lizuga he turns and looks at her, "Are you okay? What do you mean by undead, she's almost alive, Iris, Adalebert, what is keeping her like this?"

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Strength to assist or lift [roll0]


HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[u-b]

Iris checks the body. It does not look much like undead, save for one little detail: it does not breathe. Good for her, given the airflow in the casket. Adalbert comes to examine it too. Then he looks at the lid lying hearby, then at the ornate columns, then back at the body. "Her? Here just like that?" he shakes his head "Allright, we are at her place, and she looks pretty much like her, if we would have problems guessing what would it mean to look like her just by looking around... but... really? Sorshen herself?" Adalbert casts something and looks into the sarcophagus again. "Okay, well-preserved by magic, that's all I can tell."

Spoiler

Show

Detects some Magic. Finds nothing new.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga Manescu Lizuga looks grimly at the body in the sarcophagus. "You are rattled, girl. Get yourself together. You wanted to kill those boggards. Not to protect, but to avenge. That's not what the Lady wants from you. And now you want to kill this woman as well, before you even made certain that she is an abomination. Rein yourself in, Lizuga".

Spoiler: Stats

Show

AC 20 (+4 counter), Touch 11, FF 19, CMD 17|Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +7|HP: 21/31

Triage 4/4. Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield +4 AC Counter,Encouraging Roar, Armor-piercing Thrust, Curate's Strike. Spoils of War Stance.

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu As they gather and stare at the strange body Justin tears his gaze away. "Okay, well, it seems that there is nothing here that gives clues?" He peers back at the corner, "Lets try the other hall, I could hear water, we can see what lies at the end of the passage." Waiting for the others and readying for the lights he walks with the others carefully down the left fork, a glance at the others, "I wonder who she was? She must have been wealthy and important."

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Strength to assist or lift [roll0]


HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[CasualViking]

Lizuga Manescu Lizuga nods her assent to Justin. She follows closely behind him, occasionally glancing over her shoulder with a worried look on her face.

Spoiler: Stats

Show

AC 20 (+4 counter), Touch 11, FF 19, CMD 17|Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +7|HP: 21/31

Triage 4/4. Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield +4 AC Counter,Encouraging Roar, Armor-piercing Thrust, Curate's Strike. Spoils of War Stance.

[Erloas]

Lebwen takes some time to look over the lady and sarcophagus again now that the lid is off, checking to see if there was any change in the dormant illusion magic. As well as using his sword to prod the bottom to see if it seems solid, away from the body.
"I'm not sure what we can do here, but she seems important enough that there has to be more going on here. Although maybe we need to find out more before we can make anything of her." Lebwen says as he works.

If nothing interesting is noticed he will follow Justin.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

knowledge Arcana
(1d20+10)[28] 10 is base, I don't think we found any books that would help, not sure if Adalbert has anything that would help.

[u-b]

Spoiler: Justin and Lizuga

Show

You walk the western part of the hall towards the running water. The hall is well lit by burning glass spheres. It opens onto a balcony overlooking a subterranean river flowing to the east. The waters of the river are dark, while the walls and ceiling above are a breathtaking array of earth tones, the natural stone polished and smooth. The dark waters about five feet below you are heavy with sediment and you cannot judge their depth. You can see the river only as far east and west as the illumination coming from the hall allows. There is nothing noticeable to the west as far as you can see. To the east, you see a part of sloping sandy beach featuring two wooden skiffs moored to four-foot-tall stone posts protruding from the sand near the river's edge. Each boat is relatively narrow and has room to seat three, and each contains a long wooden pole.

Spoiler: Lebwen

Show

The illusion magic is gone, though some traces of it still linger for some time, slowly fading away. The bottom of the sarcophagus seems to be laid with some soft material, but is quite solid and clearly non-illusory. The necromancy magic is active on the body. Possibly preservation, just as Adalbert has said. Thinking of it, Lebwen remembers reading about a spell that might explain who this is, if she is not the real Runelord Sorshen.

[Erloas]

After coming to a bit of a realization as to the body, Lebwen joins up with the others.

"So Lizuga, 'good news?' I think, whatever got to you back there seemed to be the illusion spell I had noticed earlier, so I wouldn't put much weight into whatever you thought you saw.

Once I got a closer look, I think I may have remembered hearing about a powerful spell that might be in use here. It is possible to create a clone of someone with necromatic powers and that clone will stay an inactive body until the original dies, and their spirit will enter the new body to continue on again. So this could well be the clone of the original Runelord. Which would imply that the Runelord is still alive somewhere after all this time. I suppose it's also possible she was killed in such a way that her spirit couldn't return to the clone.

I'm not sure that knowledge actually helps us much in the short term, but even the possibility of a Runelord being alive has to be worth something to someone." Lebwen finishes.

[DrK]

Justin Kaijitsu Justin pauses and grins as he spies the boats in the edge of the light. Peering over the edge he lowers a hand and brushes the water to see if anything bad happens (and that its water). Assuming it is he looks at Lizuga, "So, can I borrow that massive hammer of yours and we can see how deep it is?" Looking at her he glances back at the beach, "If not... I reckon I can make it.." the wide grin stretches from ear to ear as he considers the jump.

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Question: is that ~25ft to the beach


HPs 36/ 36 +3 Temp
Saves + 6/ 5/ 3

AC 18 (touch 14, FF 14) CMD 18

Effects:
(Justin) Indomitable Presence: (All allies within 30-ft. of his position gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add his warlord initiation modifier to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects as a morale bonus.)


Stance: Reaching blade stance (+1d6 dam, 1 attack gets +5ft reach) [ACTIVE]
Stance: Primal Hunter (+10ft speed and scent)

Readied:
1. (TD) Swift Claws [Strike] Attack with both weapons
1. (MC) Flowing Creek [Counter] Perform dance to negate attack +5ft step
1. (TD) Leading Dragon [Boost] Swift, Jump +10 to the check
2. (GL) Call to Arms [Strike] +2d6 damage, adjacent ally granted move action
2. (PF) Bloody Riposte [Counter] Counter attack, do +2d6 damage

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

Iris follows the others down to the balcony slow-flowing river. "Of course you will - show off!" she grins at Justin, egging him on. "I'll take the proper way. See you soon."

She heads back down and around the hallway to check out the doorway (K3) that leads through to the beach & boats.

Spoiler: actions

Show

Cast Guidance
Check the door
Perception (1d20+11)[14]