Session 1: The brink of death

[Anastasia]

> Ah, minus one batch of would-be heroes. In the aftermath, Luther and his two houseguests are going after the loot. This is unremarkable, until Kevamros happens on a white envelope. Despite the fact it should be bloody (its owner met the end of a sword, you see), the envelope is perfectly pristine. OOC: Go ahead and intro yourselves, y'all.
* Anders swishes his cloak about as he gracefully and shirtlessly loots bodies. "Whatcha got there?"
<Luther> "Well, I apologize if the entertainment wasn't to your liking, gentlemen, but it WAS rather unplanned, I'm afraid. Still, nothing like a good bit of blood and screaming from the angry masses to get the appetite going before the banquet, don't you agree?" Luther asks his guests as he glances towards the envelope in Kevamros' hands, and kicks the corpse of the former owner aside. "Oh, what's this?
<Luther> Perhaps the assassination orders?"
* Kevamros opens the envelope.
> Within is high quality paper. Written on it in beautiful penmanship is the following, "Greetings and salutations! You and your friends have been chosen to test a death defying dungeon in Limbo. Great glory and treasures await you, and those that excel may find permanent and gainful employment in this field."
<Luther> "...well, I can honestly say that these louts would have done terribly if their showing here was anything to go by."
<Kevamros> "That sounds... Unpleasant. I think we should ignore this. If you could show me to your library, Lord Luther, I could start researching on the location of the ruins I'm searching for."
<Anders> "Well hold on, now. Death is one thing, but girls dig treasure." Anders grins.
> At Kevamros' words, the envelope bursts into smoke. Thick smoke fills the room, blinding all of you! The choking miasma is miserable, and as you clear your faces, you see you stand in a take, 5 by 5ft stone room. It's classical dungeon - gray walls of stone bricks, mold, dripping water. There's a door leading out. On a glance, you can see the writing of the letter has changed as well.
<Luther> "Of course, of course. You are welcome to my vast collection of books, though I do say it piques my interest. While employment is rather droll, treasure does so bring a twinkle to my eyes, wouldn't you agree? And Limbo? My, I can say that I've never dreamed of visiting another pla...what the deviltry?!?"
* Kevamros sighs.
<Anders> "Hey HEY WHOA!"
* Luther gapes at the changes. "That...that was no invitation at all! Why, the audacity of this being! One does not simply steal away Lord Luther and his guests away from his castle just like that!"
* Kevamros eyes the surroundings, looking for anything that can give him a clue as to what, where, who, and how. OOC: Any of my many Knowledges apply?
> OOC: K:D.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+11 K:D
<Anders> roll 1d20+10
-castleheck.tx.us.lunarnet.org:@#dunes- Kotono invited Serith into the channel.
* Serith (~iron_drag@cpe-173-172-46-15.tx.res.rr.com) has joined #dunes
<Anders> roll 1d20+10
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=16]
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+11 K:D
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=18]
<Luther> roll d20+2 K:D =p
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=15]
> As Kevamros noted before, it's classical dungeon. It's a dungeon. Likely full of death and danger. You can't tell much else, though the mold on the walls isn't terribly toxic. Notably, the stone isn't all that weathered despite all tha twater.  Anders can tell the same thing, while Luther only has the idea it's a dungeon.
* Luther grabs the letter off Kevamros' hand, rather brusquely honestly, but having noticed the script has apparently changed, he tries to identify and read the new text.
> The new text reads as follows: "Thank you for being drafted! Good luck and may fortune find you!"
<Kevamros> "Well, there's no use in standing here. There's nothing to be learned from the architecture or stone here. It looks... rather average, all be told. Which worries me more, considering the letter mentioned Limbo."
<Anders> "So...it wasn't really an invitation, really. More of a statement?" Anders sighs.
<Kevamros> "Abduction is more the word I'd use."
<Luther> "As would I."
* Kevamros cautiously opens the door, waiting for an attack.
<Luther> "Well, at least we haven't been dumped here unprepared. I'm thankful for those fools ensuring we'd have all our weapons and armor handy, and I have some essentials packed away in a haversack, thank goodness for small favors," Luther notes as he gestures offhandedly at his fabulous black armor, his exquisitely crafted blade, and the fearsome yet shiny shield he once appropriated from some traveler
<Luther> from another plane. The haversack, well that goes unshown.
> The door is locked. AS Kevamros finds this out, parts of the ceiling slide aside. Water begins to pour in, fast and hard. At this rate, you'll be mimicking a fish soon.  OOC: Round by round here. Each of you has a round's actions.
<Kevamros> OOC: I don't have disable device...
* Anders prepares himself for danger! He takes a wand out of his bag.
> OOC: What wand?
> OOC: Noted Iddy.
<Anders> OOC: Magic Missile
<Luther> ooc: Do we know how many rounds we have roughly?
* Kevamros eyes the ceiling looking for the mechanisim and hoping he can switch it off!
> OOC: You'll have an idea at the end of the round, but probably not that many. Make a search check, Kev.
<Luther> ooc: I assume there weren't any corpses in the room with us, correct?
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+10 Search
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=3]
> No good. Kevamros doesn't see any mechanism. 'course, with water pouring in, it's easy to miss something like that, too. OOC: Luther, any actions this round?
<Luther> ooc: If there's a corpse I can speak dead with, that. Otherwise I'll search. Just checking what are options first before I commit to an action!
> OOC: No corpses so search.
* Luther searches for any signs of a key to the locked door, before the water floods the floor!
> OOC: Search check.
* Sleeping-Mercury (~Merc@c-50-175-190-75.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) has joined #dunes
* Luther (~Merc@c-50-175-190-75.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) Quit (Ping timeout)
* Sleeping-Mercury is now known as Luther
<Luther> roll d20+1 assuming my search check roll didn't go through before I peered.
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 7 > [d20=6]
> There's indeed a keyhole, but no handy and convienent key is around to open it with. Meanwhile, the water roars on down, filling the room with its sound. The water's now up to your ankles and rising fast. OOC: Round 2. Round's actions to each of you.
* ChanServ sets mode: +o Luther
<Kevamros> "Try to break the door down!"
* Anders points the wand at the door and lets fly!
* Kevamros continues looking for a mechanism of some sort to at least stop the water!
<Anders> roll 5#1d4+1
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 5, 2, 4, 5, 3 >
> OOC: Magic missiling the door
> ?
<Anders> OOC: Yes
> Anders fires magic missiles at the door! Plink, sputter, failure. Oh yeah, he remembers now. Spellcasting 101: Magic missile's a great spell, but it's ineffective against inanimate objects. Whoops! OOC: Search, Kevamros.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+10 Search
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=13]
* Anders frowns, staring at his wand in consternation.
> Oh yeah, there's some mechanisms and rustless gears up past the water. Getting up to the ceiling slats (the ceiling is 10ft high, so you'll need a boost plus something to get past the rushing water) might be a trick, though. OOC: Luther.
<Luther> "Damnations! All of my spells only work on creatures, and there's not enough space to summon something brawny enough to batter doors down! I shall try to break it down with my blade, but I can't promise that will work any better!" Luther exclaims to the others, frustration clear in his face as he tries to do just that, drawing his blade out and striking at the keyhole.
<Luther> ooc: attack roll or just damage?
> OOC: Attack roll.
<Luther> roll d20+12 attack 1
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=1]
<Luther> roll d20+7 attack 2
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=3]
<Luther> ooc: lovely
> What? HOW?! Luther misses the lock - he hits the door instead. It does some damage, but somehow using a big blade on a small lock's harder than you'd imagine. Go figure! OOC: I am speech less. More coming.
> MEanwhile, the water continues to pour down. IT's up to your knees now. It's now a bit difficult to movea round due to the water. OOC: Go. Round 3.
<Anders> OOC: I'm laughing to hard to speak
> OOC: Also, oh yes. Make listen checks, all.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+14 listen
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=12]
<Anders> roll 1d20+12
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=10]
* Kevamros turns and casts a spell on Luther, granting him more strength! OOC: Bull's Strength, 7 min.
> OOC: Just a sec, lemme deal with the listen check before resolving actions this round.
> OOC: In case what happens changes what you want to do.
<Luther> roll d20+0
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 15 > [d20=15]
> Hm? The party hears the moving of stone from the wall behind you. How curious.
* Anders turns dramatically!
> Behind the party, just below ater level, two foot long metal rods just out of the wall. Little metal orbs are attached to the tips. How curious. They almost look like wands. OOC: Still Bull's Strengthing Luther or going to do something else, Iddy?
<Kevamros> OOC: Yep. Same.
> OOC: Okay. Anders and Luther, you two be up.
* Luther ignores the moving stone for now, focusing on attacking the keyhole again!
<Luther> roll d20+14 attack 1
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=18]
<Luther> roll d20+9 attack 2
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=20]
<Luther> roll d20+9 attack 2 crit?
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 28 > [d20=19]
> OOC: Two hits. Congratulations, you hit an inanimate object! No crit on objects, though. Damage
* Anders eyes the rods. OOC: Spellcraft?
> .
> OOC: Sure but it'll take up your turn.
<Luther> roll 2d8+4 yay~
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 12 > [d8=2,6]
<Anders> roll 1d20+12
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=19]
> Wham! WHAM! The lock's pretty good and cut, mangled and broken. Hopefully the door opens now. However, Anders figures something out. Those are indeed wands. Wands of lighting bolt that are just about to fire, as the water reaches hip level. GAAAAAH! OOC: Ref save, all. -6 due to trying to dodge lightning in water. Doesn't work so well.
<Luther> roll d20+9-6 reflex
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 4 > [d20=1]
<Kevamros> OOC: Can I use my domain power to negate that?
<Anders> "WHAT THE FUCK?" Anders dives for the opposite wall.
<Anders> roll 1d20+8-6
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=15]
> OOC: What's your domain power, Kevamros?
<Kevamros> OOC: Travel doman:  you can act normally regardless of magical effects that impede movement as if you were affected by the spell freedom of movement.
> OOC: Sure, takes up 1 round, though. No -6 penalty to your ref save.
> OOC: 1 round of your daily duration, to be clear.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+5 Ref Save!
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=18]
> roll 6d6 electricity damage all. Luther full, Anders half, Kevamros half.
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 18 > [d6=1,3,3,4,6,1]
> Pain. Luther's world is pain and electricity and more pain. The others are shocked to a lesser degree - it still hurts but OW. OOC: Roudn 4. Go y'all.
* Kevamros looks for a way to disable the lightning trap and lets Luther deal with the door (hopefully)!
> OOC: Search check, Kevamros. +2 since the water isn't impeding you this round due to FoM.
<Luther> "Could you reaim those wands to fire at the lock or something that won't hit us? Alternatively deactivate it?" Luther asks with a wince as he continues to try and bust down the door slowly.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+10+2 Search!
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=11]
<Luther> OOC: Have you considered mentioning the gears up in the ceiling or finding a way to block them possibly?
> Yep, mechanisms. The wands are also thin enough that breaking/cutting them is plausible, too. OOC: Luther, the lock looks pretty cut up, though you wouldn't know if that popped the door or not without trying it.
* Anders attempts to modify the wands.
> OOC: How so, Anders?
<Anders> OOC: Pointing them up if not removing them from the wall entirely.
> OOC: Str check.
<Anders> roll 1d20-2
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 5 > [d20=7]
<Anders> OOC: Bonk
> roll 6d6 not gonna lie, touching the electric poles while in waist deep water was not a good call. Full damage, no ref save since you touched the source.
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 20 > [d6=5,3,1,5,1,5]
<Anders> "AGH THAT WAS NOT SMART!" Anders remarks casually.
* Luther decides to mess up the lock just a bit more before trying, not wanting to waste an action repeatly trying to break the door through otherwise.
> The fact that they don't budge is secondary to the fact that Ander's hair is on fire and his body's twitching. Oh yeah, that was probably not a wise idea. OOC: Luther.
<Luther> roll d20+14
<Luther> roll d20+9
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=19]
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=16]
> OOC: Two hits. TWo more bits of damage.
<Luther> roll 2d8+4
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 16 > [d8=6,6]
> Wham! Two more hacks shatter sthe lock entirely! It's gone. But the water's up to your chests now as more voltage comes! OOC: Ref saves again, -8 this time. You can negate it by blowing another round of TD if you like, KEv
> .
<Anders> roll 1d20+8-8
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 6 > [d20=6]
<Anders> OOC: HA
<Kevamros> OOC: I do!
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+5 Ref/Travel
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=16]
<Luther> roll d20+9-8
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=17]
> roll 6d6 electricity damage, Anders full, Kev half, Luther half
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 28 > [d6=4,4,5,4,5,6]
> Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzap! The pain that flares in Anders turnsthe world white and then black, awareness leaving him. Meanwhile, Luther and Kev are stil up - for now! OOC: Stabilization check for your turn, Anders. 1d100, equal or lower than your con score. Kev and Luther, you're up.
* Anders abruptly siezes up and keels over!
<Anders> roll 1d100
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 93 > [d100=93]
> OOC: -1 more hit point and still not stable.
* Kevamros sees Anders go down and casts a healing spell on him! OOC: Cure Critical Wounds, converting 1x Divine Power!
* Luther ignores Anders convulsing in the water as he goes try and open the door with bull's might at hand!
> OOC: Roll healing, Kev. Str check, Luther.
<Kevamros> roll 4d8+7 CCW: Anders
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 32 > [d8=7,5,8,5]
<Luther> roll d20+2
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 8 > [d20=6]
* Anders lunges to his feet. "We should leave."
> As healing comes flowing, the door is hit. Fortunately, it's easy to open without a lock in place and opens. It opens to a 15ft long hall, 5ft wide. At the end is a spike wall, two little cubbies just before it on either side. What's worse is that the water is sweeping you towards it - fast! OOC: Current of all that water gushing out is taking yo to the spiked wall. A tumble check can try to go for one of the cubbies, a Str check can try to stand your ground and other schemes will be adjudicated. Act y'all.
<Kevamros> OOC: That still apply to me since I have Travel Domain in effect?
<Anders> roll 1d20+3 tumble?
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 4 > [d20=1]
<Anders> OOC: HAHAHAHA
> OOC: You'd need to use another round of it, but yes.
> OOC: Doing so, Kev? Also waiting on your call, Luther. G'luck!
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+1 Tumble(Dex)
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=9]
* Luther does his best to summon a zombie minion to guard them against the current! Summon ogre zombie!
> OOC: Concentrationc heck.
<Luther> roll d20+13 concentration
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=19]
<Luther> ooc: using summon undead III
> A zombie ogre appears, getting impaled! It helps a lot - the party is only pricked instead of skewered as they all fail to dodge. OOC: More.
> roll 10d6 ogre zombie damage, piercing
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 35 > [d6=5,6,1,5,4,1,3,1,4,5]
> roll 3d6 party piercing. Also make fort, since slaad do thing sto spikes. IT starts with p and ends with oison because they don't like you much.
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 9 > [d6=6,1,2]
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+9 Fort
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=18]
<Luther> roll d20+14+2 mental bastion/fort
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=2]
<Anders> roll 1d20+7
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d4+1 con damage to Luther and Anders
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d4=4]
<Anders> "I'm starting to like this place less and less." Anders shivers. "There's sexy danger and then there's...this."
> OOC: Could y'all wait until this gets sorted?
> Agony. Pain. Misery.  But the party is alive. On either side, the two cubbies have a door leading further in. OOC: FRee act.
<Anders> "I'm starting to like this place less and less." Anders shivers. "There's sexy danger and then there's...this."
* Kevamros sees the sorry state of the other two and casts healing on them again. OOC: CCW, burning my last 2 level 4 spells.
> OOC: Okay.
<Kevamros> roll 4d8+7 Luther
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 29 > [d8=7,4,6,5]
<Kevamros> roll 4d8+7 Anders
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 29 > [d8=4,3,8,7]
* Kevamros then turns his attention to himself and casts some healing. OOC: Burning Lvl. 3 Ghost Touch for CSW.
> OOC: Okay.
<Kevamros> roll 3d8+7 CSW: Kev
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 20 > [d8=3,2,8]
> More wounds heal. The party is no longer greviously maimed.
* Luther gets into the safty of the leftmost cubbie, and then uses vampiric touch on the ogre zombie before it vanishes, healing up a bit further. "Thank you minion. Your services will no longer be required."
* Anders shakes himself, still feeling strangely weak. "Well. LEt's proceed then. Maybe we'll have better luck in the next room?"
<Luther> roll 3d6 vampiric touch
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 11 > [d6=2,3,6]
<Luther> roll 3d6 vampiric touch x2 since it's still alive
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 12 > [d6=6,2,4]
<Kevamros> "I liked this place not at all as soon as I saw the letter. If you two are feeling alright, we should find somewhere a bit more secure to figure things out."
* Anders nods. "This place is too mad."
> OOC: Fort again, Luther and Anders. Still poisoned.
* Kevamros eyes the surrounding area for mechanisms or traps.
> OOC: Remember the penalty for the con damage you've already taken.
<Anders> roll 1d20+5
<Serith> Anders roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=6]
<Luther> roll d20+14+2-2 fort/mental bastion/con loss
<Serith> Luther roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=15]
> roll 2d4+2 con damage Anders only let me know how much con you have after this
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d4=1,2]
<Luther> "My, you're a tough one! I'll remember that," Luther says, fairly impressed as he dismisses the spell and the zombie as a result.
* Anders wobbles, but valliantly remains upright!
> Meanwhile, KEv checks for traps or locks. OOC: Search.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+10 Search
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=12]
> The doors are ont trapped or locked.
<Luther> "So...this seems like a rather good time to get drunk, don't you think, gentlemen?" Luther asks as he digs into his haversack, and pulls out a bottle of wine, followed by three wine glasses. "Ah, I do love having the necessities handy," he adds quietly.
* Kevamros eyes the wobbling Anders, trying to figure out a way to help him. OOC: Heal or anything?
<Anders> "Oh my, yes please." Anders steadies himself.
* Luther serves himself a glass and one for Anders who -clearly- needs a good drink. Then he glances questioningly towards Kevamros given he seems focused on a self-made task. "And you?"
> OOC: Sure, Kev.
* Kevamros shakes his head no. He has work to do, obviously.
<Kevamros> roll 1d20+10 Heal
<Serith> Kevamros roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=9]
> He's in real bad shape ,but the poison has run its course. He could use a few weeks of bedrest or some serious magical attention.
<Luther> "Are you certain? Year 1364 vintage, just so you know," Luther asks, before giving a small sigh. "Ah well, there will be other times that will call for a drink, I'm sure."
* Luther puts away the bottle after making sure it's properly sealed, along with the extra glass, and then sips from his own glass as he watches Kevamros work.
* Anders tastes the wine.
<Kevamros> "You... should start feeling better. At least, not any worse. It seems like its run its course, but natural healing will take time. I'll be able to help speed that up once we get somewhere safe enough that I can prepare for it."
* Anders nods, taking another sip. "Thank you, good sir."
* Kevamros stands and inspects the area around them, looking for a way out.
> There's the doors in the cubby, as noted before.
<Kevamros> "Which one first?"
<Luther> "So...which door shall we take? Left or right? Mother always did say that in the stories one should go left in a maze, but this -is- a dungeon in Limbo, so who knows if that rules makes any sense here?"
<Kevamros> "Left sounds good enough for me."
> The door to the left is open. It leads a curving hallway that hooks up and around in a vaguely u shaped pattern. You'd have to go down it to see where it leads.