Shattered Star: The Asylum Stone [IC]

[DrK]

Akif

The big titan upon hearing that the door is an artifact of magic rather than sentience leans forward to push gently upon it to see if it will open.

Spoiler: OOC

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Strength check if needed (1d20+9)[20]

[lostsole31]

Sensing that trouble might be brewing, The Scribe gets into a preparatory stance. Myki takes an extract and does so as well.

The group makes their way up the tightly turning stairwell. By the time Myki gets to the top with Akif right behind her .... and everyone on the stairwell behind but not seeing what is above. Myki (and Akif) are the first to see the following, though as they come up the others will see as well .... The staircase emerges onto a cobblestone path leading through a well-landscaped garden. Five feet from the top of the stairs, the path passes though a freestanding stone arch carved into the form of two angels facing away from each other and blowing trumpets, backs arched and great wing tips touching at the apex.

But before anyone moves forward, Myki makes sure Akif can see, and asks that he clearly and completely conveys what is seen to those behind.

[DrK]

Akif

Akif pauses for a second behind Myki and looks cautiously at the garden. "A garden beckons" he mutters to his colleagues before checking his helm is secure he motions for Myki to let him past, but pauses, watching carefully for some 12 seconds with his magical senses. Assuming no magic radiates he'll draw his shield and heft his spear and advance some 20ft into the garden

Spoiler: OOC

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Detect magic for 2 rounds then (as long as the angels don't glow) he'll advance into the garden

[lostsole31]

Myki switches spots with Akif, and he senses one magical aura down his line of bearing. Does he concentrate for a third round?

[DrK]

Akif

Akif pauses as he senses some magic ahead. Squinting through the narrow bars of his face plated helmet he waits patiently trying to ascertain the source before he advances further

[lostsole31]

There is a single moderate aura of divination coming from the arch, properties unknown.

[DrK]

Akif

Akif grunts and looks at the arch before striding through, a curt ”They would seek to divine our attentions.” as a warning to the others

[Qazgir]

Sisir

Hearing his brother's warning, Sisir nods, "best to proceed with caution then." He closes his eyes briefly, tapping his finger on his side and concentrating, when he opens them he seems more alert to the potential dangers surrounding the group.

Spoiler: Action!

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Cast Anticipate Peril targeting himself: next time within 80 minutes he rolls initiative, discharge spell for a +5 insight bonus to initiative.

[lostsole31]

"Myki, can you check the area for traps? I recommend you avoid the arch, if possible," asks the Scribe.

She nods and says, "There's room."

She asks for Akif and her to switch places again. She moves to the inboard side of the arch and around the structure, even standing on the edge of the 40' drop to the streets of Bis below when she says, "It seems clear. While there is magic on the arch, it is not a trap, but that doesn't mean that it helps us. Everyone circumvent the arch."

[Tippnick]

When it becomes his turn Iluvar will avoid the archway as well.

[lostsole31]

The Scribe waits for Akif to move....

[DrK]

Akif

With space to slip around the edge Akif will do as the others slipping around the arch and heading into the centre of the courtyard. There he’ll slowly look around scanning the 4 quadrants for other signs of magic whilst waiting for his brother

[lostsole31]

The Scribe comes up, and for the sake of getting 'er done, Sisir and Iluvar come up as well.

The staircase emerges onto a cobblestone path leading through a well-landscaped garden. Five feet from the top of the stairs, the path passes though a freestanding stone arch carved into the form of two angels facing away from each other and blowing trumpets, backs arched and great wing tips touching at the apex.

[Tippnick]

Iluvar motions everyone to be quiet and tries to listen to see if there is movement or anything to be concerned about nearby

Spoiler: crunch

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Once the group stops moving Iluvar tries to listen for danger or anything of interest

(d20+19)[21] Perception check

[Qazgir]

Sisir

Once he has enough space, Sisir returns to his full size. In a hushed tone he says "a beautiful garden, not exactly what I expected to find here. But let us not linger here too long."

[lostsole31]

Iluvar doesn't notice anything.

[DrK]

Akif

Akif grins at his brother. ”Does it feel good to stretch?” still smiling he will keep his spear ready as he advances south to the corner and peers around ready for trouble

[lostsole31]

As he peers around the corner, Akif sees that this large balcony has been sculpted and landscaped into a wide garden that runs all the way to the unfenced edge, where short vines trail off into empty space. The plant life that clusters in low mounds is a mixture of shade-loving forest undergrowth and brilliantly colored mushrooms and other fungi. The entire garden is lit to a soft twilight by eight-foot-high lampposts with glowing yellow-orange globes at their tops, and neat stone footpaths carve winding trails around and between them.

The entire garden is considered an area of dim light. The garden is clearly artificial; the dirt and plants were dragged up here by servants when Berkanin first built the place, and the plants are sustained by the meager but continual light cast by the lampposts. The view from the edge is fantastic, taking in the whole twinkling vista of the cavernous district, and the garden itself is quite pleasant.

Of course, even in the dim light, sees two massive mounds of plants hiding in portions of the undergrowth some distance away. He might have missed them, if he didn't notice that some type of vine-tentacle slowly moving in both mounds!

[DrK]

Akif

The Titan chuckles as he warns the others. ”Be wary my friends. Some of these plants may be more than decorative.” Pausing he stretches his muscles and slowly begins to expand stretching and growing to his towering full height and massive broad shouldered width.

Spoiler: OOC

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Full: grow to full size
Wait to see if anyone has information on the moving plants

[lostsole31]

"Back up, biggle man, and let an elf take a look at these plants," Myki says to Akif.

[DrK]

Akif

Akif, now large, happily steps back to allow Myki to peer around the corner. Akif readies his spear and nods to his brother, "I suspect some aggressive pruning will be required. Ready yourself."

[lostsole31]

Myki says, now softly as she readies herself, "Stay here."

She begins a stealthy approach along the side of the building. She goes very, very slowly so that in time her silhouette is almost lost. In fact, you now recognize that her almost brick red clothing and her light blue trim - while seeming to be something to call attention to itself - breaks up her silhouette nicely. Her healthy, pale complexion with a light ruddy tinge also seems made to hide amongst urban surroundings. The Scribe, the only one directly observing her right right now, softly hisses in tension. "She has gotten .... right ... up on one of those things."

A few minutes later, she returns to report. "There are two massive plants - at full vertical extension they'd be 20' tall. I'd estimate each one coming in right around two tons or so. There's a massive central maw to them, and they possess whipping vine tendrils. I'm pretty sure these things are tendriculoses."

With her observations and her own significant knowledge of natural philosophy, she feeds the human data machine that is The Scribe, and here is what he offers (44)...

"Yes, tendriculos, a plant creature. Most people don't realize that while not possessing eyes, plants can 'see' as they respond to anything in the visible light spectrum ... as they are wont to respond to sunlight for nutrition, yes? Even the intelligent plant creatures have completely alien thoughts to us, and mind-affecting magics do not work on them, so charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms are all out. Their biology is vastly different from expected, so any kind of paralysis, poison, sleep effects .... stunning, Iluvar ... will not affect them.

"A tendriculos is a creature brought into being through a corruption of nature, often where foul magic has seeped into the environs for many years, or where the boundaries between the Material Plane and the mysterious realm of the fey have worn thin. Tales and myths speak of arcane manipulation from other planes, while others speak of a tendriculos as being the manifestation of an angered spirit of nature. A voracious carnivore, the tendriculos is an active hunter when it needs to be but it prefers to rely on ambush tactics, choosing well-traveled areas in the forest where it can lie in wait in the undergrowth. The creature is quick to swallow any prey it happens to catch in its vines, relying upon the acid-filled reservoir in its trunk to finish off prey that may still have a bit of fight left in it. This acid not only consumes organic material with shocking ease, but also contains a powerful paralytic enzyme that further reduces a creature’s chance of escape once it’s been gulped down by the plant."

"Of course," adds Myki, "We could attempt to infil into the double doors just a few feet from our position around the corner."

[lostsole31]

The Scribe nods, and both Myki and The Scribe slowly move around the corner and up to the double doors to study and then return.

The Scribe says, "The entry double doors are not trapped and appear unlocked. Akif, Vedavyasa ... until we have a better handle on what conditions are like inside, since you've proven you both size down to something almost-normal, I recommend you do that before we enter. Otherwise, we may get into a position where we're getting in each other's way."

[DrK]

Akif

Akif after a grin to his brother nods, "I bow to your wisdom" and after a few seconds once more is merely looking at 7ft tall rather than truly giant. Eyeing up the double doors he glances round the corner again at the plants, "Let us hope they don't move to a sunny patch of garden outside these doors when we return." But makes ready to follow Myki through the double doors.

[Qazgir]

Sisir

"Ah well, so much for stretching" he says with a rueful smile, as he shrinks back down to his smaller size, "let us hope that our jaunt inside can be just as uneventful as our stroll through this lovely garden."

[lostsole31]

Myki and The Scribe leave the door opening to the big armored guys.

Akif and Sisir, do you each open a door at the same time?

[Qazgir]

Sisr

Sisir steps up to the door and glances at his brother, saying "count down like usual, won't you." He then turns to the others, "well, into the breach we go, I expect we'll have a lovely time." He laughs, before squaring his shoulders and nodding to Akif.

[DrK]

Akif

Akif nods, ”As you say brother. I’ll take left if you will take the right.” With his spear sling in the loop on his back he counts down before pushing open the door, holding the shield
Up and peering over it.

[lostsole31]

And with that, the brothers open the doors.

This hall has ornate wooden double doors on opposite walls to the east and west. A third door made primarily of opaque glass stands in the northern wall. On the southern wall, a huge clock ticks off the seconds, its exposed gears and whirring pulleys spread out across the entire wall in a single artistically arranged layer. Over the western double doors, a tiny mechanical eyeball with wings and arms is mounted on the wall, its limbs pinned out in a majestic pose. To either side of these doors, a marble podium holds a small potted plant.

Spoiler: Compass Headings

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The descriptions are given in relation to true north, and this map has SW to the top. As usual, for the purposes of combat, all definitions of aim, movement, and the like should still be given in "relative" north ... where north is the top of the display, regardless of actual true north.

Two mechanical figures made from brass and steel stand at attention in the center of the room, but do not move with the doors opening. They motionlessly look south directly at you, and would probably do a fine job of scaring away a thieving fool.

What do you do?

[DrK]

Akif

Akif pauses, eying the mechanical figures cautiously, raising his shield he draws the spear dropping into a heavy phalanx like stance and seems to exude an air of indefatigability. "Let us see if they are merely for decoration..." he says before stepping forward, continuing to advance until he can reach out and lightly tap the one in front of him with the tip of the spear on its metallic head.

Spoiler: OOC

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draw spear

Start Indomitable Presence (Ex): All allies w/in 30' of his position gain the benefits of the Diehard feat, and may gain +5 morale bonus [CHA] to Fort saves vs. death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects.

Adopt: Phalanx Lancer stance

5ft forward (directly north on the map) and tap the nearest one on the head (gently)