#010: "I regret not asking her about the Evil Chests"

[Merc]

[19:05] <Kotono> LAST TIME ON OH GOD ICE DUNGEON WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE:
<Lehko> "That's a nice cloak."
* Lehko heads back up to check the other branch passage.

And now:

[19:06] * Lehko checks the passage!
[19:08] <Kotono> The party goes down the other passage. It goes on a little ways before branching to the right, a hallway between shelves of barrels rising high. It looks to be a dead end, save for a single barrel sitting on the floor. Ahead the passage continues before also curving down and to the right.
[19:09] * Lehko looks over the barrel, checking for any sort of trap, before trying to open it.
[19:09] <Lehko> roll 2d6+5 Awareness
[19:09] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+5 Awareness and gets 12." [2d6=2, 5]
[19:09] <Kotono> It is indeed trapped. It is one of the rare and fearsome monster-in-a-box(barrel) traps. Open it and you're going to have a fight on your hands.
[19:10] <Santos> ooc: tell us it's trapped so we can beat it up and stick knives and shit inside before it can react!
[19:10] <Lehko> "Hmm.. Looks like there's a monster hiding in it.. Do we want to fight it? There might still be something in it."
[19:10] <Santos> ooc: yay!
[19:10] <Santos> "We kill it before it can pop out!" Santos declares excitedly, though quietly enough that it shouldn't hear.
[19:11] * Lehko nods and aims his rifle at the barrel.
[19:11] <Santos> "On the count of three, all together?" Santos suggests.
[19:11] <Santos> ooc: Can we all roll attack/damage at the same time? and do we get a surprise round?
[19:12] <Kotono> OOC: I'll have you all attack and treat it as a surprise round. Note you'll be attacking through a barrel and that'll give them some defense, plus you'll be aiming blind.
[19:12] <Santos> ooc: I'm still willing!
[19:13] <Lehko> OOC: I'm fine with that.
[19:13] <Santos> "One...two...three!" Santos counts down before attacking!
[19:13] <Santos> roll 2d6+2 accuracy
[19:13] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls 2d6+2 accuracy and gets 7." [2d6=1, 4]
[19:13] <Santos> roll d6 reroll 1
[19:13] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls d6 reroll 1 and gets 1." [d6=1]
[19:13] <Santos> roll d6 reroll 1 reliable
[19:13] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls d6 reroll 1 reliable and gets 4." [d6=4]
[19:13] <Santos> ooc: 10 hit?
[19:13] <Kotono> OOC: HIt Santos. Roll damage. Does your attack have an element?
[19:14] <Lehko> roll 2d6+2
[19:14] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+2 and gets 13." [2d6=6, 5]
[19:14] <Santos> ooc: No element, but I crit on surprise rounds on a minimum of 8! So 64 damage.
[19:14] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51  Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 51/51 Mycol 46/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  ???: 61'
[19:14] <Kotono> OOC: Lehko and Morrie, go.
[19:14] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[19:15] <Lehko> OOC: 33 damage
[19:15] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51  Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 51/51 Mycol 46/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  ???: 91'
[19:15] <Kotono> OOC: Morrie?
[19:16] <Santos> Maracas shake excitedly as magic zooms out from the animated mushroom. (OOC: I'll roll for Mycol here, since Morrie is still doing his own action)
[19:16] <Santos> roll 2d6+1 maracas
[19:16] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls 2d6+1 maracas and gets 8." [2d6=2, 5]
[19:16] <Kotono> OOC: Le hit.
[19:16] <Santos> ooc: 17 dmg
[19:16] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51  Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 51/51 Mycol 46/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  ???: 105'
[19:40] <Morrie> OOC: Sorry, had to get dinner. I am back!
[19:42] <Kotono> OOC: Okay. You're up to attack, Morrie.
[19:42] <Morrie> OOC: OK
[19:42] * Morrie is going to do his tried and true wind spirit attack!
[19:42] <Morrie> roll 2d6+2
[19:42] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6+2 and gets 9." [2d6=1, 6]
[19:42] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. Damage.
[19:43] <Morrie> OOC: checking
[19:44] <Morrie> OOC: 9+42... 51.
[19:44] <Kotono> roll 51*1.5
[19:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 51*1.5 and gets 76.5."
[19:44] <Kotono> roll 1d100 vs 25% odds
[19:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 vs 25% odds and gets 42." [1d100=42]
[19:44] <Kotono> roll 3#1d100
[19:44] <Kotono> roll 3#1d100
[19:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3#1d100 and gets 167." [3#1d100 = 82, 48, 37]
[19:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3#1d100 and gets 210." [3#1d100 = 64, 80, 66]
[19:46] <Kotono> Bullet, wind, blade and maracas slam the barrel! It collapses as you see...fire? There's FIRE inside! But under the assault it's snuffed out before you even get a look! There is a wet POP sound as the barrel collapses, a pile of gil and a few items left in the wake of defeated, unseen monsters! OOC: Free act. Loot post. The monsters are new but not going into the bestiary since you literally didn't see 'em.

[19:47] * Morrie will go over and investigate... then looks over.
[19:47] <Morrie> "You may be interested in this blade, depending on what type of monster we're up against."
[19:48] * Lehko checks over the loot, taking note of the gauntlets for later, and focuses on continuing to clear the area.
[19:48] <Lehko> OOC: let me know when you guys are ready to move on.
[19:50] <Kotono> Looking it over, you can feel warmth from the coins. They're cooling rapidly, however. The Flame Sabre emits a constant, semi visible stream of steam. The air around it feels less chill, a touch of warmth to the frozen over dungeon.
[19:50] * Morrie will take the items and place them in the bag, but only if Santos doesn't have any interest in the Flame Sabre for some reason.
[19:51] <Santos> ooc: Ooooh
[19:53] <Morrie> OOC: I'm ready to go.
[19:53] <Lehko> OOC: Santos?
[19:53] <Santos> "Oho! That's a nicely crafted sword. The gauntlets are nice too, better than these gloves. I'd definitely like to use the sword, but is anyone else interested in the gauntlets?" Santos asks, claiming the Flame Saber and putting away the Bone Saber in his bag.
[19:54] <Lehko> "Only mildly. If you need them, then use them, by all means."
[19:54] * Morrie will hand over the sword and the gauntlets.
[19:54] <Kotono> As Santos decides on the blade, Lehko goes a bit ahead. Past the turn of the hall you find the way ahead is a vast hall. The walls are lined with barrels big as ten men pressed together and tall as three men. These massive barrels are coated in thick dust. The way ahead is huge - surely it's at least 200ft from wall to wall. Farther ahead is a massive pile of junk - scraps of old barrels, ladder shards, wood and a few bits of ancient, rusted metal.  One can get past it by picking their way around either side, though it is a bit of a tight fit and look sto be rough footing.
[19:55] <Santos> "They're nicer defense, but I didn't want to lay claim to everything. If nobody has any problems though..." Santos claims the gauntlets too, equipping them before following along after the viera.

[19:55] * Lehko looks around and inspects the closest barrel, but keeping an eye on the odd scrap pile.
[19:55] <Lehko> roll 2d6+5 Awareness
[19:55] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+5 Awareness and gets 11." [2d6=2, 4]
[19:56] <Kotono> The barrels are absolutely massive. They look to be made of oak or some other similar, heavy wood. The odd scrap pile is massive. You'd have to dig through it if you wanted to really have a look, though that would take time and make noise.
[19:57] <Lehko> "Hmm.. Considering the last few barrels we've found, I'm going to guess it's a toss up between these holding items and enemies.. That scrap pile is decidedly... Strange. I get the feeling this place is one big trap."
[19:57] <Morrie> "My strength lies in my resilience, so you may use them."
[20:00] <Kotono> OOC: Make awareness checks, y'all.
[20:00] <Lehko> roll 2d6+5 Awareness
[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+5 Awareness and gets 9." [2d6=1, 3]
[20:00] <Santos> roll 2d6+3
[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls 2d6+3 and gets 7." [2d6=2, 2]
[20:00] <Morrie> roll 2d6+4 Awareness
[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6+4 Awareness and gets 8." [2d6=3, 1]
[20:01] <Kotono> OOC: Mycol?
[20:02] <Morrie> OOC Oh, ha, whoops
[20:02] <Morrie> roll 2d6 Awareness for Mycol
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6 Awareness for Mycol and gets 6." [2d6=4, 2]

[20:02] <Kotono> Suddenly...!
[20:02] <Kotono> roll 2d6+10 M.ARM and note if you have cold res, y'all.
[20:02] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+10 M.ARM and note if you have cold res, y'all. and gets 15." [2d6=3, 2]
[20:03] <Lehko> OOC: 8 M.ARM.
[20:03] <Morrie> OOC: I don't, and Mycol has... Water, which is different.
[20:03] <Morrie> OOC: 17 for Mycol, 5 for me.
[20:04] <Kotono> OOC: Santos, M.ARM? I know you resist cold thanks to the Flame Sabre that just dropped.
[20:04] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 49/51  Morrie: 54/64 Lehko 44/51 Mycol 46/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  ???: 105'

[20:05] <Kotono> From behind a torrent of freezing wind engulfs you! It sends a snowy blizzard-chill through you! Amid the snowstorm is another Guardian, coming the way you came! It's covered in patches of ice, a halo of ice-blue light surrounding it! "YOU WRETCHED IDIOT DOGS!" The same feminine voice barks from it! OOC: Init.
[20:06] <Kotono> roll 2d6 Guardian
[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 Guardian and gets 11." [2d6=5, 6]
[20:06] <Lehko> roll 2d6 Init
[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6 Init and gets 3." [2d6=2, 1]
[20:06] <Morrie> roll 2d6 init for morrie
[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6 init for morrie and gets 7." [2d6=2, 5]
[20:06] <Morrie> roll 2d6 init for mycol
[20:06] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6 init for mycol and gets 7." [2d6=3, 4]
[20:07] <Morrie> OOC: ...
[20:07] <Santos> roll 2d6
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls 2d6 and gets 7." [2d6=1, 6]
[20:07] <Morrie> OOC: ...........
[20:07] <Kotono> OOC: Averages win.
[20:07] <Santos> ooc: The thief of Catan strikes again.
[20:07] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 49/51  Morrie: 54/64 Lehko 44/51 Mycol 46/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  Guardian(11)>Everyone but Lehko(7)>MikoLehko(3)'

[20:08] <Kotono> Before the party can act, a freezing burst of cold erupts out from the Guardian! That feminine voice calls, "Drifting breeze, come down with fury! Blizzara!"
[20:08] <Kotono> roll 2d6+30
[20:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+30 and gets 41." [2d6=5, 6]
[20:09] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 34/51  Morrie: 54/64 Lehko 44/51 Mycol 46/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  Guardian(11)>Everyone but Lehko(7)>MikoLehko(3)'
[20:10] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 34/51  Morrie: 18/64 Lehko 11/51 Mycol 22/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  Guardian(11)>Everyone but Lehko(7)>MikoLehko(3)'
[20:11] <Kotono> What comes are great crystals of ice, slamming into you from all directions! Snow blows as the party goes numb with frost! Everyone staggers back from the assault, devastated but still up! OOC: The gordian knot of inits are up. You three are up.

[20:12] * Morrie will call out to the spirits outside to heal the party, hoping that they don't get like that again.
[20:13] <Morrie> roll 2d6+6 healing
[20:13] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6+6 healing and gets 15." [2d6=5, 4]
[20:13] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, roll the healin'.
[20:13] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 49/51  Morrie: 33/64 Lehko 26/51 Mycol 37/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  Guardian(11)>Everyone but Lehko(7)>MikoLehko(3)'
[20:13] <Morrie> "Don't hesitate to use your potions!"
[20:13] <Kotono> Warm sunlight and pleasant breezes blow through, banishing the snow and restoring some vitality! OOC: Mycol'n'Santos.
[20:14] <Santos> As the healing covers over Santos, Santos tries out his new weapon in concert with his glorious saber, the two weapons acting together as if they'd always been meant to be a pair!
[20:14] <Santos> roll 2d6+2
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls 2d6+2 and gets 10." [2d6=6, 2]
[20:14] <Santos> roll d6 reroll 2
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls d6 reroll 2 and gets 1." [d6=1]
[20:14] <Santos> roll d6 reroll 1 reliable
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls d6 reroll 1 reliable and gets 3." [d6=3]
[20:15] <Santos> ooc: 11 hit?
[20:15] <Mycol> "ooohh.... she's not happy."
[20:15] <Kotono> OOC: Hit. Damage. Element to the attack or anything?
[20:15] <Mycol> OOC: What am I rolling? I missed the start of this fight.
[20:15] <Santos> ooc: element strike (Fire) always applies, not passive. And 33 damage
[20:15] <Kotono> OOC: Your turn is up. Did you get logged up?
[20:16] <Mycol> No.
[20:16] <Morrie> OOC: I'll do it.
[20:16] <Mycol> OOC: Is it the same as the previous guardian?
[20:17] <Mycol> OOC: 'Cause then I just want to enervate it.
[20:17] <Kotono> OOC: Looks like it. Besides being covered in ice and casting ice magic.
[20:17] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 49/51  Morrie: 33/64 Lehko 26/51 Mycol 37/46 (23/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  Guardian(11)>Everyone but Lehko(7)>MikoLehko(3) | Guardian: 10'

[20:18] <Kotono> The Guardian is slashed into! The ice around it steams and melts, running off it in great steaming gushes of shattered ice and steam! OOC: Okay, Mycol's up. Enervate away or whatever. Remember you still have quick cast like I mentioned last week.
[20:18] <Mycol> At any rate, before I begin casting, Mycol calls out "I get the distinct idea that we are not wanted here---at all."
[20:18] <Mycol> And.... yeah. Quick cast is 1/encounter, correct?
[20:18] <Kotono> OOC: Yes.
[20:19] <Mycol> So yes. Quick Cast an Enervate since it did some sweeet damage last time.
[20:19] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, roll damage then.
[20:20] <Mycol> Sec.
[20:21] <Mycol> 2d6+48
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Mycol rolls 2d6+48 and gets 53." [2d6=3, 2]
[20:22] <Kotono> roll 53*2
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 53*2 and gets 106."
[20:22] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 49/51  Morrie: 33/64 Lehko 26/51 Mycol 37/46 (18/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  Guardian(11)>Everyone but Lehko(7)>MikoLehko(3) | Guardian: 10'
[20:22] <Kotono> roll 3#1d100
[20:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3#1d100 and gets 160." [3#1d100 = 95, 14, 51]

[20:22] <Mycol> "Robots. Who needs 'em?"
[20:23] <Kotono> With a burst of destructive enervation, the Guardian crumbles! It just falls apart, the blue aura around it dimming, "IMPERTINENT DO-" It begins, only to fall apart! OOC: Loot post. Free act.
[20:23] <Lehko> "I am no dog!"
[20:23] <Santos> "Why yes, we are impertinent do-gooders," Santos says drily, finishing the sentence for the broken Guardian, even as Lehko barks out his own reply.
[20:24] <Mycol> "Us being here is really making her mad---but I'm not convinced she's mad -at us-....."
[20:24] <Morrie> "This woman has some reason to hate us so..."
[20:24] * Morrie will call out to the spirits again to get them back to full health!
[20:25] <Kotono> The party's wounds are healed in a deluge of warm summer sunshine!
[20:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51 Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 51/51 Mycol 46/46 (18/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  '

[20:26] * Lehko heads over to the scrap pile and checks it out...
[20:26] <Lehko> roll 2d6+5 Awareness
[20:26] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+5 Awareness and gets 8." [2d6=2, 1]
[20:26] <Kotono> It's a giant pile of scrap. One can get past it by hugging the sides and working around it if you care to go on past it. There's all sorts of stuff, but nothing immediately jumps out at the top of the pile.
[20:28] * Lehko takes a few more moments to sift through some of the junk, just for curiosity's sake.
[20:28] <Lehko> roll 2d6+5 Awareness
[20:28] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+5 Awareness and gets 15." [2d6=4, 6]
[20:28] <Kotono> Pushing some of it away and around, Lehko uncovers a barrel covered by the junk!
[20:29] * Lehko cracks the barrel open.
[20:29] <Kotono> Within he finds...OOC: Loot.
[20:30] * Lehko holds the head band up in triumph!
[20:30] * Lehko hands it over to Morrie for bagging.
[20:31] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, what are y'all gonna do now?
[20:32] <Lehko> OOC: I say we try and check out one of the huge barrels, then move on past the scrap pile.
[20:32] <Santos> OOC: I'm not doing anything! I'm lost! I just follow the people that want to check out the maps!
[20:33] <Kotono> OOC: The huge barrels are three people tall: so around 15-18ft tall. Any idea how you'll actually do that, Lehko?
[20:33] <Lehko> OOC: Figured we could hack a hole in the side of one and look in.
[20:33] <Lehko> OOC: Fire sword, yo.
[20:34] <Mycol> OOC: I could enervate one of them, then we can just smash it. But that might ruin the CONTENTS of the barrel, too, so maybe not.

[20:37] <Kotono> The chill air continues to blow as the party decides what to do. Shivers go up and down the party as your breath mists in the air around you. You swear it's slowly getting chillier since that last battle.
[20:37] <Kotono> OOC: By all means take an action IC if you're gonna do something.
[20:37] <Morrie> "I think we should keep moving."
[20:37] <Lehko> "Santos, try hacking a hole in this barrel. Let's see what's inside."
[20:38] * Santos nods and uses the flame saber to do just that!
[20:39] <Kotono> Santos cuts into the barrel! IT burns easily, flames starting to spread over the barrel! Amid the growing heat and smoke you can see - GAH! A torrent of water quenches the flames and gushes out as cracks go up the barrel! In moments a tidal wave of water is erupting out! OOC: Unfortunately you've now discovered that the castle's siege water supply is down here. Anyone with ranks in Athletics can make a check.
[20:40] <Morrie> roll 2d6+4 Athletics
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6+4 Athletics and gets 11." [2d6=6, 1]
[20:40] <Morrie> OOC: Since the field effect is Snow, can I just try and Geomance it to freeze the side of the barrel?
[20:40] <Santos> roll 2d6+4 athletics
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Santos rolls 2d6+4 athletics and gets 16." [2d6=6, 6]
[20:40] <Kotono> OOC: Sure.
[20:40] <Santos> ooc: SUPER NINJA ARTS!
[20:41] <Lehko> OOC: Got nothin'.
[20:41] * Morrie will try and just freeze the water coming out of the side of the barrel to give them time to get the heck out of there.
[20:41] <Kotono> OOC Morrie, you have difficult terrain protection and made the check, so you'd have a chance to do that. Make an attack roll for your geomancy.
[20:42] <Mycol> Since the water is inorganic, can I try pushing it away from me with telekinesis?
[20:42] <Santos> ooc: You should inhale/soak up all the water and become a giant mushroom.
[20:42] <Kotono> OOC: Sure. Lemme resolve Morrie first and see if that stops it, since he got his in first.
[20:43] <Morrie> OOC: Without accuracy, yeah?
[20:43] <Kotono> OOC: With. Just a normal attack roll for you.
[20:43] <Morrie> roll 2d6+2
[20:43] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6+2 and gets 11." [2d6=5, 4]
[20:43] <Kotono> Calling on the frost in the air, Morrie finds it to come easily! Just as the wave begins, the barrel is suddenly iced over from top to bottom! The water inside is frozen solid! The power of cold comes so easily to Morrie here, like a tidal wave pouring through him and out into the world around. The wave is frozen just as it erupts out, cresting out in a great burst - and solid down to the last drop. OOC: Carry on.
[20:44] * Lehko looks around wide eyed and with a poofed up tail.
[20:44] <Mycol> "Neat."
[20:44] <Lehko> "Okay, so.. Maybe a bad idea."
[20:44] * Lehko heads around the scrap pile.
[20:45] <Mycol> "I think it is again always time to be moving"

[20:46] <Kotono> Beyond the scrap pile you find there is an alcove going ahead. Unfortunately it's frozen over! Through the extremely thick ice you think you can see a stairway going up. To the right is a largish room. It's full of what looks to be old iron scrap and some other things - you can't quite tell from here. To the left is an abrupt dead end, a hall stopping. Red brick, not matching the walls otherwise,
[20:46] <Kotono> stops any progress at all going that way.
[20:46] * Lehko looks at Santos.
[20:46] <Lehko> "Fire sword?"
[20:47] <Santos> "I can cut away a path it Morrie thinks he can keep the rest of it frozen, if that's what you're about to suggest."
[20:47] * Lehko nods.
[20:48] <Morrie> "Go ahead and try."
[20:48] <Morrie> "It's difficult to know what will occur..."
[20:49] <Mycol> "It's brick"
[20:49] <Mycol> "I should probably weaken the wall first"
[20:50] <Kotono> OOC: Do you mean cutting through the ice or brick wall, Lehko/Santos, since Mycol brings up the brick wall. I assumed you were talking about the ice barrier.
[20:51] <Lehko> OOC: I was talking about the ice.
[20:51] <Mycol> OOC: I don't know! I'm more interested in the bricks, because.... c'mon! Bricked up room! The other side has GOT to be good
[20:51] <Santos> ooc: I can do both!
[20:52] <Lehko> OOC: I missed the bricked up room at first. I'd say go for that.
[20:53] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then. Act y'all. Do your thang.
[20:53] <Mycol> "I would like to see what's on the other side of this wall."
[20:54] * Mycol will cast Enervate on the bricks, aging them hundreds of years until they are brittle.
[20:54] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51 Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 51/51 Mycol 46/46 (13/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  '
[20:54] <Kotono> The spell hits the bricks! They suddenly look pitted and dull, worn and lusterless. Downright ancient, crumbling and forgotten.
[20:54] <Mycol> "Should be smashable."
[20:55] * Santos gives the bricks one good whack with the bone sword before focusing on the ice with the flame sword!
[20:55] <Kotono> Santos hacks into the wall! You hack through a good five feet or so of brick! Past it is more brick, unaged and unweathered. This resists your flaming sword much more effectively, though the end of your last slash does chip into the brick.
[20:56] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:56] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 96." [1d100=96]
[20:56] <Mycol> "What the...."
[20:56] <Morrie> "Is this really worth the effort?"
[20:56] <Mycol> "It keeps going! It's like an entire hallway, simply bricked over."
[20:57] <Santos> "I have no sense of direction in places like this. I'm just smashing wherever you guys tell me to smash and cut!" Santos replies to Morrie.
[20:58] <Mycol> "I don't know. I.... don't..... know!"
[20:58] <Mycol> "I thought it was a barrier to a room, but it's like a tunnel"
[20:58] <Mycol> "There might be something ----verry dangerous----in. that. tunnel."
[20:58] * Mycol continues to dance and play maracas
[20:59] <Santos> "Dangerous pays well!" Santos suggests.
[21:00] <Morrie> "I could try and force it open with the ice and snow here, but... Then it might be... well, frozen."
[21:02] <Mycol> "I had thought it would be faster. As much as I want to see what's down here, I say we head back up the frozen stairs instead."
[21:02] <Lehko> "Well, either keep going here, or up the stairs, before more of those Guardians show up. I'm going to check the room with the scraps."
[21:02] * Lehko heads into the scrap room to scavange about while the others work on the passage(s).
[21:03] <Mycol> "Santos? You're the one with the fire sword."

[21:03] <Kotono> The room's mostly full of old junk, bits of old guns and that sort of thing. It looks more like a forgotten workshop - but there is a barrel standing in the back, amid the junk.
[21:04] * Lehko searches around the old guns and bits of junk for anything useable before opening the barrel.
[21:04] <Lehko> roll 2d6+5 Awareness
[21:04] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+5 Awareness and gets 12." [2d6=4, 3]
[21:05] <Kotono> There's not much there besides old rust and other related things. In the barrel is....OOC: Loot.
[21:05] * Lehko hefts the firearm and heads towards the others.
[21:06] <Lehko> "Hey, found a rifle.. Looks useful, maybe."
[21:06] <Morrie> "Do you want me to try and force this open?"
[21:09] <Mycol> "Do you have something that might be quicker than slashing it? I don't want to run out of magic"
[21:09] <Mycol> "I have the feeling I'm going to need it."
[21:09] <Mycol> +
[21:11] <Morrie> "I suppose I will try and open it, although... Mycol, we have some food you can eat to replenish your magical energy."
[21:12] <Morrie> "If you want to try and remove the bricks again."
[21:12] <Mycol> "Ooooooohhhh....."
[21:12] <Mycol> "Why didn't you say so."
[21:12] * Mycol begins dancing again.
[21:12] * Lehko aims at the bricks and fires, trying to impose a fire vulnerability on it.
[21:12] * Mycol stops dancing and hits the deck
[21:13] <Lehko> roll 2d6+4 Force.
[21:13] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+4 Force. and gets 13." [2d6=5, 4]
[21:13] <Kotono> roll 2d6+1 it's asolid object so it would have some passing resistance at least.
[21:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+1 it's asolid object so it would have some passing resistance at least. and gets 10." [2d6=3, 6]
[21:13] <Kotono> The wall is hit! The area hit turns an off shade of gray, chemicals hissing and bubbling over it!
[21:13] * Santos cuts with fire right afterwards!
[21:14] <Kotono> The wall is hacked through! Another hunk falls away, Santos able to hack through perhaps 5 more feet! Beyond it is more brick wall...but a few holes in the bricks show a strange greenish light leaking through.
[21:15] <Morrie> "...How strange."
[21:15] <Santos> "Keep cutting away?"
[21:15] * Lehko shrugs and shoots the wall again.
[21:15] <Lehko> roll 2d6+4 Force.
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Lehko rolls 2d6+4 Force. and gets 10." [2d6=2, 4]
[21:16] <Kotono> roll 2d6+1
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+1  and gets 5." [2d6=3, 1]
[21:16] * Santos attacks!

[21:17] <Kotono> With a few more hacks the last layer collapses! Ahead is a hall. It goes on a ways before another bricked over dead end! The left wall is castle stone - but the right wall is smooth metal, like from the ruins before. Green lines of color flow over the surface, forming strange and eye-aching patterns. In the center of the hall are 8 treasure chests, red with gold highlights. Just before them is
[21:17] <Kotono> an skeleton, lying face down.
[21:17] <Lehko> "Well, how delightfully ominious!"
[21:18] * Mycol begins dancing
[21:19] * Lehko inspects the pattern, trying to discern anything about it.
[21:19] <Kotono> OOC: Are you going in or staying outside, Lehko?
[21:19] <Lehko> OOC: So, I have nature and awareness. Either of those apply for a roll on this?
[21:19] <Lehko> OOC: Gonna hang out at the edge of the pattern.
[21:20] <Kotono> As Lehko goes into inspect it, he is cast green by the light. HIs skin tingles and itches, a feeling of faint lethargy coming over him.
[21:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51 Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 41/51 Mycol 46/46 (13/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  '
[21:20] <Mycol> OOC: I have "Language". Is there a chance the patterns are some kind of a -script-?
[21:20] * Lehko staggers back.
[21:20] <Kotono> OOC: What language(s)?
[21:20] <Lehko> "Ugh.. It.. drained me or something.."
[21:20] <Santos> ooc: I have thievery if that helps!
[21:21] <Mycol> OOC: It doesn't seem like it works in D&D, so much as it's a roll to see if I speak/know a language, based on the difficulty of the language. Lemme copypaste the decription.
[21:21] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, make a check then.
[21:22] <Morrie> "Get away from that."
[21:22] * Morrie speaks up suddenly, looking very... uneasy.
[21:23] <Mycol> "Aaaaackkk"
[21:23] * Mycol stops dancing
[21:23] <Mycol> "Aaaaaaaahhhh. Turn away. No."
[21:24] * Mycol runs back down the hall.
[21:24] <Morrie> "If you want to investigate the boxes, go ahead... but we need to get out of here."
[21:24] <Lehko> "If.. if you can keep me *alive,* then I'm willing, I guess."
[21:27] <Mycol> "Come on! Get out of there!"
[21:28] <Morrie> "...Let me try something."
[21:28] <Mycol> "Do. Not. Open. Those. Things." (Emphatic, panicked dancing --from down the hall, still-- commences"
[21:29] <Morrie> "...Very well then. I think we should go."
[21:29] * Lehko shrugs and heads out then.
[21:29] <Mycol> "Flesh men, we should get Ebenezer."
[21:30] <Santos> "That might be a good idea, though it'd require us beating the castle squatter first," Santos notes.
[21:30] <Lehko> "Alright. Let's check the staircase first. We still need to find out what happened here before we bring Ebenezer in."
[21:30] <Mycol> "Whatever that is is unnatural. It hates.... something. It hates me, us. I can feel the Rock man moaning in my cap"
[21:30] <Morrie> "Oh, Mycol."
[21:31] <Mycol> "Yes. Let's carry on and leave this mystery behind us until we come back again, forever."

[21:31] * Morrie reaches into the bag and produces one of the Magic Tarts.
[21:31] * Mycol sees it.
[21:31] <Mycol> "Are there more? I can get one.... when...."
[21:31] * Mycol produces a tart
[21:32] * Lehko heads back to the wall of ice and fires a round at it, trying to see if it can shatter the ice.
[21:32] <Mycol> "...I want one."
[21:32] <Kotono> The ice is hit! It chips the ice...but a soft stirring of the wind and a blue glow patches over the damage in a few seconds.
[21:33] * Morrie will hand him the tart and then step over to the ice.
[21:33] <Morrie> "Allow me to try."
[21:34] <Mycol> "I think... wait."
[21:35] <Mycol> "I think the frozen lady doesn't want us to go away.... that she wants to see us. Actually, wait...."
[21:35] <Mycol> "Dead. I think she wants to see us dead."
[21:35] <Morrie> "...Well, yes, I'd figured that part out..."
[21:35] <Lehko> "Hopefully that'll be tougher than she thinks, then."
[21:36] <Mycol> "Well, apparently, before she'd have been happy if we just went away. I think she's more.... enthusiastic about it."
[21:36] * Lehko shrugs and shoots the wall of ice again.
[21:37] <Mycol> "I think? Mystical Demigod psychology isn't my strongest suit"
[21:37] <Kotono> The wall of ice is shot! This time an ice blue aura surrounds it just as Lehko fires. The bullet bounces away wildly, ricoheting off the ground and ceiling!
[21:38] <Lehko> "... Huh. Well. Anyone else want to try?"
[21:39] * Morrie will walk over to the ice and hold his hands forward.
[21:39] <Morrie> "Mistress of this Ice. Is this the way you want us to go to meet you? Or is there another path we should follow? If this is the way to you, then I will open this path."
[21:39] * Morrie will indeed try to just will the ice out of the way.
[21:40] <Kotono> OOC: Make a finesse check.
[21:41] <Morrie> roll 2d6+3 finesse
[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Morrie rolls 2d6+3 finesse and gets 8." [2d6=2, 3]
[21:41] <Kotono> roll 2d6+5
[21:41] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6+5 and gets 10." [2d6=2, 3]

[21:45] <Kotono> Morrie calls on the Mistress of the Ice! Cold. So cold and so angry. Morrie's entire body is frozen solid - or at least it feels like that to him. Flashes of things - tree abomination angel fire bloated - whizz by Morrie's mind. IT's too fast to do anything more than receive the vaguest impression and one word with it: Invaders. In your mind scenes replay in your head, as if you are living them again. You see the unopenable door, hearing the name of 'Litch'. You touch the dark glass shard, time seeming to loop and loop and loop. You see Janus fall, only to become something else, something that declares itself Zebbub, the Beezlebub.  Morrie falls back from the ice wall, patches of ice forming over parts of his body as a chill shakes him from head to toe.
[21:46] * Morrie stumbles... indeed, falling on his bottom. Onto some ice. Ow. That hurts.
[21:46] * Lehko blinks, then drags Morrie away from the wall before digging a blanket out of his back and throwing over him.
[21:46] <Morrie> "...Very well, Mistress. Please guide us, and we will come to you."
[21:47] <Kotono> Behind Morrie a single line of blue appears on the floor. It goes back the way you came, towards the junk pile and past it.
[21:48] <Lehko> "Follow the bright blue line, then?"
[21:51] <Morrie> "Yes."
[21:51] <Kotono> Thus the party follows the line. IT leads back to the main hall and up the path at the end and to the right you haven't explored. Following it, it leads up and to another left/right intersection, going right. This shortly leads to heavy iron doors - which swing open as you approach, another set and another behind them. Each set swings open silently, revealing a stairway below. Past that stairway is more red bricks, as if sealing the way any further. The line goes right to the stairway.
[21:51] * Lehko looks at the wall.
[21:51] * Morrie will follow along and also look at the wall.
[21:51] <Lehko> "Last one got her upset, right? Want to try again or keep going?"

[21:52] <Kotono> It looks the same as the last brick wall you hacked and magicked through.
[21:53] * Mycol shrugs
[21:53] <Morrie> "Perhaps this is a test."
[21:53] <Morrie> "Let me try this one."
[21:53] * Lehko hefts his rifle onto his shoulder, waiting.
[21:54] * Morrie walks over and places his hand on the wall. Assuming that nothing happens, he's going to try and summon the ice from the castle to more or less force the way open.
[21:55] <Kotono> To your surprise, the ice responds! It responds strong and well, great spikes of ice exploding up and devastating the wall ahead. In the ruins of the sealed layers of bricks you see a hallway that hooks to the right. Yet as Morrie doe sthis, his lips become blue, his skin pale and he begins to shake terribly. So much cold, so much ice - it comes so easily here, flooding him inside.
[21:55] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51 Morrie: 32/64 Lehko 41/51 Mycol 46/46 (13/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  '
[21:57] * Morrie shuts his eyes and takes a step back. He's going to take a moment to shake out the cold out of himself.
[21:58] <Kotono> OOC: Healing?
[21:59] * Morrie will try and call out to the spirits outside to warm himself up after he's not... you know, frostbitten. Oh and heal Lehko. ...But mostly himself.
[21:59] <Kotono> It takes some effort, but slowly healing sunshine mends the freezing damages to both of them.
[21:59] * Kotono changes topic to 'Santos: 51/51 Morrie: 64/64 Lehko 51/51 Mycol 46/46 (13/28 MP)  | Difficult terrain: -1 AVD |  '
[22:00] * Lehko heads into the hallway, rifle at the ready.
[22:01] <Kotono> Going ahead, you see the hallway turns into - the green lit room from before. The same treasure chests, wall and skeleton await, the far wall broken down and a sign of your burrowing there.
[22:01] <Lehko> "Well... To the blue light!"
[22:01] * Lehko does a 180 and follows the light..

[22:02] <Kotono> Going down, you find the next floor much as the last. There's a passage to the left that hooks up, rather narrow and between two shelves. There is a passage to the right as well, and one just a bit off center and going up. The line goes up that passage, which looks to be a looooooong hallway. A cold wind blows from it.
[22:02] <Morrie> "It is my opinion we should honor her request and see her first. We can double back later."
[22:03] * Lehko nods and heads down the long hallway to the right.
[22:03] <Kotono> Thus you follow the hall! It's a decently long walk, but you come to the end. Here is a room of smooth metal, like the ruins. It's fully iced over, from floor to ceiling. Save for one point - a circle in the center sits, big enough for several people to stand in. It glows with runes and light.
[22:03] <Mycol> Runes make any sense?
[22:03] * Lehko eyes the runes with distrust, considering the green room.
[22:04] <Kotono> OOC: Make a language check, Mycol?
[22:05] <Mycol> 2d6+3
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Mycol rolls 2d6+3 and gets 8." [2d6=4, 1]
[22:05] <Kotono> Mycol can't read the runes. They're not like anything he's seen before.
[22:06] <Mycol> "Hmm.... I don't understand them, but it could be that she simply wants us to stand in the circle."
[22:06] <Morrie> "I don't have anything to go on, but if she wanted to kill us, she'd have sent another construct."
[22:06] <Mycol> "I got the feeling that we had annoyed her, personally."
[22:06] * Lehko scratches his head and shrugs.
[22:06] <Lehko> "Why not."
[22:06] * Lehko steps into the circle.
[22:06] <Mycol> "But you may have calmed her by showing her reverence and respect."
[22:06] <Mycol> "I don't kno-----"
[22:07] * Mycol watches.

[22:08] <Kotono> When Lehko stands in the circle, there is a flash of light! Suddenly the party stands in the heart of winter. It's ice and snow as far as the eye can see save for one thing. Before you is a huge fountain, perfectly frozen. A gush of water is frozen in mid-splurt from the top, droplets hanging in the air in defiance of gravity. Sitting on the lip of the fountain is a woman of blue. Her skin is blue and she sees clad in ice, a loin cloth and more ice. Her face is cold and disdainful, as if looking on a particularly bothersome vermin.
[22:09] * Lehko raises an eyebrow.
[22:10] * Lehko sighs, remembers his lessons on ettique from the Chiftaness and then drops to a knee and bows to her.
[22:10] * Mycol dances.
[22:10] <Lehko> "Greetings, Lady. We've come as you summoned, and apologize for any.. unintentional aggrivation we may have given you."
[22:11] <Mycol> "Even after the first time, after the Merging, there is awe"
[22:13] <Kotono> "I am Shiva, esper of ice." Her voice is the same as the one for the robots, glancing over each of the party in turn. She lingers on Morrie and Santos briefly, before focusing on Mycol. "What were you THINKING, allying with creatures that reek of the Invaders? One Geomancer does not make up for that!"
[22:13] <Mycol> "HEY! I don't.... SMELL. Flesh men, do I smell?"
[22:13] * Lehko hestantly stands, unsure what she means about 'Invaders,' but remains quiet.
[22:14] * Mycol sits down
[22:14] * Lehko takes a moment to sniff Mycol.
[22:15] <Morrie> "...You are addressing the one we know as Titan?"
[22:16] <Kotono> In a frostily sweet voice, "Exactly so. My dear, idiotic dog of a husband has seen it fit to befriend adventurers that he met on the road. That reek of the Invaders. Then he comes here and waves them in my face."
[22:17] <Lehko> "You smell... Damp. Like a wet forest or rotting log.. and plant mass... Like a mushroom."
[22:17] * Lehko blinks.
[22:17] <Lehko> "Husband?"
[22:18] * Morrie frowns. He's not the talkative one, but...
[22:18] * Lehko glances around nervously, then relaxes when he realizes there's no way they'd follow him here..
[22:20] <Mycol> "It is not often that I'm lumped in with the flesh-men."
[22:21] <Kotono> "Yes. My husband I haven't seen on this plane for a thousand years, since I was bound in a corporeal body by those Mystian fools." Giving Mycol a long, frigid look, "I suppose he's seen fit not to educate you at all."
[22:21] <Mycol> "He said that the Cycle was nearing where it always does, and that we could be trusted, for we chose to defend when given a choice between It and Attack."
[22:22] * Mycol dances around Morrie
[22:22] <Mycol> "Look at him. He wouldn't Kill. A. Fly."
[22:22] <Mycol> ".....unless float eyes are flies...... I don't.... know...."
[22:22] * Lehko sits down and begins cleaning his rifle.
[22:22] <Morrie> "...I don't think those count."
[22:24] <Kotono> Slowly Shiva facepalms, rubbing her face against her hand. "Silence, you time dancing fungus! It's insulting enough that Titan did not tell you even the most basic facts! You have no idea what you're doing at all!"
[22:25] <Lehko> "We could help if we knew what was going on."
[22:25] * Lehko points out.
[22:25] * Mycol sits down again, dejected.
[22:25] <Morrie> "Forgive our ignorance, but who are... you? I do not believe we've heard your name yet."
[22:27] <Kotono> "...I stand corrected. I see now why Titan chose you." In words of pure icy scorn, "As I said to greet you, I am Shiva."
[22:28] * Lehko cocks his head to the side.
[22:28] * Morrie blinks. "Ah... yes, I suppose you did. My apologies."
[22:30] <Morrie> "Do you have anything to do with the monsters that invaded this place? Since you mentioned being sealed, I am guessing they must've broken it... somehow."
[22:30] <Kotono> "In short, the Mystians attempted to use the power of the X-Zone. It failed and the Void erupted. From it came invaders, powerful demons and monsters sealed there from many worlds. The ensuing battles to seal the X-Zone and the monsters that came through laid waste to them."
[22:32] <Morrie> "...Like Lich?"
[22:32] <Lehko> "The lich in the cave?"
[22:35] <Kotono> "Yes. It became a free for all, for each world's groups hated each other as well. They have incompatible energies with each other - and the world, which drew us into the battles." Looking to each, "You have sided with Lich once, allowing him to pawn off a stone sealed with him. The energies of it likely weakened him and he it. Now a Zodiac demon is free and Lich grows stronger." Slowly she claps,
[22:35] <Kotono> "Well done! My husband didn't even see fit to tell you of the horrible mistakes you made!" Slowly facepalming again, "Now that the history lesson is done with, it looks like things are stirring. There's some annoying elf running amok upstairs and it appears that the various factions may be stirring."
[22:37] <Morrie> "...Ah, now I am beginning to understand."
[22:37] * Lehko looks confused.
[22:37] <Morrie> "Yes, we originally came here to rid the infestation of monsters and get rid of their leader, Astos. We will leave you in peace if you would wish that."
[22:37] <Lehko> "Stone? The only stone I can remember is the gold nugget."
[22:38] <Morrie> "We found a different one in the cave. It... took someone before you and Lehko joined us."
[22:38] <Lehko> "... Ahh.. That's.. Unfortunate. I'm sorry."
[22:38] <Morrie> "It's fine, we're going to rescue him."
[22:40] <Kotono> "Good. Go be heroes and kill the elf," Waving a hand, "Come back when you do. Prove to me that my husband hasn't finally had his brain turn all the way to granite. Escape." With that word of magic, the party suddenly finds themselves outside! You stand outside the entrance to the cellar, in the sunlight and fresh air!
[22:41] <Lehko> "Well.. Wasn't she pleasant."
[22:41] * Lehko looks at Mycol.
[22:41] <Lehko> "Titan... I understand. I truly, truly do."
[22:41] * Lehko cries a manly tear in sympathy.
[22:41] <Morrie> "...Well, it looks like we go up this time."
[22:42] <Mycol> "Seems that way."
[22:42] <Mycol> "I regret not asking her about the Evil Chests"
[22:42] * Lehko stands up and stretches in the in the sunlight.
[22:43] <Lehko> "We can ask when we go back. If we finish her task, I think she'll be more willing to talk."
[22:43] <Mycol> "Yes, perhaps. But how long could one listen to her?"
[22:44] * Lehko rolls his eyes.
[22:44] <Lehko> "There's a trick to it. Trust me."
[22:44] <Morrie> "Shouldn't Titan know the answer to that, Mycol?"