004: The golden standard of dungeon travel

[Merc]

[19:44] <Luther> [21:55] <Luther> "Any suggestion on the questions to ask?"
[19:44] <Luther> [21:55] <Kevamros> "How do we get out of this dungeon?"
[19:44] <Luther> [21:56] <Anders> "It might be crazy, just so you know. Because Limbo."
[19:44] <Luther> [21:57] <Kevamros> "Still need a place to start."
[19:44] <Luther> [21:57] <Luther> "I strongly doubt that it would answer that, considering it died here, Kevamros," Luther says with a snort, before nodding to Anders. "True, but I still think it's worth asking. Even if it's crazy, it must still answer truthfully, even if its answer may have lies of omission."
[19:44] <Luther> [21:58] <Kevamros> "Alright.. How about, 'How do we kill the host?' or what it's weakness is?"
[19:44] <Luther> [21:59] <Luther> "Possible, but again assumes the dragon would know the answer. I'd like to ask something we can guarantee an answer to if possible."
[19:44] <Luther> [22:01] <Luther> "At least one question I'd like to ask is if there's any way to identify guaranteed safe spots or something of that nature. Perhaps places where we can gain treasure or strength. Anything that might aid us in our survival. I am stumped on how to word the questions for maximum effectiveness though," Luther admits.


[19:46] <Kotono> OOC: Go ahead, y'all, ball is in your court at the second.


[19:50] <Luther> "So...any other thoughts besides information about our host? I suppose I could spend a question on that if there is nothing else..."
[19:50] * Kevamros shrugs.
[19:50] * Anders nods along. ""How about 'In precise, detailed directions and without omitting anything, what are all of the guaranteed safe spots within this dungeon?'"
[19:50] <Kevamros> "I simply wish to survive and leave this place as quickly as possible."
[19:53] <Luther> "Alright, I'll ask about safe location, treasure, and information about our esteemed host. We'll see how the wording works out for us," Luther says as he casts Speak with Dead on the corpse.
[19:54] <Kotono> The spell takes effect as Luther wishes. OOC: First question, go ahead.
[19:55] <Kotono> OOC: Also, one question per two caster levels, so how many questions total?
[19:55] <Luther> ooc: 3 questions, since we're lv 7.
[19:56] * Luther asks firstly the question about safe locations, using Anders' wording.
[19:57] <Kotono> OOC: Gimme exact words here as your character say sthem.
[19:58] <Luther> ooc: Actually, I figured I'd modify it anyway, so yeah, I'll type it.
[19:58] <Kotono> OOC: Pleas.e
[20:01] * Luther thinks about it just before he speaks and modifies the wording slightly. "Using directions that we would find useful, what are all locations that you believe are safe or that might lead to safety within this dungeon?"
[20:03] <Kotono> "Know that nothing can be predicted here, for in Limbo all changes to the whim of the one Slaad." The words are slow and slurred, glittering shards of ice falling away as the skeleton's jaw works."But generally advance and go on, for there is always an exit, or so the Slaad claims."
[20:04] <Anders> "Well, that's a bit more bleak than I expected."
[20:07] <Luther> "It would have the same limitations on treasure probably," Luther notes, making sure not to phrase it as a question, as he pauses briefly and then asks, "What can we do to improve our chances of reaching the exit?"
[20:08] <Kotono> "Fight well, survive and endure, for the traps are many and myriad. The Slaad loves adventure and unusual things. The stronger you are, the stronger the dungeons. Your mind is your greatest tool."
[20:11] <Luther> "Will we encounter other allies as we travel through this dungeon, or will it just be obstacles and foes?"
[20:12] <Kotono> "Anything is possible. Nothing is certainly. Only the brave will survive."
[20:14] <Luther> "Well that was nowhere near as useful as I first hoped," Luther notes with a scowl as he cancels the spell.
[20:15] <Kevamros> "I think we wouldn't have gotten anything useful no matter how well spoken the questions were."
[20:17] * Anders grimaces. "I suppose not."
[20:18] <Kotono> As they talk, the way ahead is perhaps there. Everything past the giant skeleton is obviously obstructed - you'd have to go past it to see. Otherwise, the party could turn back around and return whence they came.
[20:19] <Kevamros> "Well, as scant as the information was, it did say advancing was the only way to get out. Shall we continue?"
[20:22] <Anders> "Let's."
[20:22] <Kotono> OOC: Quick search checks, all.
[20:22] <Anders> roll 1d20+5
[20:23] <Luther> roll d20+1
[20:23] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+10 search
[20:23] * Joins: Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com)
[20:23] <Kotono> OOC: Therew e go.
[20:23] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+10 search
[20:23] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=9]
[20:24] <Anders> roll 1d20+5
[20:24] <Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=8]
[20:25] <Luther> roll d20+1
[20:25] <Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=18]
[20:26] <Kotono> The way ahead is more constrained than you think. Thick ice plus skeleton blocks most of the way. The only way is to climb up into the maw of the dragon, go down the throat and through the ribcage and further in.
[20:26] <Kotono> OOC: Gah.
[20:27] <Kotono> The way ahead is more constrained than you think. Thick ice plus skeleton blocks most of the way. The only way is to climb up into the maw of the dragon, go down the throat and through the ribcage and further in. The climb up looks to be formidable - about 100ft up and an icy climb to boot.
[20:28] * Kevamros eyes the climb, looking for an easy path... OOC: Any Knowledges apply by chance?
[20:28] <Luther> "I don't suppose any of you gentlement have a teleportation spell handy, or some flying carpets perhaps?"
[20:28] * Anders rubs his hands together, generating warmth. "Well, this will probably be less than pleasant."
[20:30] <Kotono> OOC: K:N.
[20:31] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+11 K:N
[20:31] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=17]
[20:32] <Kotono> Kevamros knows that icy climbs are notoriously dangerous. However, it opens up an opportunity. With thick ice like this, a pick - or something sharp that can pierce in - can be used to create handholds and footholds, making the climb a bit less dangerous.
[20:33] <Kevamros> "If we had something sharp, or that can pierce, like a pick, we could make hand and foot holds."
[20:34] <Luther> "Not a whole lot that's sharp, unless you can work bone into a sharp enough point. Bone, we have plenty of."
[20:34] <Anders> "Bone is brittle, though."
[20:35] <Kevamros> "Even dragon bone?"
[20:35] <Kotono> OOC: K:A on that question, any of you.
[20:35] <Luther> roll d20+11 K:A
[20:35] <Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=4]
[20:35] <Anders> roll 1d20+10
[20:35] <Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=1]
[20:36] <Anders> OOC: wow
[20:36] <Kevamros> OOC: The one knowledge I don't have.
[20:36] <Kotono> Lurther knows that dragonb one is much harder than normal bone. It's workable, he thinks, but would require some effort (a craft check. Weaponsmithing would do or anything related to bonecarving/working. A flat int check if no craft skills are known.)
[20:38] <Luther> "Dragon bone is much hardier. And this dragon's probably been around a while, so its bones may have even absorbed some of the cold into them or some such. It's one of those magic things I'd expect from dragons. That still leaves the question of how we could sharpen it though. Unless one of you know something about carving or weapon craft?"
[20:39] <Kevamros> "I don't."
[20:39] * Anders rubs his angular, clean-shaven chin. "I lack the skill to carve or work such things/
[20:39] <Anders> "
[20:40] <Kotono> OOC: Do any of you have resistance to cold or protection against it?
[20:41] <Kevamros> "I can try to figure something out with it."
[20:41] <Kevamros> OOC: I don't.
[20:41] <Anders> OOC: Nope!
[20:42] <Luther> ooc: checking, but I don't think so.
[20:42] <Kotono> The party is getting quite cold. It's chilly in here and they're really starting to feel it. Also, the thin air is starting to make it hard to breathe - you're all feeling a bit short of breath.
[20:42] * Anders shivers. "Whatever we decide to do, let's decide quickly, eh?"
[20:42] <Luther> "Brr...with the cold weather, we might be better off finding another path. This place keeps changing, we might find a path where we -can- progress if we turn back."
[20:43] * Kevamros picks up a bit of bone and inspects it, trying to figure out how to shape it.
[20:43] <Kevamros> roll1 d20+2 int check
[20:43] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+2 int check
[20:43] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=10]
[20:43] * Luther doesn't wait for replies from the others and already begins to turn back. Unless one of them notes a reason to go forward here besides 'the dragon said so', he's sticking to moving to warmer rooms.
[20:44] <Kotono> Kevamros thinks it's doable. Hard but doable. He can see how.
[20:45] * Kevamros takes the bit of bone with him and follows Luther. Better to stick together.
[20:45] * Anders follows along, wrapping his fuzzy cloak around himself.
[20:48] <Kotono> The party heads back down. It grows warmer down here and it's easier to breathe. The party gets its wind back as they return. It's unchanged, save for the pit of boiling gold now looks cooled over from above, solidified. It would still take flight or some trickiness to get to the other door.
[20:49] * Kevamros starts working on the bone he has. OOC: What's the roll for this?
[20:50] <Kotono> OOC: Unless you have the relevant craft skills noted, just a flat int check.
[20:50] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+2 int check
[20:50] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=16]
[20:51] <Kotono> It takes some time, but Kevamros manages to make a crude knife. It'll do the job, alright, even if it's no masterpiece. OOC: Mechanically it's a dagger, but with a -1 penalty ot hit if used in battle.
[20:51] <Kotono> OOC: Post that in loot.
[20:53] * Kevamros holds up the make-shift knife.
[20:53] <Kevamros> "I think this might do to make handholds in that ice."
[20:54] <Anders> "Hopefully it won't take too long to climb, then."
[20:55] <Kevamros> "I also have rope."
[20:55] <Luther> "Do you have a rope long enough for the rest of us to travel on?" Luther asks, looking doubtful.
[20:56] <Kevamros> "I have 50 feet of rope. If nothing else, we can tie ourselves together incase someone falls."
[20:57] <Luther> "That just seems like a terrible idea, and with the cold on top of everything else and our tents gone...this way at least feels like a safer alternative, even if we do need to find a way across still."
[20:57] <Luther> "At least the gold is no longer molten, and the fall wouldn't be any worse."
[20:58] <Kevamros> "Then come up with a better idea."
[20:58] <Anders> "Well, are we sure the gold has actually cooled? It's still rather warm in here."
[21:00] <Kotono> OOC: So what's your plan here, y'all?
[21:00] <Luther> ooc: thinking. I still think climbing ice is a terrible idea.
[21:01] <Luther> ooc: especially when we all dump str. and I'm wearing armor on top of that.
[21:01] * Kevamros inspects what he can see of the walls to see if he can spot a route across.
[21:01] <Kotono> OOC: Spot check.
[21:02] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+14+1 Spot/Terrain Mastery
[21:02] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=8]
[21:04] <Kotono> Hm. Yes. You think so. If you clung to the wall - you could get across. One big chance - success means crossing, but failure means a 80ft fall onto the hard, cooled gold.
[21:05] <Kotono> OOC: To be clear, it would be an easier climb than the ice, but the risk of failure looks steeper.
[21:05] <Kotono> OOC: Er, price of ailure.
[21:05] <Anders> OOC: Fuck it, let's be bold
[21:05] <Kevamros> "Well, I think I see a path across, but I'm not sure how hard it would be. That fall would almost assuredly kill us if we fell, though."
[21:06] <Luther> "The fall on ice would kill us too," Luther points out. "Ice isn't exactly that cushioning at high velocity."
[21:06] <Anders> "Die over here, die over there, or risk the master of this place dropping another floor out from under us. May as well pick a direction and go."
[21:08] <Anders> "I'd rather fall and not freeze at the same time. Let's try to cross here."
[21:08] <Kevamros> "Tie ourselves together?"
[21:09] <Luther> "Very well," Luther says. "I do thing I'd prefer dying near gold than ice if worst comes to happen."
[21:10] * Anders nods at Luther. "I was rather thinking the same way."
[21:10] <Kotono> OOC: Okay, so what's your scheme here?
[21:11] <Anders> "As for tying ourselves together...do you really think any of us is strong enough to support someone falling? Or would one of us falling pull everyone to their deaths?"
[21:11] <Kevamros> OOC: Tie ourselves together and try to climb across in a line. If someone falls, the weight should split between the other two. If you two don't want to use the rope, that's fine, just say so.
[21:13] <Anders> OOC: I forsee failed strength checks
[21:13] <Kotono> OOC: Okay then. Who is going first?
[21:13] <Anders> OOC: ME
[21:13] <Kevamros> OOC: Okay. I'll go second.
[21:13] <Kotono> OOC: Climb check, Anders.
[21:13] <Luther> ooc: I'll go last, I guess!
[21:14] <Anders> roll 1d20-2 HEY GUYS WATCH THIS!
[21:14] <Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 3 > [d20=5]
[21:14] <Kotono> Things Anders can't do: Climb. This is found out after he's a mere 10ft along, slipping and plummeting down. He doesn't even have time to scream as...OOC: Str check, Kevamros.
[21:15] <Kotono> OOC: Also, I almost forgot.
[21:15] <Kevamros> roll 1d20 str check
[21:15] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 3 > [d20=3]
[21:15] <Kotono> OOC: Whomever tied the knots make a use rope check.
[21:15] <Kevamros> OOC: We're not using the rope.
[21:15] <Kotono> OOC: I thought we were.
[21:15] <Anders> OOC: I declined to use the rope
[21:15] <Kevamros> OOC: At least, that's what I thought Yuth wanted.
[21:15] <Kotono> OOC: Oh okay. No str checks then.
[21:16] <Luther> ooc: I don't care either way. I'll probably fall to my death~
[21:16] <Kotono> Thus does Anders plummet down, racing towards the golden bottom. OOC: Anything you can do to spare yourself a painful impact?
[21:16] <Anders> OOC: I got time for an action here?
[21:16] <Kotono> OOC: If it's one relevant ot the situation, like feather fall or the like.
[21:17] <Anders> OOC: I cast Web!
[21:18] <Kotono> OOC: Make a concentration check. It's not an immediate action so this'll determine if you keep your focus and manage it before hitting.
[21:18] <Anders> roll 1d20+13
[21:18] <Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=10]
[21:20] <Kotono> Anders is just barely fast enough. He plummets 70ft before webs surround him. He breaks through the first part of it, down to 75ft! 76! 77! 78! 79-stopped! Barely a foot above the gold and webbed, but Anders has stopped. Gah! It's hot as hell down here. Painfully so - he's roasting and so are the webs. This close, he can see tiny cracks in the gold, the surface a mere sheen over a still very
[21:20] <Kotono> hot and very liquid pool of gold. OOC: One round of actions each. In this heat, you'll start taking damage soon and the webs'll burn up. Also note you're entangled in the webs, Anders, so act accordingly.
[21:22] <Kevamros> OOC: My rope is only 50 ft, and I don't think I have any helpful spells.
[21:22] <Anders> "GOLD'S STILL HOT! HOT!" Anders cries, desperately attempting to pull himself upwards.
[21:23] <Kotono> OOC: So Kev passes, okay. Anders, trying to climb the webs up and away?
[21:24] <Anders> OOC: Yes plz
[21:24] <Kotono> OOC: Climb check.
[21:24] <Anders> roll 1d20-2
[21:24] <Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=9]
[21:24] <Kotono> Alas, Anders flails and struggles, getting nowhere in his improptu webbing. Not good! OOC: That's your turn. Luther.
[21:27] * Luther has no spells that could remotely help, so simply shrugs apologetically at Anders.
[21:28] <Kotono> Unfortunately, the heat then does as it tends to - setting things on fire. Like flammable webbing. Thus does Anders fall, the sheen of gold doing nothing to stop him from getting a pure liquid gold bath. OOC: More, damage incoming.
[21:28] <Kotono> roll 20d6 congratulations, you die a rich man
[21:28] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 76 > [d6=3,1,2,1,6,4,5,4,4,1,2,6,4,5,5,3,6,5,6,3]
[21:29] <Kotono> The last the party sees of Anders is his body sinking into the gold, bursting aflame as he is swallowed up into the molten mass.
[21:30] <Luther> "...Well, that's unfortunate."
[21:31] * Kevamros sighs and shakes his head before saying a small prayer for Ander.
[21:31] * Luther pulls out a glass wine and serves himself one with a sigh. Raising the glass he says, "A toast, to Sir Anders. He was a handsome fellow, he courted death on a nearly basis, and he probably made many a woman swoon. Reminded me of a lesser me. He shall be missed."
[21:31] * Luther downs the drink with a gulp and turns to Kevamros. "Well, then. Your turn?"
[21:32] * Kevamros growls at Luther at the cavalier attitude towards Anders' death, but moves to climb the wall.
[21:33] <Kevamros> roll 1d20+0 No climb or str
[21:33] <Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=12]
[21:33] <Kotono> Fortunately for all, Kevamros is much better at climbing. He makes it to the other side safely! Whew!
[21:37] <Kotono> OOC: Luther?
[21:39] * Luther summons an undead ogre zombie and latches onto its back. "Climb towards Kevamros, minion!" he commands it. There's no way he's going to try to climb that after seeing Anders fall like he did! At least this way if he falls, he can blame someone else!
[21:39] <Luther> ooc: Any special action for holding onto the zombie? Or just roll his climb?
[21:39] <Kotono> OOC: Climb check then, Mr. Ogre Zombie.
[21:39] <Luther> roll d20+5 climb
[21:39] <Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=9]
[21:40] <Kotono> Made it! Victory! At only the cost of Ander's life, the party has reached the other door.
[21:44] <Luther> "Hrm...probably should have offered my servant to Anders. Oh well, hindsight's twenty twenty as they always say! Tragic, tsk. So tragic. You, go jump into the pit and keep Anders company or something, I guess," Luther says as he reaches the other side and gestures back to the pit.
[21:45] <Kotono> As the zombie heads towards oblivion once more, the door ahead looms.
[21:46] * Kevamros shakes his head again at Luther, but moves to open the door.
[21:47] <Kotono> Ahead is...OOC: We'll resume here next session. It's a good pause point since I want Yuth's new PC ready before we go further.