Janosz Frogshanks |
A quick once-over before heading back - Perception 11+26=37 to spot any traps.
Janosz quickly reappears. "Closed door up ahead. This one has carvings of people kneeling before an empty throne. The theological interpretations of that should be interesting, no?"
Aubrey the Demented/Malformed |
Kaz, here's Ez's speech again which summarises more or less what you know about the place (spoilered for length - he's told everyone else too):
"Before we go over there, there are a few things you should know. Temples to the Keeper do not welcome strangers. To be honest they do not welcome the faithful either. Generally the entire structure exists as a tool for teaching their religious philosophy which revolves around submission to eventual decay. In most cases Temples are arranged to emphasize the soul’s journey from birth to ultimate annihilation, being broadly linear in design with shrines and chapels dedicated to different aspects of the deity."
"The Temple also exists as a practical teaching tool you might say. They are usually designed to help you along that path to ultimate annihilation. We are talking traps, undead guardians and clergy who might welcome you with indifference, but are just as likely to throw a flame strike your way to see if the Keeper was ready to welcome you home today. It is all a way of testing the mettle of the faithful and instilling both toughness and serenity in the face of mortality."
"That reminds me- Gath, as a follower of the Keeper likely differs from any other lich you may have read or head about. He has not undergone the process out of any desire for immortality. There is no place for immortality in the faith. Everything falls apart, decays and dies in the end. The undead worshipers have merely passed another test in their spiritual journey allowing them to survive that much longer before the inevitable. He is almost certainly a nihilist. I would expect a typical lich to value self preservation above all else. It engenders a certain cowardice should they fear the end is near. Gath will have none of this. If a follower of the Keeper thought he was likely to be killed, taking you with him would potentially be a higher priority than self preservation."
"These kind of Temples are rare. Judging by Gaia's map this is one of the largest ones I have ever heard about, a Grand Hall dedicated to the God of Death if you will. Like I said, the structure itself serves as an instructor in the doctrine of the faith. We should expect to encounter halls built around the themes of Impermanence, Inevitability, Futility, Resilience, Sacrifice, Submission, and Extinction. There will be multiple shrines dedicated to different aspects of the Keeper like The Reaper, The Weaver, The Glutton, and The Fiery Scourge. Aside from that we can expect to run across mortuaries and catacombs as well as places for contemplation and teaching."
Ezreal Farlowe |
"To the best of my understanding, the Glutton shrine guardian was the worm golem as represented by their incessant hunger. In fact we have encountered all of the anticipated shrine guardians, though there could be more considering my information on the Keeper is far from complete. And the Halls have their own guardians who have been formidable thus far."
Ezreal rubs his temples with one hand. "I... I have a suspicion this place may be getting to us the longer we are here. Having slept and looking on this situation anew could any of you tell me why we pitched our tent in a room directly facing a known danger? We literally decided to rest with our open door facing an enchanted portal in a lich's sanctum. For the life of me I cannot remember why I thought that was a good idea. Do you think those might be the actions of someone inviting annihilation because it is Inevitable? Or unconsciously expressing the Futility of his quest? Or perhaps offering himself as a Sacrifice to the Keeper?"
"It is time to consider that Gath's mausoleum temple may be having a subtle, or not so subtle effect on us the further we delve and the longer we remain. We must retrieve the dragonshard! Before it is too late for Rolund... or us."
Gil |
"I think you give the location too much credit. If we had delved anywhere else for so long, we would be exhausted and making careless choices. The thing is, at this point, I'm not sure what choices we really have. Move forward or retreat seem to be all we have."
Ezreal Farlowe |
"No one is suggesting retreat. I do think we need to consider if this place is having any influence on our decision making the further we delve. I remind you that the entire structure is designed as a practical teaching tool with the ultimate goal of preparing a soul for annihilation. You doubt that it has any such influence? It wouldn't be the first time I have been accused of paranoia and you could be right. On the other hand, during the war would you have considered setting up camp around the mouth of a cave without knowing if it was home to a bear or troll?"
"Again- I am not suggesting leaving the complex, but if we need to rest again we may consider backing up to a more defensible or stealthy position. And I am saying that we need to find that Khyber shard and get the hell out of here. We have left Roland in the care of an illithid for entirely too long."
Aubrey the Demented/Malformed |
The door opens easily, like the others. Beyond is another long, pillared hall. At the base of each column gloomily burns a firebowl, sending criss-cross shadows across the walls and floor. In the middle of the floor is an open circular pit, ten feet wide. Between the pillars hang silvered panels of glass, suspended on chains from the ceiling.
Janosz Frogshanks |
"Obviously the mirrors are magical. Maybe they'll do something unpleasant to our reflections? Perhaps they trap those reflected within them?"
"Or maybe the pit has a basilisk in it, and the mirrors reflects its deadly stare around the room? The possibilities are endless. Goddamned magical crap."
Janosz Frogshanks |
"I might not be the prettiest person here, but the three-armed freak we just killed just passed through this room without shattering any mirrors... My plan was simply that Gil uses her golem suit to yank the mirrors off their chains and break them one at a time."
Gil |
I did cast detect magic, before you said they must be.
Gil opens the hatch on the golem suit and casts detect magic, focusing on the nearest set of mirrors. "What does submission have to do with mirrors, I wonder?"
Ezreal Farlowe |
Some retroactive housekeeping:
As that last fight ended I was mid-casting of summon monster vi. That slot is burned. Rather than totally waste it I would switch the summons to a lillend azata who can provide some healing to minimize burning other slots or resources.
CSW: 3d8 + 7 ⇒ (2, 3, 8) + 7 = 20
CSW: 3d8 + 7 ⇒ (7, 8, 5) + 7 = 27
CLW x 5: 5d8 + 35 ⇒ (3, 8, 6, 6, 5) + 35 = 63
That will completely cover damage taken in this fight except 4 hps on Gelb. Kaz can reclaim his 2 CMW and the channel.
As we prep spells, I'll take a little longer to Copy Arcane Eye to his spellbook from the warforged spellbook.
Autopass the spellcraft roll, - 160 gp.
Begin the day with mage armor and overland flight running (12 hours each)
Janosz Frogshanks |
"If we break 'em, do their prisoners come out? That could be unpleasant."
"Alternatively, we could just wander past if we break line of sight to all the mirrors, right? Some kind of opaque wall could do the trick, like Gil's illusions in our fight against the dragon totem's protectors in Aerenal."
Kazadar Soranath |
"Maybe just break one, and see what happens. Or pass without looking at any?"
are any of the mirrors facing us at this very moment? I am not trying to look right into one, but just wondering if they are arrayed in an entire circle or just down two sides.