Soulriders 5.0: Legend of the Unending Games

[20:33] <Kotono> ----
[20:34] <Kotono> Gathering up the party isn't too hard. Over dinner the party unites, getting a table at a bustling eatery in the New City. As you settle in...OOC: Go ahead Wayland.
[20:36] <Wayland> "It looks like i found us another job, if you guys are interested. Missing person, one dwarf. Are you guys interested?"
[20:37] <Aaeru> "If he's missing we have to help," Aaeru agrees firmly.
[20:37] <Janson> "What's the pay?" Janson asks cautiously, not wanting to get burned again like Lady Moongal did when she fleeced Josa by 'paying for the full services of Whimsical Sweets'. Silvers diatribes against her master seem somewhat apt after that.
[20:39] <Wayland> "From the sound of it, personal gargoyle guardians."
[20:39] <Andria> Andrea blinks. "That's an odd thing to pay with, to say the least..."
[20:40] <Janson> "Does that mean we'll have to cut them in half for Josa?" Janson wonders. "I guess if we get... four? He'd get two and we'd have two between the rest of us. Probably worth a lot," he nods, satisfied.
[20:42] <Aaeru> "What are personal gargoyle guardians?" Aaeru decides to finally ask, not familiar with that particular currency.
[20:43] * Janson actually doesn't know, but they sound expensive and that's what matters!
[20:44] <Wayland> "Apparently the missing dwarf is some kind of magical sculptor. He makes gargoyles for a living. Our client says that the sculptor, Rubri-Granit, came across a puzzle box that has driven hin to increasing distraction and obsession. He fled shortly thereafter and his trail went cold in the Old City."
[20:45] <Aaeru> "It must be a horrible game," Aaeru decides, her voice grim. "We must save him from it!"
[20:46] <Janson> "Oh... oh," Janson starts to frown. "I get it. We're going to have to kill a dozen of those gargoyles once we find him in whatever cave he's holed up in to live out his craziness." He sighs, "Why can't we fight more things with organs and weak spots? Better buy myself a hammer or something."
[20:47] <Andria> "What is it with games not just being games?" Andrea mutters.
[20:49] <Wayland> "We have the best luck, it seems. Hopefully we just dont have to figght an angel again." Wayland sighs.
[20:50] <Janson> "So, got any leads on where to start looking?"
[20:51] <Aaeru> "So... Old City it is? Where did he disappear?"
[21:04] <Kotono> With that the party returns to Urian. "What can I help you with," he asks, right to the point.
[21:06] <Janson> "We're looking for your buddy Rubrigrant, right? Well we need to know about him," Janson opens. "What's he look like, who're his friends, what places does he like to go to or talk about, things like that."
[21:09] <Kotono> He nods once to that, "Gray, older dwarf. Had a bad run of it about twenty years ago over in Kesse. His passion is his work; he doesn't have a lot of friends that aren't involved in it. He does know a few people over in Mystra's temple and the Wonderworks here, but I tried those roads and they were dead ends. You can try them again if you want."
[21:10] <Aaeru> "Where did he get his puzzle box?" Aaeru asks next.
[21:13] <Kotono> "Over in Kesse," he says, "I tracked down the exact shop. It's a pawn shop, all second hand goods and no magic. Best I can figure is that someone unloaded something cursed off on some unwitting fops, and he was the unlucky one who bought it."
[21:14] * Aaeru frowns slightly, unsure of how they can help someone who traveled all over the world already and tried everything he could think of to find his friend.
[21:15] <Janson> Since Ulian can't give specific locations, Janson tries more generalities, "What kind of places does he like? He's a dwarf so does that mean he's more comfortable underground? He's travelled around a lot it sounds like, so he must have mentioned sometime where he liked the most, right? Even just generally?"
[21:16] <Aaeru> "Oh!" Aaeru exclaims, spurred on by Janson's words. "Or places where he would hide, right? Like a fortress or a maze?"
[21:17] <Kotono> "Anywhere underground, preferably rocky and mountainous. If I had to guess, I'd say down in the Galkass Mountains." He pauses to hold up a hand, "That's just a guess, I'd be fishing to go down there and with no idea of where he is. Any sort of fortification or cave would do in a pinch, though."
[21:18] <Janson> "I say we ask at the temple of Waukeen if he's used their portal, and the guards at the South gate in case they might've seen him leave that way?" Janson suggests, "We might get lucky with a pointer some way that way."
[21:25] <Kotono> OOC: If that's it then, go ahead and do up GI you guys and see hwo that goes.
[21:26] <Wayland> roll 1d20 gi
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20 gi and gets 6." [1d20=6]
[21:26] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+6 GI
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+6 GI and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[21:29] <Andria> roll d20+10 GI
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+10 GI and gets 27." [d20=17]
[21:31] <Kotono> First of all, the followers of Waukeen are sure that Rubri'granit hasn't used the portals. Second of all, on talking to the city guards at the South Gate? "Dwarf? Rubri'Grnait? Funny you mention that, he's popular."
[21:32] <Aaeru> "Really?" Aaeru asks. "Who's looking for him, besides us?"
[21:34] <Kotono> "Roman, Investigator." The guard half smiles, "Apparently he was hired to try and find that dwarf, he came and grilled us, then made sure we knew where to find him if we heard anything."
[21:36] <Aaeru> roll 1d20
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20 and gets 19." [1d20=19]
[21:37] <Janson> "Oh, hey, we only get paid if we find him, don't we?" Janson suddenly realises with a look at Wayland.
[21:38] <Aaeru> "Oh! The man that takes the jobs we refuse!" Aaeru exclaims in recognition.
[21:40] <Andria> "Funny, we haven't refused this one yet," Andrea comments, before pausing and adding, "Although it makes you wonder if maybe we should if it's already taken by someone with that nature. It might mean something about the job."
[21:40] <Janson> "Huh? I've never heard of him," Janson blinks. "Does that mean he bothered Lysanne for her cheating husband?"
[21:40] <Aaeru> "You think Rubrigranit is cheating on his wife?" Aaeru asks, peering at Andrea curiously.
[21:41] <Kotono> The guard shrugs, "Want to go talk to him yourself? He left us his address if we found anything out."
[21:43] <Andria> "It's possible! The box might have held evidence of his tryst, which would explain his odd behavior and disappearance!" Andrea imagines.
[21:43] <Janson> "I don't think we should, I mean, he's the competition," Janson frowns. "But we don't have any leads, do we?"
[21:45] <Aaeru> "Maybe he's still in town?" Aaeru suggests with a frown of her own. "It has caves below, right?"
[21:45] <Janson> "We'd have to get Simmer to look there for us, but it's worth a shot. Can dwarves endure heat well?" Janson asks.
[21:46] <Aaeru> "He's some kind of magic sculptor, so maybe he made something to help him?"
[21:59] <Kotono> Thus Simmer is contracted! She comes back the next morning, whistling. "Morning," she greets as all of you sit upstairs at Whimsical Sweets, smothering a yawn after, "So good news."
[21:59] <Aaeru> "Great! I love good news!"
[21:59] <Janson> "The best kind!" Janson seconds.
[22:00] <Wayland> "What's that?"
[22:00] <Aaeru> "It's when you get news you like."
[22:01] <Wayland> "I know what it is! I was asking what the good news was." Wayland laughs.
[22:03] <Kotono> "So it turns out that he isn't down there," she says breezily, "BUT! I mentioned it to Blythe and it turns out that he knows him and has seen him recently. He's having breakfast over at Sill's Ristorante a few blocks down, waiting for you."
[22:04] <Andria> "Convinient. Good job, Simmer," Andrea says.
[22:04] * Aaeru grins. "That's a lead! Let's go meet him?"
[22:04] <Janson> "Great!" Janson stands up brightly, eager to go. "That's five personal gargoyle guardians he'll owe us when we find him, now!"
[22:06] <Kotono> "Sure," Simmer says, kicking back as the party goes! SIl's Ristorante is fancy and open, a bunch of open air tables on one side. Little cloth umbrellas keep the tables covered, Blythe at one of them. He drinks from a steaming mug and picks at his food. His hair is ruffled and face scruffy, clothes wrinkled all over.
[22:07] * Aaeru itches just looking at Blythe, even as she smiles at him and calls out his name in greeting.
[22:07] <Janson> "Hey, Blythe," Janson settles into sit at the table. "Simmer tells us you know where a missing sculptor might be hiding out?"
[22:08] <Kotono> "Over here," he calls, "You're looking for Rubri'Granit, yeah?"
[22:08] <Aaeru> "Yes," Aaeru agrees. "We want to help him."
[22:12] <Kotono> "Well, I was down in Valandia on personal business about a week ago," He begins, tucking into his breakfast.  Assaulting his poached eggs, "I run into him at a smith there, demanding as many spears as can be made as fast as possible. I try and talk to him, he's crabby about it. Once he leaves, I talk to the blacksmith a little bit. Apparently Rubri'Granit's setting some sort of defended fortress
[22:12] <Kotono> off in the mountains," he waves a hand. "He's been spending a bunch of money in Valandia stocking it."
[22:14] <Aaeru> "Do you know how we could find his fortress? Or who might know that?"
[22:14] <Janson> "Jannath, I bet half of those spears will end up stuck in us by the time we find him," Janson sighs. "Well, Valandia's some ways off, we'll probably be able to get better directions from there."
[22:16] <Kotono> "I didn't investigate that far," he shakes his head, pausing to devour his eggs. Once done, "I've met him a few times over the years on business. He seemed different, but hell." With a long shrug, "Wouldn't be the first eccentric cleric or wizard I've met."
[22:17] <Kotono> After a beat, "I can tell you the smith who made those spears, ad from the sounds of it he can lead you to others who have dealt with him," he says, "Going that way?"
[22:17] <Janson> "Some evil puzzle box broke his mind," Janson replies sagely. "Yeah, any pointers'd be handy."
[22:18] * Aaeru grins. "Yes! Help us help him, please!"
[22:20] <Kotono> "Matheson's Forge," he says, "It's int he nothern part of Valandia, it's not hard to find," he says, "Tell them that I sent you and mention Rubri'Granit." A pause to stroke his stubbly chin, "A puzzle box? Evil?"
[22:21] <Aaeru> "Probably," Aaeru responds, mirroring Janson's sage tone of voice. "It's a game, and they're evil."
[22:21] <Andria> "At least the ones we seem to get into the habit of getting involved with," Andrea agrees.
[22:22] <Janson> "He went crazy after buying it, anyway. Or maybe he's not crazy, maybe it summons demons to attack him or something? Either way, we'll fix things!" Janson declares, thumping a fist into his palm.
[22:24] <Kotono> "Hell, good luck," Blythe says, "Gonna be taking Simmer with you for the direct approach?"
[22:26] <Janson> "She doesn't seem that interested beyond asking around in the furnace. Us four'll probably be enough," Janson shrugs. "Hopefully she'll be able to do a job or two here while we're gone."
[22:28] <Kotono> "Mmm-hmm," Blythe grins at that, "Good luck over there, then."

[20:35] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[20:35] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 30." [1d100=30]
[20:38] <Kotono> The trip to Valandia is a week's journey. It is a week's journey without trouble or incident, reaching the city the afternoon of the 7th day. It is a large walled city, great stone walls defending it from all comers on the open plains. Several gates allow travelers to come and go. Once inside you can see a great city of stone, the people coming and going...OOC: Ball's in your guy's park, go for it.
[20:39] <Aaeru> With an address for the store where Rubri'Granit was last seen in their hands, what else is there to do but head there?
[20:40] <Wayland> "Nice place." Wayland says, looking about as they walk.
[20:40] <Andria> "So this is Valandia...never been down here before. What about you guys?" Andrea asks, looking around and taking in the sights.
[20:40] * Wayland shakes his head.
[20:41] <Kotono> "Bit," Noel says as you head along, following towards the address. "This part of the city was built by King Ferdi in preparations to strike north," he adds, "It used to be all garrisons, smitheries and that sort of thing."
[20:42] <Janson> "Nope," Janson replies. "Seems very solid, like a place built for war," he agrees after Noel's history lesson.
[20:44] <Kotono> "Yeah, guess," he says as you walk along. Your destination is dead ahead, a strong, stout builting withs everal smokepipes atop it.
[20:46] <Janson> Naturally Janson heads on inside to find the proprieter!
[20:48] <Andria> Andrea follows!
[20:48] <Kotono> Matheson's Forge is hot inside, bellows emitting terrible amounts of heat! Within the clang of hammers on metal is a constant drone, punctuated by hisses of steam. Several leather-apron and mask clad men work, the smell of iron and sweat intermixing. As you come in the jingle of bells plays, causing a big, bald, beefy man to turn to you and take off his mask. He wipes his sweaty face dry, putting
[20:48] <Kotono> down a smith's hammer. "Welcome to the first and last blacksmith you'll ever need."
[20:50] <Janson> "Hello there," Janson waves, "I'm afraid we're not here to shop today. We're looking for a dwarf called Rubri'granit who bought a bundle of spears off you - Blythe said you'd be able to help?"
[20:53] <Kotono> He wipes his brow clean of sweat again, "Yeah, that dwarf. Good customer, that one," he nods to himself, "Blythe sent you this way, huh?"
[20:55] * Janson nods. "Was actually a friend of his called Urian that hired us," he explains. "He's worried after Rubri'granit ran off so suddenly, we just got lucky that Blythe heard you mention him down here."
[20:57] <Kotono> "Ooh." His expression settle down, "Yeah, that dwarf.  What do you want to know about him?"
[20:59] <Janson> "Well, where he is would be a good start," Janson shrugs. "Blythe mentioned a fortress?"
[21:01] <Kotono> "Yeah, over in the mountains," The blacksmith replies, jerking a thumb in that direction, "Hell if I know why you'd bother, unless you want to make a living on lizard bounties. He seemed deadset."
[21:01] <Wayland> "Lizard bounties?"
[21:02] <Aaeru> "Ooh! I know those! It's for bringing in shocker lizards, isn't it?"
[21:02] <Janson> "Any idea what he's been doing out there aside from stocking up on spears?" Janson asks, silently agreeing that a cull of shocker lizards is a good thing.
[21:04] <Kotono> "Yeah," he nods briefly, "You got it, girl. Well, he's had a lot of the essentials - tools, shovels, pickaxes, rockbreakers. Building materials. Makes sense with him making a fortress."
[21:06] <Andria> "Do you know how often he stops in town? Or would we be better off trying to visit his fortress?" Andrea asks.
[21:06] <Aaeru> "How did he carry it all to his fortress? It's really far away, isn't it?" Aaeru asks. "And all the lizards around, too. It's not the time to carry a lot on your back!"
[21:09] <Kotono> "Had some pack animals," he says, "He said he wasn't afraid of some lizards." A pause, "If you wanna find him, go ask Nod the toolmaker. Two streets down," Jerking a thumb that way, "I'm pretty sure he's done a lot more business with him."
[21:09] * Aaeru nods!
[21:11] <Janson> "Thanks for that," Janson nods gratefully, heading out to do just that.
[21:12] <Kotono> Nod the toolmaker has a smaller shop, full of everything from shovels to hammers. He's a tall, reedy man with a long mane of black hair. He sits down andw hittles, passing the time as you come in. "Rubri'Granit? Oh, you're looking for him?"
[21:13] <Aaeru> "Yes! His friend is worried about him!" Aaeru responds emphatically. "Can you help us find him?"
[21:13] <Kotono> "Haven't seen him in a few weeks, he's tucked away in his mountain fortress," Nod says, "I can point you that way if you want, but it's a bit of a slog."
[21:14] <Aaeru> "We can visit him?" Aaeru asks Nod. "He won't stab us with his spears if we do?"
[21:16] <Kotono> "Dunno," he admits, knife flickign away on his block of wood. "He does seem a little bit....." he drawls it out, "Excitable."
[21:17] <Aaeru> "Do you know how we could make him less... that?"
[21:18] <Janson> "We're really nice, I'm sure he wouldn't do that," Janson asserts, despite not believing so at all. It's nicer to pretend.
[21:20] <Kotono> "He's pretty headstrong," Scratching his head, "He likes puzzles if that helps. He has this puzzle box he's absolutely crazy over. Maybe a gift might help?"
[21:20] <Aaeru> "The gift of friendship?" Aaeru asks hopefully.
[21:20] <Wayland> "Do you know anyone who makes puzzles?" Wayland pipes up.
[21:22] <Kotono> "Puzzles," he rubs his chin, "There's a puzzlemaker on the other side of town," he says, "Infinity Puzzles, I think the name is."
[21:24] <Janson> "We'll see about that, for now we'll just take directions to his fort, though," Janson asks, since puzzles are what started this mess enabling him probably isn't the best idea.
[21:27] <Kotono> You get the directions - six days travels to the west and south into the Galkass Mountains, to find a highrise that looms over a steep cliff.
[21:29] <Wayland> "I know a bit about the mountains out here, it shouldn't be too bad." Wayland nods.
[21:31] <Janson> "It's nice to have a guide," Janson smiles. "Thanks, Nod!"
[21:31] <Kotono> "Sure, gonna buy anything," he asks after. "Need any tools for a rip?"
[21:32] <Aaeru> "Thank you!" Aaeru echoes Janson. She doesn't need anything but the clothes on her back herself, however, which is bound to disappoint Nod if she mentions it.
[21:33] * Janson doesn't need anything, since mountains are like polished floorboards to him. "I'm good, thanks. You guys need anything like rope or pitons?" he asks the others.
[21:36] <Andria> "Hrm... I should probably buy some tools. My armor's heavy, so I'll need all the help I can get," Andrea admits.
[21:42] <Kotono> After a night's rest the party heads back to the west, towards the Galkass Mountains!
[21:42] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 7." [1d100=7]
[21:42] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 75." [1d100=75]
[21:42] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[21:42] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 24." [1d100=24]
[21:43] <Kotono> Four days of travel take you over the plains and foothills, into the mountains proper.  On and on you go, but your way here is at a dead end. Ahead is a 60 foot sheer cliff, the ridges to the side rising up wickedly. No way ahead now but up.
[21:44] <Janson> That's no problem for Janson at least. "I can go ahead and place pitons and rope for the rest of you to follow up," he offers, patting the cliff-face. "Think it's just past here anyway."
[21:48] <Kotono> "Climbing isn't too hard," Branna says, "Noel and I can climb. Any of you others have training?"
[21:49] <Wayland> "I can get by."
[21:49] <Aaeru> "Not really," Aaeru admits. "I can become stronger, but that's really it."
[21:50] * Janson digs into his backpack, producing rope, hammer, and pitons. "Don't worry, with a rope it's easy," he encourages, looping the rope over his shoulder and starting to crawl upwards, fixing rope to cliff with spikes every ten feet.
[21:53] <Kotono> Once done, Branna takes the rope, "Watch me," he says, starting to climb. He takes it slow and easy, using the rope and cliff wall to make it up. He moves in a steady pattern, constantly finding new positions for his feet. By the end he's up, "Just take it steadily," hec alls back down, "Like that. It's not too hard with a rope and support."
[21:53] * Aaeru does indeed give this a try!
[21:57] <Kotono> OOC: Climb check, sorry, nabbed a sec.
[21:58] <Aaeru> OOC: 10 for 12 please
[21:58] <Kotono> Climbing up isn't too hard, Aaeru making it to the top without incident.
[21:59] * Aaeru promptly thanks Janson and Branna once she's up!
[22:00] <Janson> "No worries, you did the hard part," Janson smiles at her, looking around from the summit for any sign of the fortress.
[22:01] * Wayland gestures for Noel to go first.
[22:01] * Aaeru keeps near the top, ready to assist any climbers!
[22:01] <Kotono> Noel does the same, able to scamper up with barely ane ffort! "Andrea," he calls next.
[22:02] <Andria> Andrea climbs up as best she can with her heavy armor!
[22:02] <Andria> ooc: taking 10 for 11
[22:04] <Kotono> Andrea is able to drag her body up, heavy armor almost pulling her down several times...but she makes it cleanly!
[22:08] <Wayland> Taking his time, Wayland heads up the rope, pulling the pitons free from the wall as he passes them. OOC: Taking 10 for 15
[22:09] <Janson> "Uh, just leave them there, Wayland!" Janson calls down as he spots what the genasi is up to. "We're coming back this way, too!"
[22:10] <Wayland> "Oh, ok." Wayland just finishes the climb then.
[22:12] <Kotono> The climb is finished, everyone proving to be competent enough.From there you gather the rope and pitons before advancing forward! (More)
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 4." [1d100=4]
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 100." [1d100=100]
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 1d100 yep, this means sub-tables
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 yep, this means sub-tables and gets 64." [1d100=64]
[22:14] <Kotono> Another two days of travel pass. Early on the sixth day you notice something on rising. Smoke, not far away, past a ridge. It's not a lot, like from a campfire.
[22:16] * Aaeru peers ahead towards the rising smoke, rising to her toes for that bit of extra height.
[22:16] <Janson> "Looks like it's pretty much on our way. Wonder who else is out here?" Janson muses, assuming they'll run across them soon enough.
[22:17] * Aaeru nods, wondering about that herself.

[20:35] <Kotono> Continuing along, you ascend upward and ahead. Once past the ridge you can see a campfire. Before it sits a bald man, wearing black cloth pants and no top. He sits indian style before the fire, arms at rest and eyes closed. He floats several inches above the ground, face serene and focused.
[20:35] <Janson> Since he looks to be asleep or meditating, Janson isn't sure about disturbing him. If anyone else wants to that's cool, though!
[20:36] * Aaeru looks between the strange bald man and Wayland, but doesn't feel particularly like interrupting someone's meditations.
[20:38] * Wayland shakes his head. "Probably best to leave him be, unless you guys want to stay until he's done meditating." He says in hushed tones.
[20:39] <Janson> "Won't get us paid any sooner," Janson shrugs, continuing on his way.
[20:40] * Aaeru gives the meditating man a friendly wave and follows Janson.
[20:42] * Wayland nods, moving on.
[20:43] <Andria> "This seems to be a gathering spot for strange people, doesn't it?" Andrea comments as she follows them. "Wonder what we'll run into next."
[20:44] <Kotono> The floating man makes no motion back, the party continuing on.  You go past him, continuing. A few hours later...the clouds break as youa dvance on and higher. A tall cliff is ahead, towering two hundred feet up. Atop it lies a half built fortress, the front mostly done but the sides and rear still only half erected. It looks to be made of all mountain stone or at least stone of the same color.
[20:45] <Janson> "There's our guy," Janson smiles in satisfaction, taking a momentary water break. "Want to knock on the door or just walk around over where the wall isn't done?" he pauses after that question before adding, "Actually if he has a doorman at all it's probably a paranoid golem that'd smash our skulls, so I vote side."
[20:46] <Wayland> "...yeah. That'll work."
[20:46] <Kotono> "First problem will be gettin' to the top," Branna squints and peers up, "Gotta be a couple hundred feet to the top."
[20:47] <Janson> "Yeah, my rope's a few days back that way, so I hope you guys have some," Janson notes. "Or we can try looking around for an easier path up one of the other sides."
[20:48] <Aaeru> "What if we just call out to him?" Aaeru suggests. "It's only two hundred feet or so, right?"
[20:49] <Andria> "He'd probably be less likely to feel we're intruders if we're not climbing up the walls of his place too," Andrea agrees with Aaeru's idea.
[20:50] <Janson> "Sound doesn't carry that well, and that's assuming he's parked right on the cliff edge and not working on a dungeon or something," Janson shrugs. "But no harm in trying I guess."
[20:51] <Aaeru> "Hello?" Aaeru calls out, placing her hands by her mouth to project her voice better. "Mister Rubri'Granit? Are you home?"
[20:51] <Kotono> Aaeru's voice echos about the mountains! For several moments her words are heard, tossed back from all directions by the power of aucustics! There isn't any reply to them.
[20:52] * Aaeru pouts.
[20:52] * Wayland pats Aaeru on the shoulder. "Looks like we have to get up there."
[20:54] <Janson> "Lets circle around and see if there's an easier path? Rubrigrant had to get up there himself, after all," Janson suggests, starting to divert around the right-hand side of the bluff.
[20:56] <Kotono> Going around the right side, you don't find a path. However, tucked away in a small recess in the mountain is a cave entrance. At the very edge of it spill out sky-blue tiles, the entire way within so covered.
[20:57] <Wayland> "At least he has good taste in color?" Wayland says, looking at the tile.
[20:57] <Janson> "Oooh, a dungeon!" Janson gasps theatrically. "So, what's worse? Climbing or a dark cave with monsters?"
[20:57] <Aaeru> "Wouldn't it be magical gargoyles?"
[20:57] <Kotono> "Is the dungeont rapped?" Noel scowls, "Isn't dungeon slang for deathtrap?"
[20:59] <Janson> "Or golems," Janson shrugs to Aaeru, before grinning at Noel, "Oh, you wouldn't believe some of the traps I've seen in those old gnome ruins. If Rubrigrant is even half as fiendish as those guys we'll be dead before we've walked ten feet in there." Seeming to take that as a challenge, he starts heading into the passage - keeping an eye out for traps of course!
[20:59] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 search
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 search and gets 24." [1d20=14]
[21:00] <Kotono> The entryway doesn't look trapped at all.
[21:00] <Janson> The worst traps are the ones you don't see! But Janson is undeterred, probing into the neatly tiled corridor!
[21:01] * Aaeru follows him in, not terribly bothered by traps she cannot see!
[21:02] * Wayland keeps step behind Aaeru!
[21:02] <Andria> Andrea covers the rear!
[21:04] <Kotono> Noel and Branna follow Wayland, keeping their eyes peeled! From roof to floor sky blue tiles pave the way. It leads into a square room. The floor is dotted by a dozen head-statues, two rows of six staring at each other from opposite sides of the room. One set looks to be the scowling face of a demon, the other set the angry face of a dwarf. Ahead there is a door to the north, east and west,
[21:04] <Kotono> assuming you came in from the south.
[21:06] <Janson> "Hey, looks like a game board," Janson comments, experimentally moving one of the demon pieces forward one tile.
[21:06] <Wayland> "Kinda creepy, if you ask me."
[21:07] <Kotono> Janson  attempts to move on eof the demon faces! It's cemented into the ground, completely unmoving.
[21:07] * Janson shrugs, quickly losing interest and going to open the door on the west.
[21:09] <Kotono> The door to the west opens! Ahead lies another square room! This one has nothing but stony rubble within untilt he back. In the back sits a small golden key, glowing blue and catching your attention.
[21:10] <Janson> "I can understand losing your keys, but not if they're glowing," Janson comments, his finely honed senses detecting a trap!
[21:11] <Janson> roll 1d20+12 DM spellcraftan
[21:11] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+12 DM spellcraftan and gets 22." [1d20=10]
[21:11] <Wayland> "This place really feels like an unfinished dungoen, doesn't it?"
[21:12] <Kotono> "It does," Branna agrees, rubbing his stubbly chin. "Still say it beats those damn lizards."
[21:12] * Aaeru looks about worriedly. "Do you think they're here, too?"
[21:13] <Janson> "There's some sort of transmutation magic on the rubble, dunno what that's about. The key just has a light cantrip on it... probably not worth bothering with," Janson shrugs, going now to the Eastern door.
[21:14] <Kotono> The eastern door leads to another dead end room. In the center sits a demon head statue, atop it a few golden coins. The roof of this room rises a little higher up into pure, pitch black darkness.
[21:14] <Janson> Any magic?
[21:15] <Kotono> The demon-head radiates faint magic.
[21:16] <Janson> roll 1d20+12 spellcraft
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+12 spellcraft and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[21:18] <Janson> "If Simmer was here she could steal some gold coins and have fun doing it, but it wouldn't be fun for anyone else," Janson sighs. "Door number three, then!" he turns about and opens the Northern door.
[21:18] <Aaeru> "We shouldn't steal while we are his guests!" Aaeru insists, before blinking. "Or at all."
[21:19] <Kotono> The third door looks to be locked. It even has a keyhole and everything!
[21:20] * Janson has lockpicks and nimble fingers, and decides to put them to use! "I'm a bit out of practice, so if this seems too hard we can just try that glowing key," he warns before trying to jimmy the lock.
[21:20] <Janson> roll 1d20+12 dd
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+12 dd and gets 18." [1d20=6]
[21:20] <Kotono> No good - Janson's attempt doesn't do it.
[21:21] <Janson> "Nah, never mind," Janson pockets his tools and goes around into the Western room to snag the key, tense to jump back if the rubble turns into a golem or something to attack him!
[21:23] <Kotono> Going back and advancing, Janson goes towards the rubble! On coming closer to it, the rubble rises! It forms quickly - 4! Four skeletons of rock, greatswords of sharpened stone! They waste no more time, advancing with a stony, placid aggression! OOC: You woke them up, you get to keep them. Init. Someone roll for Andrea.
[21:23] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[21:23] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+2 and gets 14." [1d20=12]
[21:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Noel
[21:23] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[21:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 Noel and gets 18." [1d20=11]
[21:23] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+4 and gets 11." [1d20=7]
[21:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Branna
[21:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Branna and gets 25." [1d20=16]
[21:23] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3
[21:23] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+3 and gets 4." [1d20=1]
[21:23] <Kotono> roll 4#1d20+5 skeletons
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4#1d20+5 skeletons and gets 87." [4#1d20+5 = 17, 25, 21, 24]
[21:24] <Wayland> roll 1d20+4 Andrea
[21:24] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+4 Andrea and gets 10." [1d20=6]
[21:24] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna=S2(25)>Noel(18)>S1(17)>Aaeru(14)>Janson(11)>MikoWayland(4)'
[21:24] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna=S2(25)>S3(21)>Noel(18)>S1(17)>Aaeru(14)>Janson(11)>MikoWayland(4)'
[21:25] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna=S2(25)>S4(24)>S3(21)>Noel(18)>S1(17)>Aaeru(14)>Janson(11)>Andrea(10)>MikoWayland(4)'
[21:25] <Kotono> In a flash Branna draws his sword as he runs into the room, engaging the first skeleton in swordplay as he leaves a trail of freezing air behind him!
[21:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 (+2 charge)
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 (+2 charge) and gets 20." [1d20=10]
[21:26] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d6
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+6+1d6 and gets 13." [1d8=6][1d6=1]
[21:26] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna=S2(25)>S4(24)>S3(21)>Noel(18)>Aaeru(14)>Janson(11)>Andrea(10)>MikoWayland(4)'
[21:27] <Kotono> The first stone-skeleton takes one right in the sternum, shattering as lines of ice run down it's body! A second later the second skeleton goes right for Janson, greatsword slashing!
[21:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 AC Janson?
[21:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 AC Janson? and gets 13." [1d20=11]
[21:27] <Janson> OOC: AC 17
[21:27] <Kotono> But Janson is already moving, tumbling to the ground before springing back up! The fourth skeleton goes for Branna, tryign to impale himf rom the side!
[21:27] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[21:27] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 18." [1d20=16]
[21:28] <Kotono> But Branna whips his blade around, parrying it back as he's driven into the wall! MEanwhile the third skeleton advances towards Janson as well, taking a shot at him!
[21:28] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 9." [1d20=7]
[21:28] <Kotono> But this slash is too slow, evaded with lithe ease! After that Noel slinks in, going to flank the third one with Janson!
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 1d4+2+1d6+3
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+2+1d6+3 and gets 10." [1d4=4][1d6=1]
[21:29] <Kotono> OOC: Drop that down tos six damage then.
[21:29] <Kotono> The skeleton gets a nasty stab in the back, tearing away hardened stone like smoke! OOC: Aaeru.
[21:31] * Aaeru rushes towards Janson, intent on punching the skeleton menacing him away!
[21:31] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+9
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+9 and gets 24." [1d20=15]
[21:32] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+3+1d6 lethal+fire
[21:32] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+3+1d6 lethal+fire and gets 10." [1d6=5][1d6=2]
[21:33] <Kotono> OOC: Which one?
[21:33] <Aaeru> OOC: S2
[21:33] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna>S4(24)>S3(21)>Noel(18)>Aaeru(14)>Janson(11)>Andrea(10)>MikoWayland(4)'
[21:34] <Kotono> Aaeru's swift charge results in a huge flaming fist right in the ibs of the skeleton! It crumbles back, body split into three!  OOC: Janson.
[21:35] <Aaeru> "You okay?" Aaeru asks Janson as her opponent drops down in pieces, sparing him a sideways glance.
[21:36] <Janson> There's not enough room for anything fancy, so Janson just takes two steps back from the still surviving one that came after him and sweeps his arm over in Branna's direction, an ovoid of glowing orange energy lashing out at the closest construct facing him. "Even seeing it coming it's a surprise!" he grins in reply to Aaeru.
[21:36] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 17." [1d20=11]
[21:36] <Janson> roll 3d6 S4
[21:36] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 3d6 S4 and gets 10." [3d6=3, 6, 1]
[21:36] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna>S4(24)>Noel(18)>Aaeru(14)>Janson(11)>Andrea(10)>MikoWayland(4)'
[21:36] <Kotono> This skeleton catches an eldritch blast in the face, skull melting away into ooze! As it's body collapses...OOC: Who's NPCing Andrea?
[21:37] * Aaeru has to admit that the trap was pretty predictable, even if she cannot see why anyone would trap the entrance to their home in this way.
[21:42] <Wayland> Andrea steps up, unsheathing her feather and heaving a mighty chop at the remaining skeleton!
[21:42] <Wayland> roll 1d20+12
[21:43] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27." [1d20=15]
[21:43] <Wayland> roll 24+7+1d6
[21:43] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 24+7+1d6 and gets 33." [1d6=2]
[21:44] <Kotono> With a heroic slash downward Andrea parts the last skeleton! It collapses, the battle won! OOC: Free act.
[21:45] <Janson> "They had it coming," Janson concludes, now going to try unlocking the door with his purloined  key.
[21:48] <Kotono> The key fits perfectly! Ahead is another square room. There's a single door to the north. Flanking that door are a pair of dwarf-head statues.
[21:50] <Janson> "Pretty pointless room," Janson opines, deciding it's ripe for a trap and spending a moment checking for such before he tries the next door.
[21:50] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 search
[21:50] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 search and gets 24." [1d20=14]
[21:50] <Kotono> As Janson enters the room, the dwarf statues make themselves known! From the two mouths come balls of fire, two of them arcing right at Janson!
[21:51] * Aaeru stays next to Janson when he decides to approach the door, in case of more attacks.
[21:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 touch AC?
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 touch AC? and gets 3." [1d20=1]
[21:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 touch AC?
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 touch AC? and gets 21." [1d20=19]
[21:51] <Kotono> roll 1d6 toasty
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d6 toasty and gets 6." [1d6=6]
[21:51] <Janson> OOC: 13
[21:51] <Kotono> One fireball goes errant,w hile another catches Janson right ont he chest! Flaming pain spreads, making him blink!
[21:52] <Janson> "Owww!" Janson staggers back, patting his chest quickly before firing an eldritch blast at the left statue in a fit of pique!
[21:52] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[21:52] <Janson> roll 3d6
[21:52] <Aaeru> "Stop doing that to guests!" Aaeru exclaims, punching the rightmost statue.
[21:52] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 3d6 and gets 8." [3d6=5, 1, 2]
[21:53] <Aaeru> roll 2#1d20+7 blades of fire
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 2#1d20+7 blades of fire and gets 24." [2#1d20+7 = 15, 9]
[21:53] <Kotono> OOC: One hit.
[21:53] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+3+1d6+1d8 last two fire
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+3+1d6+1d8 last two fire and gets 10." [1d6=2][1d6=2][1d8=3]
[21:54] <Kotono> The two statues are hit! They both take hits, going silent after that abuse! No more fireballs seem to come.
[21:55] * Aaeru remains near that statue in indecision, ready to punch it again at the first sign of another hostile act.
[21:56] <Janson> "Simmer would love this," Janson grumbles, patting at his charred stubble a moment before he goes to open the door between the fiery statues.
[21:57] <Kotono> The next room is another square. Two stone blocks sit int he center of the room, undecorated. There's no immediately obvious door or way to advance further.
[21:57] <Aaeru> With it seeming safe for the time being, Aaeru places her hand on Janson's shoulder and restores his tender flesh to health!
[21:59] <Janson> "Oh, thanks Aaeru!" Janson smiles gratefully at the blonde's tender loving care, relaxing a moment before he starts hunting around this room for traps or clues.
[21:59] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 search
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 search and gets 29." [1d20=19]
[22:00] <Kotono> Thes tone blocks are about three feet tall and wide, square and heavy things. On checking the room, he can find that the rightside block can be moved with enough force, a subtle groove in the floor to accoomadate it.
[22:00] * Aaeru smiles back, staying half a step behind Janson as he continues the dangerous task of placing himself at risk.
[22:01] <Janson> Lacking better ideas, Janson moves the block!
[22:01] <Aaeru> "Let me help!" Aaeru offers, placing her shoulder to it.
[22:01] <Kotono> OOC: STr check.
[22:01] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[22:01] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+2 and gets 13." [1d20=11]
[22:01] * Wayland stays just outside the room, just in case!
[22:02] <Janson> roll 1d20+1
[22:02] <Kotono> With a bit of muscle the block sides forward! As it does the corner-rightmost tiles of the room slide away, revealing a stairway going down!
[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+1 and gets 2." [1d20=1]
[22:02] <Janson> "Hmm, think it'll go back up again after a bit down the way?" Janson wonders, deciding it's still better than having everyone climb the cliff and descending the stairs.
[22:03] * Aaeru blinks. "Going up... going up-- wait! Aren't we going up?" She points at the stairway. "This goes down! It's bad!"
[22:04] <Janson> "Yeah but what if you have to go down to go up?" Janson asks, before laughing. "That almost sounds profound, doesn't it?"
[22:05] * Aaeru looks extremely dubious.
[22:05] <Kotono> "Like something a wise monk says?" Noel gives Wayland a look there.
[22:06] <Wayland> "Worth a shot, I suppose. This whole place is weird." Wayland shrugs.
[22:07] <Janson> "If it doesn't look promising we can go back and climb the cliff, but it's worth a shot," Janson stresses, going down the steps.
[22:07] <Aaeru> Even though she thinks it doesn't make any sense, Aaeru still follows closely to Janson!
[22:08] <Kotono> Going down you find it leads to a small, candle lit hall. It goes on for about 50 feet, before you see a stairway going up at the far end. Bats sit atop the roof, a scattering of them.
[22:08] * Aaeru pouts.
[22:09] * Janson recalls being able to summon bats! And also that they could have really nasty bites... "Try not to disturb the bats," he whispers in warning, creeping along to the stairs up.
[22:10] <Kotono> OOC: Make a move silently check, everyone who's advancing?
[22:10] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+2 and gets 4." [1d20=2]
[22:10] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Noel
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Noel and gets 13." [1d20=3]
[22:10] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 Branna
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 Branna and gets 26." [1d20=16]
[22:10] <Wayland> roll 1d20+4
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+4 and gets 14." [1d20=10]
[22:11] <Janson> roll 1d20+13
[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+13 and gets 21." [1d20=8]
[22:11] <Kotono> OOC: Someone roll for Andrea?
[22:11] <Janson> roll 1d20-5 Andrea
[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20-5 Andrea and gets 0." [1d20=5]
[22:12] <Kotono> Oh, most of the party's quiet. It would work...if it wasn't for the fact that Andrea sounds like a moving metalworks and Aaeru stubs her toe on the ground, eliciting a thwack sound! As the others advance, bats fly towards the noisy ones, biting at them!
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20 AC Aaeru
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 AC Aaeru and gets 13." [1d20=13]
[22:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20 AC Andrea
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 AC Andrea and gets 14." [1d20=14]
[22:12] <Aaeru> OOC: 17
[22:12] <Kotono> The bats bite and slam into the two, but no serious injuries result! OOC: Go ahead and act, you two.
[22:13] <Wayland> OOC: 18
[22:13] * Aaeru bats the bat away and tries to proceed quietly, futile though it may be, until their resident expert on bats says otherwise.
[22:14] <Janson> "Hey, settle down, we're too big for you to eat anyway!" Janson hisses at the bats, lingering a bit for Andrea to catch up.
[22:16] <Kotono> The bats fly away at the failure, going back to the ceiling. They don't reply directly to Janson.
[22:16] * Janson shrugs, that's enough anyway if they've stopped flipping out. Onwards and upwards!
[22:18] <Kotono> Up and up you go! You end up in another square room, right in the center! The north wall has a door, and the wall to the east looks strangely cracked, crumbling. But there's little time to look at those - there are three of them! Man sized creatures in bright red-orange plate armor, carrying swords and shields! They're coming at the group wtih narry a second to spare! OOC: Init.
[22:18] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[22:18] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
[22:18] <Andria> d20+4
[22:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Noel
[22:18] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+4 and gets 11." [d20=7]
[22:18] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3
[22:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 Noel and gets 25." [1d20=18]
[22:18] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9." [1d20=6]
[22:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Branna
[22:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Branna and gets 11." [1d20=2]
[22:19] <Kotono> roll 3#1d20+1
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 3#1d20+1 and gets 27." [3#1d20+1 = 14, 9, 4]
[22:19] * Kotono changes topic to 'Noel(25)>Andrea=Branna(11)>Wayland(9)>Aaeru(8)'
[22:19] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[22:19] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+4 and gets 23." [1d20=19]
[22:20] * Kotono changes topic to 'Noel(25)>Janson(23)>K1(14)>Andrea=Branna(11)>K2=Wayland(9)>Aaeru(8)>K3(4)'
[22:20] <Kotono> Noel holds for a moment, waiting! OOC: Wants to flank with someone. Janson.
[22:22] <Janson> Assuming they're hostile, Janson doesn't delay in zipping into the room and circling around towards the eastern wall, firing an eldritch blast at the lead golem!
[22:22] <Janson> roll 1d20+6 ranged touch
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 ranged touch and gets 23." [1d20=17]
[22:22] <Janson> roll 3d6
[22:22] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 3d6 and gets 14." [3d6=6, 2, 6]
[22:22] <Kotono> OOC: Are you shooting at it's back, I presume?
[22:23] <Janson> OOC: assuming it's close enough to the stairs I can get around that far, why not?
[22:25] <Kotono> The eldritch blast slams into the back of the creature, making it stumble as it takes the hit! A second later it advances onto Andrea, locking swords with her!
[22:25] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 AC?
[22:25] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 AC? and gets 14." [1d20=5]
[22:25] <Kotono> But Andrea's armor is thick, taking the sword blow and ringing like a bell! Not a single bit of damage makes it through her protections! OOC: Andrea and Branna, go.
[22:27] <Andria> Andrea fights back against her attacker, swinging her feathery blade at its side.
[22:27] <Andria> roll d20+10 (PA -2)
[22:27] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+10 (PA -2) and gets 26." [d20=16]
[22:28] <Andria> roll 2d4+11 assuming hit?
[22:28] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls 2d4+11 assuming hit? and gets 16." [2d4=3, 2]
[22:29] <Kotono> The blow hits the frontal armor of the knight head on! Her blade recoils back, not even scratching it! At the same time Branna charges the second knight, going to engage!
[22:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[22:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 19." [1d20=9]
[22:29] <Kotono> His blade hits it's shield, pushed away without even leaving an icy residue behind! The second knight takes a counter swing at Wayland seconds later!
[22:29] <Kotono> OOC: Er, Branna.
[22:30] <Andria> roll d6 fire also. I forgot that?
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d6 fire also. I forgot that?  and gets 2." [d6=2]
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 20." [1d20=11]
[22:30] <Kotono> roll 1d8+5
[22:30] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+5  and gets 8." [1d8=3]
[22:31] <Kotono> Branna gets a slash across his side, drawing a bloody cruse from the wounded warrior! OOC: Noel and Wayland are up. Go.
[22:32] * Kotono changes topic to 'Janson(23)>K1(14)>Andrea=Branna(11)>K2=Wayland=Noel(9)>Aaeru(8)>K3(4)'
[22:32] <Kotono> Noel slips around to the back, going to attack the rear of the knight Andrea engaged!
[22:32] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 (+2 flanking)
[22:32] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 (+2 flanking) and gets 24." [1d20=16]
[22:33] <Kotono> roll 1d4+3+2d6+2
[22:33] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+3+2d6+2 and gets 16." [1d4=4][2d6=5, 2]
[22:33] * Kotono changes topic to 'Janson(23)>Andrea=Branna(11)>K2=Wayland=Noel(9)>Aaeru(8)>K3(4)'
[22:34] <Kotono> The knight, already singed by Janson, can't seem to resist a dagger in the back! It collapses, slain! OOC: Wayland, you're up.
[22:35] * Wayland moves to assist Branna, fists flying!
[22:36] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7
[22:36] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7
[22:36] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7 and gets 24." [1d20=17]
[22:36] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7 and gets 24." [1d20=17]
[22:37] <Wayland> OOC: Those are both 26, flanking
[22:37] <Kotono> OOC: Are you attacking from the front, side or back, Wayland?
[22:37] <Wayland> OOC: Side, if at all possible
[22:37] <Kotono> OOC: Go for it. Damage.
[22:38] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[22:38] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[22:38] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 14." [1d8=5][1d6=6]
[22:38] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 13." [1d8=7][1d6=3]
[22:38] * Kotono changes topic to 'Janson(23)>Andrea=Branna(11)>Wayland=Noel(9)>Aaeru(8)>K3(4)'
[22:38] <Kotono> On the side Wayland feels lighter armor crunching beneath his fists, the knight stumbling before falling and going still! OOC: Aaeru.
[22:39] * Aaeru puts her fists up, ready to defend everyone should the sole remaining enemy charge them rather than flee sensibly!
[22:40] <Kotono> The third knight has no sense it seems, choosing to go and engage Wayland!
[22:40] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[22:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 22." [1d20=13]
[22:40] <Kotono> roll 1d8+5
[22:40] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+5 and gets 10." [1d8=5]
[22:40] <Kotono> OOC: ASsuming that hits.
[22:40] * Aaeru tries to grab the knight as it attacks Wayland!
[22:41] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7 touch for grapple?
[22:41] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 touch for grapple? and gets 10." [1d20=3]
[22:41] <Kotono> OOC: Hatbot is a son of a bitch.
[22:41] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7 touch2
[22:41] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 touch2 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[22:41] <Kotono> OOC: Hatbot is a son of a bitch x2.
[22:41] <Kotono> OOC: AC, Wayland?
[22:43] <Wayland> OOC: 19 sirrah
[22:43] <Kotono> Wayland gets a sword across the shoulder for his troubles, torn bloodily open! OOC: Janson.
[22:43] * Janson moves further around, hugging the wall as he gets behind the last remaining foe and firing an eldritch blast at his back!
[22:43] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[22:43] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 7." [1d20=1]
[22:44] <Kotono> Janson hauls and fires, but his aim is low! He scrapes across the ground, missing entirely! OOC: Andrea and Branna, go.
[22:45] <Andria> Andrea just keeps at it, slashing away at her target, though she puts a bit more force this time.
[22:45] <Andria> roll d20+10 (PA-4, flank+2)
[22:45] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+10 (PA-4, flank+2) and gets 19." [d20=9]
[22:46] <Kotono> OOC: Still attacking the front?
[22:46] <Andria> ooc: yes
[22:47] <Andria> ooc: unless someone tells me it's smarter to go to the back, I'm gonna keep at it!
[22:47] <Kotono> Andrea slices out, but the front is like hitting an entire city of steel! HEr blade recoils away, not even the feather able to make a dent! Branna goes to the side of the creature, joining Andrea's assault on it!
[22:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[22:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 and gets 24." [1d20=14]
[22:47] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d2+2d6
[22:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+6+1d2+2d6 and gets 19." [1d8=6][1d2=2][2d6=1, 4]
[22:47] <Kotono> roll 1d8+1 healing on Branna
[22:47] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+1 healing on Branna and gets 9." [1d8=8]
[22:48] <Kotono> As Branna thrusts out he impales the side of the knight, his own wounds mending! "The sides," he says, "The armor's lighter there!" OOC: Wayland and Noel, go.
[22:49] <Andria> Andrea nods at Branna's declaration. "Okay!"
[22:49] * Wayland maneuvers around to the side of the remaining armored knight!
[22:51] <Wayland> roll 1d20+10
[22:51] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21." [1d20=11]
[22:51] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[22:51] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[22:51] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 16." [1d8=7][1d6=6]
[22:52] <Kotono> With a heavy slam to it's side the knight silently falls! It lands on the ground, an unmoving hunk of metal and defeated fury! OOC: Free act.
[22:53] <Janson> "I get less and less charitably inclined towards Rubrigrant with every room," Janson confesses, now taking a moment to examine the cracked Eastern wall for any secret passages or the like.
[22:53] <Janson> roll 1d20+10
[22:53] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 and gets 27." [1d20=17]
[22:53] <Janson> OOC: search
[22:54] <Kotono> The wall is badly cracked. You can see hints of light to the other side. No secret passage, but there's obviously something on the other side.
[22:55] <Janson> "Hmm. Anyone want to try knocking this wall down or shall we try the door?" Janson asks, turning to the others.
[22:55] <Aaeru> "He really doesn't like guests," Aaeru muses. As she gives the cracked wall a glance, she frowns slightly. "Maybe because guests break his walls and his statues?"
[22:57] <Janson> "It's a vicious circle," Janson nods sollemnly, deciding to just go and open the door while anyone with the brute strength to try can worry about the wall.

[20:32] <Kotono> The door is opened! The next room ahead is quite dark, blocking the way for normal eyes! What Janson and Wayland see is...(PM coming)
[20:34] <Wayland> "Ahh...there is a very large lizard in there." Wayland says quietly.
[20:34] <Janson> roll 1d20+11 arcana
[20:34] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+11 arcana and gets 19." [1d20=8]
[20:35] <Janson> "Not just a lizard, a kind of hydra," Janson declares. "Um, hello?" he then calls hopefully towards it. It would be nice not to have to fight such a thing!
[20:36] <Andria> "At least it's not a shocker lizard? Or do we hate hydra too?" Andrea asks, not really knowing much about hydras.
[20:36] <Wayland> "Perhaps there is another way around?"
[20:38] <Kotono> From the darkness, you can hear a rustling, loud noise! Janson can hear...(PM)
[20:38] <Janson> "Do you know Rubrigrant?" Janson asks, pleased that dialogue seems possible.
[20:39] <Kotono> Soft roars come forth, piercing the darkness! The roars of a predator at the hunt, hungry!
[20:40] <Wayland> "Err..." Wayland takes a step back.
[20:40] <Janson> "Ah, great!" Janson grins, undeterred, "We're actually looking for him - we're friends. Do you know where he is right now?"
[20:41] <Kotono> Branna blinks, while Noel takes a step back as well. In a stage whisper to Wayland, "Um boss, is he talking to the darkness?"
[20:41] <Aaeru> Are they friends? Maybe anyone who goes to such trouble to visit this dwarf automatically becomes one.
[20:41] <Janson> "Oh," Janson deflates. "Well, when did you last see him, and which way did he go?"
[20:42] <Andria> Andrea waits to see what results of Janson's strange one-sided conversation, peering into the darkness, still not really seeing any hydra-shaped things.
[20:44] <Kotono> More lizard noises come, as...
[20:46] <Janson> "Well, we're going to go that way to try and find him. Do you mind if my friends bring lights with them past you? They can't see well in the dark."
[20:47] <Janson> roll 1d20+9
[20:47] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+9 and gets 25." [1d20=16]
[20:49] <Janson> "Thanks! Do you want us to pick you up some food or anything like that?" Janson asks, starting into the room and around the hydra, gesturing for the others to follow.
[20:50] * Aaeru follows.
[20:51] <Andria> Andrea does too.
[20:55] * Wayland edges carefully around the large scaly hissy thing with teeth.
[21:03] <Kotono> Coming haead, light shows the way! A huge lizard-creature is ahead in another square room, three heads watching! IT lumbers aside, revealing another door behind it! It pauses, going to sniff at Andrea.
[21:04] <Janson> "No, no, not her!" Janson waves his hands, going over to stand by Andrea, "She's one of the master's friends. But we'll bring you some nice shocker lizard or something like that later on, okay?"
[21:05] <Kotono> The heads retreat back, the hydra-creature watching as the party advances forward.
[21:06] * Janson smiles placatingly, keeping himself between Andrea's supple nubile flesh and the three hungry mouths until everyone's into the next room.
[21:06] <Andria> Andrea takes a step back, and looks at Janson. "What was -that- about?"
[21:08] <Kotono> Then next room has a stairway going up in the center, nothing else immediately obvious in it's squareness. Around three sides of the latter are heavy stone blocks, as if defending the stairway from all but one direction.
[21:08] <Janson> "It likes your perfume," Janson gives Andrea an unconvincing grin, before making a shooing motion to hurry her up and away from tempting the hydra.
[21:10] <Andria> "...When we get out of here, I'm gonna get answers out of you, so come up with a better lie by then," she says with a frown as she crosses her arms.
[21:11] <Kotono> Branna takes a moment to sniff the air, "Don't smell much besides must and sweat," he agrees, "Going up?"
[21:11] * Aaeru decides to make use of the stairway leading up, meantime.
[21:11] <Janson> "Well *I* like your perfume," Janson adds in an effort to distract Andrea. His face falls at Branna's interjection, which just makes him look weird.
[21:13] * Wayland stifles a laugh and looks around. "Pretty obvious where he wanta us to go, huh?"
[21:14] <Janson> "Yeah, up! Lets go up!" Janson nods quickly and catches up with Aaeru!
[21:15] <Kotono> Going up and up! The party climbs, coming out in a natural cave. Twenty feet ahead it turns into a downward slope. Occasional torches light the way.
[21:16] <Janson> It all seems quite benign and harmless, so naturally Janson is even more alert for traps as he proceeds!
[21:16] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 searchan
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 searchan and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[21:19] <Kotono> There is an almost invisible tripwire just as the downward slope starts and past that is a pressure plate.
[21:20] <Janson> "Watch the tripwire here," Janson points it out for everyone, gingerly stepping over it, "And pressure plate there," he skirts around it at the edge of the cave.
[21:20] * Aaeru smiles at Janson gratefully, following his instructions to the letter.
[21:21] <Kotono> Past that and going down a ways, you come to a 15 foot wide gap in the floor. Onthe other side the hallway resumes, going straight now.
[21:22] * Janson peers down said gap!
[21:22] <Kotono> It looks to be a long pitfall - at least 60 feet before darkness claims it.
[21:24] <Janson> "Looks like a pretty big jump. I could probably carry most of you across it if jumping's too risky, but you'd need to take your armour off, Andrea, since I'm not that strong," Janson offers, demonstrating by walking on the sides of the cavern suspended over the drop.
[21:25] * Aaeru looks for a pebble or small rock that she can cast Light upon and then drop into the chasm.
[21:25] <Kotono> There's pebbles aplenty.
[21:25] <Andria> Andrea frowns, but nods. "I'm pretty defenseless without it though...so make sure you keep me safe until I can put it back on!" she declares.
[21:25] <Aaeru> With Light cast, Aaeru drops it down, voicing, "Just in case there's something down there."
[21:26] <Janson> "Yeah, I can bring it across right after I take you so you can put it back on," Janson nods, before holding out his hands. "Who wants to go first?"
[21:27] * Aaeru ponders this, before glancing at Janson. "What if I made you stronger?" she asks.
[21:28] <Janson> "That could work, too," Janson shrugs. "Means I'll be less likely to get tired and drop whoever goes last, too!" he laughs.
[21:29] * Aaeru laughs herself, offering Janson her hand and intending to imbue him with Enlarge Person as soon as he takes it.
[21:30] <Janson> "Oh, wow!" Janson leans over and braces his other hand on the wall as he suddenly expands in all dimensions. "Hah! I could probably toss people across, now!" he laughs, before reaching out to pick up Aaeru. "But of course that'd be silly and needlessly dangerous!"
[21:31] * Aaeru settles down unobtrustively in Janson's arms. "Yes. Very silly!"
[21:32] <Janson> Being so big it's only a couple of steps to cross the wide gap and deposit the unburdened blonde safely on the other side, before he offers his arms out to repeat the process with whomever wants to go next.
[21:35] <Kotono> The pit goes down about 80 feet, a nasty, hard bottom glancd. Nothing immediately interesting there.
[21:35] <Kotono> As Janson and Aaeru reach the other side safely, the ground beneath the two clicks! A split second later they come from both sides - a hailstorm of spears, right at both of them from both walls! OOC: React, you two. You have a big ol' spearwave coming at you two from both directions.
[21:37] <Kotono> OOC: Yeah, I'd assume Janson is just about to put you down when it happens.
[21:37] <Janson> "Waah!" Janson tries to grab Aaeru and yank her back over the chasm from where he stands still perpendicular to the ground and hanging off the side wall of the cavern.
[21:37] * Aaeru doesn't wait for any rescues, diving into the chasm!
[21:41] <Kotono> Janson is quick enough to avoid the spears and old up Aaeru! Ahead, the rest of the party can see wall after wall of spears launching, as if to try and impale a fool who runs past the first line of them! Dozens and doznes of spears crash into each other, rattling on the ground!
[21:42] <Aaeru> "Oh! Those spears he bought!" Aaeru exclaims. "So wasteful!"
[21:43] <Janson> "And I thought he'd use them to arm golems," Janson huffs as he cradles Aaeru against his oversized form. "Um, think they're done? Want to try tapping your foot on the pressure plate to see if any more shoot out?"
[21:43] <Aaeru> "Alright!"
[21:44] * Aaeru reaches out with her foot and taps her slipper on the edge.
[21:45] <Kotono> The plate is tapped again! This time nothing happens.
[21:46] * Aaeru gives Janson a thumbs up.
[21:46] <Janson> "Okay!" Janson deposits Aaeru once more on the other side, hopefully safely, then goes to help others across.
[21:48] * Aaeru takes a few steps ahead to make some room.
[21:48] <Kotono> The rest of the crossings go without incident. A path of spent spears awaits ahead.
[21:50] <Janson> "Hey, can you drop that spell now, Aaeru?" Janson asks once everyone's crossed. "Fun as being big is, I'm a big target, too."
[21:50] * Aaeru claps her hands, and the spell is dismissed, as requested.
[21:51] <Janson> "Thanks!" Janson nods, walking ahead to continue checking for more traps as they go.
[21:51] <Janson> roll 1d20+10
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[21:57] <Kotono> There are no more traps ahead. After a ways through forgotten spears you come to an archway. Ahead is a circular room about 10 feet in diameter with a roof about as high. Sitting on a stone pedestool against the back wall are nine colored cubes - gold, opal, saffron, diamond-white, dead gray, jet black, ruby red, rust red and amethyst.  Set into the wall are nine holes for the cubes, three rows
[21:57] <Kotono> of three. The rim of the first horizontal row is painted white, the second gray and the third black. There is a small plaque set into the stone besides it, but you'd have to go in and get close to read it.
[21:59] <Janson> "A puzzle?" Janson wonders, going to read the plaque. "Maybe only someone smart enough to solve this has a hope of helping him with the puzzle box that drove him mad, so it's to weed out those who'd be useless?"
[22:00] <Kotono> "Ugh, puzzles," Noel makes a face, "Fuckin' great."
[22:00] <Aaeru> "We can guess," Aaeru says uncertainly, "and hope Tymora likes it?"
[22:02] <Kotono> Janson reads the plaque as the rest of the party follows! It reads 'Order to the left, chaos to the right. The center touches all, mixing to bland gray.' OOC: Anyone with ranks can make an K:P check here if they like.
[22:05] <Andria> roll d20+0
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+0 and gets 16." [d20=16]
[22:06] <Janson> "Hmm. If I had to guess, I'd go with mixing colours. Like if you put say black at the bottom, white at the top, mix them and you get gray in the middle. Um... hmm, the rest don't mix so well. I mean, you've got two shades of red, one purple, one... greeny-blue... the gold and saffron go together as well. So amethyst and opal are the odd ones out." He scratches his chin, thinking.
[22:08] <Janson> "Oh! Not just up and down, but the sides as well," Janson realises. "So if we only count the opposites but not the ones in the middle... lets see. Grey in the middle, then just arrange the rest around so that any two on opposite sides would blend into grey? Does that work?"
[22:09] <Aaeru> It sounds good to Aaeru, and she picks up the grey cube to place it in the middle, as per Janson's suggestion, to see what happens.
[22:10] <Kotono> The gray cube is placed in! It fits just fine, buta s it does! The sides of the wall slip open, jets revealed! Slowly cold water starts to fall into the room! At the same time, the archway behind you slams shut, a slab of stone sealing the way behind you!
[22:11] <Aaeru> "Wah!"
[22:12] <Janson> "Ahhh!" Janson cries out in alarm. "No time to think, quick! We need to solve it before we drown!" he grabs two at random and bounces in front of the holes, thinking. "Uh... gold and rust... do they become grey when mixed?"
[22:12] <Andria> "The blocks seem to match the colors of portals to other realms. I know that the saffron color represents Arborea, so it probably has to do something with that," Andrea says.
[22:12] <Janson> "Oh! How does that work? Which ones go where? That sounds like a good way to do it!" Janson babbles.
[22:13] <Aaeru> "Gold is a bit like white!" Aaeru says quickly. "It's not black at all! And it's shiny, so it's not grey!"
[22:13] <Andria> "I...don't know most of the other colors though, specifically what represents order or what..." Andrea admits after that, struggling to recall. "At least it doesn't come immediately to mind!"
[22:14] <Janson> "Well, the brighter ones are probably heavens, so they'd go at the top? So, um... gold, diamond, opal at the top? And... black, rust... and amethyst or saffron at the bottom?" Janson drops his current two and grabs the diamond, putting it in the top middle, and the black which goes in the bottom middle. "What next?"
[22:15] * Wayland looks around, not really knowing what to do!
[22:15] <Kotono> Water continues to pour in as you dither, not ceasing as you think!
[22:15] <Andria> "Noel, can you maybe freeze the water coming in, blocking it off? Give us more time to think?" Andrea suggests.
[22:16] * Aaeru grabs the gold and tries to put it in the upper left spot as a guess!
[22:16] <Janson> Opal is promptly jammed into the top right by process of elimination, Janson trusting Aaeru's efforts. "Okay, four left? Which goes where?!"
[22:17] <Kotono> "I think you mean me," Branna says, drawing Frozen Oath. "On it!" He goes, starting to try and freeze up the water! It does slow the flow down, but it's persistant enough not to be stopped! Meanwhile the gold cube slips into the upper left spot without incident, fitting right in! So does the opal, sliding into place!
[22:17] <Andria> "Just guess? If it doesn't work, we can switch some of the cubes around, right?" Andrea suggests as she goes help with placing the cubes.
[22:19] <Janson> "Uh... lets try rust here," Janson puts that in the bottom right, "And saffron... here!" he slots it into the middle right.
[22:19] <Kotono> Branna races, trying to arrest the water as best he can! It's still enough to come up to the tops of your feet now, slowly pooling!
[22:20] * Aaeru nods at the guess with the rust red, and puts amethyst below the gold!
[22:20] <Janson> "Oh, wait, Arborea's heaven, isn't it? Lets swap these," Janson swaps the saffron and opal around. "So Ruby in the bottom left, see if that works?"
[22:21] <Kotono> "Hope so," Noel says as you position the last blocks! OOC: Okay, tell me what your final order is real quick?
[22:21] <Janson> OOC: top row left to right: gold, diamond, saffron
[22:21] <Janson> OOC: middle row left to right: amethyst, grey, opal
[22:21] <Janson> OOC: bottom row left to right: ruby, black, rust
[22:22] <Kotono> Once done, the gold, saffron, gray and ruby stones all glow bright! The other five hiss and crackle with electricity, sending it arching through the groudn and the water to all of you! OOC: REflex saves, all.
[22:23] <Janson> roll 1d20+8 evasion
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+8 evasion and gets 28." [1d20=20]
[22:23] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+11 evasion
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+11 evasion and gets 27." [1d20=16]
[22:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Noel evasion
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 Noel evasion and gets 18." [1d20=11]
[22:23] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 Branna evasion
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 Branna evasion and gets 15." [1d20=7]
[22:23] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[22:23] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[22:24] <Andria> roll d20+8
[22:24] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+8 and gets 24." [d20=16]
[22:24] <Kotono> roll 5d4 electric, full on Wayland and half on Andrea.
[22:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 5d4 electric, full on Wayland and half on Andrea. and gets 12." [5d4=1, 1, 4, 2, 4]
[22:25] <Kotono> The five blocks let out a tremendous shock, as all but two jump in time! Wayland is caught flatfooted and shocked, while Andrea's armor conducts some of it right to her! The five non-glowing blocks - diamond, amethyst, opal, jet black and rust all shoot out, while the four glowing ones stay in place!
[22:25] <Kotono> Meanwhile the water starts to flow even faster as Branna lands and tries to ice them over, spurting out and reaching youra nkles!
[22:26] <Aaeru> "They're attacking!" Aaeru exclaims, leaping on a pedestal to avoid the electricity and then rushing towards the cubes. Her charge to pull the bad cubes out is cut short as they fall out, however.
[22:26] <Kotono> "
[22:26] <Janson> "Oh, damn! At least we know which are right," Jansons scrambles to recover some blocks, grabbing the diamond and black ones. "Lets try them on the middle sides then since they have to be opposite?" Diamond goes on the middle left, and black on the middle right.
[22:26] <Kotono> "Attacking cubes?!" Noel sputters as he lands, splashing in thew ater, "So um, we got some of them right?"
[22:27] <Aaeru> "Let's put the black under the gold," Aaeru suggests.
[22:27] <Janson> "Oh, okay," Janson reverses those two, trusting Aaeru's feminine insight.
[22:27] * Aaeru decides to go with opal for the upper slot.
[22:27] <Andria> "I think so. It's a pain to guess wrong, but at least we've got something going!" Andrea says with a wince. "What about the remaining two?"
[22:28] <Kotono> Two left to put in, as the water continues to rise to your mid ankles! "Hurry!" Branna calls, "It's coming in fast!"
[22:28] <Janson> "How about... rust in the middle bottom and amethyst in the bottom right?" Janson hunts around for those two, passing one to Aaeru while putting the other in himself.
[22:29] * Aaeru pauses slightly. "Why do they have to be together?" she asks, pointing at black and diamond. "Shouldn't black be lower?"
[22:30] <Janson> "They're opposites, though... where do you think it should go, then?" Janson asks, pausing before he puts amethyst into the bottom right lest they be shocked if Aaeru has a better idea.
[22:30] * Aaeru points to the bottom left.
[22:30] <Kotono> The water is up to your upper ankles now, rising and rising!
[22:30] <Janson> "But the ruby one's there and it's correct, isn't it?"
[22:31] * Aaeru frowns. "Okay. Let's try it!"
[22:31] <Janson> "Everyone, jump... now!" Janson cries as he places the last block, hoping well timed jumps will save on electric shocks!
[22:32] <Kotono> As the waters pour down, going past your knees and up...OOC What's your order this time?
[22:32] <Janson> OOC: gold, opal, saffron
[22:32] <Janson> OOC: diamond, grey, black
[22:32] <Janson> OOC: ruby, rust, amethyst
[22:32] <Andria> Andrea nods and jumps as Janson directs!
[22:32] * Wayland leaps!
[22:32] <Kotono> The nine stones are placed! AS one they glow, the cold water abruptly ceasing! Drains open up on the floor, drying out the room! To the left side of the circular room a wall slides, revealing a small cubby with a ladder going up.
[22:34] <Andria> "Looks like you got it right that time!" Andrea says as she lands with a splash, giving a sigh of relief.
[22:34] <Janson> "Alright!" Janson cheers, promptly pulling off his boots and draining them of water!
[22:37] <Kotono> The water finishes draining, Branna putting his blade back in it's sheathe. "Good thing, I wasn't freezing them fast. What was that puzzle about, anyway?"
[22:38] * Aaeru shrugs, not having the slightest clue.
[22:38] <Janson> "Well, it's all jewels on that side, colours on the other, and... um... I dunno about the middle. The point is we solved it! It doesn't matter how we got there!" Janson nods emphaticly, pulling his boots on and ascending up the ladder.
[22:39] * Wayland nods along with Janson, not really knowing what just happened.

[20:07] <Kotono> The party ascends, climbing up and up and up! They climb up for a goodly ways yet, at last coming out! Ahead of them is a door, golden tiles around it.
[20:07] * Janson takes a moment to check for traps on the door.
[20:07] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 search
[20:07] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=5]
[20:08] <Kotono> The door isn't trapped as far as Janson can tell.
[20:08] <Janson> With no impediments in the way, Janson opens the door!
[20:10] <Kotono> Ahead is a square room tiled all in gold. The tiles glitter in the torchlight...and ahead of you is a humanoid creature, red skinned. It has wings, it's face having a beak instead of a mouth. It's body is vaguely feminine without definintion,  as it hops ahead at the party! OOC: Init, there's a bogey on the radar!
[20:11] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[20:11] <Penuche> Aaeru invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=19]
[20:11] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[20:11] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=20]
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Noel
[20:11] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=16]
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Branna
[20:11] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=20]
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+15 birdman
[20:12] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=4]
[20:12] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna(29)>Janson(24)>Noel(23)>Aaeru(21)>Birdcreature(19)'
[20:12] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3
[20:12] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=9]
[20:12] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna(29)>Janson(24)>Noel(23)>Aaeru(21)>Birdcreature(19)>Wayland(12)'
[20:13] <Kotono> Branna glances to the party, "We gonna get 'em?"
[20:17] <Wayland> "Looks like it. Unless they just want to talk, but I doubt it."
[20:18] <Kotono> "Right," At that Branna is off like a shot, running to the left side of the bird and letting his blade do the talking!"
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[20:18] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=12]
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d2+2d6
[20:18] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d8=1][d2=2][d6=4,1]
[20:19] <Kotono> The magical blade slices into the flank of the bird-creature, hissing with residual heat as the blade freezes back over! It's a gaping wound, but one that cauterizes itself instantly! OOC: Janson.
[20:19] <Andria> roll d20+4
[20:19] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=14]
[20:19] * Kotono changes topic to 'Branna(29)>Janson(24)>Noel(23)>Aaeru(21)>Birdcreature(19)>Andrea(18)>Wayland(12)'
[20:21] * Janson moves into the room to let others through the door without stumbling over him, launching an eldritch blast at the beak-monster currently in melee with Branna!
[20:21] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[20:21] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 6 > [d20=4]
[20:21] <Kotono> Janson moves right in, but his beam is errant! Oh sure, the golden tiles just got smited, but it's not helpful unless the room tiles are alive! Noel follows suit, taking up the other flank of the birdman and striking with his sap!
[20:22] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[20:22] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=17]
[20:22] <Kotono> OOC: +1 for flanking, irrelevant. Er, +2.
[20:22] <Kotono> roll 1d6+2+2d6+3
[20:22] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d6=5,1,2]
[20:23] <Kotono> Thack! Noel's sap hisses mightily and starts to smoke as it contacts the bird's body, still managing to make it stagger! OOC: AAeru.
[20:23] * Aaeru rushes into the room past Andrea and Wayland, sliding across the floor to kick the bird-creature's legs out from under him!
[20:23] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+9 touch for grapple
[20:23] <Penuche> Aaeru invokes Penuche's magic: < 14 > [d20=5]
[20:24] <Aaeru> Once it is unbalanced, Aaeru tries to lock the creature's knee in place and keep it immobilized!
[20:24] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+11 grapple
[20:24] <Penuche> Aaeru invokes Penuche's magic: < 30 > [d20=19]
[20:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 grapple
[20:24] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=13]
[20:25] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+3+1d6 nonlethal+fire
[20:25] <Penuche> Aaeru invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d6=3,3]
[20:26] <Kotono> WHAM! Aaeru takes it right down, grappling with it! As it burns and struggles, it's mouth opens! From it a great rising pillar of flame comes out at Aaeru!
[20:26] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 touch AC?
[20:26] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 18 > [d20=12]
[20:27] <Kotono> roll 3d6 fire
[20:27] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d6=6,5,2]
[20:27] <Kotono> The bird struggles mightily as Aaeru keeps it held, resisting the pain as she holds on for dear life! OOC: Andrea.
[20:29] <Andria> Andrea moves towards it, drawing her weapon and slashing at the grappled creature!
[20:29] <Andria> roll d20+9 (PA-3)
[20:29] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d20=1]
[20:32] <Kotono> Andrea tries to take advantage by going to the back of it, but her blow is errant! OOC: Wayland, you're up. Only the square behind it is open if you wanna go clobber it, though you'll be able to flank with Andrea.
[20:33] * Wayland moves around the thing to give Andrea a helping hand! OOC: Flanking
[20:33] <Wayland> roll 1d20+9
[20:33] <Wayland> roll 1d20+9
[20:34] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=10]
[20:34] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=3]
[20:34] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[20:34] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[20:34] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[20:34] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d8=3][d6=1]
[20:34] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d8=5][d6=5]
[20:35] <Kotono> With a powerful smash, the bird-creature goes limp in Aaeru's grasp, broken! OOC: Free act.
[20:36] <Janson> "I expected more golems than... things like this and the hydra," Janson comments. "Wonder where he's getting them?"
[20:37] <Aaeru> "What is this, anyway?" Aaeru asks, letting go of the bird-thing and climbing to her feet.
[20:37] <Kotono> "Hell if I know," Branna wipes his blade clean and sheathes it, "Maybe it's a magic puzzle box of monsters?" Now that you have a chance to look around, you see there are doors to the north and west.
[20:37] <Kotono> OOC: K:P on the bird.
[20:37] <Andria> roll d20
[20:37] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d20=5]
[20:37] * Janson elects to try the West door.
[20:38] <Kotono> The western door is locked, keyhole and all.
[20:38] <Janson> "I bet there's a key sitting on a trap through that door!" Janson declares, pointing to the North and trying said door.
[20:39] <Andria> "That, or it's within the bird creature's stomach. Isn't that how some of those old stories go, you have to defeat the monster and their corpse holds the key?"
[20:40] <Aaeru> "...what?"
[20:40] <Janson> "Well unless it ate the key recently won't its latrine be a better place to look?" Janson quips back.
[20:40] <Kotono> The next door? A square room empty save for two things. There's another door to the north and...HOLY FUCK! There's a giant crab of stone, huge sized! It's main body has a huge single eye of stone, opening and blinking as the door opens! It's heavy legs start to move it forward, advancing quickly! Branna turns a second to Janson, "What, do you wanna go root through it's....SHIT!" he turns back
[20:40] <Kotono> to teh giant crab, "SHIT! CRAB!"
[20:41] <Janson> OOC: is the door big enough for the giant crab to fit through?
[20:41] <Kotono> OOC: No.
[20:41] <Janson> "It's okay, it can't fit through the door!" Janson exclaims, skipping back away to avoid any probing claws!
[20:42] * Wayland stares for a moment. "You know, I'm really starting to dislike this dwarf."'
[20:43] <Andria> "Really? This still isn't as bad as the board game so far," Andrea says.
[20:43] <Kotono> As Janson falls back and away, it's eye glows! From it comes a ruddy ball of force, righta t Janson! OOC: Init, seems the dwarf gave the big thing a ranged attack. Foresight?!
[20:43] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2
[20:43] <Penuche> Aaeru invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=19]
[20:43] <Andria> roll d20+4
[20:43] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=19]
[20:43] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3
[20:43] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=12]
[20:44] <Wayland> "Well, the board game was alright up until the angel decided to be a bitch."
[20:44] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[20:44] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=20]
[20:44] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Noel
[20:44] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=19]
[20:44] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Branna
[20:44] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=12]
[20:44] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 crab
[20:44] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=17]
[20:45] * Kotono changes topic to 'Noel(26)>Janson(24)>Andrea(23)>Aaeru=Branna=Crab(21)>Wayland(15)'
[20:45] <Kotono> Noel takes a step back, "What the fuck do we do about a giant fucking stone crab?!"
[20:46] <Janson> "Pulverise it!" Janson cries!
[20:46] <Aaeru> "Go for the limbs!" Aaeru adds her own cry, about to charge in.
[20:46] <Kotono> "....fuck my life," Noel whimpers, before resolutely grabbing his dagger and charging it! As he does, one of it's legs thrash out at him! OOC: Someone has combat reflexes. AoO.
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[20:47] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=1]
[20:47] <Kotono> OOC: Noel has tumble but irrelevant now.
[20:47] <Kotono> Noel somehow manages to leap over the leg, dagger thrusting down as the leg misses!
[20:47] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[20:47] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=14]
[20:49] <Kotono> roll 1d4+3
[20:49] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 7 > [d4=4]
[20:49] <Kotono> Branna's blade hits the stony leg, but can't even penetrate it! He lands safely at least! OOC: Janson.
[20:50] * Janson launches an eldritch blast at the crab before the orb can manifest fully, and then dashes to the right so that he's not in the field of view possible from the open door!
[20:50] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[20:50] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d20=2]
[20:52] <Kotono> Janson fires all of his eldritch hate, but he hits the doorframe instead! OOC: Andrea.
[20:53] <Andria> Andrea attempts to join Noel in attacking the giant crab, dashing forward and swinging with fire and doom!
[20:53] <Andria> roll d20+12
[20:53] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=17]
[20:54] <Kotono> OOC: This trips an AoO since it has reach on you first, mind.
[20:54] <Andria> ooc: that's fine
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 AC?
[20:54] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d20=10]
[20:54] <Andria> ooc: hit
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 2d6+4 and now your damage.
[20:54] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 9 > [d6=1,4]
[20:54] <Andria> roll 2d4+7+d6
[20:54] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 17 > [d4=4,1][d6=5]
[20:55] <Kotono> Andrea grits her teeth and slashes, even as she takes a leg in the stomach! As her wind is knocked from her lungs, Andrea's feathery sword manages to cut into the leg! It's as much melting a way in as cutting, managing to make a decent gouge in! OOC: Aaeru and Branna, then crabby.
[20:57] * Aaeru charges into the next room, although she calls upon her most favorite spell first rather than try and come straight at the crab!
[21:00] <Kotono> Aaeru runs in and enlarges herself, as Branna slips in right behind her! He ducks in, trying to evade it's leg!
[21:00] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 tumble, -2 ACP
[21:00] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 12 > [d20=4]
[21:00] <Kotono> But he's not fast enough, a leg going to clobber him!
[21:00] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10
[21:00] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=14]
[21:00] <Kotono> roll 2d6+4
[21:00] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 10 > [d6=2,4]
[21:00] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 Branna's strike
[21:00] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 19 > [d20=11]
[21:01] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d2
[21:01] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 16 > [d8=8][d2=2]
[21:01] <Kotono> roll 1d8+1 healing on Noel, should mostly negate the leg
[21:01] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 5 > [d8=4]
[21:02] <Kotono> In a flurry of blows, Branna manages to make a freezing hack into the leg joint of the crab! Stone manages to splinter under his slice as he takes a leg in the face! As his nose breaks it glows white, mostly resetting itself in ani nstant! As this happens the crab lets out a shooting beam of force for Janson!
[21:02] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 ranged touch Janson
[21:02] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 26 > [d20=18]
[21:02] <Kotono> roll 10d4 owwies
[21:02] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d4=2,3,4,4,3,1,2,4,1,4]
[21:03] <Kotono> OOC: Retarget that to someone else then, forgot Janson moved.
[21:03] <Kotono> roll 1d5 Aaeru Andrea Noel Branna Wayland
[21:03] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 4 > [d5=4]
[21:04] <Kotono> The beam goes right for Branna, blasting into his face! This causes a great burst of blood as he's sent skidding on the stones like a hopscotch token, slamming hard into the wall! OOC: Ow. Wayland.
[21:06] <Wayland> "Branna! Hang on!" Wayland leaps forward, slamming his fist into the crab's body!
[21:06] <Kotono> OOC: AoO unless you tumble.
[21:06] <Wayland> roll 1d20+6 tumble
[21:06] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d20=19]
[21:06] <Kotono> OOC: Carry on, AoO averted.
[21:07] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[21:07] <Penuche> Wayland invokes Penuche's magic: < 11 > [d20=3]
[21:07] <Kotono> CLANG! OW! Wayland feels like his fist hit solid steel, only harder and less giving! He's able to block out the pain, but the crab look sundamaged! OOC: Noel.
[21:08] <Kotono> "Shit, fuck, shit!" Noel curses, taking a desperate stab as he manages to step a little to the side, flanking it with Aaeru! "I can barely chip the son of a bitch!"
[21:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[21:08] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=15]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d4+3+1d6+3
[21:09] <Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d4=4][d6=3]
[21:10] <Kotono> Noel manages to stab into it's backshell, driving out a few chips of stone! "We need something harder, dammit," he swears, as...OOC: Janson.
[21:11] <Janson> "Maybe we can retreat and try the other door?" Janson suggests as he pokes around back in the doorway and launches another blast of scorching orange light into the fray!
[21:11] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[21:11] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d20=13]
[21:11] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[21:11] <Janson> roll 3d6
[21:11] <Penuche> Janson invokes Penuche's magic: < 13 > [d6=6,4,3]
[21:12] <Kotono> Janson fires, his eldritch blast cutting into the stone easier than weapons!  He manages to make a deep gout into it's side, sending stone flying! The entire grab wobbles a bit, it's damaged legs shuddering under the weight of it's body! OOC: Andrea.
[21:15] <Andria> Andrea looks at Branna, unsure if he can wait, but decides the crab is more important, not wanting it to give it a chance to blow up someone else as she tries to capitalize on the effect Janson's spell had on it. (ooc: using loresong for +4 to attack)
[21:15] <Andria> roll d20+10 (PA -6)
[21:15] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=11]
[21:16] <Andria> roll 2d4+19+d6 hit?
[21:16] <Penuche> Andria invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d4=2,1][d6=6]
[21:17] <Kotono> WIth a massive blow Andrea slices down! Her flaming blade severs several legs, causing the crap to collapse! It's legs are nothing but broken stone now, but it's main body is intact, it's eye looking back and forth! OOC: Ow. It can't AoO anymore with the legs down or move, though it's still functioning otherwise. Aaeru and Branna, then crabby.
[21:19] * Hatbot (~Hatbot@cpe-24-28-0-36.austin.res.rr.com) has joined #dunes
[21:19] <Aaeru> Having used what meager ability to help relieve another's pain earlier with Janson, Aaeru is reduced to trying her best to eliminate the threat to them altogether, stepping up and kicking at the crab's eye twice in rapid succession!
[21:19] <Kotono> roll 1d100 stabilization for Branna
[21:19] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 stabilization for Branna and gets 11." [1d100=11]
[21:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+9 attack1
[21:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+9 attack2
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+9 attack1 and gets 22." [1d20=13]
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+9 attack2 and gets 19." [1d20=10]
[21:20] <Kotono> OOC: Two hits.
[21:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+4+1d6
[21:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d8+4+1d6
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d8+4+1d6 and gets 14." [1d8=5][1d6=5]
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d8+4+1d6 and gets 15." [1d8=7][1d6=4]
[21:21] * Penuche (~penuche@c-98-197-243-233.hsd1.tx.comcast.net) has left #dunes
[21:21] <Kotono> A flurry of kicks causes cracks to run up and down the crab's eye! Blinks of light come from it, as it manages to focus dimly on Aaeru, letting loose it's deadly bolt of force!
[21:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 ranged touch Aaeru AC?
[21:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 ranged touch Aaeru AC? and gets 14." [1d20=6]
[21:22] <Aaeru> OOC: 10
[21:22] <Kotono> roll 10d4 owwies
[21:22] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 10d4 owwies and gets 24." [10d4=4, 1, 3, 2, 4, 1, 2, 2, 4, 1]
[21:23] <Kotono> WHAM! The force-bolt gets Aaeru right in the chest, dropping her to one knee as agony explodes into her body! It hurts to breath, frothy red blood bubbling up into your mouth! OOC: Wayladn.
[21:24] * Wayland moves in next to Aaeru and tries to break the thing's eye!
[21:26] <Wayland> roll 1d20+10 flanking
[21:26] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+10 flanking and gets 16." [1d20=6]
[21:27] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[21:27] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[21:27] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 14." [1d8=6][1d6=5]
[21:28] <Kotono> With a powerful electric STRIKE the eye cracks open, already terribly strained! It collapses into rubble, the battle won! OOC: Spot checks all, then free act.
[21:28] <Andria> roll d20+2 spot
[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+2 spot and gets 12." [d20=10]
[21:28] <Wayland> roll 1d20+4 spot
[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+4 spot and gets 19." [1d20=15]
[21:28] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+6
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+6 and gets 15." [1d20=9]
[21:29] <Janson> roll 1d20+9
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+9 and gets 12." [1d20=3]
[21:29] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6 Noel
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 Noel and gets 26." [1d20=20]
[21:29] <Kotono> OOC: Act.
[21:30] <Kotono> Noel wipes his brow, "Well, don't one of you have some," he wiggles his fingers, "Healing magic?" As he says that he goes into the stone, poking in amid the broken eye.
[21:30] <Andria> Andrea steps towards Branna first, seeing as he's the worst injured, and drops her blade to the side as she leans down and begins to channel healing energy into his body.
[21:30] <Andria> roll d8+3
[21:30] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d8+3 and gets 8." [d8=5]
[21:31] <Andria> roll d8+3
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d8+3 and gets 9." [d8=6]
[21:31] <Janson> "Jannath, that thing was harsh," Janson follows the others into the crab room. "I hope our personal gargoyle guardians are as tough as that!"
[21:31] <Andria> roll d8+3
[21:31] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d8+3 and gets 7." [d8=4]
[21:32] <Andria> "Okay...How you feeling, Branna?" Andrea asks.
[21:35] <Aaeru> "Is this really the entrance?" Aaeru wonders.
[21:38] <Janson> "If there's harsh traps and guardians it must mean there's treasure to be found!" Janson tumps a fist in his palm, before blushing. "Uh, I mean, we'll find Rubrigrant, he's obviously trying to protect himself from paranoid delusions, right?"
[21:38] <Kotono> The worst of Branna's wounds mend, as he manages to slowly get up, "Urgh," he says, "I'm okay...I think..." Meanwhile Noel laughs, "Found it!"
[21:40] <Andria> Letting Branna collect himself, Andrea looks towards Aaeru and her injuries as she stands. "Well, Aaeru actually looks worse off than you now, so..." she says while walking towards Aaeru to heal her up some as well.
[21:41] <Andria> ooc: LoH for 20HP on Aaeru
[21:41] <Kotono> From the rubble Noel withdraws a golden key, "Thought I saw something," he says, dusting his hands off and emerging.
[21:41] * Wayland looks over at Noel. "Found what?"
[21:41] <Wayland> "Oh, the key!"
[21:42] <Andria> "Looks like Janson was the one that was right about the key's location. And I guessed the wrong monster corpse."
[21:42] <Janson> "Nice! Want to try the door back there or keep on this path, then?"
[21:42] * Janson grins at Andrea. "Golems don't need the toilet?"
[21:42] <Andria> "Guess not!"
[21:43] <Kotono> "Ewwwww," Noel makes a face, "I thought they shit rocks or something."
[21:46] <Aaeru> "Let's use the key," Aaeru reasons, smiling at Andrea in thanks. They have a key, it should therefore be used.
[21:48] <Kotono> The party goes back to the key door and opens it! Ahead is a simple room. A diamond-shaped arraingement of stone blocks 5 feet tall hide a stairway going down within, just visible to the party from outside of the ring.
[21:49] <Andria> "More block puzzles?" Andrea mutters at the sight of the arrangement.
[21:49] <Janson> "Down again?" Janson pouts. "On the other hand, we had to struggle to get the key, so logically it must lead to something good, right?" he looks to Andrea for support, appealing to her bardic narrative spirit.
[21:50] <Andria> "Not sure about it leading to something good, but it probably is the right way," Andrea agrees.
[21:51] * Janson proceeds to clamber up onto the blocks and over them towards the stairs, endlessly optimistic!
[21:51] <Andria> "Well, not unless it leads to a spot where we can rest and lick our wounds freely before continuing. That'd be rather nice..."
[21:56] <Kotono> With Janson and spider climb getting over the blocks is simple enough, going down! It leads down twenty feet, into a little hall that leads to a small ladder going into what looks to be a cubbyhole. Within the cubbyhole, Janson can see what looks to be a long, tapered stick. It's made of metal and weathered wood.
[21:57] <Janson> "What do you think this is?" Janson asks, pulling the stick out for everyone to see.
[21:57] <Wayland> "Looks like a stick."
[21:57] <Kotono> It's about three feet long, covered in a few places with unfamiliar runes.
[21:58] * Janson turns it this way and that, trying to decipher the runes.
[21:59] <Kotono> OOC: Spellcraft check.
[21:59] <Janson> roll 1d20+12
[21:59] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+12 and gets 24." [1d20=12]
[22:01] <Janson> "Hmm. It's actually a wand - probably one sized for a giant... The spell in it gives you a bit of temporary vitality. I guess it'd be stealing to take it, though, wouldn't it?" he muses thoughtfully.
[22:02] <Kotono> "Finders keepers," Noel retorts, "Besides, fuck, that's magic? That'll make this entire trip worthwhile if we hock it!"
[22:03] <Andria> "What's a dwarf doing with a giant's wand?" Andrea mutters with a raised eyebrow.
[22:04] <Janson> "Hmm... maybe just hold onto it until we find Rubrigrant, at least? Maybe it works as a key as well as a wand or something. Personal guardian gargoyles would be worth way more than a wand, anyway," Janson decides. "Lets go back up and try the door past the crab? Maybe Rubrigrant won it in a bet?"
[22:05] <Aaeru> "We should leave it," Aaeru says, shaking her head. "It's not ours."
[22:05] <Wayland> "By that logic, we should have never used that key, or destroyed that crab."
[22:06] <Janson> "Well the crab was trying to kill us, and we're not going to take the key home with us to sell," Janson notes, looking at Andrea to see if she'll break the tie.
[22:06] <Wayland> "Ah, but we've broken into this person's home, and destroyed his things."
[22:07] <Andria> "I say we should take it, for now if nothing else, like Janson said. We can always return it to our hiding dwarf once we find him if it wasn't meant for us, but it could be a reward for making it this far, or something."
[22:08] * Aaeru finds herself shocked into silence.
[22:09] <Janson> "Okay, we'll hold onto it but we won't use it or take it home with us unless he tells us to when we find him," Janson agrees with Andrea's wisdom. "Lets go back up, then?"
[22:09] <Andria> "I mean, why -else- would it just be lying there? Unless he's planning to hide a giant here later. It just seems kind of odd to leave such a thing lying around like that."
[22:10] <Aaeru> "It's his home and nothing else made sense so far..." Aaeru says quietly.
[22:11] <Janson> "He *is* crazy, remember!" Janson laughs as he starts climbing back up.
[22:11] * Wayland pats Aaeru on the shoulder. "Janson's right."
[22:22] <Kotono> The party returns and continues! The next square rooms has winding rivers of what looks to be reddish water running through it. There are doors to the north, east and west here. Branna rubs the back of his head as you go along, "Y'know, how far does this all go, anyway?"
[22:23] <Janson> OOC: do the rivers block any doors? How wide are they?
[22:24] <Kotono> OOC: They don't, you can pick paths to all the doors. They're about 5 feet wide.
[22:24] * Janson goes to try the East door first this time, just to mix things up!
[22:24] <Wayland> "No idea, really."
[22:28] <Kotono> This room looks to be completely empty. There is nothing of note here, only another square room without any further doors or defining features.
[22:28] <Janson> "Guess he hasn't finished with the furniture," Janson sighs and goes to try the North door next.
[22:29] <Andria> "Given his choice of furniture, you're complaining?" Andrea jokes, as she goes to check the remaining door while Janson checks the north one.
[22:32] <Kotono> Andrea checks the west door! Within this room is a door to the north. A few blocks are littered about, but the way ahead is mostly clear. Janson checks the west door! Within are black painted walls and ceiling, no f urther door ahead.  In the center of the room a stone plaque rests, surrounded bya  pair of lit braziers.
[22:33] * Janson strolls in to read said plaque.
[22:33] <Kotono> Written on it is, 'Secrets lie beyond the disturbed blank serenity'.
[22:34] <Andria> "This room looks like it has a door leading onward!" Andrea calls out.
[22:35] <Janson> "This one has secrets lying beyond the disturbed blank serenity!" Janson calls back excitedly, starting to go around tapping the black walls and ceiling in search of fun!
[22:35] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 searchan
[22:35] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 searchan and gets 22." [1d20=12]
[22:35] <Andria> "What now?" Andrea asks, looking confused as she goes to join Janson to see what he's talking about.
[22:35] <Kotono> Janson searches about! Nothing of note can be found on his search.
[22:36] <Aaeru> "What are you looking for?" Aaeru asks Janson.
[22:37] <Janson> "Hmm, it says disturbed, maybe you have to draw on it?" Janson takes some chalk out of his backpack and starts scrawling random doodles all over the black wall. "Secrets!" he replies brightly to Aaeru.
[22:37] <Kotono> Noel paces about, keeping his voice down, "Hey boss," he murmurs to Wayland.
[22:37] <Aaeru> "You have to write on the walls for that?"
[22:37] <Kotono> The black walls are now covered in chalk! Nothing of note occurs, at least obviously.
[22:37] <Wayland> "Mmm?" Wayland looks at Noel.
[22:38] <Andria> Andrea looks at the plaque Janson was looking at earlier. "Another riddle...weird. Maybe they're talking about the room without furniture? That'd count as blank serenity, right?" Andrea suggests to Janson, distracting him from his doodles.
[22:39] <Andria> "No wait, it wouldn't be disturbed though, right? Uhm...hmm..." Andrea ponders the riddle.
[22:40] <Janson> "Oh, that's a good idea! We can disturb it by looking around, can't we?" Janson smiles at Andrea, dropping his chalk and going to hunt around in the empty Eastern room.
[22:40] <Janson> roll 1d20+10
[22:40] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 and gets 23." [1d20=13]
[22:40] <Kotono> "I ain't much of a thinker. Want me to watch the rear," he says, "This is givin' me a headache."
[22:40] <Wayland> "Sure."
[22:40] <Kotono> The empty eastern room looks empty as you look around. Nothing is immediately obvious or awry here.
[22:41] * Janson shrugs and returns to the centre room. "I got nothing," he admits. "I guess we could just proceed through the door Andrea found, but it feels like admitting defeat..."
[22:42] <Kotono> "Well..." Branna shrugs, crossing his arms, "What the hell is 'blank serenity' and how do you disturb it? Hell if I know."
[22:44] <Andria> "Oh! I know! There were some blocks in the room to the west. Maybe we're supposed to disturb the room by moving them to the east room?" Andrea suggests, moving towards the west to see if she can dislodge one of the blocks.
[22:44] * Janson rushes to help Andrea with that. "Great idea!" he seconds.
[22:46] * Wayland goes to add his strength to the effort!
[22:51] <Kotono> One of the blocks isn't as heavy, and further, is quite loose on the ground. It'll take some effort, but moving it looks possible.
[22:53] * Janson will gladly put his effort into this noble task!
[22:55] <Kotono> The block is slow moving, but with this many backs it's possible! You move it into the far room...as it scoots in, the room shimmers! A door appears to the east, as well as four robed figures. Each one is clad in orange robes, not a single body part visible! Each one raises gloved hands, wells of force appearing within!

[19:51] <Kotono> OOC: I'll call init here, it's obvious the robey ones want to do unpleasant things to your asses.
[19:51] <Janson> roll 1d20+4
[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+4 and gets 14." [1d20=10]
[19:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 Noel
[19:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 Noel and gets 9." [1d20=2]
[19:52] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 Branna
[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 Branna and gets 11." [1d20=2]
[19:52] <Andria> roll d20+4
[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+4 and gets 24." [d20=20]
[19:52] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3
[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+3 and gets 18." [1d20=15]
[19:52] <Kotono> roll 4#1d20+2
[19:52] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 4#1d20+2 and gets 50." [4#1d20+2 = 7, 12, 19, 12]
[19:52] * Kotono changes topic to 'Andrea(24)>Wayland(18)>Janson(14)>Branna(11)>Noel(9)'
[19:53] * Kotono changes topic to 'Andrea(24)>W3(19)>Wayland(18)>Janson(14)>W2=W4(12)>Branna(11)>Noel(9)>W1(7)'
[19:54] <Janson> roll 1d20+2 aaeru
[19:54] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+2 aaeru and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[19:54] * Kotono changes topic to 'Andrea(24)>W3(19)>Wayland(18)>Aaeru(15)>Janson(14)>W2=W4(12)>Branna(11)>Noel(9)>W1(7)'
[19:54] <Andria> "I don't suppose one of you is Rubri'granit?" Andrea asks as she draws her weapon again.
[19:56] <Kotono> None of the robed figures reply, menancing as blasts of semi-transparent, roiling force gathers in their hands!
[19:56] <Andria> "Guess not!" Andrea says as she moves towards one of them and slashes in greeting.
[19:57] <Andria> roll d20+10 (PA -2)
[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+10 (PA -2) and gets 23." [d20=13]
[19:57] <Andria> roll 2d4+11+d6 hit?
[19:57] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls 2d4+11+d6 hit? and gets 23." [2d4=4, 2][d6=6]
[19:58] * Kotono changes topic to 'Andrea(24)>W3(19)>Wayland(18)>Aaeru(15)>Janson(14)>W2=W4(12)>Branna(11)>Noel(9)'
[19:59] <Kotono> WIth a quick springing slash at the first wizard, Andrea bisects it's robes! The entire creature blinks for a moment, before crumbling into dust and loose clay! The third robed creature glides to the side and away, as if being propelled! At the same time it's hands thrust forward, a blast of force at Andrea!
[19:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 touch AC?
[19:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 touch AC? and gets 15." [1d20=10]
[20:00] <Kotono> roll 2d6 owwies assuming it hits. Say so if otherwise, Andrea.
[20:00] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 owwies assuming it hits. Say so if otherwise, Andrea. and gets 6." [2d6=1, 5]
[20:00] <Andria> ooc: touch is 10 =/
[20:00] <Kotono> The force-shot hits Andrea in the chest, knocking her back and making her suck wind! It stings, but she endures it without serious harm! OOC: Wayland.
[20:02] <Wayland> Moving forward, Wayland strikes at one of the robed figures!
[20:03] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[20:03] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
[20:03] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[20:03] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 6." [1d8=2][1d6=1]
[20:04] <Kotono> Wayland closes in with a quick pursuit, slamming a palm into it's face! The robed menance recoils but stays up, not a single spray of blood despite a sharp CRACKING noise! OOC: Aaeru.
[20:05] * Aaeru follows in on Wayland's coattails, latching onto the hand of a robed figure floating there on its own. If it is allowed to do so unmolested, it is clearly up to no good!
[20:05] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+11 touch, charge
[20:05] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+11 touch, charge and gets 12." [1d20=1]
[20:06] <Kotono> Aaeru chases after the second one, reaching out to grasp it...but alls he gets is air, too fast and stopping just short of her target! OOC: Janson.
[20:06] <Janson> There's only one of them still unengaged, so Janson takes the chance while it still exists and fires an eldritch blast at that figure before retreating back into the central chamber, trusting his friends to take care of the rest!
[20:07] <Janson> roll 1d20+6 whichever one Aaeru isn't fighting
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 whichever one Aaeru isn't fighting and gets 25." [1d20=19]
[20:07] <Janson> roll 3d6
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 3d6 and gets 8." [3d6=2, 4, 2]
[20:07] <Janson> roll 4d6 if skirmish applies
[20:07] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 4d6 if skirmish applies and gets 14." [4d6=5, 4, 3, 2]
[20:09] <Kotono> Janson fires off at the fourth one with deft speed, lancing through it's shoulder with his roiling hate!  It hesitates a step as it glides back with the fourth, two blasts of force by two foes! One goes for Wayland and another is directed at Aaeru!
[20:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 Wayland
[20:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Wayland and gets 17." [1d20=12]
[20:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 Aaeru touch ACs?
[20:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Aaeru touch ACs? and gets 6." [1d20=1]
[20:09] <Kotono> roll 2d6 assuming Wayland got hit.
[20:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d6 assuming Wayland got hit. and gets 5." [2d6=3, 2]
[20:10] <Wayland> OOC: Touch AC 19
[20:10] <Kotono> OOC: Okay miss then.
[20:11] <Kotono> Both of the shots miss, one errant and the other parried by Wayland! A split second later Branna is moving, going for the third one with his blade!
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 (+2 charge)
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 (+2 charge) and gets 18." [1d20=8]
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d2
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+6+1d2 and gets 12." [1d8=4][1d2=2]
[20:11] <Kotono> roll 1d8+1 healing
[20:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+1 healing and gets 7." [1d8=6]
[20:11] * Kotono changes topic to 'Andrea(24)>Wayland(18)>Aaeru(15)>Janson(14)>W2=W4(12)>Branna(11)>Noel(9)'
[20:12] <Kotono> As Branna's wounds knit, his blade cuts into the flank of the doll! It's body collapses into loose clay, crumbling before you! A second later Noel follows suit, dagger thrusting out the fourth one!
[20:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[20:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 13." [1d20=7]
[20:12] <Kotono> But he can't line up a slash, having to hop back a minor force shot slams into the floor in front of his feet! OOC: Andrea.
[20:14] <Andria> With her initial opponent already downed, Andrea shifts position to assist Noel with his, slashing away as she gets in position.
[20:14] <Andria> roll d20+11 (PA-3, flank+2)
[20:14] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+11 (PA-3, flank+2) and gets 19." [d20=8]
[20:15] <Andria> roll 2d4+13+d6 that probably hit looking at Branna's roll
[20:15] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls 2d4+13+d6 that probably hit looking at Branna's roll and gets 23." [2d4=4, 4][d6=2]
[20:16] * Kotono changes topic to 'Andrea(24)>Wayland(18)>Aaeru(15)>Janson(14)>W2(12)>Branna(11)>Noel(9)'
[20:17] <Kotono> Andrea's slash finds home, slaughtering the robed one and sending it down in a rain of clay-rubble!  OOC: Wayland.
[20:17] * Wayland moves to finish the last one off!
[20:18] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24." [1d20=16]
[20:18] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6 and gets 7." [1d8=2][1d6=2]
[20:19] <Kotono> Wayland rushes and lands a heavy blow in it's chest! It steps back hard but stays up, enduring a shocking blow to stand! OOC: Aaeru.
[20:20] <Aaeru> Just grabbing the hand wasn't enough, so Aaeru steps in and tries to secure her robed opponent's shoulder in a somewhat-painful, fiery grasp!
[20:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7 touch1
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 touch1 and gets 18." [1d20=11]
[20:21] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+9 grapple
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+9 grapple and gets 17." [1d20=8]
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 3." [1d20=1]
[20:21] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+3+1d6 nonlethal+fire
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+3+1d6 nonlethal+fire and gets 7." [1d6=1][1d6=3]
[20:21] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+9 grapple2?
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+9 grapple2? and gets 22." [1d20=13]
[20:21] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[20:21] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+3+1d6 nonlethal+fire
[20:21] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+3+1d6 nonlethal+fire and gets 8." [1d6=2][1d6=3]
[20:22] <Kotono> WHAM! SLAM! Fiery grapples lead to Aaeru having it's shoulder! The creaure hisses, already wounded, before collapsing into burning clay! OOC: Free act.
[20:22] <Janson> "We won?" Janson pokes his head back in the room. "We won!" he concludes, before going to try the newly revealed door.
[20:22] * Aaeru jumps and drops the burning clay shoulder, cleaning her hands over her pants.
[20:23] <Kotono> As the last one falls, the newly revealed door opens on it's own! Ahead in the next room is another diamond of blocks, a stairway going down revealed in the center of the diamond.
[20:24] <Janson> "I wonder if another giant wand's down there? Or we have to put this one there?" Janson wonders, tapping the wand of false life on the floor before he braves the stairs.
[20:24] <Wayland> "Only one way to find out!"
[20:28] <Kotono> Below is the same as the last stairway going down. There is another cubbyhole, and within this one lies leather straps. Written in Common on them is 'Focus'.
[20:30] <Janson> Are they magic straps?
[20:30] <Kotono> The straps do radiate magic, yes.
[20:30] <Andria> "Focus straps?" Andrea asks with confusion.
[20:30] <Janson> roll 1d20+12 spellcraft
[20:30] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+12 spellcraft and gets 32." [1d20=20]
[20:30] <Wayland> "Maybe we'll need these for a final puzzle, like the wand?"
[20:31] <Andria> "Oh, that's actually a good idea given how much he likes puzzles! They're just a bigger part of a puzzle!"
[20:31] <Wayland> "At this point, I don't think it's a huge stretch."
[20:31] <Aaeru> "Maybe Rubri'Granit keeps his things where he wants to in his own home?" Aaeru suggests in a defeated tone of voice. "And we shouldn't take them? Any of them?"
[20:31] <Janson> "They also let you knock people out with just one punch!" Janson declares, picking them up. "Either of you two want to hold onto them?" he offers to Wayland and Aaeru.
[20:31] <Kotono> "It really isn't," Branna mutters.
[20:32] * Aaeru shakes her head at Janson.
[20:32] * Wayland holds out his hand!
[20:33] <Janson> "Remember, Aaeru, he's crazy! Not in his right mind! We're here to help him, and that might mean breaking him out of his self-destructive habits such as making trap and puzzle filled fortresses miles from civilisation. It's no good just to smile and let him carry on like this," he suggests, foising the straps off on Wayland and climbing back up.
[20:33] * Wayland nods.
[20:34] * Aaeru remains dubious but doesn't press the issue.
[20:34] <Kotono> The party returns up as...OOC: Now where are you guys going?
[20:34] <Andria> ooc: the door to the west I guess? Was there any other way to go?
[20:35] <Janson> OOC: lets go with that
[20:36] <Kotono> The party returns to the west room. It's minus one block now and there is a door to the north.
[20:36] * Janson opens said door to reveal a new world of adventure and possibilities!
[20:37] <Kotono> This room has walls lined by dwarf face and demon face statues. At the end, against the back wall, is a stairway going up.
[20:38] * Janson pauses a moment to check for any fireball shooting traps or other such nastiness from the statues...
[20:38] <Janson> roll 1d20+10 search and detect magic
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+10 search and detect magic and gets 30." [1d20=20]
[20:39] <Aaeru> "Wasn't it like that where we came here?" Aaeru wonders, glancing at the statues.
[20:39] <Kotono> No traps, no magic.
[20:40] <Andria> Andrea observes the faces, curious to see if they're similar outside of the dwarf/demon thing, or vastly different.
[20:40] <Kotono> OOC: Wis check, Andrea.
[20:41] <Janson> "Looks safe at least," Janson declares, marching onwards to the stairs.
[20:42] <Andria> roll d20+2
[20:42] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+2 and gets 14." [d20=12]
[20:45] <Andria> "Weird faces..." Andrea mutters as she follows after Janson with a small shudder, her only reaction to her observation.
[20:47] <Wayland> "Something different about the faces?"
[20:48] <Andria> "Something entirely too similar...they don't -look- alike, and yet they -feel- alike," Andrea replies.
[20:48] <Wayland> "I...don't know what that means."
[20:48] * Janson stops to take a look and see what Andrea's talking about himself...
[20:49] <Kotono> OOC: Wis check, Janson.
[20:49] <Janson> roll 1d20+1
[20:49] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+1 and gets 5." [1d20=4]
[20:50] * Janson shrugs, not really getting anything from the experience. Up the stairs and off to open the next door found!
[20:50] <Andria> "I don't quite get it either? That's why they're weird!" Andrea replies.
[20:50] <Kotono> The party goes up and up and up the stairs! They come out to a little landing, a plain stone door ahead. They're still in caves, but the air smells slightly fresher now.
[20:51] <Janson> The door, it exists to be opened!
[20:54] <Kotono> The door is indeed opened! Ahead is a room, each corner occupied by an empty, unlit brazier. It's quite dark in here, only the light coming from the opened door showing much of anything. There's a door on the opposite wall.
[20:55] <Janson> "Hey, one of you ladies want to try lighting the brazier? Maybe it'll do something like moving those blocks around?" Janson suggests as he heads in.
[20:56] <Aaeru> "I can do that!" Aaeru agrees, stepping up and flicking her finger at the brazier in a gentle if fiery tap.
[20:56] <Andria> Andrea lets Aaeru take care of lighting the room up.
[20:57] <Kotono> One of the braziers is lit! A dim glow fills the room! In the center of the room, a golden key appears, quasi transparent and flickering!
[20:57] * Aaeru continues lighting the other three braziers, emboldened by this!
[20:58] <Kotono> Each brazier sheds more light! Once the last one is lit, the key turns entirely solid in apperance, sitting in the middle of the room!
[20:58] <Janson> "We probably need it for the door," Janson assumes, snatching the key and trying the door.
[20:59] <Kotono> The key does indeed unlock the door ahead.
[20:59] <Janson> Then it shall be opened!
[21:02] <Andria> "That seemed a surprisingly simple puzzle...There wasn't even a riddle attached to it, and it's common sense that we'd light the braziers?" Andrea comments. "Our little dwarf friend is running out of puzzle ideas or something?"
[21:02] <Kotono> The door is indeed opened! A hallway is ahead, slanting up as if built against the side of a hill.
[21:03] <Janson> "Well, it wasn't that dark," Janson shrugs as he headed up. "It just seemed cliche, though, so I figured why not?"
[21:06] <Andria> "I'm just surprised it didn't have a riddle where we had to light them up in a certain order or get attacked by something!" Andrea says. "I'm not complaining about not having another fight, but really, that did seem lazy!"
[21:06] <Wayland> "Well, the place DOES promote that whole 'unfinished' feel about it."
[21:06] <Janson> "Yeah, maybe he never got around to making the deadly giant rock snake for that room," Janson agrees.
[21:07] <Wayland> "Let's thank the gods for that."
[21:13] <Kotono> The party goes on ahead! As they start go up the hill, the door behind them slams shut! From the walls you hear ahissing, a pale green gas spreading out and wafting up your ways! OOC: React.
[21:14] * Wayland remains calm.
[21:14] <Kotono> "Shit." Noel says with pure profound pique, "Um...we're gonna run, right boss?"
[21:14] * Wayland searches for a switch of some sort to stop the gas!
[21:14] <Wayland> roll 1d20+1
[21:14] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+1 and gets 7." [1d20=6]
[21:15] <Wayland> "Probably."
[21:15] <Aaeru> "Let's go!" Aaeru calls, picking up her pace considerably. This is where they spring up the hill!
[21:15] <Janson> "Run!" Janson yells, starting to dash ahead in hopes of escaping the gas!
[21:15] <Aaeru> *sprint
[21:15] <Andria> "...okay, maybe there -was- a trick to that room!" Andrea exclaims as she sprints after the others.
[21:16] * Wayland follows after the others.
[21:17] <Kotono> It's not hard to see that the gas is coming from a bunch of tiny vents, spraying out. Not that it bothers a breathless genasi as the rest of the party runs ahead! As Wayland inspects they run up an up and up!  At the top is a door with a four rotating cylnders built in. Each one can be spun, ten sides on each reading 0 to 9.  A plaque below it reads, "Abyss, Celestia, Baator, Truth. These open
[21:17] <Kotono> the escape from the poison below."
[21:18] <Andria> roll d20+0 K:P
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+0 K:P and gets 15." [d20=15]
[21:19] <Janson> "Oh.. what?!" Janson stops. "That's not a puzzle, that's obscure knowledge!" he protests, looking back at the others in hopes any of them can get it.
[21:19] * Aaeru begins slowly turning the first cylinder. One, then two, then three, while pausing a second between each.
[21:20] <Kotono> OOC: LIsten check.
[21:20] <Aaeru> roll 1d20
[21:20] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20 and gets 8." [1d20=8]
[21:20] <Kotono> Aaeru hears a soft click when the number settles on 6. It's subtle but not -that- hard to hear.
[21:20] * Janson decides to try and brute force it, seeing if he can work around the mechanism rather than use it directly, as nothing more than an overly elaborate lock.
[21:21] <Andria> "I think this is the same sort of puzzle as the one with the gems...I, uh...think the corresponding numbers for those are... 6 and 7 for Abyss and Celestia...9 for Baator, and..." Andrea mutters, scrunching up her eyes in thought. "And...3 for truth!"
[21:21] <Janson> roll 1d20+12 disable device
[21:21] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+12 disable device and gets 18." [1d20=6]
[21:21] <Aaeru> "It clicks! That must be right!" Aaeru exclaims, taking Andrea's words for confirmation and proceeding with seven turns for the second cylinder.
[21:22] <Kotono> Janson isn't able to disablet he device on his first try, though Aaeru turning it to seven gets another click. Meanwhile you can see gasses rising up behind you, up the rising corridor towards you!
[21:23] <Janson> Rather than that, Janson just puts away his tools and follows Andrea's instructions, turning the last cylinder around to 3.
[21:23] * Aaeru doesn't even pause, turning the third all the way over and then following it with a three for the last cylinder!
[21:23] <Kotono> With all of the cylinders turned, the door ahead opens! Ahead is a small room, with a stairway going up.
[21:24] * Aaeru waves everyone ahead, intending to close the door once the others have entered the room.
[21:25] * Janson flees!
[21:25] <Kotono> Once inside the door is shut! It shuts tightly, no gas leaking through!
[21:26] <Wayland> "Well, that was fun and exciting. Everyone ok?"
[21:26] <Janson> "Phew! Good work, Andrea," Janson grins at his fellow redhead, her genius having saved them. Since everyone does seem okay, he starts up the stairs.
[21:26] <Andria> "I'm fine. I'm sorry I doubted the dwarf's puzzles though," Andrea says as she holds a hand to her chest. "Running in full plate is not fun..."
[21:27] <Aaeru> "Then take it off? I'll help!" Aaeru volunteers.
[21:27] <Wayland> "But then you have to carry it!"
[21:29] <Kotono> Noel grins at this, "I'll help you take it off too!"
[21:30] <Kotono> Going up, you find that the walls become gray-tiled after a little bit up. You come up in a gray stone room, with doors to the north, south, east and west.
[21:32] * Janson decides to try the South first, since they've primarily been going North thus far.
[21:34] <Kotono> This leads into a blank, dark room. There are two braziers in the center, and a plaque on the floor.
[21:36] * Janson reads the plaque!
[21:38] <Kotono> It reads, "Distance until the leader is alone, then closeness at the climax."
[21:39] * Janson reads it aloud. "Maybe we have to move the braziers around then light them or something?" he hazards, seeing if they're movable.
[21:40] <Kotono> The braziers are bolted to the floor. Removing them would take some welding surgery.
[21:40] <Aaeru> "I'll light one and see what happens!" Aaeru offers, choosing the one to her left. Maybe a ghostly hint will appear again!
[21:43] <Kotono> There is now more light. Nothing of note happens. Branna scratches his chin, "We could just try another door," he volunteers.
[21:43] * Aaeru shrugs and lights the other one as well.
[21:47] <Kotono> More light, still not much of anything occuring.
[21:47] <Aaeru> "Another door?" she asks Janson.
[21:48] <Janson> "Yeah, I got nothing," Janson agrees, going now to try the West door.
[21:48] * Aaeru follows suit with a shrug.
[21:50] <Kotono> The west door leads to a plain square room. There's another door to the west on the other side. However, each corner of the room has large, blue-gemstone blocks, with sharp blades poking out of them.
[21:52] <Wayland> "This looks a bit more dangerous here than the last room." Wayland remarks.
[21:52] <Janson> "Hmm. Lets try the other two before worrying about the next door - there might be another puzzle like the secret serenity one," Janson suggests, going now to the North door.
[21:53] <Kotono> The north door appears to be locked!
[21:53] <Janson> East is next!
[21:56] <Kotono> The east door into a square room. The center is broken up by what looks to be a river of red water, 15 feet wide. On the other side rests a golden key.
[21:57] <Janson> "Anyone got any magic for grabbing that key?" Janson asks the two magical girls.
[21:57] <Andria> "What do you guys figure is hiding in that river? Zombies? Crocodiles?" Andrea jokes as she shakes her head to Janson's question.
[21:57] * Aaeru comes up to the very edge of the suspicious river and attempts to manipulate the key with Mage Hand as her answer.
[22:00] <Kotono> Aaeru can manipulate the key with Mage Hand, the key not so heavy as it can't be lifted, nor is it quite far away enough to be out of range.
[22:01] * Aaeru grins and summons it into her hands with the utmost concentration!
[22:01] <Kotono> The Mage Hand works as it should, the key now in Aaeru's grasp!
[22:01] <Aaeru> "Let's go north?"
[22:03] * Janson nods, eager to see what secrets will be revealed!
[22:04] * Wayland cheers quietly!
[22:05] <Kotono> The door to the north opens! Ahead is a square room with a shut door to the north...however...within floats a medium sized blue creature, mostly taken up entirely by it's eye. Around it floats a dozen smaller, yellow versions of itself! They fly in a perfect circle around it, whirling about!
[22:06] <Wayland> "What the hells is that!?"
[22:06] <Janson> "Think this has anything to do with the leader and distances? The little eyes following the big eye?" Janson wonders.
[22:06] <Aaeru> "Hi!" Aaeru greets the room's occupants, having only the slightest of hesitations.
[22:07] <Kotono> At Wayland's words it seems to focus it's attention ont he party, a strange humming noise echoing in your ears! From it a blast of rock comes flying, landing just at Aaeru's fit, a narrow miss! The humming grows louder, as the twelves lesser version spin faster! OOC: 1. Init. 2. K:A on this creature.
[22:07] <Janson> roll 1d20+11 arcana
[22:07] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+11 arcana and gets 23." [1d20=12]
[22:07] <Andria> roll d20+4 init
[22:07] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+4 init and gets 15." [d20=11]
[22:07] <Janson> roll 1d20+4 init
[22:07] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+4 init and gets 15." [1d20=11]
[22:07] <Andria> roll d20+0 K:A
[22:07] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+0 K:A and gets 15." [d20=15]
[22:08] <Wayland> roll 1d20+3 init
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+3 init and gets 21." [1d20=18]
[22:08] <Wayland> roll 1d20+1 K:A
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+1 K:A and gets 3." [1d20=2]
[22:08] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+2 init
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+2 init and gets 19." [1d20=17]
[22:08] <Aaeru> roll 1d20 arcana
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20 arcana and gets 3." [1d20=3]
[22:09] * Kotono changes topic to 'Wayland(21)>Aaeru(19)>Andrea=Janson(15)'
[22:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+7 N
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+7 N and gets 24." [1d20=17]
[22:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 B
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 B and gets 14." [1d20=5]
[22:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20+4 Eyecreature
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+4 Eyecreature and gets 12." [1d20=8]
[22:09] * Kotono changes topic to 'Noel(24)>Wayland(21)>Aaeru(19)>Andrea=Janson(15)>Branna(14)>Eyecreature(12)'
[22:11] <Janson> "Don't get close to it!" Janson warns suddenly before anyone can charge. "You need to take out the little eyes from a distance first!"

[20:12] <Kotono> Noel nods swiftly, "Damn right, I'm not getting close to to whatever the fuck that is!" OOC: He be holding. Wayland.
[20:15] * Wayland nods, taking Janson's advice and instead concentrating inward, a field of force forming around him! OOC: Inertial Armor
[20:15] <Kotono> OOC: Righto. Aaeru.
[20:17] * Aaeru lunges forward, but halts herself at Janson's warning after only two steps. What to do, what to do-- Closing her eyes, Aaeru gestures wildly at the floating eyes as they become surrounded by flashing stars all of a sudden!
[20:17] <Aaeru> OOC: glitterdust dc15
[20:18] <Kotono> roll 1d20+6
[20:18] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+6 and gets 17." [1d20=11]
[20:19] <Kotono> Golden dust sprays out over the creature and it's brood! It turns them glittery, but the big eye in the center isn't dazzled, instead glaring malevolently at Aaeru! OOC:Andrea'n'Janson.
[20:20] <Aaeru> "I'm bad at not getting close!" Aaeru laments, looking at Janson pleadingly for an answer to her woes.
[20:20] <Janson> An orange glow manifesting around his hand, Janson hurls it forward to slam into the whirling eyes surrounding the creature before he ducks to the right to move out of the line of fire from any reprisals so long as it stays in the other room.
[20:20] <Janson> roll 1d20+6
[20:20] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 and gets 9." [1d20=3]
[20:21] <Kotono> Janson gathers the pale orange energies, a lancing beam fired...and missing, whizzing into the wall behind the flying eyes instead!  OOC: Andrea.
[20:22] <Andria> "We'll be fine, I'm sure! All those eyes and it probably has no depth perception! I'm sure we can take it!" Andrea starts to say even as she adds more words to help them face this fearsome creature. OOC: IC for +1 atk/dmg to all
[20:24] <Kotono> Branna holds a moment as well, "Well shit, we still need to do somethin'! Anyone got a bow?" Meanwhile as he holds, the center eye focuses! As the twelve smaller ones rotate around the center in a graceful, ever shifting circle, a crackling beam of pale yellow gathers, firing off at Aaeru!
[20:24] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 touch AC, lots of touch AC whoring this dungeon.
[20:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 touch AC, lots of touch AC whoring this dungeon. and gets 26." [1d20=18]
[20:24] <Kotono> roll 2d4+2
[20:24] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+2 and gets 8." [2d4=2, 4]
[20:25] <Kotono> Aaeru gets beamed in the shoulder, making her step back and roll with the flare o f pain that races through her body! OOC: Noel, he's still holding. Wayland.
[20:30] <Wayland> "I don't think this idea is going to work, Janson!" Wayland says, setting himself for a moment, then charging into the room, right at the eye!
[20:32] <Wayland> roll 1d20+6 tumble
[20:32] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+6 tumble and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[20:32] <Kotono> Wayland charges in, tumbling into a straight roll! Three of the circle break to snap at him, but deft rolls avoid them! The rest move like lightning, going to shield the main eye! OOC: Carry onwith your attack.
[20:32] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8+1+2
[20:32] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8+1+2 and gets 20." [1d20=9]
[20:34] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[20:36] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6+1 striking one of the little eyes
[20:36] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6+1 striking one of the little eyes and gets 10." [1d8=2][1d6=4]
[20:37] <Kotono> Wayland charges in, striking one of the little eyes! It crackles with lightning and shudders, popping like an overripe melon! What remains is splattered on the floor and Wayland's fist, 11 of the smaller eyes remaining! OOC: Aaeru.
[20:38] * Aaeru glances between Janson and Wayland, before deciding to follow his charge in!
[20:38] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+10 tumble, not actually charging
[20:38] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+10 tumble, not actually charging and gets 15." [1d20=5]
[20:38] <Kotono> OOC: Carry on.
[20:39] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+10
[20:39] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+10 and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[20:40] <Kotono> OOC: Hit.
[20:40] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+3+1+1d6
[20:40] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+3+1+1d6 and gets 12." [1d6=2][1d6=6]
[20:40] <Kotono> WHAM! Aaeru strikes, as an eye darts in front of the main body! IT takes the blow, popping apart under the flaming strike! Ten remain now, as the eyes begin to move faster! OOC: Andrea'n'Janson.
[20:41] <Janson> "Well, maybe I was thinking of something else," Janson mutters embarrassedly, appearing back in the doorway and loosing off a shot between Aaeru and Wayland to try and hit it.
[20:41] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[20:41] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+2 and gets 5." [1d20=3]
[20:42] <Kotono> Janson stands firm and fires another shot, this one sailing up and hitting the ceiling! OOC: Andrea.
[20:44] <Andria> "It might be a good tactic, but it looks like it's a better shot at range than us, so Wayland had the right idea here," Andrea says as she follows his example and charges at the creature, her blade powered by holy energy. (OOC: Charging Smite, PA-4)
[20:44] <Andria> ooc: also taking AoO, no tumble
[20:44] <Kotono> As Andrea charges in, eyes are on her like a ninjashot!
[20:44] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8 AC?
[20:44] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 AC? and gets 12." [1d20=4]
[20:44] <Kotono> But Andrea's armor holds them at bay, the cold steel not even dented!
[20:45] <Andria> roll d20+15
[20:45] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+15 and gets 23." [d20=8]
[20:45] <Kotono> OOC: That be a hit.
[20:46] <Andria> roll 2d4+15+d6+15 (last number is charging smite dmg)
[20:46] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls 2d4+15+d6+15 (last number is charging smite dmg) and gets 39." [2d4=4, 3][d6=2]
[20:47] <Kotono> Andrea charges in, her blade meeting eyes who hastily zoom in to protect the main eye! Two of them are cut apart, falling like cracked eggs to teh ground! Eight of them remain, as Branna takes a breath and attempts to tumble safely in!
[20:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 and gets 16." [1d20=7]
[20:48] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 (+2 charge)
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 (+2 charge) and gets 23." [1d20=13]
[20:48] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d2
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+6+1d2 and gets 14." [1d8=6][1d2=2]
[20:48] <Kotono> roll 1d8+1 healing
[20:48] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+1 healing and gets 5." [1d8=4]
[20:49] <Kotono> With a heavy cleave down he goes for the main body...but two more eyes dart in, taking the blow as they are hacked apart! Only half a dozen remain, as Noel's body glows white with succor! OOC: Eyes are up.
[20:51] <Kotono> The six remaining eyes abruptly fly out, forming a haggard circle around Wayland, Aaeru, Branna and Andrea! From them pure yellow beams bounce back and forth, all then shot at the center eye! It throbs with power a moment, before a short range field of energy erupts around it! OOC: Reflex all four of you, -3 penalty.
[20:51] <Andria> roll d20+5
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+5 and gets 19." [d20=14]
[20:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5 Branna
[20:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 Branna and gets 20." [1d20=15]
[20:52] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+8
[20:52] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+8 and gets 18." [1d20=10]
[20:54] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8 and gets 20." [1d20=12]
[20:54] <Kotono> roll 6d6 Andrea takes half, the rest of you are evasion whoring bastards. <_<
[20:54] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 6d6 Andrea takes half, the rest of you are evasion whoring bastards. <_< and gets 16." [6d6=1, 1, 4, 4, 3, 3]
[20:56] <Kotono> Amid the colorful yellow storm of hell, Aaeru leaps to the ceiling, holding on for a few seconds before landing! Wayland floats straight up, while Branna curses and slams himself into the ground below the blasts! ANdrea isn't so fast, shielding her face with her armored arms and enduring the worst of it!  OOC: Noel's up. Still holding unless you guys tell himd ifferently. Wayland, your go.
[20:57] <Andria> "Hey Noel! Come help out a little! It doesn't even sting, it really is that bad a shot!" Andrea calls out, hiding her pain as the only one that actually got hit.
[20:58] <Kotono> "Ugh, fine," Noel curses as he eyes it, attempting to tumble in!
[20:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[20:58] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 10." [1d20=2]
[20:58] <Kotono> A second later, the remaining eyes dart forward, on him!
[20:58] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[20:58] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 13." [1d20=5]
[20:59] <Kotono> roll 1d20+10 (+2 charge)
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+10 (+2 charge) and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[20:59] <Kotono> roll 1d4+3
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d4+3 and gets 4." [1d4=1]
[20:59] <Kotono> Noel stabs out as he dodges, scraping one small eye but not quite popping it! OOC: Wayland.
[20:59] <Wayland> Meanwhile, Wayland swings rapidly at the center eye!
[20:59] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7+1
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7+1 and gets 18." [1d20=10]
[20:59] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7+1
[20:59] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7+1 and gets 13." [1d20=5]
[21:00] <Andria> "See? What'd I say, no depth perception!" Andrea says cheerfully as Noel comes join in.
[21:00] <Kotono> OOC: One hit.
[21:00] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6+1 assuming one hit
[21:00] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6+1 assuming one hit and gets 17." [1d8=8][1d6=5]
[21:01] <Kotono> WHAM! Two more eyes dart forward to meet Wayland's fist at the last minute, exploding into eye-goopy gore! Only four remain, closing in to hover protectively over the main eye! OOC: Aaeru.
[21:02] * Aaeru works in tandem with Wayland, doing her very best to rid the world of floating eyes who might be evil. A backhand with her left hand at the one creeping in on her, and then a cartwheel to put her in a better position to take out the one past it!
[21:02] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+8 blades of fire
[21:02] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+8 blades of fire
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+8 blades of fire and gets 17." [1d20=9]
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+8 blades of fire and gets 10." [1d20=2]
[21:02] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+4+1d6+1d8
[21:02] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+4+1d6+1d8 and gets 14." [1d6=4][1d6=1][1d8=5]
[21:04] <Kotono> Aaeru cartwheels as she casually backhands another small eye, making it explode into hunks of gory eyegoop! Only three remain as they protect the main body still! OOC: Andrea'n'Janson.
[21:05] <Janson> "Yeah, I guess I thought it was scarier than it was," Janson apologises as he fires another blast into the fray.
[21:05] <Janson> roll 1d20+3
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+3 and gets 15." [1d20=12]
[21:05] <Janson> roll 3d6
[21:05] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 3d6 and gets 12." [3d6=5, 2, 5]
[21:06] <Kotono> With a lancing strike Janson gets another eye, vaporized into nothingness as it absorbs his full eldritch fury! Only two remain now! OOC: Andrea.
[21:08] <Andria> "It does look pretty ugly," Andrea agrees as she takes a swing at another eye.
[21:08] <Andria> roll d20+12
[21:08] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+12 and gets 16." [d20=4]
[21:08] <Kotono> This time Andrea can'tq uite compensate enough, the two remaining eyes and the main eye darting to the side and away! Branna presses a second later, trying to spear it!
[21:08] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[21:08] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 26." [1d20=18]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d8+6+1d2
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+6+1d2 and gets 11." [1d8=4][1d2=1]
[21:09] <Kotono> roll 1d8+1 healing
[21:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d8+1 healing and gets 7." [1d8=6]
[21:11] <Kotono> The last two eyes are struck dead on, shish-kebobed on Frozen Oath! At this the center eye shudders, wobbling int he air...before turning beet-red! It shakes in the air with clear, wordless fury as it's eye itself turns pure yellow! A crackling, overwhelming beam explodes out, right at Branna!
[21:11] <Kotono> roll 1d20+8
[21:11] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+8 and gets 11." [1d20=3]
[21:11] <Kotono> But the mercenary is quicker, weaving to the side as the beam hits the wall! It burrows a good foot and a half in before petering out, leaving naught but stone dust in the hole it vaporized! OOC: Noel's up.
[21:12] <Kotono> Stabbing out as he moves to flank the homicidal eye with Branna, "Shiiit, shit, shit!" he curses, "That went through stone like a fucking knife through hot lard!"
[21:12] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 (+2 flank, +1 song)
[21:12] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 (+2 flank, +1 song) and gets 28." [1d20=19]
[21:13] <Kotono> roll 1d20+9 (+2 flank, +1 song) crit?
[21:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+9 (+2 flank, +1 song) crit? and gets 21." [1d20=12]
[21:13] <Kotono> roll 2d4+6+2d6+8
[21:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 2d4+6+2d6+8 and gets 30." [2d4=4, 4][2d6=6, 2]
[21:14] <Kotono> Branna makes a quick, surgical strike right into the back of the eye! A jet of pressurized white-gray fluid erupts out, spraying all over as the eye wobbles in the again! OOC: Wayland.
[21:16] <Wayland> Sensing an opening, Wayland rears back and strikes! OOC: Psychic Fist gooooo
[21:16] <Wayland> roll 1d20+8+1
[21:16] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+8+1 and gets 17." [1d20=8]
[21:17] <Kotono> OOC: That be a hit, barely.
[21:17] <Wayland> roll 1d8+3+1d6+2d6+1
[21:17] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d8+3+1d6+2d6+1 and gets 17." [1d8=3][1d6=3][2d6=3, 4]
[21:17] <Kotono> A powerful strike hits the eye dead on, making it cloud up! IT crumples in the front, floating only erratically, bobbing about wildly! OOC: Aaeru.
[21:18] <Aaeru> Sliding into a position opposite Wayland, Aaeru launches her own strikes against the eye!
[21:18] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+10
[21:18] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+10
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+10 and gets 25." [1d20=15]
[21:18] <Aaeru> roll 2d6+8+2d6
[21:18] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 2d6+8+2d6 and gets 16." [2d6=2, 1][2d6=2, 3]
[21:21] <Kotono> With a devastating 1-2 combo, the eye tears apart! AS fire seals it's wounds yet more open, the entire mass landing on the ground with a wet plop! At the same time, the door to the north slides ajar, as if inviting. OOC: Free act, it's dead.
[21:21] * Aaeru nods in satisfaction.
[21:22] <Janson> "Yeah, wasn't much to it after all," Janson shrugs, walking around the squishy corpse towards the newly revealed door.
[21:23] * Wayland briefly investigates the corpse in case there's another key inside this one too!
[21:23] * Aaeru hurries along as Wayland does that, doing her best to not look back!
[21:25] <Kotono> There's nothing in the corpse but bodily remains. Noel eyes Janson, "There wasn't anything to it?! Did you see that fucking beam!" he points at the hole in the wall, "That would've turned one of us into fucking dust!" Meanwhile Branna cleans his blade and takes a look about.
[21:26] <Janson> "Well yeah, but it missed, didn't it?" Janson asks blandly. "Like Andrea said, no depth perception."
[21:26] <Wayland> "Relax, you're fine." Wayland says, cleaning his hands. "I need a moment."
[21:26] <Andria> "It wasn't that bad!" Andrea says to Noel. "We did fine, right?"
[21:26] <Wayland> With that, Wayland settles himself and begins to meditate.
[21:27] <Wayland> OOC: Regaining Psychic Focus
[21:28] <Wayland> roll 1d20+6
[21:28] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19." [1d20=13]
[21:29] <Kotono> Noel just shakes his head, as Branna prepares for ahead. OOC: Ball's in your guys court once Wayland meditates.
[21:29] <Janson> This door, it was made for me!
[21:29] <Wayland> roll 1d20+6 again free actions wheeeeeee
[21:29] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+6 again free actions wheeeeeee and gets 24." [1d20=18]
[21:30] <Wayland> After a minute or two, Wayland opens his eyes and stands. "Thank you, I am ready."
[21:34] <Kotono> Going through the door you find a room of darkness...but the moment a foot steps into it, light appears! The floor is patterned with tiles, resembling a skull. Standing in the center of the room is a dwarf - well muscled and kept, yet oddly haggard. In his hands is a simple looking stone box, his gaze rapt on it.
[21:35] <Andria> "Oh, finally! I was wondering how much more we'd have to go through to meet him!" Andrea declares as she sheathes her blade.
[21:35] <Aaeru> "Hi!"
[21:39] <Andria> "You are Rubi'Granit, right?" Andrea pauses to asks, wanting to confirm it's not some other random dwarf or something.
[21:39] <Wayland> "Hopefully." Wayland mutters.
[21:40] <Kotono> "...eh?" The dwarf looks up, eyes bloodshot. "Look here, someone's come this far...Hehhehehehhe...it's not fair, this is only the first leg and it's not even finished!" One hand reaches out to the part, "Come here...I'll show you the rest of it..."
[21:41] <Aaeru> "Okay!" Aaeru agrees immediately, walking over to him at the invitation. "Did you know that your front door is very scary?"
[21:41] <Janson> "Ahh, no need for that. Actually, we were sent here by your friend Ulian. He was worried about you," Janson moves slowly and makes no threatening gestures!
[21:42] <Kotono> As Aaeru approaches, the box shifts! It seems to open up from several angles at once, multicolored lights flashing within, "Hehhehe, watch the puzzle!"
[21:43] <Andria> Andrea obliges and watches the puzzle, not really thinking much of the request except a brief bit of confusion.
[21:44] * Janson politely refrains from staring at the mind-bending puzzle of insanity.
[21:45] <Kotono> OOC: Wayland and Aaeru, are you two looking at the box or...?
[21:45] <Aaeru> "I'm bad with puzzles," Aaeru admits to save their dwarven host the trouble of showing her something she doesn't really understand.
[21:45] <Wayland> OOC: Looking at the dwarf, if that counts.
[21:45] <Aaeru> OOC: At the dwarf
[21:46] <Kotono> Noel gazes at the dwarf, while Branna's eyes go to study the puzzle! As they do...OOC: Branna and Andrea, make will saves?
[21:46] <Kotono> roll 1d20+2 Branna
[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+2 Branna and gets 15." [1d20=13]
[21:46] <Andria> roll d20+13
[21:46] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+13 and gets 33." [d20=20]
[21:47] <Kotono> There is a flash of clashing, colorful lights...and when it clears, Branna is gone! The dwarf laughs, "Another one to try the puzzle!"
[21:48] <Janson> "Okay, how about you just give me the puzzle so I can give it a try?" Janson edges towards the dwarf, keeping his gaze away from the glowing box of doom.
[21:48] <Andria> "Hey! What'd your puzzle do to Branna! It better not have forced him to join a hive-mind and shrunk him into a tiny dwarf, or else!"
[21:48] <Andria> Andrea draws her blade for good measure and waves it in a threatening manner!
[21:50] <Kotono> Rubri'Granit gives Andrea a momentarily dazed look, before smiling, "He's trying the puzzle right now...hehhhe, think he can solve it? You want to try it, look into it!"
[21:50] <Aaeru> "It's-- it's an evil puzzle!" Aaeru exclaims, looking around warily for any signs of Branna.
[21:50] <Kotono> Meanwhile...
[21:50] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1
[21:50] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 and gets 6." [1d20=7]
[21:51] * Janson attempts to snatch the puzzle out of the dwarf's hands! Without looking at it.
[21:51] <Kotono> No sign of Branna at all, the box whirrling and glowing brighter! OOC: Make an opposed str checkw ith the dwarf, Janson?
[21:51] <Kotono> roll 1d20+5
[21:51] <Janson> roll 1d20+1
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+5 and gets 16." [1d20=11]
[21:51] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+1 and gets 15." [1d20=14]
[21:52] <Kotono> Janson gets his hands on it, the puzzle-box warm to the touch! He triest o jerk it back but the dwarf is just a bit stronger! "The only way he gets back is if he solves the puzzle," With a big grin, shaking his head at Janson, "Maybe if he had some help he might have a chance...!"
[21:53] * Janson reflexively looks down as he feels resistance to his grabbing, not having expected the starving crazy dwarf to have such a good grip! This gets him an eyeful of evil puzzle.
[21:53] <Janson> roll 1d20+6 will
[21:53] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+6 will and gets 15." [1d20=9]
[21:55] <Kotono> In an instant Janson winks away, just like that! OOC: #evildunes, Janson.
[21:56] <Aaeru> "Give them back, you evil puzzle!" Aaeru cries out. She follows Janson in herself, except it is not to snatch it away. Imbued with Ilmater's strength, Aaeru charges in, fist first!
[21:57] <Kotono> OOC: Attack roll.
[21:57] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+11 charge, strength devotion
[21:57] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+11 charge, strength devotion and gets 25." [1d20=14]
[21:58] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+5+1d6 adamant, bypasses hardness
[21:58] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+5+1d6 adamant, bypasses hardness and gets 8." [1d6=2][1d6=1]
[22:00] <Kotono> CRACK! A line passes down part of the box, a distinct crack in it! The dwarf just gives Aaeru a hooded look, "Do you think your friends will survive if the box breaks?" He laughs at that, "How do you survive if the dungeon collapses while your'e in it, let alone the puzzle?"
[22:01] <Aaeru> "You're lying!" Aaeru insists. "It's the evil puzzle! It doesn't want to die!" She can hardly avoid looking at it after slamming her fist in it, however, since the art of blind fighting is beyond her.
[22:01] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+10 will
[22:01] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+10 will and gets 17." [1d20=7]
[22:02] <Andria> Andrea frowns. "What happens if they don't solve the puzzle either?" she asks, focusing on his words, checking for lies.
[22:02] <Andria> roll d20+10 sense motive
[22:02] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+10 sense motive and gets 14." [d20=4]
[22:03] * Wayland looks back and forth between the dwarf and Aaeru. "Maybe he's telling the truth, Aaeru."
[22:04] <Kotono> Aaeru feels terribly pulled, but manages to somehow resist the feeling, if barely! At the same time you just aren't sure - Andrea can't read his face at all!
[22:05] <Andria> ooc: does he answer the question also?
[22:06] * Aaeru balls her hands into fists, as the puzzle tries to take hold of her mind. "The puzzle has to be stopped!" Aaeru exclaims. Those very fists are directed towards the glowing contraption! "I believe that! Ilmater, guide my way!"
[22:06] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7
[22:06] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7
[22:06] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 and gets 20." [1d20=13]
[22:06] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16." [1d20=9]
[22:07] <Kotono> OOC: Two htis.
[22:08] <Aaeru> roll 2d6+10+2d6 adamant, magic, bypasses hardness as before
[22:08] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 2d6+10+2d6 adamant, magic, bypasses hardness as before and gets 24." [2d6=1, 6][2d6=4, 3]
[22:09] <Kotono> "They fail. What happens to failures in dungeons?" The dwarf asks with a cracked smile, as Aaeru's fists slam down again! VAst cracks spread over the puzzle, shaking terribly! "Stop that! The puzzle has to be solved, not destroyed, you brute!" The dwarf glares at Aaeru!
[22:10] <Andria> Andrea attempts to see the truth of his words again while he's being emotional about Aaeru's actions. "If they win they're set free, come back as they entered?"
[22:10] <Andria> roll d20+10 sense motive again
[22:10] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+10 sense motive again and gets 25." [d20=15]
[22:11] <Aaeru> He's just trapped by the puzzle's evil mind-control. Once those chains of bondage are undone, he will approve of her actions! Aaeru strikes at the puzzle again, not wasting more of her breath.
[22:11] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7
[22:11] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+7
[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 and gets 18." [1d20=11]
[22:11] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+7 and gets 10." [1d20=3]
[22:12] <Aaeru> roll 1d6+5+1d6
[22:12] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d6+5+1d6 and gets 10." [1d6=2][1d6=3]
[22:13] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[22:13] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d100 and gets 37." [1d100=37]
[22:15] <Kotono> CRACK! A final blow to the box shatters it wide! It lets out a human sounding scream, before exploding outwards! Chaotically cascading light explodes everywhere, as...OOC: Will saves, all.
[22:15] <Aaeru> roll 1d20+10
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Aaeru rolls 1d20+10 and gets 30." [1d20=20]
[22:15] <Kotono> roll 1d20 Branna
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20 Branna and gets 6." [1d20=6]
[22:15] <Wayland> roll 1d20+7
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Wayland rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16." [1d20=9]
[22:15] <Kotono> OOC: Noel.
[22:16] <Kotono> roll 1d20+14 Rubri'Granit
[22:16] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20+14 Rubri'Granit and gets 15." [1d20=1]
[22:16] <Kotono> OOC: Andrea?
[22:17] <Andria> roll d20+13
[22:17] * Hatbot --> "Andria rolls d20+13 and gets 21." [d20=8]
[22:18] <Kotono> There is a terrible burst of light! When it clears all that is left is ruin, rubble, Andrea and Aaeru. No sign of the others or Rubri'Granit...
[22:18] <Kotono> OOC: Wayland, #evil.

[21:56] <Kotono> Color...as it fades from Janson's eyes, he finds himself standing in a void. A void full of stone slabs that move about, mixing with intercolored lights. It appears to be some vast pattern, moving two and fro and trying to interlock. Nearby Branna stands, dazed and staring at the endless spectacle!
[21:58] <Janson> "Oh, hey Branna," Janson waves embarrassedly. "Guess it caught me, too..." he paces about a bit on the slab, looking at all the others. "Looks pretty crazy out here."
[22:00] <Kotono> "Have to focus..." Branna mutters, staring out, "D'you see it?"
[22:02] * Janson tries to stare in the same direction as Branna to figure out what he sees.
[22:03] <Kotono> OOC: Int check.
[22:05] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[22:05] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+2 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
[22:07] <Kotono> Janson is able to marshal his mental resources, looking into the colors. Before him is a puzzle of immense size and complexity, the lights and colors an interlocking corundrum of massive depth. It's utterly fascinating, Janson able to keep his mind despite nearly being overawed and absorbed into the multifold workings. If he can focus his intellect and apply himself to the puzzle...
[22:07] <Janson> He can do what? Are there pieces to be moved? Is it within his power to move them? Or is it a maze? So puzzling!
[22:08] <Kotono> Janson thinks he can if he applies his mind to it, yes.
[22:09] <Janson> "Focus your mind!" Janson agrees with Branna, setting his legs apart and hunching down slightly as he begins to squint and massage his temples, exerting all of his will to the effort!
[22:09] <Kotono> As you focus, cracks appear all over! The ground quakes, a terrible weightless sensation all around you!
[22:09] <Kotono> OOC: Int check.
[22:09] <Kotono> roll 1d20-1 Branna will aid another you here.
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-1 Branna will aid another you here. and gets 16." [1d20=17]
[22:09] <Janson> roll 1d20+2 i wish Sylvie was here
[22:09] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+2 i wish Sylvie was here and gets 7." [1d20=5]
[22:13] <Kotono> Janson feels his mind glaze over as the case shakes...he studies the puzzle, but the shaking disrupts him! He feels sick and weak, Branna letting out a cry!
[22:15] <Janson> "Ewww," Janson stumbles onto his hands and knees. "Just when you get focused it has to do that? Nothing's ever easy," he groans, picking himself up and resuming his effort, sticking his tongue out in concentration!
[22:15] <Kotono> Even as Janson begins to concentrate, the world explodes around him! He barely has time to register, as...OOC: Will save both of you, -4 since you're inside.
[22:15] <Kotono> roll 1d20-2 Branna
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Kotono rolls 1d20-2 Branna and gets 9." [1d20=11]
[22:15] <Janson> roll 1d20+2
[22:15] * Hatbot --> "Janson rolls 1d20+2 and gets 12." [1d20=10]