Planescape: Center of All - IC

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash is startled to see Antis out and moving around unsupervised. She sends to her colleagues.

*Um, folks? Perhaps I should have been clearer that Antis seems emotionally unbalanced, lied to me several times and may have been given special powers through the Tharizdunites' experiments. We should not be letting him do anything that we don't understand. Centre, if he doesn't stop on his own, could you perhaps take hold of him?*

As soon as Ash sees Antis heading toward the dark tunnel, Casting a simple spell, she sends telepathically to Antis.

*Antis, please come back here and explain what you intend to do. Do not go anywhere without us.*

Spoiler: OOC

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Ash will cast Suggestion on Antis. Will DC 26 negates.

[kinem]

Spoiler: Avakuss

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You get a hunch that something is wrong.

Spoiler: DM Stuff

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Antis Will (1d20+13)[23] vs DC 26

Antis fails to resist Ash's spell. He stops in his tracks and comes back a bit, and says "I intend to enter the dark cavern and reveal some of its secrets. You will come with me now?"

[Cavir]

Avakuss, purple robes worn, moves around Antis to be in a position to stop him from going further if need be.

[Archmage1]

Not surprised when things go sideways, Eilyra looks to Avakuss for any signs that something is seriously wrong even as she uses one of her pearls to recover a casting of haste.

Spoiler: OOC

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Does Eilyra have any ideas of what the rod is?
(1d20+36)[39] Arcana

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash does her best to conceal her building frustration with Antis' elliptical efforts to 'help.' She sends to everyone.

*Antis, we may indeed want to come with you. First, could you please tell us what that rod does, and what the secrets are that you would like to reveal?*

[kinem]

Antis says "The rod's kind of a weapon. Might come in handy.

And, I want to look for my friend. He might be in there."

Spoiler: Eilyra

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It appears to be a

Rod of Force: This rod is made of black iron, 18 inches long and a half-inch wide. The rod has three functions, any of which can be used, in any combination, five times per day.
Blast of Force: A blast of force projects from the rod with a range of 100 feet. This is a ranged touch attack and deals 10d6 points of damage.
Wall of Force: As the spell.
Blade of Force: A 3-foot-long glowing blade of force springs forth from the rod that lasts for 10 rounds. This can be used as a +1 brilliant energy longsword.
CL 13th (Strong Evocation); Craft Rod, magic missile, Mordenkainen's sword, wall of force; Market Price: 125,000 gp. Source: Arms and Equipment Guide

Since Force is one of Tharizdun's domains, this is a popular item among his servants.

[paradox26]

Taric follows close behind the freshly released prisoner, since he seems to be their best chance of finding out the secrets behind this place. He prepares to strike, should the man prove treacherous, but other than holding ready, he is content to follow along in silence. He continues to listen to the chatter from the others, since they are passing along important information, but since he is mind blanked, he has stopped trying to send his own messages by telepathy.

[Archmage1]

Having recognized the rod, Eilyra follows the prisoner, and remains prepared to hit him with a dimensional anchor should he do something hostile.

After all, the rod could prove to be quite useful.

[Cavir]

"Hold on. Stepping into the darkness will freeze you to death unless you know otherwise? How did you know that was in the statue and how to open it? No more surprises. We need you to tell us about your friend and what's in there."

What has the rat been doing?

Spoiler: OOC

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Sense Motive (1d20+16)[17]
If Antis tries to get past me it's grabbin' time.

[kinem]

The rat remained in the cave where the cell was.

Antis says "I heal fast. I won't die. You have robes to protect you, yes? I've been here a long time, seen much, examined statue. If rod is hidden I know where it must be.

I'm not sure what's in there right now, but friend could be.

Torch is lit, we should go now while light lasts. Not much time. You come?"

Spoiler: Avakuss

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This time you can't really get a good read on him.

[paradox26]

"How can he have examined the statue if he has been chained up all the years he claims to have been here?" Taric quietly asks the others. He is becoming increasingly suspicious of the former prisoner, and is prepared to kill him at the drop of the proverbial hat.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash attempts to de-escalate the situation.

*Antis, perhaps you could give Avakuss here that rod for safekeeping. Could you tell us what your friend looks like, and perhaps his name? I'd like to be polite when I meet him.*

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy: (1d20+17)[28]
Sense Motive: (1d20+29)[38]

[kinem]

AM1 posted OOC:

Eilyra shrugs and follows Antis, content to let this gamble play out, confident in her ability to stop Antis from fleeing with the rod should he make the attempt.

(Continuing to be ready with dimensional anchor)

Antis says "Rod is safe with me. My friend is Pilo, a human man with dark hair.

Before the others left, I was not chained to the wall the whole time, you know. I examined what I could."

Spoiler: Ash

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It seems like he's being careful not to say too much.

[paradox26]

"If you were a prisoner of the cultists, why were you not always chained up when they were around?" Taric asks the man. The story really doesn't sound likely, he decides.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash nods, and sends to her colleagues.

*He's not lying, but he's concealing vital facts. If we can't return him to his cell, I would recommend restraining him and relieving him of the rod before continuing together.*

[kinem]

Antis replies to Taric's question. "Sometimes they took me for experiments. Sometimes told me do tasks."

[Archmage1]

Eilyra, still prepared to intervene, frowns slightly at this. "What did they have you doing?"

(Was there any mention of this in the books she read?)

[kinem]

He replies ”Clean up messes for one. I don’t want to talk about it.”

OOC: There was no mention of Antis in the books

[Archmage1]

Eilyra looks her companions over, seeking determination, before she looks back to Antis. "Right. We'll see how this goes. If you betray us, you will not enjoy the consequences."
She gestures grandly to the tunnel entrance as she holds the torch. "Lead on."

[Toliudar]

Ash

Curiosity winning out over caution, Ash makes no objection to proceeding with the others.

*Having neither a purple robe nor regeneration, I may need to zip ahead to avoid dying of the cold, should it come to that.*

She prepares to enter the tunnel with the rest.

[kinem]

Antis nods, and proceeds towards the opening, where Avakuss stands in the way. Antis gestures to the goliath to see if he will stand aside.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra follows, keeping a wary eye out for surprises, even as she continues to mentally prepare for a dimensional anchor.

[Cavir]

Avakuss looks at Antis as he hefts his oversized greatsword onto his shoulder. "I'll lead. Tell me the way as we go. No more surprises and no running off. What is Pilo's skills? Warrior? Spellcaster?" He turns and heads onward once the torch is close enough to light the way.

Spoiler: OOC

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Listen (1d20+10)[21]
Sense Motive (1d20+16)[28]

[kinem]

Spoiler: Avakuss

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Antis seems too antsy; if you smell a rat, it may not be the one left in the other cavern.

Antis says "He's skilled at both, I think."

Cautiously, the group begins to proceed into the dark room. The torch carried by Eilyra does penetrate the darkness, but even that only illuminates a 10' radius in a dim violet light.

Even with the Purple Robes protecting them, Avakuss and Eilyra feel a chill right down to their bones as they edge into the room. Antis winces just slightly from the cold, but it doesn't seem to affect him that much.

OOC: IIRC, Avakuss, Eilyra, and Taric have the purple robes. Actions will now proceed in rounds.

Round 1: PCs to act

Spoiler: map

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A = Avakuss (purple robe)
C = Center
H = Ash
E = Eilyra (10' torch, purple robe)
T = Taric (purple robe)
N = Antis
               .....
               .A...
               .NE..
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXCTXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXH.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Cavir]

"What kinds of spells? Can you cast too?" Avakuss moves forward, looking ahead but also ensuring Antis doesn't bolt.

[Archmage1]

Shivering slightly from the cold, Eilyra follows along, keeping an alert eye on Antis as she holds the torch.

[paradox26]

Taric moves out of the doorway, and heads to Antiss's left hand side, to outflank him with Eilyra, so he can't simply run. Taric shifts back to his normal size now, just in case of trouble, so that he can use his full power. Since he is only average sized, despite being a bariaur, that allows him to not take up a huge amount of space. He continues to remain ready to strike at either Antiss, or else anyone else who might lunge at the party out of the dark.

[Toliudar]

Ash takes to the air, floating just above and behind Eilyra. She grits her teeth and braces for the cold.

[kinem]

The group proceeds straight ahead 30' into the dark cold cavern, which seems to have a fairly smooth stone floor that would be unusual in a natural cavern.

You don't encounter any obstacles so far, but those not protected by the Purple Robes begin to feel hurt by the frostbite. Antis seems somewhat affected, but not much.

OOC: Damage (1d6)[5] for Center and and (1d6)[3] for Ash. Only the Robes protect against this damage.

Spoiler: map

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A = Avakuss (purple robe)
C = Center
H = Ash
E = Eilyra (10' torch, purple robe)
T = Taric (purple robe)
N = Antis
               .....
               .AN..
               .CE..
               .TH.
               .....
               .....
               .....
               .....
               .....
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX..XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

[Cavir]

Avakuss is sure Antis isn't to be trusted anymore but stopping for a fight right here isn't a good thing. Once Antis tries to break away that will be the end of his so called new found freedom. Avakuss enhances his defenses without any signs of doing so while he continues to lead onward. The darkness is kept away just five feet ahead of him so he keeps his large greatsword in front of him.

Spoiler: OOC

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Activate Precognition, Defensive for 19PP, gaining +7 insight to AC and saving throws for 19 minutes. Using concentration to hide the manifestation (auto pass).