As you spin wildly, cast amid the planes, a voice speaks to you. That of a loud, resonant voice, meant to carry.
"Welcome, friends! I am Sir Froggington of Ribbit, a wondrous and rather hungry spokesman, so I shall make this quick. My patron is an avid fan of mazes and challenges. You recently went through one of his and he has decided that another must happen, even with a small push. You may consider yourselves slaad-napped if it helps, friends, and the rewards will be quite good to the bold and the brave. Good luck!"
You appear in a large lake. You splash right down into it, glimpses of a cavern and waterfalls seen before you slip below the waterline. Cold. The water's icy cold and quite dark.
He knew it!!!!!
Moore sputters as he splashes near the top of the lake.
"Limbo is not really a suitable place for a second date, if you ask me... a third, maybe." He says as he steadies himself and goes to fly out of the lake and move over to help Ilsenine up too. "On the plus side, it doesn't seem like we're in any real danger, are you all right?"
Make a Swim check first then, since you went right into the drink. Ilsenine will make one too.
Take 10 for 30
> roll 1d20+3 Ilsenine is not a swimmer
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 10 > [d20=7]
You emerge from the icy depths. Looking around, you are briefly stunned by the crashing of water. You are in a large underground lake, dozens of waterfalls plunging down. They plunge down from thousands of feet high, making gentle archers that shimmer with rainbows. The sight is breath-taking and enthralls you for a few seconds.
There's one little problem. Ilsenine hasn't come up from the cold waters.
Moore takes a deep breath and goes down into the water after her!
Oh, wait, he doesn't need to breathe. Oh well -- habit.
> roll 1d20+3 Ilsenine is not a swimmer
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+3 Ilsenine is not a swimmer --> [ 1d20=1 ]{4}
Ilsenine is below, sinking deeper into the waters as she splashes about, failing at swimming.
Moore will cast Dimension Door to get close to her so he doesn't have to waste time swimming. Well, if it works, anyway!
Plan is to Dimension Door then help her up and out of the water. If dimension door does not work, then he will swim.
No good. Dimensional warding, most likely.
> roll 1d20+3 Ilsenine is not a swimmer
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+3 Ilsenine is not a swimmer --> [ 1d20=11 ]{14}
Meanwhile, Ilsenine at least stops sinking, but she's not getting any closer to the surface.
He will just have to do it the old fashioned way!
Oh! How silly of him, he will cast Haste on himself to help get there more quickly.
He takes a deep breath in case he needs to take his amulet off to help her breathe, but either way will swim!
You swim down to her, reaching Ilsenine. She quickly grabs onto you.
I'm not entirely sure how the necklace of adaptation would work if she needs air, but either way he does have it.
Moore will start swimming up!
You swim up and back to the surface. Once up, Ilsenine takes a deep breath and coughs. "What manner of peril is this?"
"Are you at all familiar with some of the dungeons that Ithea and the others went through?" Moore asks. "I think it's similar to that, except this one seems to be designed on a maze or a labyrinth."
Ilsenine frowns. "Then we are in peril, I have heard stories of these dungeons. We should seek safety and escape as swiftly as possible."
"Well, the only way out of a maze is to go forward, right?" Moore says as he now flies out of the water and helps Ilsenine out herself. "Let's see..."
He'll cast a spell to help him see a little better, just to be on the safe side.
Casting Vision of the Omniscient Eye and then taking a look around. Take 10 on Spot for 56 if that's the relevant one.
You only see one way ahead - straight up, to the tops of those waterfalls and beyond, to the top of this absurdly tall cavern.
That's not much of a maze if there's only one direction...
Either way, he'll dry off himself and Ilsenine with some magic (didn't She always do that...?) before he gestures.
"Shall we?" Moore says as he starts to rise.
"Let's," Ilsenine says.
As the two of you fly up, you see the waterfalls come to life. The waters move as if a living thing, weaving above you. Before you eyes they form walls and paths, making a solid building of waters above you, with an entrance on the bottom, which is directly above you. A simple hole for one to fly into the building from. It takes up the entire space all around, large enough so you can't simply fly around it.
"Even if the way they got us here was a bit insulting, you can't fault their craftsmanship." Moore says as he takes Ilsenine's hand again and flies into the hole!
Do you have any supernatural senses, darkvision, low-light vision or anything like that?
WELL I WOULD IF SOMEONE HADN'T STOLEN MY MASK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He has low-light vision and always-on detect magic.
Pixie morale -100.
You fly in. You find it's dim but your low-light vision is sufficient. The entry room is small and there's another hole 15ft up through a the roof to continue further, as well as small holes in the western and southern wall to go through.
"Do you have an opinion on the direction?" Moore asks. "The traditional method to find your way out of a maze is to hold your hand on the right wall and keep it that way -- you end up traversing every path. This one is... uh... a little different, obviously..."
Queen Ilsenine frowns, "Three dimensions rather complicates it," She says, "Can your magic find the way?"
"I doubt it would work." Moore says. "Even then, I think that it ruins the spirit of the invitation." He smiles and gives her hand a squeeze. "I understand your trepidation -- I was rather taken aback my first few times dealing with them. Let us treat it as if we were invited by a fellow fey to test one of their own tricks."
Ilsenine smiles, "Then I suggest we rise, as that is the intended path, I would suspect."
"Three dimensions really -does- complicate it..." Moore says as he rises. "I suppose we can always backtrack if we need to."
You fly up. This is a fairly uninteresting square room on one side, then abruptly narrows into a tight passage to the western side, with small tunnel there. There's also tunnels to the north and the south, just before the room narrows.
On the inner wall of the tight passage to the western tunnel, a line of rock rests within the still waters.
"Maze decor...?" Moore asks aloud as he flies over. "Hmm... Well, no one got anywhere just sitting around." He offers as he tentatively starts to head towards the southern tunnel.
"Strange," Ilsenine agrees, "There's no helping it, a maze is meant to be explored."
The souther tunnel leads you to a narrow hallway. It goes 30ft, and at 15ft there's a passage to the west and at 25ft there's a passage to the east. At the end is a dead end, but a stone triangle and a stone dot decorate the waters.
As you go into this room, you hear a faraway whistling of the winds.
Moore turns to look over at the noise. He makes a mental note of the rock line and then these rocks.
"Do you think they're meant as markers so the people traversing don't get lost?" Moore asks as he flies over, he tentatively tries to reach out to a rock -- both to test how solid the water is and to try and reach it as well.
"I suppose it would be cruel to expect someone to remember something that looks... watery." Moore adds.
Your sharp hearing lets you note that the wind comes from the eastern passage.
"Only Queen Titania may know," Ilsenine admits, "Who can predict the mind of a slaad? In my captivity, the devilish indoctrination even managed to get in several digs at them, calling them lunatics and insane. On that point I fear the devils were not ill-informed."
Which stone are you touching, the dot or the triangle?
The dot in the middle.
"You know, I've never really reflected on our journey there." Moore says offhandedly as he glances towards the eastern passage as he fiddles with the water.
You tap the dot and the dot glows. At the same time, the eastern tunnel begins to glow faintly as well. The dot crumbles away, though the eastern tunnel begins to glow.
A moment later, the triangle glows and crumbles away. Behind you a humanoid shape of pure water appears - you know this as a water elemental. A medium one, but it glows with an eerie light as it attacks both of you.
Init.
Queen Ilsenine has motivate dex+10 for an aura. Do you have one as well? Multiple marshal auras for this don't stack, so the stronger one dominates.
His default one is the same thing, so his is +12.
[22:01] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+32
[22:01] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+27 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+6 elemental
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=8]
Init is Moore (48) > Ilsenine (42) > Elemental (14)
Open.
Moore tilts his head back and forth. How best to handle this...
He strums his harp once and lets out a deafening shout at the elemental, then he flies back and slightly away from Ilsenine so he doesn't get her caught in anything!
Greater Shout via the Harp
[22:11] <Nephrite> roll 10d6 sonic damage DC 28 fort halves I think elementals are immune to stun and I doubt deafening matters
[22:11] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 34 > [d6=2,5,2,1,3,3,5,3,4,6]
There's nowhere to fly back to, since you're at the end of a dead end. Does that change your action?
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 284/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 8
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
Oh I just meant in general -- I figure we're in a room and she's like, say in the center with the elemental on the wall, so I just meant like 10-15 feet to her right, if that makes sense. If that's possible.
The southern tunnel leads you to a narrow hallway. It goes 30ft, and at 15ft there's a passage to the west and at 25ft there's a passage to the east. At the end is a dead end, but a stone triangle and a stone dot decorate the waters.
From the description of the area. You're at the end of a narrow hallway with Ilsenine, there's just not much room to maneuver like that.
Oh I see, that's fine, he can just stay nearby. If it comes after him he has tricks.
Okay, does using your harp provoke an AoO and if so, is it one you can Concentrate away?
That is a really great question, I don't know. This is what the description says:
The harp may also be used at will to cast Greater Shout, at Caster Level 15th, by expending one use of user's bardic music allotment. This is a Standard Action.
So maybe??
Checking the SRD, it does not.
> roll 1d20+17
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=6]
The shout vibrates the elemental all over, water splashing from it as it shakes.
At the same time Ilsenine turns invisible, before a flurry of tiny, invisible fists pummel the elemental.
> roll 1d20+31 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+26 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d20+21 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+16 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d20=9]
> roll 1d6+3
> roll 1d6+3
> roll 1d6+3
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 6 > [d6=3]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d6=2]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 7 > [d6=4]
Yes, I'm aware this isn't optimal. She was caught off guard, she's not nearly as seasoned as all of you in combat and dungeoneering. Normally, I'd let this stand on it's own merits and be inferred by her actions, but I figure I'll save people commenting on it.
The elemental's hit further, water knocked away from it. It stands there uncaringly, before a great blast of pressurized water comes from its chest at Moore.
> roll 1d20+18 touch AC Moore
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=3]
Touch AC?
35!
You hit the floor - huh, the water's solid. Solid enough to support you as you avoid the jet, clutching your harp to your chest. Safe!
Go.
Seeing that Ilsenine is trying something -- though he cannot -see- it, he simply does what he does best... motivate!
"Yes, just like that!" He calls out.
[22:48] <Nephrite> roll 3d4 nonlethal
[22:48] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 7 > [d4=2,2,3]
Inspire Courage, Ilsenine now gets +16 to attack and weapon damage rolls and charm and fear saves.
> roll 1d20+47 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+42 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+37 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=8]
> roll 1d20+32 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +1 aura, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d6+19
> roll 1d6+19
> roll 1d6+19
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d6=3]
> roll 1d6+19
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d6=3]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 21 > [d6=2]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 25 > [d6=6]
Tiny hunks of the elemental's water body go flying out, and after the last, it collapses into a pile of water. Victory!
You see that it left behind water in the shape of a dagger, which slowly transmutes to a steel dagger.
Ilsenine reappears moments later, breathing slowly and steadily. "...I was startled. A Queen does not punch out things, let alone an elemental."
Free act.
"...Hm." Moore taps his chin as he analyzes the dagger.
Take 10 for 49 on spellcraft
"My apologies, Your Majesty. Were I more like Crystal, this sort of thing wouldn't be a problem." Moore says with some seriousness.
It is a dagger+1, elemental bane.
"We'll have to make do," Ilsenine says, "Lead on," she commands, "We will triumph and return to Aurora."
Loot post.
"As you wish, Your Majesty." Moore says with a bow. Since the eastern way seems to be begging them to go in that direction, he heads that way!
"If I may be so bold," He calls out towards the water. "The two of us are not fighters in the traditional sense. If you have any other sorts of challenges for us other than fighting, I think you would get more enjoyment out of it."
You head to the east as you do not get a reply.
This opens up into a larger, vaguely circular room with a low roof.
There is a passage to the north, a little tunnel leading deeper in. There's also a hole in the ground heading back down to the previous floor. On the far eastern wall are two stone shapes: A line and a square.
"I wonder if the symbols themselves represented something?" Moore asks as he flies over to the line and the square. "This is the second line... If we get into combat again... Here, Your Majesty." Moore offers her the dagger they just picked up. "This would be suitable for fighting any further elemental creatures, but it would also be more elegant than fistfighting."
Ilsenine takes the dagger.
"Thank you, should it be needed, but this time I will rely on my magic."
"Well then, let us see a regal display." Moore says with a smile at her as he reaches out to touch the first of the rocks in the line.
Oh, I think I may me misunderstanding -- they're just rocks in the form of shapes, not like... individual rocks next to each other to make shapes like dots, right? In that case he just touches the end of the linerock.
They're individual rocks in that shape, big enough to be easily visible.
You touch the line first. A sharp guillotine blade plunges down from the top of the passage going north, cleaving out of the water and hitting the bottom lip of it. Instead of going through, it breaks apart into little pieces. As this happens, the line glows and crumbles away.
A moment later, the square glows. The tunnel to the north fills in with water, gone. At the same time, a tunnel on the south wall opens up, revealing a new path.
"I'll admit, I don't understand that one at all." Moore says with his hands on his hips. "Maybe the lines are like switches...?" He takes a breath through his nose as he turns and starts heading south.
"There's a logic here that escapes me," Ilsenine says, "We had best determine if the stone shapes have any consistent meaning."
This opens up into a large room indented down like a shallow bowl. At the bottom of this bowl is a stone pentagon, set into the waters there.
There are small tunnels to the west and the east here.
You can hear the sound of something grinding to the east.
"Well, so far, one stone seems to indicate it will create a monster... I think." Moore says as he flies over to the pentagon. "This is the first one of these we've seen..." Moore reaches out to touch the very top of the pentagon.
The pentagon glows and crumbles away. From the waters a dagger emerges, forming from water into solid steel.
"Hmm..." Moore will examine the dagger before picking it up and putting it away!
Take 10 for Spellcraft 49
It is a dagger+1, animal bane.
"I wonder if pentagons are 'treasures' then." Moore shrugs. He can hear what's coming from the east, but he heads west first to investigate!
The west leads to a square block of a room. On the far western wall are two squares and a pentagon.
There are little tunnels to the west and south, as well as a hole in the ceiling that leads upwards.
You can again hear the whistling of wind. It sounds closer now than it did before.
Moore will go over to touch the pentagon again to see if the behavior is the same!
Moore touches the pentagon. It glows and fades away, a dagger coming out of the water and forming, falling to the ground at your feet.
A moment later, one square glows and crumbles, then the other follows. The passage up is filled in, replaced by a passage down. The passage you came from then seals up, while a passage to the north opens up.
To be clear there are now the following passages: Down, North, South and West. Up is gone, as is the passage to the East you came through.
"So pentagons are treasure." Moore says as he takes this next dagger, analyzes it and the puts it away.
"I don't think we need to go down... but perhaps there's a new area below?" Moore offers.
It's a dagger+1, ooze bane.
"Hold on," Ilsenine says, "Let's check north first. If I'm reckoning it right, that should take us back one room south of where we came up on this floor."
Moore nods and will head that way, north!
You come up into the room you fought the elemental in - the narrow hallway, right at the dead end where the stones where. There's now a tunnel there going back south. It's otherwise unchanged, including the passage to the east still glowing.
"Ah, this leads back here." Moore nods. "Going back and down might have some room for we missed, or we can follow that." He gestures in the eastern direction.
"We already went that way," Ilsenine points out, "Though it gives us access back that way if there's a passage in one of those rooms we wish to explore."
"Hm, the only stones I saw back there was the line, which might seal it off and make us go in another direction. For now, then..." Moore begins to head in the eastern direction!
You head to the east and back to familiar territory.
This opens up into a larger, vaguely circular room with a low roof.
There is a passage to the south. There's also a hole in the ground heading back down to the previous floor.
The line and square you already activated here are still gone.
"Hmm." Moore rubs his chin. He will turn around, go back the way he came to the other hole that went down that wasn't this room. "Even though we're going back, we didn't come up this way, right?"
So back into the room with two squares and the pentagon?
Yes.
This leads back to the first floor, as expected.
This is a small room with no passages out of it, save the tunnel back to the second floor. On the floor is a stone pentagon and a stone dot.
"I think the dot may indicate a fight for something." Moore says. "Shall we?"
Ilsenine nods, "What a curious place."
Moore reaches out for the dot!
The dot glows and crumbles away, as the passage back up begins to glow as well.
A moment later, the pentagon crumbles. Another dagger emerges from the waters as it does.
Moore makes a sour face. "So the dots are... hmm, maybe they seal off certain passages...?"
Moore will analyze the dagger like usual and put it away before he travels back up!
It is a dagger+1, fey bane.
You return up without incident. There is a passage back down, a passage to the north that leads back the way you came and unexpored passages to the south and the west.
Moore wrinkles his nose at that dagger.
"Let's try... south." Moore says as he heads that way!
This room is rather wavy - literally. The walls gently ripple and form waves rather than solid lines.
You hear the sound of wind blowing. It sounds quite close now.
There's passages to the south, east and west here, as well as the passage north that took you here.
Embedded into the floor in the center of the room are two stone triangles, a stone pentagon and a stone square.
"Be ready for something." Moore says as he goes over to touch the.. hmm. Does this mean two enemies, a treasure and something will change a direction? Hmm. He will touch the triangle first.
You touch the triangle. Both triangles crumble at once and glow, and behind you two shapes appear. One is a vague human shape, a sword of water in hand. The other is a twisted, alien thing, a tentacle of water with eyes all over it.
As they advance on you, right at your flank, the square grows and falls apart. The passage south closes up, while a passage up opens up.
The pentagon crumbles away, a dagger rising out of the waters for you to claim.
Init.
[21:57] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+32
[21:57] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 43 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+27 Ilsenine
<Serith> Infinite_Ko_Loop roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+10 humanoid
<Serith> Infinite_Ko_Loop roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+13 tentacle
<Serith> Infinite_Ko_Loop roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=11]
Init is Ilsenine (44) > Moore (43) > Humanoid (29) > Tentacle (24)
Ilsenine will hold since you may do something boosting that she'd be better off waiting for. Go.
Switching aura to the one to overcome SR (just in case)Moore considers his options before he gestures and creates a mass of discordant sound and sonic energy behind the two!
[22:06] <Nephrite> roll 15d6 DC 27 reflex halves
[22:06] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 56 > [d6=4,3,3,5,1,4,5,3,6,5,5,2,2,4,4]Active Spells: mind blank (CL17), fortunate fate (CL15), planar tolerance (CL7) and greater mage armor(CL5), Superior Resistance (CL 24)
HP: (7)311
AC: 56, 35 touch
24/25 Bardic music uses 3/3 refrain
Spells:
0th - 7/7 (DC 21)
1st - 7/7
2nd - 7/7
3rd - 6/6
4th - 6/6
5th - 5/6
6th - 5/5
7th - 5/5
8th - 2/2
Favored Soul:
0th - 9/9
1st - 9/9
2nd - 9/9
3rd - 8/8
4th - 8/8
5th - 8/8
6th - 7/7
7th - 4/4
What spell?
If it's a spell that allows SR, make a caster level check.
Sorry! It's Cacophonic Burst which does allow for SR.
[22:12] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+25+12
[22:12] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 47 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d20+14
<Serith> Infinite_Ko_Loop roll for Serith < 31 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+20 evasion
<Serith> Infinite_Ko_Loop roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=7]
The burst of sound gets the humanoid right in the back, making him lurch over. The tentacle moves strangely, splitting around the burst and untouched. At the same time, Ilsenine makes a strange sign with her hand, as her eyes become wintry tombs of white, her gaze on the tentacle.
Freezing glance.
> roll 1d20+37 SR, including Moore's bonus
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+37 SR, including Moore's bonus --> [ 1d20=18 ]{55}
> roll 1d20+18 vs 28
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+18 vs 28 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{24}[/spoiler]
The tentacle is lightly frosted with ice, frozen in place. "Moore. Dispatch the other, the tentacle will not be going anywhere any time soon." Ilsenine says, as the warrior rears back and swings his watery sword at Ilsenine.
> roll 1d20+30 vs 50
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+30 vs 50 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{43}
Ilsenine dodges aside gracefully as...
Go. Tentacle is unable to move thanks to freezing glance.
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 284/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Freezing Glance (CL23)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 7
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
"As you wish." Moore says as he strums his harp once, releasing another sonic attack at the humanoid!
Greater Shout again from the harp at the humanoid.
[13:08] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+15+12 SR check
[13:08] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+15+12 SR check --> [ 1d20=20 ]{47}
[13:09] <Nephrite> roll 10d6 Reflex 28 halves, still guessing these are immune to the stun part if they fail
[13:09] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 10d6 Reflex 28 halves, still guessing these are immune to the stun part if they fail --> [ 10d6=41 ]{41}
> roll 1d20+14
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+14 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{34}
This time the humanoid manages to dodge partially, watery form disrupted but not as bad. It's still shaking all over, sloshing water as Ilsenine glares at it.
> roll 1d20+37 SR, including Moore's bonus
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+37 SR, including Moore's bonus --> [ 1d20=5 ]{42}
> roll 1d20+17 vs 28
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+17 vs 28 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{19}
Another imperious gaze freezes that one as well, a glaze of ice over it as it is unmoving.
"Moore. Finish them off decisively, in one strike." Ilsenine commands. "They may be able to escape after an attack."
Go.
He's not really sure that's how these creatures work, but...
Either way, all he can do is continue to chip at them -- he can't motivate himself to be a better fighter, alas! Maybe he should have summoned something to do the heavy lifting... except that probably wouldn't work here. Curses!
He strums his harp again!
[13:22] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+15+12 SR check
[13:22] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+15+12 SR check --> [ 1d20=2 ]{29}
[13:22] <Nephrite> roll 10d6 Reflex 28 halves, still guessing these are immune to the stun part if they fail
[13:22] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 10d6 Reflex 28 halves, still guessing these are immune to the stun part if they fail --> [ 10d6=38 ]{38}
No save since unable to move. The attack does allow it another save against freezing glance, though.
> roll 1d20+17 vs 28
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+17 vs 28 --> [ 1d20=2 ]{19}
The creature shakes badly, water spilling out. It doesn't look good at all, leaking water everywhere, but it's not down yet.
Ilsenine meanwhile holds.
Go again, both are still frozen.
He strums again! He really needs to get a stronger spell...
Greater Shout at the humanoid.
[13:30] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+15+12 SR check
[13:30] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+15+12 SR check --> [ 1d20=3 ]{30}
[13:30] <Nephrite> roll 10d6
[13:30] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 10d6 --> [ 10d6=35 ]{35}
The humanoid crumbles, a dagger of water becoming one of steel as it falls from the creature's flowing corpse.
Init is Ilsenine (44) > Moore (43) > Tentacle (24)
Go.
Moore will grab the dagger and fly over to the tentacle and takes a deep breath to psych himself up.
"You see other people do this all the time, you can do it, you can do it...!" Moore repeats.
[13:35] <Nephrite> roll 3d4 nonlethal
[13:35] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 3d4 nonlethal --> [ 3d4=11 ]{11}
Inspire Courage -- it affects both him and Ilsenine at +16.
If grabbing the dagger is a standard then his song will have to wait a turn.
Ilsenine merely nods and waits on your move.
Go.
Another breath before he starts stabbing! Everyone else can do this, so why not him?!
[13:47] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+21+16+1
[13:47] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+21+16+1 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{49}
[13:47] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+21+11+1 (this one should've been 16+16 but it ends up being the right number anyway)
[13:47] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+21+11+1 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{42}
[13:48] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+11+16+1
[13:49] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+11+16+1 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{32}
[13:49] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+6+16+1
[13:49] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+6+16+1 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{43}
[13:49] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+1+16+1
[13:49] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+1+16+1 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{29}[13:52] <Nephrite> roll 5#1d4+16+1
[13:52] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 5#1d4+16+1 --> [ 1d4=4 ]{21}, [ 1d4=2 ]{19}, [ 1d4=1 ]{18}, [ 1d4=4 ]{21}, [ 1d4=2 ]{19}
Frozen and unable to fight, the tentacle is beaten down. It crumbles before you, leaving behind a third dagger. Victory!
Free act.
"...This is really embarrassing, I'm going to just get that out of the way." Moore says as he analyzes all three daggers before putting two away and holding onto the third in case they get into another pickle.
"I think I've got some ideas on what to do about it, though." He takes a deep breath. "At least we can be sure now -- you have to activate all the stones at once. the triangles are enemies and the pentagons are treasure. I'm not sure what the difference between the line and the square is, though..."
They are: dagger+1, fiendbane, dagger+1, aberration bane and a dagger+1, human bane.
"We'll pin it down the more we work with them," Ilsenine says, "And likely have to make choices if a particular stone set is worth activating."
"Well, we have a new path to explore either way." Moore says as he starts to go up.
Is there any reasonable way to figure out if Summon Monster spells would work here? Moore is guessing since teleportation is blocked that summoning would likewise not work -- is that a fair guess to make, or is there any way he could be sure other than just trying?
Try Spellcraft if there's magic auras here, otherwise not.
Take 10 for 49 then
Should be okay, you think. More advanced calling not so much, but a simple summon spell should be okay.
"I think summoning magic should work." Moore says as he goes up. "If we run into one with multiple triangles again, we could probably summon something before we touch them."
"That's a good idea," Ilsenine agrees, "Choose a direction and let us continue."
Up it is!
Listen check.
Take 10 for 46
As you fly up, you hear a distinct splashing down beneath you.
Moore blinks and looks down to see what that was.
You look down and see the waters have split apart, a flying metal guillotine blade racing up at the two of you.
> roll 1d20+30 (+20 ???) vs Moore's AC
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+30 (+20 ???) vs Moore's AC --> [ 1d20=13 ]{43}
AC?
A healthy 47
A bare miss. You dodge at the last second, avoiding the blade as it hits the ceiling and falls to the ground, a broken wreck.
Whoops, I said 47 and meant 57. Oh well.
Moore blinks a few times. "Are you all right, Ilsenine?"
"I'm unhurt," Queen Ilsenine replies, "You as well?"
"Quite. I think that was the guillotine from before..." He makes a mental note of this as well as he takes stock of the new room.
This new room is a rough square, nothing remarkable. There are passages to the north, south east and west. In the southwest corner is a pentagon and a sphere of stone, both set into the watery wall.
Moore will fly over to touch the pentagon!
You touch the pentagon. Another dagger appears as the pentagon crumbles to dust.
A moment later, the sphere glows and does the same.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d100 : 19, total 19[/blockquote]
More in the next post. Once reason I don't like using these on the DM end is because I don't see the results so I have to partition posts.
Gah! Fire loops around you, a wall of it surrounding you on all sides.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+15 : 17 + 15, total 32[/blockquote]
Which does nothing at all, the flames ceasing when they come too close to you.
Act.
Moore shrugs and tries to put the fire out with some magic!
He's trying to use Create Water to just douse it. He gets... 28 gallons, but I'd imagine he doesn't need to use all of it if it's actually working.
This does so easily enough.
"Moore, are you hurt?" Ilsenine races to you once the fire's gone.
"Not even a singe." He says as he gestures at his clothes. "It didn't... seem to do anything, it just surrounded me. Quite peculiar."
He analyzes this +1 magical bane dagger and puts it away.
"So Spheres are... some sort of trap?" He scratches his cheek. "I guess we'll have to try again when we see them."
It is a dagger+1, giant bane.
"Curious," Ilsenine says, "There seems to be a logic to this place, at least."
Moore will put that new dagger away. "Well... hm... four cardinal directions... Let us try south." He says as he heads south!
You head south. This leads into a small, compact room with only a door north. Sitting in the back of this room is a statue of a rust-red, four legged beast with long, frilly antennae. On the creature's forehead is a slot to put something in, something narrow.
Moore will fly over and compare the dagger he's holding to the slot.
Does it look like one of the daggers would fit in the slot?
It looks like any of the daggers would fit perfectly.
Moore tries to sort out what the statue is actually supposed to be, and whether the proper bane dagger is currently in their possession.
Knowledge check of... some kind, maybe?
K: Dungeoneering.
Take 10 for 44
It is a rust monster, a type of aberration that eats metal and turns it to worthless rust. The bane of many an adventurer, though the average one is not terribly strong at all.
Is there a 'bane' type for an aberration?
Yes. Unsurprisingly, it's called aberration bane.
Moore takes out the aberration bane dagger and puts it in the slot!
The dagger is sunk in and vanishes within. The statue shifts before your eyes, become a wild horse, its head also bearing a slot for a dagger.
Moore puts the animal bane dagger in!
The animal bane dagger vanishes within as the statue shifts again. It becomes the image of a rough stone statue, a golem? Yes, a golem. You know that much being around Afina so much.
Elemental, fey, human... nope, nothing for this one yet.
"We'll have to come back when we find a golem bane weapon, or something that works on constructs." Moore says as he goes to head back to the previous room and go east this time!
This passage is a narrow hallway bisected with a vertical passage down the middle. At each end are passages further on - north, south, east and west (the direction you came in), respectively.
In the center, where the two halls meet, are a stone square and a stone sphere.
For now, Moore will turn to his right and take the path that goes south!
This room is a dead end - just an old room with walls of water that sag inward. Lying in this room is a gilded treasure chest made of wood and gold.
Moore is immediately suspicious of this and looks around for both magical and nonmagical traps.
He's casting Find Traps.
Take 10 on Spellcraft for 49
Take 10 on Search for 44
The chest is not trapped.
However, it radiates overwhelming magic and will not open unless whatever is producing the magic is neutralized.
So that means either A) Try to dispel it (it sounds like this would be rather hard) or B) turn off the magic stone that's keeping it locked?
Presumably.
Ball's in your court here.
"This one is warded with very strong spells." Moore announces. "We'll come back to it." He says as he turns around to go back and to his right -- to head east, now!
Listen check.
Take 10 for 46
East is a room with a raised floor, a hill almost reaching the ceiling in the center. It's otherwise square with a passage at each of the cardinal points. Atop the hill are three lines of stone and a sphere.
"...Huh. Curiouser and curiouser." He says as he continues to pursue things in an orderly manner and heads right -- south!
Another small, unremarkable room - with a window! You can see the waterfalls outside from here. It's a breath-taking view, which almost overshadows the square-pentagon-sphere stones in the middle of the floor.
Moore makes a note of this. "I think it best we fully explore before we touch any of the stones that will change the layout." Moore says as he goes back again, turning right -- to now go east again.
This tunnel curves up a bit, narrow and tight, until you come out of it. Here are passages to the north, south and east, as well as west. Above the northern passage is a square hexagon.
You hear a rumbling sound coming from the east.
"This is a lot more complicated than the last floor." Moore observes and gestures at the hexagon. "I'm not sure we should interact with any of those just yet, just in case." But can they just keep meandering like this? Either way, he turns to his right -- south again and heads there.
"Things are getting more complicated," Ilsenine agrees.
This room is small, barely larger than a closet. Within it lies a heap of gold and platinum coins, simply sitting there.
"...Hm." Moore casts a simple spell to aid him in appraising these supposed coins.
Take 10 for 49 on spellcraft, Take 10 for 44 on Search, and Take 10 for 44 on Appraise.
Looking for magic, traps, and if the coins are real!
They're coins. Worth several hundred gold all told, and they aren't magical. No sign of traps or them being fakes.
Moore will put them into his haversack then! Perhaps underneath them is a stone shape!
There are indeed. Two stone pentagons and a sphere.
Aha, now we're talking. Moore casts another few protective spells just in case.
Tyche's Touch and Improvisation.
Then he touches the sphere, knowing that it'll be activated regardless.
Two daggers appear and the pentagons crumble.
A moment later, the sphere follows suit.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 60 > [d100=60]
Misfortune touches you, hanging over you like a pall.
You suffer a -10 luck penalty to your next saving throw.
Moore frowns for a moment before he shrugs and analyzes the two daggers! Maybe one of them is construct bane!
They are a dagger+1, undead bane and a dagger+1, dragon bane.
Rats!!!!
He stores them away for now. Back out and to the right -- east, to the rumbling!
What's your alignment?
Neutral good
This room is a simple dead end. In the back wall are the following stone shapes: A dot, a line, a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon and a sphere.
"Wow, it's like a party in here." Moore says. He can't risk messing with anything just yet, so he heads back and goes to his right -- north, finally!
"That's all of them so far, I wonder what...?" Ilsenine trails off, "Hold a moment, Moore."
Moore stops!
"Do you have an idea? I mean, if we puzzle ...er..." He clears his throat. "Think about it, it will likely seal off this passage and open another one to another direction, while creating a monster, and a treasure, as well as doing something to whomever touches it. I... think that covers it all."
Ilsenine considers a few moments and then nods, "No, you're right. Lead on," she says.
"I want to at least see what we can find on this floor... but I think... I have a feeling that the squares and lines don't create passages to different floors, just alternatives on the same floor. What I don't know about is the hexagon. That might be like a pentagon, but... better? I suppose we'll have to find out. This is fun, if not exactly an ideal date, though." Moore says with a chuckle as he goes out and north.
"I can accept it if we go back rich enough to make this worthwhile," Ilsenine agrees as you go on.
As you enter this room, you hear the sound of laughter, far away. It gives you goosebumps.
There are passages to the north and west here, as well as a hole in the ceiling to go up if you wish.
A stone pentagon, hexagon and sphere are set into the floor here.
"Promise me you'll try and convince Lady Skye not to kill me in my sleep?" Moore asks with a smile.
Hmm, another pentagon, but... they have to find a hexagon alone -- they can backtrack if they need to. Moore will continue north.
This is a plain room with but one thing - an actual stairway of water, leading up a gap in the ceiling to the next floor.
Also, a stone dot and a stone sphere are embedded into the ground.
"I think the dot... mm." Moore rubs his chin, thinking back to the triangle and dot. "I think... this opens a passage or changes ones that we've visited."
He touches the dot stone!
You touch the stone dot, which crumbles away. The passage back south begins to glow.
Then the sphere crumbles away.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 1 > [d100=1]
Nothing seems to immediately happen?
"...Time-delayed traps?" Moore wonders aloud as he turns to go back south.
"I don't have the foggiest," Ilsenine admits.
There is still an unexplored passage west here, as well as a pentagon, hexagon and sphere.
"Maybe some of them just don't do anything." Moore says as he now goes west!
This room is curved all the way around, gentle slopes to its walls and a slight lean to them.
There's no passages here, a dead end.
A pool of water is built into the floor, surrounded by a 'tub' of stone.
A triangle, pentagon and sphere are laid into the floor just past the pool.
Moore raises an eyebrow and goes over to the water to investigate!
Spellcraft for 49
The pool is enchanted two fold. The first enchantment is healing - those that bathe within it will heal. The other is a mild charm effect, that will make anyone in the pool more romantically interested in the others in there.
Moore can't help but just laugh.
"Ilsenine, you really should see this for yourself." Moore says as he backs away slightly.
Ilsenine kneels and studies the water, before going quite still.
She takes 10 on Spellcraft.
"I see," her voice is like ice, "More, you know planar lore better than I. Do slaad have the proper bits to be unmanned? There can be no other punishment for expecting me to behave as a common trollop for entertainment."
Moore clears his throat and puts a hand over his mouth for a moment.
"I think we can express our displeasure once we get out." Moore says. "I could also ask Baleruk when we return."
Ilsenine nods sharply, "Let us press the stones if we will," she says, "Then move on. We still need more daggers."
Moore nods. "We know what to expect this time. Do you have any summon magics that could aid us this time?"
"Unfortunately not," Ilsenine says, "That is not where my talents lie."
Moore nods. "I know one or two spells, but it isn't usually my forte either. If we fight more than one monster, it's probably a good idea, but for now..." Moore draws out Refrain and moves over, singing some inspiring words for himself and Ilsenine.
Inspire Courage.
[21:57] <Nephrite> roll 3d4 nonlethal
[21:57] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 7 > [d4=1,3,3]He then touches the triangle stone!
Active Spells: mind blank (CL17), fortunate fate (CL15), planar tolerance (CL7) and greater mage armor(CL5), Superior Resistance (CL 24)
HP: (20)311
AC: 56, 35 touch
22/25 Bardic music uses 3/3 refraid
Spells:
0th - 6/7 (DC 21)
1st - 5/7
2nd - 7/7
3rd - 6/6
4th - 6/6
5th - 6/6
6th - 5/5
7th - 4/5
8th - 2/2
Favored Soul:
0th - 8/9
1st - 9/9
2nd - 9/9
3rd - 8/8
4th - 8/8
5th - 8/8
6th - 7/7
7th - 4/4
The triangle is activated and crumbles. Behind you a man-shaped mass of water appears, features rough.
Another dagger appears on the floor as the pentagon crumbles.
Finally, the sphere crumbles away.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 91 > [d100=91]
> roll 1d2 Moore is 1, Ilsenine is 2
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 1 > [d2=1]
What's this?! Suddenly all of Moore's magic is gone, suppressed. His arcane knowledge is enough to tell him he's under anti magic now.
Init here, that was a horrifically unlucky roll.
Does that include bardic music?
[22:05] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+30
[22:05] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 46 > [d20=16]
Yes. Anything that is a spell, spell-like ability or supernatural ability is hit by it.
> roll 1d20+25 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 29 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+8 elemental
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 11 > [d20=3]
Init is Moore (46) > Ilsenine (29) > Elemental (11)
Open Moore.
This is a semantics question -- does he benefit from the lingering effects of Inspire Courage?
His Init should be... 8 lower, also, because of the loss of his gear. It doesn't matter in this case, of course.
Bardic music is a supernatural ability, so yes, you get no IC.
Moore makes a face. "I can't use any more magic, but it should still be affecting you, Your Majesty. If you choose to go martial with a weapon, it should still work."
He has no real choice except to try and stab the elemental with his now entirely mundane rapier!
22:31] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+25
[22:31] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=1]
It appeared right behind you if you wanna full attack, just FYI.
I would love to redeem that.
[22:40] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20
[22:41] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 40 > [d20=20]
[22:41] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+15
[22:41] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+10
[22:41] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 19 > [d20=4]
[22:41] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=12]
[22:41] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+5
[22:41] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 20 > [d20=15]
I am guessing the 40 is the only hit but I'll put the three rolls separately in case.
[22:46] <Nephrite> roll 1d4+6
[22:46] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 7 > [d4=1]
[22:46] <Nephrite> roll 3#1d4+6
[22:46] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 10, 7, 7 >
Last one doesn't apply since you already made one attack. You only get 4 attacks max by BAB, even if you hit +21 or higher.
You manage to land a single strike, a skewer that barely bothers the elemental at all. Ilsenine fades from view and...
> roll 1d20+42 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 60 > [d20=18]
> roll 1d20+37 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+32 (+1 heroes feast, +2 invisible, +16 Moore)
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 49 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d4+22+2d6
> roll 1d4+22+2d6
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d4=2][d6=5,5]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d4=1][d6=4,3]
> roll 1d4+22+2d6
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d4=2][d6=3,6]
> roll 1d4+22+2d6
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d4=3][d6=3,4]
The elemental breaks apart, dropping a dagger as the battle is finished. Ilsenine reappears, flicking water off her elemental bane dagger. "If possible I'd like to keep this one," she says. "It is useful."
Free act.
Moore nods. He's about to analyze the other daggers and... oh, right.
He makes a sour face. "I'm not sure how long this is going to last, but there's no harm in continuing to look around while I wait for this to... stop." Moore huffs. "My apologies again for making you do so much... pedestrian work." He says as he offers a smile.
"Unacceptable," Ilsenine crosses her arms, "Sit. Down." She gives you a steady look, "I will not risk you stumbling into a situation where you need your magic and getting killed."
Moore holds his hands up defensively as he flutters down to sit. He's still smiling, though. "Of course, Your Majesty."
let's try waiting up to 30 minutes. if that fails let's try leaving the room and then also waiting 30 minutes.
Okay, do me a favor and roll 1d100.
[13:22] <Nephrite> roll 1d100
[13:22] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 74 > [d100=74]
After perhaps 10 or so minutes, you abruptly feel better. Your magic returns, flowing back into you.
Moore wiggles his toes a little to make sure.
"All better." He announces. Okay, NOW it's time to figure out the two new daggers!
It is a dagger +1, construct bane and a dagger+1, elf bane.
Aha!!
"All right, we have another one for that statue. For now I suppose we should keep exploring and we can return to the room once we're finished." Moore says.
Okay, so from here, it'd be... back east, then...
I believe we came in here from the southern entrance. So go back one south and then I believe we haven't gone west yet? I really should've drawn a map.
Borrowing your term, it's east to 3-10 and then back south to 3-7.
This single hexagon room is still the same when you reach it, nothing has changed.
Go ahead.
Back to the statue! I believe that's west 2? If not, it's westerly! Then plunge the construct dagger in.
The statue changes again after that dagger is lost within. It becomes a roaring dragon, with a slit in its mouth to take another dagger.
Moore uses the dragonbane dagger!!!
Oooh, what is it going to turn into this time?!
It morphs into a pixie statue, a slit on its forehead for another dagger.
"We're making progress," Ilsenine notes quietly.
Time for the fey bane dagger!
"I wonder if this has a certain number that it goes through or if we're going to end up going through every bane type." Moore muses.
This time it shifts again, becoming the image of a water elemental with a slit in its chest.
"We have most of them," Ilsenine notes. "This is no great hardship.
"I'm afraid you'll have to give up yours this time." Moore says as he moves out of the way.
Pretty sure she had the elemental bane dagger.
"Unfortunate," Ilsenine says, putting it in. Another dagger is lost as this time the statue becomes a roaring giant, looming over you and with a slit in its foot for a dagger.
There goes the giant bane dagger!
Another one down. This time the statue takes the shape of a dwarf, armored and with a blade in hand.
And now it's time for ... oh, rats.
"We don't currently have one for this." Moore says. "I suppose now is as good a time to test the other stones."
Intent is to go to 3-6, with the Square, Pentagon and Sphere and touch them.
You reach there without incident. The square, pentagon and sphere are all there.
Moore makes with the touching!
The square is touched and crumbles. The passage back north sealed up, while a passage in the ceiling opens up.
The pentagon dissolves, leaving behind another dagger.
The sphere slowly breaks apart.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 96 > [d100=96]
Gah! Leaves sprout out all over your body, as if you were a tree.
"So this is what being a dryad feels like." Moore laments. He will analyze the dagger -- as well as analyze himself. If this is anything like the rest of these "traps," it will probably go away on its own.
Spellcraft for 49 like usual!
Ilsenine carefully looks over, "Leaves?" she murmurs, "Can you remove them safely?"
The dagger is a dagger+1, dwarf bane.
Can I also spellcraft myself to see if the leaves pose any actual threat or are just an annoyance?
You can attempt both K:A and K:N as well as a Heal check.
Take 10 for 59 on K:A, 42 on Heal
What about K:N?
Oh, sorry, I thought it was an either or thing. K:N is 59 also.
The leaves are a magical growth and should be safe to detach.
Moore will detach them and put them in one of his haversack pockets. Maybe they can be useful for something!
Anyway, where were they...
He looks up and shakes his head. "I suppose we don't have any choice but to go up. If we head east we should arrive back at the stairs that are on this floor, then we can go down and back."
Post in loot you're keeping a leaf and put it into your inventory.
Up you go. This is a small room with a passage to the west.
A pentagon and two stone sphere are embedded into the floor.
You hear the chimes of a clock to the west.
Hmm, the likelihood of being cut off from somewhere isn't very high here... If it closes the passage to the west there's probably a way around it...
Moore will touch the sphere stone!
The pentagon crumbles and a small pink gemstone clatters to the ground.
A moment later both spheres burst.
> roll 1d100 1
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 71 > [d100=71]
> roll 1d100 2
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 88 > [d100=88]
Suddenly a burst of fire engulfs both you and Ilsenine.
> roll 1d20+15 SR
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=3]
But nothing happens, as above you an anvil forms, plunging at your head.
Reflex.
[13:06] <Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 18 > [d20=3]
[13:09] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+49-10 evasion
[13:09] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 48 > [d20=9]
You ddoge out of the way in the nick of time, avoiding being crushed beneath the anvil. Ilsenine flutters away, "Moore!" she cries.
"It's all good!" Moore says with a smile. "For some reason, I forgot that these are the trap ones and not the room-changing ones." He hits himself on the head with a fist. "Forest for the trees, right?" He leans down to pick up the gem!
Take 10 for 49 on spellcraft and Take 10 for 32 on appraise
It's a small bit of pink quartz. Moderately valuable, maybe a few hundred gold at most.
He will store it in his haversack for now! "My guess is this is probably used in a puzzle on this floor." Moore says as he continues on to the west.
Another plain and unremarkable room, but this one is full of broken bits of stone.
On the ceiling is a pentagon and two stone spheres.
The clock chimes are closer now, presumably coming from another passage to the west, which is the only other way to go in this room.
"Curiouser and curiouser and even more curiouser..." Moore says as he slowly flies through the room to the west. He won't mess with anything else just yet.
Inside of this room are no other passages, save for the one out. However, a great mess of pendulums and gears work here, all working chimes that connect to a clock face. According to that, it is high noon.
Moore opens his mouth as if to say something and then closes it.
"Well, there's... definitely something here to figure out, otherwise we've got no other directions to go in." Moore says.
He decides to wait for a few minutes to see if the clock face actually changes at all.
The clock does not change despite the chimes and pendulums moving.
"Mechanus works," Ilsenine says, "What strange things they weave in that place."
"Let's see..." He flies up to the clock face to see if he can change the dial so it says 12:30 instead.
Once you do that, the two of you back in the room with the dwarf statue, between one blink of the eye and the next.
Moore blinks, then blinks again.
"I wonder what that was about... Aw, I guess we missed the treasure there. Oh well." He says with a shrug and will use the dwarfbane dagger on the statue!
The statue shifts again, this time becoming a human with a slit on his neck. A warrior with cape and sword, ready to battle.
Human bane dagger, go!
Although this one is a little morbid...
Next it takes the form of a lithe, tall elf with long hair and a bow at the ready, and a slit in his chest.
Elf bane, elf bane... yep, there it is! Moore tries that one!
"I really have to wonder if there's an end to this..." Moore says.
Next up the statue becomes a low lying puddle of stone ooze, a slit atop it.
"There has to be," Ilsenine says, "Though if it begins to loop, I am going to become wroth."
They're really starting to run out of daggers, though!
Ooze bane it is!
This time it turns into the statue of a barbazu, a slit in its forehead for another dagger.
Is that one fiend bane? If so, he'll use it! But if it's specifically devil bane then we don't have that one!
It's a devil and doesn't say if it's fiend or devil bane, so your call there.
Moore taps his chin. "I think we need specifically a devil bane weapon. I'm pretty sure there are some pentagons on this floor we haven't opened."
Intent is to go back to 3-10, the room with Pentagon-Hexagon-Sphere. The only thing that should be changed is we can't get back to 3-6.
You return there and...
Listen.
Take 10! 46!
As you walk into the room, you hear a sudden hiss of air behind you and Ilsenine.
Moore spins around!
There's nothing behind you, as Ilsenine whirls around a second later. "What was that?"
"Hm..." Moore rubs his chin. "It could've been a lot of things... let's be on our guard." He says as he turns -back- around to continue on.
Make a Spot check.
Take 10 for 46!
You catch a blur of movement out of the corner of your eye.
Moore flies near Ilsenine! "There's... something here." He says, quietly.
"I saw something too," Ilsenine says evenly, stopping her movement. "I cannot tell what."
Well, he has a way to probably catch it, but for now he'll just wait and see what happens, on guard!
The two of you wait several long seconds. Nothing else happens, at least that you notice.
Moore takes a moment to apply the material needed and casts True Seeing, just to be on the safe side.
True Seeing for the next 16 minutes.
Listen check.
Take 10 for 46!!!!!
You hear a soft clack behind you.
Moore turns to look! Dramatically!
Nothing's there.
"Foolishness," Ilsenine says, "Let us continue, Moore."
Moore will go to touch the pentagon!
He's ready for some pentagon shenanigans!
You tap the pentagon. It crumbles and a green gemstone falls to the ground.
The hexagon crumbles.
> roll 1d2 Moore 1 Ilsenine 2
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 2 > [d2=2]
Ilsenine cries out in pain, hitting the ground hard.
The sphere is last, turning to dust.
> roll 1d2 Moore 1 Ilsenine 2
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 1 > [d2=1]
Are you still mind blanked?
Yes
Nothing else seems to happen.
Go ahead.
"Ilsenine!" Moore flies over to her to help her sit up at least.
Take 10 for 49 on Spellcraft and Take 10 for 44 on Heal in case.
You can tell she's been badly shocked internally. It's tough to tell, but she has non-trivial internal damage.
Moore will cast Heal!
Heals for 140
Ilsenine gasps and sits up, "Ugh." A delicate cough after, "Thank you. That hexagon crumbled and all I knew was pain."
"So the hexagons seem to be... hmm. Something damaging, I suppose is the best way to put it." Moore says as he checks Ilsenine over for any further injuries. "If you need more healing I can provide it."
"I'm fine," Ilsenine flutters up, "More importantly, that may have answered our question. It made another gem, not a dagger."
"You know, I was just thinking about that myself." Moore agrees as he pockets the green gem. "Let's go back."
Back to the statue!!
You return to the statue without incident.
Fiend dagger, go!!!!!!
He's really getting into this, he finds.
The last dagger is put in and the statue crumbles into rubble. Once that ceases, you hear a loud click sound echoing about, like something unlocked.
"I suppose that's about what I was expecting." Moore comments. "Let's see if anything looks different or if anything's changed anywhere."
Plan is to pretty much go room by room and see if there's anything obviously changed!
It doesn't take long. The room with the locked treasure chest has it sitting wide open now, a faint golden light coming from within.
Oh, right, there was one of those...
Moore will make sure there's no magical surprises left before he sees what's in it! "If it's just a comically huge dagger that is all the different banes put together I'm going to be very upset." He announces.
Spellcraft for 49 on the chest and its contents! And Take 10 on Appraise for 34 if it's other stuff!
You look within. In there lies a harp made of gold, shedding its own light.
You can't identify it, but you feel drawn to it. Dreadfully drawn to it, your hands twitching as a desire to grab it fills you.
Who is he to reject such an offer? He will grab the harp!
Oh dear, was this a bad ide--
Make a Will save.
[15:18] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+50 will (+3 tyche's touch)
[15:18] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 65 > [d20=15]
You keep your clear head, as you feel power in this harp. If you can just unlock it...!
Unlock power in a musical instrument? Well, that's easy enough.
Moore clears his throat and calls on Celestia for a little bit of luck and a bit more insight into the divine as he goes ahead and plays on the harp, letting its power direct the type of music!
Casting Improvisation and Divine Insight. Take 10 for 93 on Perform (String Instruments)
You feel the power of the harp as...
You learn to play the following song on it:
Song of Bane-Strike
All allies within 30ft who hear your song treat their weapons as bane weapons against any target they attack. This does not stack with the bane weapon property.
This is a bardic music that is a standard action to use and consumes a daily usage of bardic music.
Is that specifically with just, uh, let's call it The Golden Harp of Bane?
Yes.
OK!
"...Well, it wasn't a comically oversized dagger." Moore admits. "It looks like as long as I use this harp, I can create an effect that enchants the weapons and attacks of anyone who hears it." He explains. He glances back in the chest to see if there's anything else.
"That's quite interesting, actually. I never thought of a song to do that before."
Just that, nothing more.
"That's a worthwhile effort, then," Ilsenine remarks. "New arts and techniques are worth pursuing."
"In theory, if the same idea is on the next floor..." Moore rubs his chin. "We'd probably get some sort of huge gem that's a combination of all the other gem types. I mean, that's just a guess, of course, but I think it's worth trying to follow the same idea again."
"What would that even be?" Ilsenine asks, "Can you combine gemstones like that?"
"Well, normally, no." Moore says. "But we are in Limbo. Hm, do you want to risk dealing with the room that has all the stone shapes in one? We're a bit ahead in terms of the puzzle for this next area, so we can probably forego messing with that one if you want. The one I am curious about is the three lines and the sphere." He says as he rubs his chin. "Other than that, though, I think that was it on this floor."
"Let's go," Ilsenine agrees.
Going up?
Yep, going to go the actual stairs that lead up.
You go up. This leads to a room with a stairway going up (and one going down back the way you came). It's unremarkable and has no passages, only the stairs going up.
A dot and two hexagons are embedded in the back wall.
Moore frowns. "I don't know if we want to mess with two hexagons at once."
"Indeed. To do what, light up the stairs?" Ilsenine shakes her head. "Foolhardy."
"I still wonder what that was accomplishing. Maybe to point us in the right direction...?" He shrugs. "Either way... we either proceed up or try and go back to the previous floor and see if there's some other way up here."
"I suggest we go up," Ilsenine says, "That is the goal of this."
Moore nods. "Then let us ascend." He takes Ilsenine's hand and heads up!
This room is small, unremarkable. Save for the fact that the floor ripples with waves going through it and you hear the sound of crashing water from somewhere.
There are passage to the east and to the west, as well as back down.
There is a stone line, pentagon, hexagon and octagon resting on the floor near the stairs.
"Hmm. We know what three of them do. Do you think we should find one with less or chance it?" Moore asks.
"The real question is if we desire treasure enough to gamble," Ilsenine says, "We may need to operate it later, regardless."
"Then let's look around some more." Moore says.
East first!
This room has no other entrance nor any stones, simply a small room.
However, there is a single lever sticking out of the wall, a bright red color.
Moore takes in a breath. "I feel obligated." Is all he says. "But let's look around more."
Back west, to go west again!
"Nothing good would come of it," Ilsenine predicts, "That has to be a lure, a bait."
"Taking some risk can turn out well, to be fair." Moore says with a smile.
"A truth," Ilsenine agrees, "But not one that's relevant here, not yet."
Moore merely laughs as he continues to the west.
This room has no other passages, and like the other room, it has a lever. However, this one is blue instead of red.
Moore inhales and holds his breath for a moment. "I have a feeling I already know what this is going to be, however... we don't seem to have a lot of other options. I think I'll pull this one to start." He announces.
As you approach this level, you see there is text written on it. It reads, "For those who are weak."
"Hm." Moore points out the writing and then goes to check the other lever!
You check the other lever. It reads, "For those that are strong."
"Well, Your Majesty, do you think us strong, or do you think us weak?" Moore announces. "My personal guess is we have to face something in combat again... Admittedly, this hasn't exactly been our best showing so far, but I think we can simply prepare with some magic ahead of time."
"We are not weak," Ilsenine says with a bit of heat. "We cannot be to accomplish our dreams."
A nod of agreement as Moore casts a spell or two.
Surge of Hope on himself and Ilsenine for 25 minutes
Casting Harmonize as well for 25 minutes.
Then he pulls the lever!
CL and bonuses from those?
You pull the level and it gets hot. The water shifts, becoming boiling lava instead of water. You're baking like a pair of pixies in the oven now.
> roll 4d6 fire damage
<Rei-chan> Kokokokokokoko rolled : 4d6 fire damage --> [ 4d6=11 ]{11}
Yet as you endure the heat all around you, you hear a whistling sound coming back from the room with the stairs going down.
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 273/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Freezing Glance (CL23), Surge of Hope (CL
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 7
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
[/quote]
Surge of Hope is +4 to morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. CL 25
Does Avoid Planar Effects (from the arch) work to avoid the extreme temperature of lava?
No, this isn't a standard part of the plane.
OK. Does it also beat DR?
"Oof, I wasn't expecting that. Let's keep going. I don't have any spells that protect against something like this." Moore says as he fans himself and heads back the way they came!
Yes, energy damage bypasses damage reduction. That's what energy resistance is for.
You fly back to the room. There's now a passage to the south through the burning wall of lava as heat bastes you.
"We're being slowly cooked," Ilsenine grimaces, "We must hurry."
> roll 4d6 fire damage
<Rei-chan> Kokokokokokoko rolled : 4d6 fire damage --> [ 4d6=15 ]{15}
Ilsenine is starting to visibly redden, burning amid the radiating heat from all the lava.
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 258/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Freezing Glance (CL23), Surge of Hope (CL25)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale saves, attacks, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 7
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
Moore stops for a moment. "Let me try something." He's never tried this spell like this before, but there's no reason to think it wouldn't work...
He's going to cast Snowsong. Beyond the actual effects of +4 morale bonus to Charisma and attack rolls, and a +4 insight bonus to Armor Class, he's hoping that since it's technically snowing that it will negate the effects of the lava on them.
Concentration check due to the ongoing damage.
[14:10] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+55 perform in place of concentration because of silly feats
[14:10] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+55 perform in place of concentration because of silly feats --> [ 1d20=1 ]{56}
Don't forget fast healing 1 and resistance to cold 15. What's the CL on it?
I was getting to that part! Maybe! 25, so it will last for 250 minutes.
Your magic falls. The snow gently soothes and protects you, but it doesn't have a meaningful impact on the fires that burn you.
> roll 4d6 fire damage
<Rei-chan> Kokokokokokoko rolled : 4d6 fire damage --> [ 4d6=10 ]{10}
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 249/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Freezing Glance (CL23), Surge of Hope (CL25), Snowsong (CL25)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale saves, attacks, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls, +4 morale armor class and charisma, fast healing 1, resistance to cold 15.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 7
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
[/quote]
Annoying, but he'll just soldier on and ahead!
"If you need healing to recover, please let me know." Moore says.
How much fast healing is applied between each time the fire burns so I know how much to adjust it by?
1 point. It's round by round damage. Also remember to paste your stat block, since you're taking ongoing damage.
The two of you fly on, enduring as you come to the next room. It's a large space 40ft long and 30ft wide, the lava floors and walls bursting with head.
There's a passage to the south dead ahead.
In the far left corner of the room there is a stone pentagon floating just above the magma.
20ft ahead and 30ft to the left there is a pedestal of stone. A golden lever juts out of it.
20ft ahead and 30ft to the right, a treasure chest sits on another pedestal of stone.
> roll 4d6 fire damage
<Rei-chan> Kokokokokokoko rolled : 4d6 fire damage --> [ 4d6=16 ]{16}
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 234/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Freezing Glance (CL23), Surge of Hope (CL25), Snowsong (CL25)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale saves, attacks, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls, +4 morale armor class and charisma, fast healing 1, resistance to cold 15.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 7
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
Okay, this is just getting to be too much. Note to self, when he gets back, get something to take care of things like this created.
Would it be reasonable for Limited Wish to create something that can give us like, resist fire 30? I think Resist Energy would cover it but wanted to double check.
Active Spells: mind blank (CL17), fortunate fate (CL15), planar tolerance (CL7) and greater mage armor(CL5), Superior Resistance (CL 25), (Harmonize CL25), Snowsong (CL 25), Surge of Hope (25), fast healing 1, resist cold 15
HP: (20)261/311
AC: 56, 35 touch
22/25 Bardic music uses 3/3 refrain
Spells:
0th - 6/7 (DC 21)
1st - 5/7
2nd - 7/7
3rd - 6/6
4th - 6/6
5th - 4/6
6th - 4/5
7th - 3/5
8th - 2/2
Favored Soul:
0th - 8/9
1st - 9/9
2nd - 9/9
3rd - 8/8
4th - 8/8
5th - 8/8
6th - 6/7
7th - 4/4
Yes. Mass resistance to energy is a 3rd level cleric spell and a 4th level sor/wiz spell.
Okay, then let's go with that, as high as the fire resist will go! He'll try and eke out a little extra on the fire resistance if possible.
15:20] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+55 perform in place of concentration because of silly feats
[15:20] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+55 perform in place of concentration because of silly feats --> [ 1d20=14 ]{69}
30, that's the max for the spell.
Immediately both of you feel better, no longer charring. Aaaaaaaah.
Technically Limited Wish should let me have a slightly stronger version!!
Moore will cast Heal on Ilsenine anyway.
Now with that taken care of, he will fly over to the lever to see what it says on it.
Less that and more than resistance higher than 30 is rare pre-epic, and usually goes into immunity anyway. It exists every now and again, but again, it's not common.
This lever has no writing on it at all. Ilsenine sighs, "Well done," she says as the burning stops. "We are...ah. I am grateful." Ilsenine adds in.
[spoiler]
Ilsenine
HP: 284/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Freezing Glance (CL23), Surge of Hope (CL25), Snowsong (CL25), Mass Resist Energy (CL25)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale saves, attacks, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls, +4 morale armor class and charisma, fast healing 1, resistance to cold 15, resistance to fire 30.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 7
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
[/quote]
Moore will go check the treasure chest, since they have time now!
Take 10 for 49 on spellcraft!
The chest is not magical - and you can see it's made of thick metal, which you'd know would block your spell from scanning inside of.
Moore will simply try and open it! Maybe he's over-complicating it.
The chest does not open. Locked.
That's about to be expected. He'll go over and try the golden lever!
The lever is pulled. The chest springs open a moment later.
"Amazing," Ilsenine drawls, "There's not much to recommend it once the lava's neutered."
Time to check the chest again!
Take 10 for 49 on spellcraft, 32 on Appraise on whatever happens to be in it.
Within is a clay pot, fairly small, with tiny writing on the outside.
Moore will investigate the clay pot's writing!
It reads...
Spellcraft.
I said I was spellcrafting whatever was in it!! Take 10 for 49.
This is a DM who failed a Spot check. For shame.
It's spell writing. A scroll - read it and activate it by smashing the jar open. In particular, it's a scroll (jar) of meteor swarm.
Moore opens his mouth to say something, then shuts it.
"It's a magic clay pot that you read like a scroll and then smash to cast meteor swarm." Moore says. He puts it into his portable hole because he has absolutely nothing else to say about it.
He will fly over to the pentagon and touch it!
You touch the pentagon and it crumbles away. In its wake a bejeweled helmet appears, but begins to fall into the lava.
You can attempt a Dex check to catch it, or something else if you get creative/magical. Certain things may need a Dex check to see if you're fast enough regardless.
No relevant spells I can see, so he'll just try!
[22:30] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+12 dex check
[22:30] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+12 dex check --> [ 1d20=14 ]{26}
You're lightning fast, grabbing the helmet a second before it hits the lava.
Take 10 for 49 spellcraft.
He will put it away after analyzing it!
Time to head south!
You hold in your hands a mighty magical item - a helm of brilliance.
Wow!
"An honest-to-goodness helm of brilliance. I've heard of those but never seen one for real." Moore says as he puts it away and continues on to the south.
Ilsenine smiles, "I am familiar with those. They are expensive, Aurora's coffers and Afina's golems will appreciate it, as will your own pockets."
Moore nods. "Your own as well, Your Majesty. It would be remiss if we were to not share in what we've found here at the end of everything."
"I need little money," Ilsenine says, already turning to the passage south. "There are many better causes on Aurora."
"You could use it to buy some plants for the Court hall." Moore says as he goes along with her.
You pass through the tunnel - and it's getting hotter ahead. Blazing head as you go forward, the tunnel stretching on. It's starting to be felt again. But at the end, the very end of your vision, you can see a sparkling point of white light.
Moore will cast Haste on himself and Ilsenine as they continue along in case they need to go quickly!
What's that put your movement speed at?
90 fly, good
Moore and Ilsenine fly through the heat, racing ahead to the light. You endure and reach it - it's a glowing point in a dead end, gleaming and floating in the air. You're also heading right towards it.
Chance to do something. You may start taking fire damage if you're here long. Other than the point of light, there's a dead end here with nothing of note.
Moore will simply try and fly into it! It's probably an escape mechanism of some sort -- he doesn't really have a lot of time to analyze it!
You fly and light engulfs you.
Again.
What opposes light?
When your vision clears, you are above the maze of waters, the waterfalls all around you. They go up further, though no further obstructions block your way.
Moore blinks, then blinks again and rubs at his eyes.
Darkness? That's the easy way out, though, isn't it...?
He looks around to make sure Ilsenine made it out safely as well, then he checks his bag for the gemstones to see if they're still in there.
Ilsenine is there, as are the gems and items obtained within.
"Huh... I wonder if the gemstones were just extra prizes." Moore says. "Well, onwards and upwards?" He asks as he offers his hand out.
You fly upward. At last you reach the top of the waterfalls. Here open ground stretches in all directions. To the west you can see a small keep, sitting there undisturbed. To the south you notice a small collection of houses, a little less than even a village or hamlet.
Above you, you see the roof of the cavern at last, including a fairly large hole that leads to pitch blackness beyond the cavern.
"Do you feel like spending more time here?" Moore asks. "It looks like we have the option of leaving if we want. I think it'd be fine to spend a bit more time here to look for other things."
"That assumes it takes us to freedom," Ilsenine says, "I find myself questioning that."
"I suppose that's a good point too." Moore says as he starts towards the keep.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 16 > [d100=16]
Spellcraft.
This should come as no surprise but he's taking 10 for 49. If Surge of Hope is still active (he cast it when they were in the last treasure room and was good for 25 minutes) then it's 53.
You can feel it as you enter. This is a wild magic zone. You'll be at risk of your spells failing and taking on bizarre, unpredictable results here.
Caster level checks when you cast with an unknown DC. Failure results in a random effect instead.
Does it feel like his detect magic that's always on is going to be affected at all?
"Hmm... We'll have to be careful here. No casting spells unless we need to." Moore says. "I think my music should be unaffected, though."
K:A check's easy for you so, only if you need to recast it. Spells already cast aren't affected.
OK!
Moore will look around for any obvious signs in for the time being.
There's tiny windows - too small for a human, but you and Ilsenine might be able to squeeze in.
Moore will fly over and see if he can get through -- or open it up if the case may be!
The windows are tiny little things. Maybe if you wiggle a lot.
Escape artist check.
Take 10 for 33.
You're able to wiggle through, just barely.
Within is a bedroom. It's well appointed with red livery and banners, a four poster bed taking up much of the room. There are wooden drawers and a large closet, a vanity with a mirror, a small bookshelf mounted on a table, a large desk and several chairs. There's also a door leading out.
He will leave Ilsenine to try and get in if she decides to and take a look around!
He's searching for anything magical or any hidden caches and so on and looking in whatever opens up.
Take 10 for 49 on spellcraft and 34 on search
> roll 1d20+11 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 17 > [d20=6]
You barely begin your search before you hear a decidedly undignified grunt from Ilsenine. A moment later she calls, "Moore, come to me."
Moore will fly over to help her get unstuck. That surely has to be the issue...
Indeed it is. She's stuck right in the middle. She has one arm free, just barely, "Grab my hand and pull."
> roll 1d20+13 Ilsenine with aid another
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=10]
Pop! That's enough to get Ilsenine through, "Thank you," she says, and with a faint but growing blush, "Let us forget that happened."
"You have to admit, if you saw Lady Skye stuck like that, you might be tempted to leave her there for a minute or two." He says with a big grin. "Of course, I'd never do such a horrible thing to her." He clears his throat and goes back to searching!
Ilsenine lets that one go and you search the room.
In the closet that's full of red clothing with tiger heraldry, you find there's a fake stone in the floor that could be removed.
There's a hidden drawer in the bed frame that could be opened up. Fairly small, though.
Your call on which you investigate first.
Let's try the stone in the floor first.
The moment you remove the stone, both of you are knocked back by a gust of wind. Before you is a green-skinned man surrounded by a tornado, covering him like clothes, up to his shoulders.
Before you can react, blades of wind erupt from the tornado and race at you.
> roll 1d20+43 vs Moore
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 60 > [d20=17]
AC?
57
> roll 10d8 Moore
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 42 > [d8=4,5,6,2,7,3,3,4,4,4]
DR applies, which it does not defeat for you.
Blades of wind hit you, drawing blood and cutting into your left shoulder.
"Moore!" Ilsenine cries, as...
Init.
Would there been enough time for the fast healing from Snowson to have topped him off?
Also I forgot Snowsong was 10/m level. For future reference his AC is 64 for the time being (+1 from greater mage armor, +6 total from snowsong)
[13:37] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+32
[13:37] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=10]Active Spells: mind blank (CL17), fortunate fate (CL15), planar tolerance (CL7) and greater mage armor(CL5), Superior Resistance (CL 25), (Harmonize CL25), Snowsong (CL 25), Surge of Hope (25), fast healing 1, resist cold 15
HP: (20)261/311
AC: 57(+2 +4 via Snowsong), 35 touch
22/25 Bardic music uses 3/3 refrain
Spells:
0th - 6/7 (DC 21)
1st - 5/7
2nd - 7/7
3rd - 6/6
4th - 6/6
5th - 4/6
6th - 4/5
7th - 3/5
8th - 2/2
Favored Soul:
0th - 8/9
1st - 9/9
2nd - 9/9
3rd - 8/8
4th - 8/8
5th - 8/8
6th - 6/7
7th - 4/4
How much HP were you down?
> roll 1d20+26 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 27 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+15 tornado man
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=11]
Init is Moore (42) > Ilsenine (27) > Torando Man (26)
Open, Moore. You can also make K:P on him.
50 from when he picked up the Helm of Brilliance. Would any of the 25m buffs still be up also? It will influence the rest of my turn.
Take 10 for K:P for 59.
If magic's going to be a problem, Moore calls on his bardic music to empower himself and Illsenine!
[13:53] <Nephrite> roll 3d4
[13:53] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 9 > [d4=4,3,2]
Yes and yes.
The creature before you is a djinn, a genie who has power over air. They are usually chaotic good, but they are often bound in service by powerful spellcasters.
"Are you trapped? I can try and free you!" Moore calls out.
It probably won't work but he's going to try the diplomatic route. Both him and Ilsenine get +16 to their attacks, weapon damage rolls and saves against charm and fear.Active Spells: mind blank (CL17), fortunate fate (CL15), planar tolerance (CL7) and greater mage armor(CL5), Superior Resistance (CL 25), (Harmonize CL25), Snowsong (CL 25), Surge of Hope (25), fast healing 1, resist cold 15
HP: (9)279/311
AC: 57(+2 +4 via Snowsong), 35 touch
22/25 Bardic music uses 2/3 refrain
Spells:
0th - 6/7 (DC 21)
1st - 5/7
2nd - 7/7
3rd - 6/6
4th - 6/6
5th - 4/6
6th - 4/5
7th - 3/5
8th - 2/2
Favored Soul:
0th - 8/9
1st - 9/9
2nd - 9/9
3rd - 8/8
4th - 8/8
5th - 8/8
6th - 6/7
Make a Diplo check, just for giggles.
Take 10 (which I can do because of Skill Focus) for 70 (he gets extra from Snowsong)
There is no reply, not even a flicker from it.
Between that and your knowledge of planar creatures, you can tell something is off about this. Like it isn't thinking, just doing. Some sort of mimicry or construct, perhaps.
Any reaction to that? If not it's Ilsenine's turn.
Would it be reasonable to make the leap of logic that it's just something made in the shape of a djinn?
I don't have anything else to really do -- it doesn't feel right to do a lot of thinking and stuff and still have my Standard action, so Ilsenine can go.
> roll 1d20+20 Ilsenine dispel check
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 38 > [d20=18]
Ilsenine gestures and makes a cutting snip with her fingers. The djinn - is now not. It is gone in an instant, Ilsenine startling. "...Ah! A construct of magic rather than a true djinn?"
Free act. She backed into solving it, she was on the same page as you since Westwind's situation is fresh in Aurora's mind.
[spoiler]
+16 inspire courage
Ilsenine
HP: 284/284
Spells Active: Mind Blank (CL15), Fortunate Fate (CL13), Planar Tolerance (CL7), Greater Mage Armor (CL5), Heroes Feast (CL20), Surge of Hope (CL25), Snowsong (CL25), Mass Resist Energy (CL25)
Bonuses: +1 morale attack/will, immunity to fear and poison, +4 morale saves, attacks, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls, +4 morale armor class and charisma, fast healing 1, resistance to cold 15, resistance to fire 30.
Negative Conditions:
Resources Used:
Ilsenine casts as a 20th level beguiler (caster level 23rd, +2 bonus to caster level checks). Her metamagic options are Silent Spell (+1), Still Spell (+1), Reach Spell (+1) and Twin Spell (+3). The save DCs are 22 + spell level.
Ilsenine's advanced learning spells are: Power Word Pain (1st), Ray of Dizziness (3rd), Shadow Evocation (5th), Freezing Glance (6th), Mass Charm Monster (8th)
Ilsenine has two bonus spells from a blessing from Yggdrasil: Mass Snake's Swiftness (2nd) and Aura of Vitality (7th)
0: 6
1: 9
2: 9
3: 9
4: 9
5: 8
6: 6
7: 8
8: 8
9: 7
Ilsenine manifests auras as a 1st level marshal.
Minor Auras(+10): Motivate Dexterity.
Ilsenine casts as a 1st level wild defender. The save DCs are 19 + spell level.
1: Towering OakSC
Placeholder.
Not that I want to complain about avoiding a fight but did you forget the wild magic clause?
Thank you for catching that.
> roll 1d20+23 caster level check
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=18]
She made it, so carry on.
You're welcome!
Okay, back to searching! Moore will go back to the closet to see if there's anything under the stone that he didn't have a chance to see.
There are two things within the closet - a small silver key and gray sack. The sack is radiating magic.
Spellcraft! 49!
It is a bag of holding, type 2.
Is there any easy way to check something like that to see if it has anything in it?
Certainly, it's called opening it and checking.
Moore opens the bag to see if there's anything in it!
Moore opens up the bag. Nothing's in there.
Aww! Well, a free bag is still nice.
"It's a bag of holding." Moore says as he goes to now check the compartment under the bed.
Within this compartment is a golden locket shaped like a heart. Pretty enough, one supposes. It's not magical.
Moore opens it! Maybe there's a hidden message inside!
There is a tiny scrap of paper - no. It's a little bit of paper, folded over and over again.
Moore will try and unfold it to read it!
It reads as follows.
Kzhhdliwh:
Grtvi, orlm, xlftzi, kzmgsvi.
Moore blinks and shows Ilsenine. "It's either a language I've never seen, or... maybe it's a code." Moore says as he looks at the letters again. "Hmm... It's not just backwards... I don't think they're just moved around, either, so... Hmmm..." Moore rubs his chin again. "Maybe letters are replaced with others..."
"A code?" Ilsenine asks, "Do you have any skill with code breaking?"
"A little here and there." Moore says. "Hm... Usually with something like this, you replace one letter with another, like, change all 'a' letters to 'b' letters and all 'z' letters to 'a' letters... Mmmm..."
Take 10 on Profession (Code Breaker) for 29? :D
More relevantly, do you have any ranks in Decipher Script?
Theoretically! That would be 34 in that case.
Ah, it's a substitution cipher. A becomes Z, B comes Y and so on. Translated, it reads as follows.
Passwords:
Tiger, lion, cougar, panther.
"Oh, I see!" Moore says after a few minutes. "You replace a letter with one on the opposite end. So it says 'Passwords: Tiger, lion, cougar, panther'. I imagine those will be of use later." Moore says as he puts the paper and the locket away. "I think that's everything for this room, so shall we explore some more?"
As you say that, the door into the room opens. A pretty maid with short cut black hair is here, she startles and then bows to you. "Welcome, intruders. You have been captured, I have no choice but to kill you."
"I wonder if this is another construct..." Moore says. Well, there's no harm in trying --
His intention is to cast Greater Dispel Magic, but I realize he may not have time since she's probably going to, you know. Try and kill us.
Init, yes.
[13:52] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+34
[13:52] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d20+27 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+10 maid
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=12]
Init is Moore (45) > Ilsenine (44) > Maid (22)
Open Moore.
Moore attempts a greater dispel magic! Worst case, it may weaken the creature if it has protections!
[14:02] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 38 > [d20=13]
[14:02] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 greater dispel magic
[14:02] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 36 > [d20=16]
And like that, the maid is gone, winking out from your dispel.
Free act.
"On the one hand, this feels entirely unfair." Moore says as he flies towards the door. "On the other, I suppose we risk the wild magic causing something strange to happen."
"Thus the risk and randomness," Ilsenine agrees.
Out here is a hallway. It's well decorated in red and lit by sunrods. There's two doors on the right and three on the left, each closed. At the end of the hallway is a stairway going down.
Moore will check the closest door on the right!
You check the door. It's another bedroom - and in here is a woman, beautiful, busty and only wearing a towel around her hair. She's wet, as if she just came from the bath.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! GUARDS, INTRUDER!" she howls at the top of her lungs, before hiding behind her bed.
"So it's populated, but we know none of it is real." Moore says with a glance down the hallway. "How would you care to proceed, Your Majesty?"
Ilsenine quickly floats into view and blocks your view of the room, "We prepare because -"
Guards come up the stairs. Half a dozen of them, wearing chain mail and carrying swords. "Intruders!" they call.
Init.
[15:01] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+34
[15:01] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 54 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+27 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 42 > [d20=15]
> roll 1d20+11 guards
<Serith> Kokokokokokoko roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=13]
Init is Moore (54) > Ilsenine (42) > Guards (24)
Open.
Moore simply tries to dismiss the knights!
[15:18] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+25 CL check first
[15:18] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 41 > [d20=16]
[15:18] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 greater dispel as area dispel
[15:18] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 30 > [d20=10]
The knights flicker and fade away, another one down.
Free act.
"We can't keep doing that forever, but..." He glances back towards the room with the woman in it. "Knowing that none of this is real, ah... how would you care to proceed with this, ah... situation?"
"Find what we can. The note suggests there's something worthwhile here, perhaps hidden behind something that requires those passwords," Ilsenine says, "It could be a key to a treasury."
Moore clears his throat. "I meant with this particular room."
"Oh." Ilsenine flutters up and closes the door, "We'll check another room," she says, firmly, face inexpressive.
Moore nods and moves on to the next door!
He does manage to suppress a large grin, somehow, though.
This one is another bedroom, but fortunately no one's in here. It's much like the last two, nice and with red dominating.
Time to look around!
Take 10 for 34 on Search and 49 on spellcraft as needed.
There's a secret door on one of the walls, though it's locked.
As in with an actual lock that looks like it takes a key? If that's the case, Moore will try the key he conveniently just picked up!
Yes, it does.
The key works, unlocking the door.
Time to open it!
Within is a small closet with a dresser drawer taking up most of the space.
Take 10 for 34 on Search and 49 on spellcraft again! He's going to look for anything in it and look for secret compartments.
Nothing like that, but inside the drawers is a great deal of jewelry - with big gemstones and lots of fancy designs, generally. Ilsenine watches, "These look like the jewels a queen would wear," she observes.
"Does anything catch your eye, Your Majesty?" Moore asks. "Or perhaps we could just sell it to make you something more fitting."
"LIterally, it's human sized," Ilsenine says, smiling, "But thank you. Gather it all."
Moore nods and will collect everything and store it away!
I believe there were three other doors in this hallway, correct? If so, let's start with the closest to us on the other side.
Listen check.
Take 10 for 46
As you turn to return back in the hall, you hear heavy footsteps outside.
"Hmm, let's try something." Moore says as he turns invisible! "In theory, they can probably still see us, but I'd like to test it and find out if we can just avoid them."
Intent is to go back but be invisible this time!!
Ilsenine turns invisible as well. There are guards in the hallway - but they don't react to the two of you, marching right past.
Moore will just wait to see if they go past them entirely!
Yep, they go right past then back downstairs, leaving the two of you be.
Timed? Moore wonders. Onto the next door!
Another bedroom. The sound of snoring hits you when you open the door. A pot bellied, middle aged man sleeps in bed, snoring away.
The room's like the other bedrooms so far, a few minor details different but the gist of it the same.
Moore will do the same as he's done, but stay invisible this time while he searches the room!
Take 10 on Move Silently for 33, 34 on Search, and 49 on spellcraft.
Ilsenine stays at the entrance to the room as you search.
There's one secret compartment, right beneath the bed. A fake stone in the floor.
Well, the last time he moved one... ...he moves it anyway!
Dex check.
[21:55] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=4]
You take out the stone - which makes a loud THUNK as it comes out.
> roll 1d100 Rei higher the better
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 Rei higher the better --> [ 1d100=53 ]{53}
The snoring suddenly stops, the bed shifting above you.
Well, no harm in looking anyway! It isn't like the person can see him. Even if they can...
Inside of the compartment is a golden ring that radiates magic.
49 on spellcraft!!!!
It's minorly enchanted - it serves as a key to some sort of barrier or spell.
Moore will take it and then slowly retreat back to the entrance!
Easy enough. The man blinks and is stirring in bed, but doesn't seem to notice or hear you.
Moore will fly out of view distance of the door, turn back visible and wave for Ilsenine to follow him, then turn back invisible again as he checks the next door.
> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=10 ]{10}
Easy enough. Unlike the others, this one is a bathroom. It's dominated by a large indoor bath, steam filling the room. Looks nice and no one looks to be in there.
Blahblahblah Take 10 for 34 on search and 49 on spellcraft
Nothing remarkable, it's a bathroom.
Wow! It isn't even a secret fake bathroom. How weird.
Time to move on to the last door in this hallway.
It's locked.
Moore will take out the ring he picked up in the other room and ... try waving it around the lock?
Nothing happens.
Ilsenine watches you and frowns, "Why are you waving jewelry in front of the door? Are you...trying to woo it?"
"The ring opens something. I thought it might be this door." Moore explains. "I doubt the same key would work again, but..."
He will, in fact, try the same key again. You never know!
The key does not work, as Ilsenine watches with a little frown.
"Well, the key might be in the room with the... you know." Moore gestures in that direction. "I don't think there's any harm in us continuing on for now, though. At worst, if we somehow haven't found the key for the door, we can just remove it with magic."
"Alright," Ilsenine agrees.
Next move?
Head down the stairs and see what else there is to see! Also go invisible once we get there (Moore can hold Ilsenine's hand so they don't bump into each other) to look around!
Ilsenine's hand is soft when you take it, her warmth filling your hand up. She smiles before she fades from view as the two of you go on down.
Downstairs is a large entry hall. Guards pace back and forth, dozens of them. The stair leads right down into the hall, doors on the other side, a door out and also a door opposite that leading deeper into the keep.
"I have a feeling they're programmed like constructs to only react if they see something." Moore says quietly. "I'm going to go to the door on the other side first." Moore says as he starts to slowly fly in that direction, careful not to fly in the paths of any guards if he can help it.
A new Move Silently check is desired, oh bardic pixie.
Take 10 for 33, oh gracious dungeon master.
Roll 1d100.
[14:34] <Nephrite> roll 1d100
[14:34] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=34 ]{34}
As you fly across, you feel a sudden, overwhelming urge to vomit.
What the!?
"Urgh--..." Moore manages to get out before he reaches to his stomach with his free hand and stops.
I wasn't clear on if that means he is now vomiting or just got hit with something that's made him super queasy.
It hasn't hit yet, but it's about to.
He doesn't really have much of a choice than to let it pass and deal with the consequences!
Butterflies.
You throw up a stream of rainbow colored butterflies, which fly out of your mouth and all around. This naturally gets the attention of the guards right away.
"The fuck?" One says rather loudly.
...Well, that was rather inelegant.
Moore will gently tug on Illsenine to keep moving. if the guards want to be distracted by the butterflies, that makes their job even easier!
If llsenine has a comment to that, she's keeping it to herself. You reach the far door as the guards stare up at the butterflies in confusion.
Moore will try and open said door. If they're already distracted that shouldn't be terribly difficult and draw much attention anyway.
The door is locked.
Oh come on!!
Greater Blink would not work here because they're not on a material plane, correct?
Correct.
Moore huffs. They can't leave just yet, so he gently tugs again and heads for the other door that isn't the one that looks to lead out.
Ilsenine pulls you back and whispers softly, "Aren't you going to wave that ring at it," she asks, archly. "You were so eager to wave it before."
Moore will try and wave the ring at the door!
Nothing happens.
"Alas, it's a mundane lock. I really need to get something to open this sort of thing..." Moore says quietly.
NOW he'll start for the other door!
You go to the door deeper into the keep. It's already open, leading to a branching hallway that goes in several different direction. Guards are going to and fro here. There's doors and halls going in every direction imaginable, servants also bustling about.
Moore will start with whatever door is on the left side and closest!
> roll 1d100 Ilsenine's turn
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 51 > [d100=51]
As you flutter to the door, the roof suddenly is covered in black clouds, miniature in size. Rumbles of thunder follow, getting servants to shriek and guards to look up in confusion.
"What is even ... doing that...?" Moore says quietly. He takes a moment to analyze the clouds to see if perhaps there's some magic at work!
Take 10 49 on spellcraft
The wild magic in this place is growing more unstable, causing effects on its own. Staying long is not advised, as it's only going to get worse.
...ah.
"We're on a timer." Moore says quietly. "I guess we should hasten our search for the actual treasure room that probably exists in here."
"We have a great deal of treasure from that jewelry cache," Ilsenine whispers back, "Discretion may be the better part of valor."
"Normally I'd just use a spell to find what we're looking for, but I doubt it works in here. Let's just go straight down and see what we can find -- if nothing, then we'll go back and go out." Moore says.
By straight down you mean...?
Sorry, straight in the hallway, no deviating left or right unless he sees a big sign that says TREASURE ROOM or something.
You go straight ahead. This leads to dimly lit hallway that hooks to the right and starts sloping upward. You follow it a time, as...
> roll 1d100 Moore
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 82 > [d100=82]
Suddenly a large, shambling, rust-red creature appears right in front of you. It lets out a strange trilling sound and sniffs the air.
They really don't have time to deal with this, so Moore will move along while invisible!
The two of you fly ahead quickly, coming to a door at the end upward slope. A sign on the door reads, "Abode of the Mystic Zamzas. Enter if you dare, mortals!"
"No harm in... trying?" Moore says as he goes to open the door.
Amazingly, it's another locked door.
Moore will try wiggling the ring one last time.
The door clicks open and goes slightly ajar.
"And you thought I was crazy!" Moore says as he opens the door to go inside!
"Why would you..." Ilsenine murmurs, "Slaad, that must be it."
The door opens to a mage's laboratory. You've seen them before - and in here is a white bearded man in a black robe decorated with stars and symbols. He waves a gnarled old staff at you, "Don't think your fancy fairy tricks will fool these eyes," he snaps. "You have entered the abode of ZAMZAS!"
Huh, well it makes sense he can see them. Moore reappears!
"Okay, so do you know you're actually part of this creation, or are we pretending like you're real?" Moore asks. "Because the whole thing is starting to unravel, so we really don't have a lot of time for this."
Ilsenine stays invisible, while the wizard twitches - full body, all over. "You speak madness and lies, fey charlatan! Brigand! Blackguard! Mountebank! Rogue!" Wave after wave of his wand, "I'm going to catch you and pluck your wings off!"
Init.
"Oh for Erathaol's sake..." Moore mutters.
[23:08] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+34
[23:09] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 54 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+27 Ilsenine
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d20=5]
> roll 1d20+11 wizard caster level check for nerveskitter
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d100=30]
> roll 1d20+3 wizard init
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 12 > [d20=9]
Init is Moore (54) > Ilsenine (30) > Wizard (12)
Colorful streamers erupt from the wizard's hands as...
Open.
"No, just... no." Moore says as he tries to dispel the wizard!
[23:11] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+25 CL check
[23:11] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 43 > [d20=18]
[23:11] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 greater dispel
[23:11] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=4]
No good, it holds. Ilsenine sighs, making the same symbols and gestures as you.
> roll 1d20+23 caster level check
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 39 > [d20=16]
> roll 1d20+20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 23 > [d20=3]
"Damn and blast," Ilsenine says, "I wish Afina was here, she's ever so good at eliminating annoyances."
Meanwhile the wizard scowls, "Oh mighty Weave of magic, I call on the greatest power: Pixie plucking penalty!"
> roll 1d20+11 wizard caster level check for pixie plucking penalty
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 22 > [d20=11]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 5 > [d100=5]
Zamzas glows but nothing else happens.
"Pixie plucking penalty? Who makes a spell like that?" Ilsenine asks, voice heavy with disgust and disbelief.
Go.
Moore simply tries again!
[23:19] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+25 CL check
[23:20] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 26 > [d20=1]
[23:20] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+20 greater dispel
[23:20] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 24 > [d20=4]
Roll 1d100.
[23:24] <Nephrite> roll 1d100
[23:24] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 88 > [d100=88]
Instead of a dispel, a giant rock appears over your head and falls right at you.
Reflex.
[23:26] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+45 evasion
[23:26] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 61 > [d20=16]
You dodge nimbly as Ilsenine sighs again and makes the same gestures.
> roll 1d20+23 caster level check
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d20+20
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 33 > [d20=13]
This time the wizard vanishes with a loud pop. Got him!
Free act.
"Honestly, I want to find the place they modeled this after and tell them." Moore says with a huff.
Take 10 on search for 34, spellcraft for 49. He's going to take anything and everything that has any kind of magical aura about it and put it in his haversack. He'll also look for any secret rooms/compartments/whatever.
Which order are you doing them in?
Hmmmmm. He'll risk it and do searching for secret things first.
There's no secret passages or anything hidden in here.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 32 > [d100=32]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 16 > [d100=16]
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 2 > [d2=2]
As this happens, Ilsenine comes into view and shifts, becoming a rather stocky looking dryad. "W-what?!" she half says, half shouts.
Moore stops for a moment and blinks.
"I'm sure we can get that fixed." Moore says. At that, he gets to quickly just throwing whatever he can manage (potions, items, books, etc) into his bags -- he won't spend any time identifying it right now, it's clear that they're on a timer!
Ilsenine then shifts into a satyr - a very male satyr. She blinks and looks down at herself as you shove items in.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 30 > [d100=30]
Colored streamers erupt everywhere as Ilsenine vanishes. Her voice is much too deep and manly as she says, "Let's just get out of here!"
Moore shoves the last of whatever he can manage to get in before he turns and starts back for the door! "Leaving!"
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 35 > [d100=35]
The two of you rush out, the walls and floor starting to shake as you go back down. You reach the main hall in a tizzy, guards running around everywhere.
Moore will do his best to stabilize the area around them as best he can with his own power as he continues forward!
[14:13] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+10 anarch check (+3 more if it counts as defending)
[14:13] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 13 > [d20=3]
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 21 > [d100=21]
> roll 1d100 combo
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 3 > [d100=3]
The two of you hurry across and to the stairs. As you run up, snakes! Snakes everywhere, appearing around you and Ilsenine. Dozens of snakes, hissing and creeping around.
Moore will ignore them and keep going!
"Just keep moving straight for now, we don't have time to stop!" Moore shouts.
He will just turn invisible again.
"Right!" Ilsenine says, sounding normal again.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 63 > [d100=63]
> roll 1d4 who
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 3 > [d4=3]
> roll 1d4 who
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 2 > [d4=2]
You have mind blank, right?
I do, yes.
The two of you race along, back to the room you cane in here from. As you do...
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 53 > [d100=53]
"Moore, this way," It's from Ilsenine, but it has a familiar voice - your voice.
Oh no.
He knows exactly what's going on here -- he simply makes as deep an affirmative noise as he can.
It comes out much girlier than it should, yes.
"Out, out, out!" Ilsenine cries in your voice, "To the window!"
He reappears and goes to the window -- he can fit through without too much trouble but... well, hopefully she turns small enough!
Make an Escape Artist check, Moore.
> roll 1d100 luck check Ilsenine, lower the better for size
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 86 > [d100=86]
Take 10 for 33
You pop right through, but you hear a dull thud behind you. "Damn!" Ilsenine says, voice rough and masculine.
> roll 1d100 luck check Ilsenine, lower the better for size
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 19 > [d100=19]
> roll 1d100 wild magic
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 62 > [d100=62]
This time Ilsenine turns visible and pops out, her normal form for a moment. All of her magic items are also glowing brightly, but she makes it out. The keep is beginning to glow and twist, warping like hot taffy drizzled about.
Moore will take her hand and move away from the keep!
His hand, her hand, its hand. It's variable as the two of you flee, the keep twisting several times until popping like a soap bubble. It's gone afterwards, not a speck of it left as the two of you flee away.
Now that they're safely away from the crazy wild magic, Moore takes a moment to figure out what's going on!
Improvisation and then Spellcraft for 62. He's trying to analyze all the magic affecting them both.
The magic's gone - fading away. It was pure, uncontrolled and chaotic wild magic. Not caused by a spell, either, but pure anarchic power.
Moore clears his throat. "It should fade soon."
"Yes," Ilsenine says, "I can only hope."
Moore will just wait for it all go back to normal!
It takes perhaps a half hour for it to stop. At last Ilsenine merely nods and looks herself over, "It's done."
"Whew." Moore lets out a breath, as if he's testing out his voice again. "Do you want to look at that other side or just head up and see to getting out?"
"Let's go up. I've had more than enough of this," Ilsenine says.
Then, with Ilsenine's hand, Moore will head back and rise towards the darkness!
The two of you fly up - and you feel dizzy, disorienting, tumbling over and over and over.
With a dull splat, you land face down in something cold and wet.
Augh, couldn't they just make a graceful portal?!
Moore pulls himself up out of the water-- wait, water...?
Indeed, ice cold water in a bitterly cold stream. A shallow one, you're able to sit up in it despite landing right in the middle. Snowy forest surrounds you on all sides, and there's distinctly no sign of Ilsenine.
Moore will take some time to cast Sending to her!
"Ilsenine, are you all right? I'm not sure where I am at the moment but I'm safe."
10 minute casting time and all?
yes
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 54 > [d100=54]
You cast your sending. There is no reply.
Oh, that is... ...not... ...good.
Well, for now, staying where he is is safer than wandering off. He'll just cast another Sending to see if he can get some help from... Well, Tepen is probably the best bet.
"Tepen, this is Moore. Escaped Limbo maze with Ilsenine. Cannot find her. I am safe. Don't know where I am."
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 72 > [d100=72]
Do you have any cold resistance?
I do not!
Concentration check.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+55 : 14 + 55, total 69[/blockquote]
Snow begins to fall and you shiver. C-c-cold. You're getting cold fast, but you hold your concentration to finish your spell. No response.
"Blocked...?" Moore murmurs to himself. Fine, then.
He casts Safety to find a good place to go to get out of this weather!
Sure, he could just Greater Plane Shift off wherever he is...
You get results - that constantly change. 3 miles ahead in a cave. No, 200 feet ahead, inside the tree. No, fly straight up into the clouds. No. It's constantly changing, the spell switching every few seconds.
IS HE STILL IN LIMBO?!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!
He takes a breath. Calm. Calm. Calm... Maybe this is still part of the maze.
In that case, he will just have to head straight forward and see what happens.
It's open forest with a stream. Need something more specific.
Well he was pretty much just picking a direction but let's go with he'll follow the stream.
Which direction, upstream or downstream?
Upstream. He'll also keep an eye on the safety spell and see if there's any consistency to it at all.
The safety spell gives up the ghost after a few more minutes, sputtering into incoherency and then failing altogether.
You walk perhaps another 10 minutes before you're really starting to shiver. It's cold enough to snow here and a wind blows, cutting through your wet clothes and leaving you miserably numb.
Fort.
[13:27] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 fort
[13:28] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 52 > [d20=11]
If this really is Limbo, maybe he can try and make it a little warmer around himself? He may as well give it a shot -- he tries to focus on the ambient temperature around him to raise it up just a little.
You endure the cold and keep it together as...
Wisdom check, go go anarchery.
[13:36] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+10 (+3 more if considered defending)
[13:36] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 21 > [d20=11]
The air around you warms up. It's like a day in early spring now. Not truly warm, but far nicer than winter's icy heart. Bearable, though you're still wet and shivering.
Prestidigitation can fix that sort of thing! Well, the wetness, anyway.
He will just soldier on and continue following the stream -- if this place is as wildly chaotic as it seems then there may be no other surefire thing to do at all.
> roll 1d100
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 34 > [d100=34]
Fort again.
Another half hour passes before you see a craggy hill rise out of the ground. The stream goes into there, a cave with enough space for you to fly in and explore if you want.
[13:54] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 fort
[13:54] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 54 > [d20=13]
Moore will follow the stream into the craggy hill! He really hopes Ilsenine is all right, though...
Oh, he's going to be in so much trouble when people find out about this...
Make Spot.
Take 10 for 46
Far in the cave, you can see a tiny little body lying on the ground, in a pool of dark liquid.
!
Moore flies over in that direction as quickly as he can!
Maybe it's trap -- but he can't risk it not being one!
Spot check, -10.
In that case it would then be 36.
As you fly closer, you can see something creeping out from under Ilsenine's body. Tentacles or something similar to them, spotted when you're 40ft away.
Not on his watch!
Moore will fly in to try and reach what he assumes is Ilsenine, anyway -- then get back and out with her!
Intent is to fly in, grab her (or it, or whatever) and then Dimension Door with her back and away from the tentacles. Say 150 ft.
As you come in to grab her, tentacles fly out to grab you.
> roll 1d20+31
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 50 > [d20=19]
> roll 1d20+31 crit check if hit
<Serith> Kotono roll for Serith < 44 > [d20=13]
AC?
56
The tentacles lash out, but you dodge them and grab the body, teleporting out and back into the sunlight.
It's Ilsenine - except not, her eyes opening and tentacles coming out of them, the entire thing shapechanging into a mass of them, all trying to grab you.
Init.
"Oh come on!" Moore laments.
14:39] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+34
[14:39] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 45 > [d20=11]
It can't beat that, so you win init. Go.
"I don't have time for you, sorry!" Moore announces as he dimension doors again back towards the river.
He's pretty much full retreating from this because he doesn't really have a good means of combating this sort of enemy at his disposal.
How far?
Let's say 1000 ft along the side of the hill if that makes sense.
In a flash you're well away from it, the creature slowly creeping towards you - but nowhere close to making up the distance.
Free act for now.
Moore shivers and continues to fly past the large hill for now.
Where could she be, though...? Did something in that cave take her form because she's inside...??
Spot.
Take 10 for 46
You fly beyond the hill. The forest is thicker ahead and no sign of the stream coming out the far side. You can hear the faraway cawing of crows as you shiver again, the cold wearing at you. If you go ahead on this path, you'll basically be flying through untamed forest.
"This isn't much of a maze anymore, you know." Moore says to no one in particular. He doesn't have much of a choice -- he's not going to go back into the hill, so he just soldiers on forward.
> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=96 ]{96}
> roll 1d100 subtables
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d100 subtables --> [ 1d100=69 ]{69}
You fly on for perhaps 10 minutes, constantly shivering. It's then that you hear, "...help..." Ilsenine's voice, far away and ahead.
"You already tried this before." Moore says aloud. He continues forward nonetheless. "Her Majesty wouldn't cry for help like that, you know."
Ahead you find two. Ilsenine floats over a broken mass of tentacles that comes from a body similar to hers. "Help..." The mass cries again, twitching slower and slower.
"Would you cut it out already?" Moore says. "Honestly, the water maze was impressive and so was the castle, but this is pretty silly."
He simply stays where he is with a sour look on his face. "This isn't even a good simulacrum."
The intact, normal Ilsenine turns to you, "Moore? Ah, this is not the only doppelganger wearing my face here?"
"It seems to be a common theme, Your Majesty." Moore says. "I haven't seen any of me yet, so I'm not really sure what that means. If anything."
"Ilsenine is fine," Ilsenine remarks with a hint of a smile, "I know not. Where are we?"
"We seem to still be in Limbo. I think this is just another part of the same maze, though, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD MAZE!" Moore shouts upwards. "Ahem. I think we just have to continue on in a direction -- I tried to use a spell to mark any safe place but everything warped around it, so that sort of magic appears to not work. Ah - I also tried to use a Sending to you and it didn't seem to go through... which is odd, because we're on the same plane. This place must block all sorts of things."
"...Moore, are you arguing with the slaad?" Ilsenine says, "What good could that ever do?"
"Well, they need to have some sort of critic." Moore says with a gesture around him. "You can't be a better artist if you don't listen to people's feedback on your work, you know?"
"Regardless, now what?" Ilsenine asks.
"We continue on." Moore says as he begins to fly in the same direction he was originally. "It's weird, I think everything past a certain point is variable and in flux. So basically, we might come out of the forest into an ocean or something."
"Let's go," Ilsenine agrees.
> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=56 ]{56}
> roll 1d100
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=88 ]{88}
Fortitude saves, both of you.
[14:41] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+41 fort
[14:41] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+41 fort --> [ 1d20=13 ]{54}
If it's getting cold again he will try and make the temperature warmer, for what that's worth.
Sure, anarch check it instead.
[14:49] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+10 (+3 if defending)
[14:49] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+10 (+3 if defending) --> [ 1d20=12 ]{22}
You're able to warm it right up as you fly along, fending off the cold. Ilsenine drifts close to you, "This is....mmmm," she murmurs, "Nice."
"Well, if we weren't effectively trapped in a slaad's demiplane or... whatever this is, it'd be nicer." Moore says with a bit of a sigh. "I wonder if time is even passing normally in here."
"Yes, but I meant your warmth," Ilsenine says, "You're like a roaring campfire now."
"Oh, is that... oh." Moore smiles a bit. "I didn't realize it worked that way, I'm still new at this whole 'complete control over the mutable laws of chaos'." He clears his throat and continues to fly. "Days like this are perfect for some hot cocoa, though."
"Come," Ilsenine flies up to a sturdy branch free of snow and sits, "Sit next to me."
Moore does as he's asked! "I wonder what this place was based on." Moore muses. "Like the castle, I wonder if we'll ever end up finding the real thing -- and if it's inhabited by the same people." He laughs a bit at that.
Ilsenine leans against you and rests on you, closing her eyes. "Let me rest just a little while," she murmurs. "I think it a flight of fancy, but who can know these things?"
"I suppose we could just ask when we're done." Moore says with a chuckle as he puts an arm around Ilsenine.
Ilsenine's breathing slows and within a few minutes, you have a shoulderful of sleeping queen pixie.
It has been a rather long trip, hasn't it?
Well, they're in no hurry. He'll just stay like that and wait -- maybe the slaad will give them a direction to go in. Who knows!
Make a Listen check.
Take 10 for 46
You hear the wind whistling and growing stronger - from below, an odd direction to say the least.
Moore will lean forward to look down and see if he can spy what might be causing that.
You look down - the ground is starting to dissolve, being funneled down into a windy black void. That can't be good, especially as the ground beneath your tree is just starting to crumble.
"You really took my comments too literally, I think." Moore says. "Ilsenine, we need to go." Moore says gently, but hopefully loud enough to rouse her. He also casts a quick spell to hasten their movements.
Haste, CL25
Ilsenine blinks awake almost instantly, taking to the air as haste wraps around the two of you. Just in time, as the void sucks down the tree with the ground, winds whipping at you. Gah. It's hard to resist, trying to drag you down.
Strength checks.
[13:29] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+4 just had to be a strength check
[13:29] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+4 just had to be a strength check --> [ 1d20=11 ]{15}
> roll 1d20+3 Ilsenine does not care for strength checks
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+3 Ilsenine does not care for strength checks --> [ 1d20=10 ]{13}
It's too strong - you're being sucked in if slowly, about halfway down to it as both of you are dragged closer. You still have time to act, Ilsenine biting off a rather uncouth curse as...
Go, it's not fast enough to grab you and pull you the entire way in one round.
Moore grabs hold of Ilsenine and tries to teleport them both ahead!
He's trying Dimension Door since it seems teleportation effects work here (but he's guessing planar ones don't) - -he's going to try and get them 1400 ft ahead of the vortex.
The two of you step through the conjured door, appearing far above. You can see forest for miles and miles all around, slowly crumbling away into an ever growing void below.
"Whew... I'm not exactly sure what we do from here." Moore admits. "I have a feeling it'll eventually reach up here... Maybe we should just go up, then?"
"I believe it beats going down," Ilsenine agrees, "Shall we?"
Moore nods. He then takes her hand and begins to rise!
"Seems like a rather extreme way to start over with a clean slate for something like this, if you ask me." Moore says.
What's your movement speed, matters here.
90 ft (good)
The two of you fly up and away - and as you do, 30ft away on either size, great yawning black portals appear, swirling and sucking at the two of you.
"More? What mad game is this?" Ilsenine gasps, as...
Strength checks again.
[14:06] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+4 just had to be a strength check again
[14:07] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+4 just had to be a strength check again --> [ 1d20=6 ]{10}
> roll 1d20+3 Ilsenine does not care for strength checks
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+3 Ilsenine does not care for strength checks --> [ 1d20=16 ]{19}
Ilsenine manages to fly up and away, but you're stuck. The only saving grace is that you're pulled between them, back and forth rather than going all the way into one.
"Moore!" Ilsenine calls down, as...
Go.
"If you're done with us then just put a door in front of us to go through!" Moore shouts.
Another Dimension Door to nearby where Ilsenine is.
Concentration check.
[14:41] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+55
[14:41] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+55 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{58}
You endure and cast the spell, making it up with Ilsenine. Safe - at least for now.
Moore takes a breath. "If you're not going to show us a door properly, then I'll do it myself." Moore says with some annoyance in his voice as he casts a quick spell and then tries to exert some control over this area to make a door -- hopefully one that will lead them out of there!
Improvisation, for the record.
[15:02] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+23
[15:02] <Rei-chan> Nephrite rolled : 1d20+23 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{36}
> roll 1d20+23
<Rei-chan> Koaway rolled : 1d20+23 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{33}
A gleaming golden door appears before you, waiting for you to open it and go through.
"Shall we?" Moore says as he offers his arm as he opens the door.
The two of you go through - and you tumble and fall after, landing in a simple room. A bedroom, warm and inviting. It's all pixie sized too, a fire roaring in the fireplace and a door leading out of the room.
"I could go for a break." Moore says. "...Though maybe taking a break here is ill-advised."
"Unfortunately so," Ilsenine admits, "This seems far too nice to be anything but."
Moore nods and heads for the door to open it!
Most annoyingly, the door is firmly locked.
Moore lets out an elaborate sigh.
"Fine, we'll accept the hospitality." Moore says as he flies over to lay down.
Ilsenine goes to a chair instead, curling up into it. "If we have no choice...then perhaps we must rest," she agrees.
"You can have the bed if you'd like, Ilsenine." Moore says as he sits up. "It's probably a lot more comfortable."
"Take it,' Ilsenine says, "This will do, and is easier to rise from if there's trouble."
Moore simply nods and lays down.
What a long day... has it even been a day?
It's so hard to tell what time it is in a place that has no day and night, just like...
To be clear since it matters, trying to sleep?
Yes.
You fall right asleep and feel much better.
You awaken with a yawn and a stretch, stomach rumbling but otherwise well...mmm. The scent of breakfast foods catches your attention, a silver platter full of choices on the nearby table. Ilsenine has made herself some bread and honey, nibbling away on it.
Moore rubs at his eyes.
"Was this here when you awoke?" He asks. He flies over to take a small sample of the food.
"Yes," Ilsenine admits, "I believe it's real silver and the food's splendid."
It is indeed, a fingerful of honey remarkably tasty.
"Maybe it's one of the rewards for getting through things?" Moore asks. Oh well, he'll enjoy the meal and wait to see if the door opens or something.
As you eat up, you hear a loud click as the door out opens up a little, now ajar.
"I guess that's our cue." Moore says as he finishes off a biscuit.
You open the door. It leads right to a stairway leading down. The stairway itself is made of hundreds of glittering purple lights that lead into a deep darkness.
Moore sucks in air as he makes a smacking noise with his lips.
"Nowhere to go but forward." He says as he starts to fly down!
Your HP is fully restored, as well as daily resources. That was a good rest.
You go down and the stairs start to fade. Before you is a path of gleaming light, 10ft wide and stretching ahead farther than you can see. Yet at the far end, farther away than you can make out, you're certain there's a treasure chest waiting for you.
"...This is rather elaborate." Moore says as he takes up the mantle of Captain Obvious. He continues on!
"Yes," Ilsenine says as she flies along.
There's a sudden, strange moment then....
Will save.
[22:25] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+47
[22:25] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 57 > [d20=10]
mettle if it matters
A scream stretches from horizon to horizon as the light emerges.
You are surrounded by a sea of light.
Memories come pouring in, pushed to the forefront as the screaming continues.
The endless sea of light, that seeks to pare you down to what you are and refine it.
The screams reach a fever pitch and reality cracks like an egg.
You land on something firm, your vision nothing but blurriness, lying face down as images of the sea of light slowly fades from your vision, even with your eyes closed.
Note to self, make sure mind blank is up in the future. Wait, when did it fall off...?
Ugh, that wasn't exactly how he thought he was going to get any of his memory of that place back...
He slowly tries to get up and open his eyes.
Mind blank's still up, just FYI. It's not impossible for epic magic to beat, so that may be the root of it.
The memories are fragmented and fading as you rise, but bits and pieces remain. Little glimmering shards of light in your mind's eye, images and words floating on the surface of your mind.
You sit up and find yourself back on Mineral. Ilsenine is lying there as well, groaning.
Wait... it's still... .... how strong was --
Ugh.
Moore blinks a few times and sits himself up as he tries to focus on the shards of the memory that are still there -- is that his 'reward'?
Int check.
[23:01] <Nephrite> roll 1d20+11
[23:01] <Serith> Nephrite roll for Serith < 14 > [d20=3]
Fragments. Names, memories. Things you've forgotten and...and...at the end. At the end, talking to someone about it all. About the reason, the point, why. It's within an arm's reach and yet you can't remember.
Someone... ...was it Erathaol?
No, it couldn't have been.
He must've... ...talked to them to get sent... back.
Back? ...
He shakes his head a few more times. It'll come back to him in time.
He flies over to Ilsenine to check on her. "Are you all right, Ilsenine?"
Queen Ilsenine sits up, "I'm well enough," She says, "We escaped? What happened?"
"Did you hear anything ... or see anything before we left that strange area with the purple crystals?" Moore asks. "I... have a theory myself of what happened, but I would like to hear your account."
"There was a flash of light then I was here," Ilsenine says, "Nothing more."
"I think they tried to find something in my memories." Moore explains. "I felt a huge rush of memories -- ones I've forgotten again, mind you, from the ocean of light. I think the slaad tried to pry open a box that he shouldn't have and... whatever it was overcame them." He takes a deep breath.
"Would you care to try and visit Lord Crystalle once again? Hopefully without any mishaps this time."
"After we return," Ilsenine says, "We have treasure to take and it is best to find out that nothing has gone wrong from our extended sojourn."
"At your command." Moore offers a flourishing bow before he will Gate them both back to Aurora!
Okay, ready to move onto loot?
Yar. I don't know if there was anything they hadn't identified but if there was we'll get it properly taken care of. Who knows, maybe we had an extra item or two put in our bags!
Moore loot post is up. Go sort that out.
Good to continue on, although I'm going to throw some shopping into loot.
Okay, closing this thread. Direction will come momentarily.