8: All Along the Clock Tower

[Sierra]

<Madeline> "Shall we head back to the main area of the castle?" asks Madeline, glancing at her companions. "We could start with the north wing."
<Eliaphas> "We can check out all the places we passed on the way to the desecrated chapel," Eliaphas agrees, starting off that way.
<El-Cideon> The trio of heroes crosses the bridge to the west wing and ascends the ramp. Their trip is uninterrupted, save for the discovery of a pair of the headless creatures lying dead just inside the west corridor of the upper castle. The corpses look scorched as by a lightning strike. The corridor looks otherwise deserted.
<Madeline> "It would take a number of bolts to bring these creatures down," notes Madeline, glancing at the bodies for signs of other wounds.
<Eliaphas> "Another one like Cat we haven't seen?" Eliaphas wonders, examining the creatures for a moment.
<El-Cideon> There are no conventional injuries that you can see, just the signs of elemental fury.
<Madeline> "Let's hope so."
<El-Cideon> At the juncture of the west and north corridors, the group takes the wider path branching off northwest. A small handful of stairs and this corridor opens into a hallway twenty feet wide, walled with windows to either side. On your left you can see down over the west wing where it clings to the rocky mountainside; to the right, the bulk of another building looms almost directly outside. Before long, this corridor terminates at a door: heavy, metal, and barred on the outside, a simple emblem forged on it, a circle with a blazing sun on one half and a silver moon below, with spokes radiating off like a gear. Before this door stands a squadron of four gray-faced maids. As Corben is making no effort to hide, they spot him instantly, heads turning as one and speaking in unison in a flat chorus: "You are not authorized to access the tower. Depart immediately."
<Corben> Corben's answer is a mighty yell as he charges them with his drawn falcion!
<El-Cideon> As one, the maids draw knives and meet his charge! (OOC: init, yes)
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 4#1d20+8 maid brigade
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 4#1d20+8 maid brigade and gets 96."12 [4#1d20+8 = 28, 22, 22, 24]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 122/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 14  Madeline = maid > maid > Corben = maid x2'
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 14."12 [1d20=5]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 122/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 14  Madeline = maid > maid > Corben = maid x2 > Eliaphas'
<El-Cideon> OOC: M, may as well go first
<Madeline> Madeline fires upon the closest maid! "Don't allow them to surround you!" she calls, keeping her back to a wall!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+20
<Madeline> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+20 and gets 28."12 [1d20=8]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+20 and gets 26."12 [1d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+15 and gets 21."12 [1d20=6]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 excess hits hit the next maid
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 excess hits hit the next maid and gets 36."12 [1d8=6][2d6=6, 4][1d6=5][1d6=1]
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 27."12 [1d8=1][2d6=4, 3][1d6=4][1d6=1]
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 35."12 [1d8=7][2d6=2, 5][1d6=5][1d6=2]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 35."12 [1d8=4][2d6=2, 6][1d6=6][1d6=3]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 30."12 [1d8=2][2d6=5, 1][1d6=5][1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> One maid shakes and rocks as arrows thud into face, chest and abdomen, falling to the ground soundlessly. Her nearest companion takes one in the gut, but this doesn't stop her from charging at Corben!
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 122/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 14  Madeline > maid > Corben = maid x2 > Eliaphas'
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12+2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12+2 and gets 22."12 [1d20=8]
<Corben> OOC: AC26
<El-Cideon> But the canny barbarian is too aware of his surroundings to be caught off guard so easily, dodging the attack with ease!
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
* Corben purges the undead maid of this world!
<Corben> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+19 and gets 28."12 [1d20=9]
<Corben> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+14 and gets 19."12 [1d20=5]
<Corben> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+9 and gets 23."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Corben> roll 3#2d4+10+3+2d6 forgot my to hit bonus but it worked out anyway
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 3#2d4+10+3+2d6 forgot my to hit bonus but it worked out anyway and gets 74."12 [3#2d4+10+3+2d6 = 22, 30, 22]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 122/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 14  Madeline > Corben = maid x2 > Eliaphas'
* Madeline changes topic to '6Corben: 122/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 9  Madeline > Corben = maid x2 > Eliaphas'
<El-Cideon> With two devastating swings, Corben cuts the undead's legs out from under it and severs her head as she falls, just as her companions race forward to stab away at him in turn!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12+2 more charging
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12+2 more charging and gets 16."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12+2 more charging
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12+2 more charging and gets 29."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+4 they so wish they could flank you
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+4 they so wish they could flank you and gets 6."12 [1d4=2]
<Corben> OOC: AC26, flatfooted should've actually been 23 but changes nothing again
<El-Cideon> A glancing slice is all Corben takes, however.
<El-Cideon> OOC: E
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: 118/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 9  Madeline > Corben = maid x2 > Eliaphas'
* Eliaphas retreats to join Madeline and fires a single bolt at the zombie on Corben's left!
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+17 vital strike
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+17 vital strike and gets 29."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits
<Eliaphas> roll 2d10+4+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 2d10+4+1d6+1d6 and gets 12."12 [2d10=4, 1][1d6=2][1d6=1]
<El-Cideon> A bolt takes the maid in the shoulder, but it's not enough to bring her down.
<El-Cideon> OOC: M
<Madeline> Madeline strafes the servants with arrows that zig and zag unerringly about Corben's massive frame to strike them!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+23 and gets 33."12 [1d20=10]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+23 and gets 40."12 [1d20=17]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
<Madeline> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 24."12 [1d20=6]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+13 and gets 31."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 28."12 [1d8=6][2d6=6, 1][1d6=2][1d6=5]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 24."12 [1d8=8][2d6=4, 1][1d6=1][1d6=2]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 27."12 [1d8=7][2d6=1, 4][1d6=5][1d6=2]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 21."12 [1d8=3][2d6=2, 1][1d6=6][1d6=1]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 28."12 [1d8=8][2d6=2, 2][1d6=4][1d6=4]
<El-Cideon> Another foe falls bristling with arrows. The last makes a desperate attempt to strike Corben before she can be put down, lunging forward and biting at him!
<El-Cideon> OOC: C and maid act simultaneously
* Corben greets her teeth with his blade!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+10 bitey
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+10 bitey and gets 14."12 [1d20=4]
<Corben> roll 1d20+19 begone!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+19 begone! and gets 38."12 [1d20=19]
<Corben> roll 1d20+19 see?
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+19 see? and gets 25."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: crit
<Corben> roll 2#2d4+10+3
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2#2d4+10+3 and gets 35."12 [2#2d4+10+3 = 17, 18]
<Corben> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d6 and gets 7."12 [2d6=1, 6]
<Corben> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+14 and gets 32."12 [1d20=18]
<Corben> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
<Corben> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+14 and gets 15."12 [1d20=1]
<Corben> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+9 and gets 11."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 2#2d4+10+3+2d6
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2#2d4+10+3+2d6 and gets 51."12 [2#2d4+10+3+2d6 = 25, 26]
<El-Cideon> OOC: no more crits, alas, but hits
<El-Cideon> With a final pair of mighty swings, Corben eviscerates the undead servant--which promptly bursts into a cloud of noxious gas that swells and surrounds the barbarian!
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort
<Corben> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+11 and gets 24."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> Fortunately, he's able to fight off the sickening effects of the cloud as it disperses.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<Corben> Shaking his head at the futility of it all, Corben proceeds onwards.
<Madeline> Madeline holds her nose while she skirts around the cloud of gas, ready to breach the door before them.
<Eliaphas> "We should see what they were restricting," Eliaphas suggests, going to unbar the door they were guarding.
* Corben sincerely hopes it is locked, for that would mean carving through the door by force.
<El-Cideon> The bar is easily removed. The door is indeed locked, however!
<Eliaphas> Now Eliaphas defers to Corben's expertise.
<Corben> Muscles bulging, Corben gets to it with a barely-repressed glee!
<Corben> roll 1d20+22 SUNDER
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+22 SUNDER and gets 24."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: it's a door, you hit unless you roll a 1, so
<Corben> roll 2d4+16
<Madeline> "He destroys things all day," notes Madeline, sidling up to Eliaphas. "Yet this appears to give him special satisfaction."
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d4+16 and gets 21."12 [2d4=1, 4]
<Eliaphas> "Some men are born to create, others to destroy. The Lord has a place for all," Eliaphas nods sagely.
<El-Cideon> Not even iron is enough to withstand Corben's mighty blade, and with the lock rent in two, the door swings open easily. Inside is great vertical shaft, sixty feet square and proceeding upwards at least twice that. A stairway starts in the corner to your left, working its way up clockwise. You can see a door across the room, at the north wall, a trapdoor in the floor of the southeast corner, and a similar aperture set in the wall next to you, with a lever next to it. Through the center of this room swings a massive bronze pendulum, a low railing encircling the central thirty feet or so of the room to prevent people from blundering into its path. Before this stands a large stone statue--presumably Clyde didn't leave his post, but this figure looks of the same make. An imp sits on its shoulders, at work with a duster.
<Corben> "Imp!" Corben commands. "What is this place? Speak, fiend!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: also, perception if you please
<Corben> roll 1d20+17 please
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+17 please and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 32."12 [1d20=14]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+21 and gets 30."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> The little demon looks up with a tiny sigh. "This was supposed to be one of the safer rooms. Nobody ever comes here, they told, me," it mutters in a squeaky voice. "Look up, you big oaf! 's a clock tower. Don't you hear the clicking and the whirring and the twanging and the whatever, you're not supposed to be here! Rocky, go kill them!"
<Madeline> "Fool imp! Your guardian cannot protect you!" snarls Madeline, reaching to draw and fire!
<El-Cideon> The stone giant lurches into motion as the imp leaps off its shoulders and starts to wing upwards!
<El-Cideon> OOC: init again
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 16."12 [1d20=7]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 15."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-1 golems are not fast
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-1 golems are not fast and gets 2."12 [1d20=3]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9 look I've got hero points and I need to beat that imp
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 look I've got hero points and I need to beat that imp and gets 18."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+3 imp
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+3 imp and gets 13."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+9 ?!?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+9 ?!? and gets 11."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 29."12 [1d20=17]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 118/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 9  Corben> Madeline> Eliaphas > imp > ?!? > stone golem'
<El-Cideon> OOC: Open up, guys. This will be ugly.
<Corben> "You marked yourself for death!" Corben roars, leaping into action! That imp has only a moment to say its prayers before it meets its maker!
<Corben> roll 1d20+26 ACROBATIC JUMPING
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+26 ACROBATIC JUMPING and gets 37."12 [1d20=11]
<Corben> roll 1d20+19 DEATH AWAITS
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+19 DEATH AWAITS and gets 24."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: damage it up
<Corben> roll 2d4+10
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d4+10 and gets 16."12 [2d4=3, 3]
<El-Cideon> A glancing slash as the little demon tries to make good its escape--alas, not enough to bring him down!
<El-Cideon> OOC: M
<Madeline> She can deal with the golem later, as the imp presently commands her full attention!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+20
<Madeline> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+20 and gets 25."12 [1d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+15 and gets 26."12 [1d20=11]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+20 and gets 35."12 [1d20=15]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+10 and gets 12."12 [1d20=2]
<Madeline> OOC: out of order, sigh
<El-Cideon> OOC: first three hit, and honestly it's not surviving one more hit anyway
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 27."12 [1d8=1][2d6=2, 3][1d6=6][1d6=1]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 37."12 [1d8=5][2d6=2, 6][1d6=5][1d6=5]
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 38."12 [1d8=8][2d6=4, 5][1d6=1][1d6=6]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 36."12 [1d8=3][2d6=6, 6][1d6=1][1d6=6]
<El-Cideon> Torn apart by a storm of arrows, the demon falls in shreds of meat to the floor!
<El-Cideon> OOC: E
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 118/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 9  Corben> Madeline> Eliaphas > ?!? > stone golem'
<Eliaphas> The golem receives a flurry of shots from Eliaphas as he stands by Madeline in the doorway!
* Madeline changes topic to '6Corben: 118/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 4  Corben> Madeline> Eliaphas > ?!? > stone golem'
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+14 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+14 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot and gets 21."12 [1d20=7]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+14 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+14 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot and gets 34."12 [1d20=20]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot and gets 23."12 [1d20=14]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+14 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot if crits work
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+14 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, rapid shot if crits work and gets 29."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: I believe they do in PF and yeah, crit's the only thing that makes it
<Eliaphas> roll 2d10+24+1d6+1d6+4d6 deadly aim may have been a mistake
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 2d10+24+1d6+1d6+4d6 deadly aim may have been a mistake and gets 52."12 [2d10=3, 5][1d6=1][1d6=5][4d6=4, 2, 2, 6]
<El-Cideon> A carefully aimed bolt cracks the golem's knee, bits of stone pinging all about the floor from where the joint shatters! As the heroes are busy attacking the witnessed foes, however, something swoops down into the center of the chamber--one of the pale, floating eye creatures. It takes up station over the golem and its eye pulses with light, a rainbow strobe filling the room! (OOC: will, all)
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+15 +17 vs fear
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+15 +17 vs fear and gets 31."12 [1d20=16]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+17 hero point'd
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+17 hero point'd and gets 21."12 [1d20=4]
<Corben> roll 1d20+14 what Rat said
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+14 what Rat said and gets 25."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> But a moment of disorientation is all anyone feels before fighting off the light's effects! The golem, meanwhile, takes advantage of Corben's proximity to swing away twice at him, mouth open with a soundless roar!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 and gets 33."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22 and gets 41."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d10+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d10+9 and gets 27."12 [2d10=9, 9]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d10+9
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d10+9 and gets 13."12 [2d10=3, 1]
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: 82/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 4  Corben> Madeline> Eliaphas > ?!? > stone golem'
<El-Cideon> Battered by rocky fists, Corben reels as he prepares his counterattack!
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
<Corben> Utterly enraged by this indignity, Corben beats a fist against his chest in clear challenge to the rocky giant before laying into it with abandon!
<Corben> roll 1d20+24
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+24 and gets 26."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+19 and gets 28."12 [1d20=9]
<Corben> roll 1d20+18 surprise accuracy, come and get me is on
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+18 surprise accuracy, come and get me is on and gets 23."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first two hit
<Corben> roll 2#2d4+16 adamant, bypasses hardness 20
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2#2d4+16 adamant, bypasses hardness 20 and gets 40."12 [2#2d4+16 = 19, 21]
<El-Cideon> Stone cracks all over, plates shearing off as Corben lays waste to the golem. It struggles to stay on its feet, structural integrity rapidly failing it!
<El-Cideon> OOC: M
<Madeline> The golem is one thing, but Madeline's ire is first directing to the flying creature above them! Only after it is dead will she fire upon the construct.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+23
<Madeline> roll 1d20+23
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+23 and gets 27."12 [1d20=4]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+23 and gets 28."12 [1d20=5]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 20."12 [1d20=2]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+13 and gets 17."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first two hit
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 24."12 [1d8=2][2d6=6, 2][1d6=2][1d6=4]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 25."12 [1d8=5][2d6=5, 3][1d6=1][1d6=3]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+8+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 29."12 [1d8=4][2d6=6, 6][1d6=2][1d6=3]
* Madeline changes topic to '6Corben: 82/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| Corben> Madeline> Eliaphas > ?!? > stone golem'
<El-Cideon> Speared straight through, the eye in the sky tumbles to the floor with a meaty thump.
<El-Cideon> OOC: E
<Eliaphas> With just one bolt left in his current clip, Eliaphas makes it count with a powerful shot at the golem!
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+16 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, vital strike
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+16 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, vital strike and gets 36."12 [1d20=20]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+16 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, vital strike crit check
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+16 -3 deadly aim, construct bane, vital strike crit check and gets 21."12 [1d20=5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: no crit, alas
<Eliaphas> roll 2d10+12+1d6+1d6+4d6
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 2d10+12+1d6+1d6+4d6 and gets 38."12 [2d10=4, 4][1d6=1][1d6=6][4d6=3, 1, 1, 6]
<El-Cideon> A hit to the construct's crumbling center finally divests it of its motivating force--it falls apart in a cloud of dust and pebbles about the floor.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
* Corben looks terribly disappointed at his opponent's weakness.
<Eliaphas> Taking a moment to reload first, Eliaphas looks up the stairs. "Think there's any point in going up?"
<El-Cideon> The rhythmic sound of gears clicking together can be heard faintly from up above.
<Madeline> "Clocks have mystical significance," notes Madeline, eyeing the tower. "Mistvalken does seem to exist somewhere beyond time and space. I would like to investigate."
<Madeline> She scans the area for magic, at that!
<Corben> "Okay," Corben agrees. "Then we break it."
<Madeline> "Additionally, this place was intended to be secure," she adds. "Thus, there is something here that needs protecting from infiltrators like ourselves."
<Madeline> "Indeed, there's something down there," she notes, glancing at the trapdoor and scrutinizing the aura further...
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18 s-craft?
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 s-craft? and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
<Madeline> "Transformative magic," she adds, reaching towards it and opening it up.
<El-Cideon> It is...dark down there! Although the light from this room lets you see a short set of wooden stairs leading to a bare stone floor. There is a desk sitting in the corner just at the edge of vision.
<Madeline> Darkness is no obstacle to Madeline, who fearlessly ventures into the room!
* Eliaphas follows Madeline, his bayonet still glowing with handy illumination.
* Corben brings up the rear, ready to unleash violence on their enemies!
<El-Cideon> Madeline finds the desk laid out like someone's workbench--intricate tools of unknown purpose and make are set in a carefully ordered manner, along with containers of tiny gears, screws, springs and cogs. There are several small clockwork figures sitting on a shelf above the desk: a dog, a jester, a falcon--each them scant inches tall but manufactured with intricate care out of silver and gold wheels and gears. A blue steel rod patterned with images of interlocking gears sits next to them, the source of one of the auras. Elsewhere, the room is mostly given over to the storage of large gears and boxes--from one of these emanates the other aura.
* Madeline scrutinizes the rod in order to divine it's purpose!
<El-Cideon> Also, in the wall is a similar aperture to that on the floor above, with a five-setting lever next to it.
<El-Cideon> OOC: spellcrafting?
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18 indeedy
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 indeedy and gets 37."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also perception, gang
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 24."12 [1d20=6]
<Madeline> "Oho." Madeline reaches for the rod and passes it to Eliaphas. "It is a rod used to repair constructs. Should we encounter a useful such being, your healing spells could be used to repair it. It also has certain other powers. I can assure you that it is not particularly profane." She quickly explains the functions to the priest, before moving on to magic-emanating box.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+21 and gets 36."12 [1d20=15]
<Corben> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+17 and gets 35."12 [1d20=18]
* Eliaphas distrustfully accepts the rod. "Unlikely, but I will keep it in mind."
<El-Cideon> Corben and Eliaphas can see something apparently meant to be hidden, after a careful glance around the room. What looks like the edge of another trapdoor--mostly covered by crates, and painted over to blend in with the floor.
<El-Cideon> Madeline finds a blue bottle in the box--a seemingly empty blue bottle, at first glance, but her magical senses tell her otherwise, of course--mixed in with a large quantity of wine bottles.
<Eliaphas> While Madeline looks over foul arcane objects, Eliaphas goes to shove some crates aside and yank up the trap-door!
<Madeline> The bottle is quickly inspected!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 19."12 [1d20=1]
* Corben keeps watch, ready to swap places with Eliaphas if the boxes appear too heavy!
<El-Cideon> But alas, its true qualities evade her arcane senses!
<Madeline> She pockets it anyway!
<El-Cideon> After a few moments' work, the group is able to shift the contents of the room to allow access to the trapdoor. It takes some work to pull it up--the paint over it is unbroken, suggesting it hasn't been used since it was covered. Below, a narrow stairway descends into darkness. Burrowed straight down into the rock, it's a plain, cramped, musty and grimy descent.
<Eliaphas> "I wonder if it leads to the worms...?" Eliaphas speculates.
<Corben> "It might," Corben says guardedly. "Do we break everything here, first?"
<Madeline> "I see no reason to at this time," replies Madeline.
<Corben> "They were guarding it?"
<Madeline> Madeline appropriates the clockwork figures, but glances at the gears with a shrug. "There are controls here to adjust the clock, I believe, or perhaps some other aspect of the castle. They might be useful to us later- I'd rather not destroy these now."
<El-Cideon> The figures all have tiny little cranks and controls of their own, you see, set into the base of each of them.
<Corben> "Or the Duke will use it to suit him," Corben notes, but he doesn't wish to press the issue further.
<Eliaphas> Closing the trap-door, Eliaphas moves to the stairs. "Up, then?"
<Corben> "Up."
<Madeline> Madeline heads upwards!
<El-Cideon> You ascend. The sounds of gears clicking precisely together grows ever closer as you move upwards, the floor of the atrium dizzingly far below by the time your stairway edges up into another room. It's...almost like a lavish lounge that you find yourselves in. Fine wood all around, plush sofas arranged around the perimeter of the room before broad windows that allow a view over all the castle grounds in all directions--there's a balcony outside as well, accessible by doors in the center of each wall. In the center of this room is a fenced off circle in which a crankshaft turns regularly. (more)
<El-Cideon> A strange being attends to this device, which reaches up into the ceiling. A clockwork construction in the shape of a man, silver and gold gears whirring quietly with every movement it makes, hands and fingers mostly terminating in an arcane set of tools. It turns to regard you as you enter the room, speaking in a tinny voice. "I observe the presence of visitors. How irregular."
<El-Cideon> The stairs also proceed further upward, you see.
<Madeline> "We are visitors. What is your purpose here?"
<El-Cideon> "I am to maintain the clockworks so that all residents of Mistvalken need only glance up to know the precise time at all times," it says, setting an oilcan on a table nearby and stepping away from the device to approach and speak more closely to you. "I was set to this task one-hundred and ninety-seven years ago and have not faltered in my duties for a day," it adds, with a hint of pride.
<Corben> "But when you look up you only see clouds," Corben points out.
<El-Cideon> "Mistvalken has been struck with an unusual bout of ill weather for an unusually long period," it says. "Certainly it cannot continue for forever however. In the meantime I will continue to maintain my love in precise and pristine working order."
<Madeline> "Does it concern you who rules this castle?" asks Madeline, curiously.
<El-Cideon> "My creator did not inform me that this was a matter of great importance," it says. "And I have met Lord Varas only once and only briefly after my creation. He has not visited to confirm the quality of my work in one-hundred and ninety-seven years."
<Madeline> "Is it you who maintains and creates the stone golems?"
<Eliaphas> "Does anyone visit?" Eliaphas asks, suspecting the construct is useless.
<El-Cideon> "This task is not within the realm of my responsibilities," it says to Madeline. "Only the maintenance of my love. My creator was responsible for the production and maintenance of other constructs you may meet on the castle grounds as well as myself but she has not visited for one-hundred and eighty-six years. I take these figures as evidence of my creator's confidence in my abilities."
<El-Cideon> To Eliaphas: "Visitors are strictly prohibited in the chambers above and typically escorted away in most violent fashion by the maids. The Lady is not to mingle with others."
<Madeline> "Who is the Lady?" demands Madeline. "Is she a long-term resident?"
<El-Cideon> "She was resident in the tower prior to my construction," it confirms.
<Madeline> "Besides maintaining this clock, do you have any other functions?"
<El-Cideon> "No further responsibilities were delegated to me at the time I last encountered my creator. However as the maintenance of my love requires only limited observation throughout the day I have decided to use the remainder to reproduce my creator's work so that there might be other entities with which to engage in diverting discussion as the maids do not speak to me and the Lady is very forgetful. Alas I prove not my master's equal in these matters."
<Eliaphas> "Perhaps this Lady might prove more useful to us," Eliaphas remarks, glancing at the stairs up.
<Corben> "If the maids want to turn us away, let them try!" Corben agrees.
<Madeline> "Thank you for your time. It is a beautiful clock," notes Madeline, glancing at the construct. "It is just a shame that few in Mistvalken are worthy of beholding it."
<El-Cideon> "Is it not? I pride myself on keeping her in working order these one-hundred and ninety-seven years. Most the of the workings are on the floor above us," it says, adding with a touch of excitement in its staccato voice: "I am able to show you this much if you wish. The floor beyond that is the Lady's room however and while my responsibilities do not require me to defend against intruders I would be remiss if I accompanied you personally to her chambers."
<Madeline> "Certainly," replies Madeline, charmed by the engaging contraption.
<El-Cideon> Gears shift subtly and its face takes on mimicry of a smile. It turns to the stairs and starts upwards. You soon find yourself in a large cube of a room dominated by a complicated tangle of gears and machinery. A low brass fence keeps one from accidentally stumbling into the array--outside this, there is only a ten-foot path along which to walk. The walls here, you can see, are the interior of a great clock face, white frosted glass on all sides with the black outline of hands outside (it is presently three-fifteen).
<El-Cideon> The construct points to a metal, spiral stairway leading upwards from the opposite corner. "The Lady's chambers are above. Might I know your designations in the event that you are terminated by the maids before we meet again?"
<Eliaphas> "Eliaphas, servant of Norusk," the inquisitor sees no reason not to indulge the contraption, hefting his weapon and advancing upwards.
<Madeline> "Madeline. Although, you will certainly meet us on the way down." She steps after Eliaphas, ready to proceed!
<Corben> "Corben," he rounds out the group, giving the construct a curt nod before following after the others.
<El-Cideon> "Lord Varas declared self to be 'useless contraption' at time of inception," it says with a bow. "Lacking further instruction, self designated self "Useless Contraption." It has been a pleasure meeting you Eliaphas Madeline Corben."
<El-Cideon> You ascend, and the stairs end here. It's little more than a broad attic from the structure of the room--peaked ceiling above as the tower comes to an end, alcoves in each corner where windows look down on the castle grounds, little else above but rafters. The southeast corner has been converted to a makeshift bedroom--bed, dresser, nightstand with tall mirror, changing screen. A woman sits before the mirror, calmly brushing her hair. (more)
<El-Cideon> She turns to look at you as you arrive. She wears a fine gown of golden white silk and lace, boasts proud, noble features and a busy mane of curly black hair. She would be a pretty thing were she not clearly dead--her skin bears the same ashen tone as Mistvalken's maids, plus a black, necrotic patch on one cheek, carefully but not perfectly covered by makeup. She is also attended by three maids, these ones dressed in white.
<El-Cideon> "Oh my," she says, in a clear and pleasant voice. "Why was I not informed we had guests? Isabelle? Tatela? You are remiss in your duties!"
<El-Cideon> The only duties the maids seem to care for, however, is gutting the intruders!
<El-Cideon> OOC: reactions, roll init, then we pause
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 32."12 [1d20=20]
* Eliaphas debates putting the undead out of its misery, but she seems amenable to talking... any hesitation is washed away by the approach of her knife-wielding maids, however, and he levels his crossbow for battle!
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
<Madeline> It feels somewhat boorish to greet a proper lady by slaughtering her attendants, but that is the sort of thing knights do when raiding enemy castles, and so Madeline raises her bow once more.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 3#1d20+9 senior maids
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 3#1d20+9 senior maids and gets 63."12 [3#1d20+9 = 26, 26, 11]
<Corben> As the decision to act is made for Corben, he draws his falcion and meets the charge of the maids head on!
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 82/137, Eliaphas: 92/102, Madeline: 64/96| Corben > maid x2 > Eliaphas = Madeline > maid'