Harbug the Slasher |
"Then I'll move back up." Harbug grumbles jokingly at the grippli. He rushes to the front and tries as best as he can to stab at the devil through the doorway, but he can't get his spear past the large cat in front of him. "Great, two troublesome black cats." he mumbles. The black cat on his shoulders swipes at his ear.
Move to AF 43, attack whichever one is still up.
Longspear, misc: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 = 7; Damage if hit, misc: 1d8 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13
DM Bigrin |
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
1d4 ⇒ 1
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
1d4 ⇒ 3
Angelica rolls through the combat with the ease of a professional tumbler, coming up behind one of the lemures and burying her silver dagger into its back. It roared in pain and lashed out at her, but the strikes missed the lithe burglar. The other lemur was so focused on the tumbling girl that it didn't notice the combination of blade and spell that were bearing down on it until it was too late. The devil crashed to the ground, twitching in death. The remaining lemure held no doubt on its fate as the companions closed in from all sides. They had no doubts either, and the devil went down under a flurry of silver weapons.
Other than the lemures, this room is empty, apparently cleaned out before the lemures were stashed in here, for whatever reason.
Congratulations, 160 XP to everyone for a fairly easy fight.
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
"Oh, don't tell me they weren't guarding anything," Shabbezz gripes, looking around the bare room as she follows after the cleric. "I suppose whomever occupied these halls piled up the rubble merely to keep them locked in. Seems like a lot of effort to go through for a pair of lemures, though."
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 Natural 20.
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
Okay then, three choices. The NE corner is closest, so we could pop in for a quick look, then either head SW or straight on past the columns. Sound good?
Angelica Nenaviste |
Angelica resumes the lead as they head back around toward the other side of the statues, away from the floating voice she doesn't like. As she walks, she keeps her eyes peeled for anything that looks like it could house the odd green key.
Stealth 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 1 = 23
Perception 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24
+1 vs traps, and +4 vs stone like creatures
Jakscar Steelclaw |
I am determined to be stealthy!!!
Jakscar will follow Angelica a few steps behind, trying to learn from her skills.
stealth: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15
perception: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 1 = 24
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
Shabbezz brings up the rear of the group, careful not to step anywhere that Angelica and Jakscar haven't vetted first.
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
DM Bigrin |
It doesn't take long to move back through the arena area and around, following your footsteps to the room with the giant columns. Angelica took point, as usual, with Jakscar following closely behind trying his best to be stealthy. Going through the short hallway past the statues, they saw a stairway to their right, leading up into the room beyond the closed portcullis they found in Baz's area. To the north, another hallway led to an open chamber.
Angelica Nenaviste |
Angelica shoots Jakscar a look of disapproval, "Oh, appearing clear enough isn't enough, Sugar. There aint no harm in confirming it before we go off and look further. How much would you be kicking yourself if something we missed here came up on us while we were dealing with something elsewhere? It's a small enough room, that looks like it dead ends, aint no reason to not at least take a quick once over to be sure." With that she turns to the right and moves into the room to the south.
Stealth 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 1 = 29
Perception 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 1 = 10
+1 vs traps, and +4 vs stone like creatures
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
Move to W-50.
Shabbezz sidles up to Jakscar and peers at Angelica's frame as she sneaks around the corner.
"We might as well let her indulge her curiosity, she says with some resignation. "It should take less time for her to confirm her suspicions than to argue the point, in any case."
DM Bigrin |
This oddly shaped room retains some of the trappings of its former glory. There are some remarkably well-preserved tapestries hanging on back of the alcoves above stone benches. Both of the tapestries depict a mountain with a woman's face carved into the peak. The mountain looms over an immense bridge that crosses an ocean, while at the base of the mountain a strange city rises.
In the center of the room stands a stone pillar. As Angelica looked closer, she saw an image of the seven-pointed star with a hole in its center carved into the northern face of the pillar. The hole is triangular.
To the west, a rusted portcullis blocks the way into a hallway beyond. Presumably it is the hallway that ran alongside Baz's room.
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
After Angelica gives the all clear, Shabbezz walks to the entrance of the room and assesses the face carved into the mountain on the tapestry.
Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Harbug the Slasher |
"Hey, Angelica!" Harbug calls down the stairs "anything interesting down there?"
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
Shabbezz frowns as she fails to recognize the contents of the tapestry. It feels like she should know this...
Well, whatever. Let's focus on the matter at hand.
"Yes, shall we proceed further," she joins Harbug in calling after Angelica, "or should we head back?"
Zaphomil Collander |
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Hmm, that face on that mountain. Haven't we seen her before? And doesn't that immense bridge seem like what the Irespan might have been like?
Player knowledge creeping in... but I'm pretty sure we have seen Alaznist's likeness in this dungeon already.
Angelica Nenaviste |
Her attention is grabbed by the odd shape in the pillar, and as such she draws the green key from her pouch and checks to see if it works in the space.
After that, she checks the room as a whole for any signs of hidden doors or valuables.
Perception 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 1 = 27
Angelica also briefly ponders the tapestries along with the others, before pondering more importantly how much they are worth, and if they are worth the weight to take with them.
Knowledge History 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 1 = 28
Appraise 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 12 + 1 = 21
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
Player knowledge creeping in... but I'm pretty sure we have seen Alaznist's likeness in this dungeon already.
I agree, but I figured that the GM would disregard the skill check and just say that we recognized her from earlier art if that were the case. Or maybe the check is required in the AP as written, regardless of what we know. Maybe I'm just overthinking it.
DM Bigrin |
Angelica quickly realizes that the key is far too small and the wrong shape to fit in the triangular hole in the pillar. Shrugging, she puts it away and looks at the tapestries. They are in remarkably good condition, considering how long they must have been down here. She estimates that they are easily worth 200-300 gold apiece. While running her hands over the westernmost tapestries hanging rod to get a feel for how heavy they might be, she noticed a small catch. Flipping the catch with a fingernail, she smiled as a small wand fell into her outstretched hand.
My mistake, the woman is indeed Alaznist, though you might have had a harder time recognizing her from the statues. They depicted her as a noble ruler, with a slightly hard edge as was her nature of wrath. This tapestry depicts her in her wrathful appearance as the general of her armies."
Harbug the Slasher |
After waiting for a while for an answer from Angelica, Harbug carefully moves down the stairs and into the room. Once he sees that Angelica is fiddling with the wall he looks around the room momentarily himself.
perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
"Hun, there's not much down here." he says. [b]"We'd best move on and look for the next shard of power or whatever it was. See-head-ron, right? The thing we're in this heap for."
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
"Indeed," Shabbezz added, tailing behind the orc. "We've yet to even find a clue indicating its location, and I recall that Lady Heidmarch was growing impatient with our setbacks already."
Jakscar Steelclaw |
Bored by the lack of danger in the other room and taking the conversation about moving on as all the confirmation he needs. Jakscar will head up to 54U his attempts at stealth broken by a low growl and have a look around the corner.
stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Zaphomil Collander |
If Angelica shows us the wand,
You want me to try to figure out what that does? That was an odd place to store a wand.
Zaphomil casts detect magic and studies it. Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
"May I try?" the grippli asks the priest as she waves a hand in a pattern near the wand.
Casting detect magic on the wand.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 Man, the dice hate us today...
Harbug the Slasher |
"Huh? What're you all looking at over there?"
With a 5 on his perception check, Harbug really isn't paying attention... If the wand is shown, Harbug will join in on the detecting magic, but only after the other two don't get results.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Angelica Nenaviste |
Angelica revels in doing what she does best, finding hidden things, especially things of value. Speaking of value, "These tapestries are worth a healthy little chunk of coin. If we lay them atop one another, head to foot, we could roll them together like some old scroll and carry them like a stretcher. With the rods in them, we may be able to use them to carry any more loot we come across." With that last word she pulls the wand from the end, and smiles as if its mere presence was tied to her suggestion. She hands it to the others to gawk over, as its value was different than the kind she was used to evaluating.
As Harbug suggests they move on, she cocks her head and looks at him askance, "Hun? Why Buggy baby, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were sweet on me. Why, what a darling term of endearment to come from one so gruff."
To the others she adds, "Now this place is huge, and we've been all over, but even you have to admit that we can't find this shard if we don't scour every corner. Why, how much longer would that there wand and these fine tapestries been lost to the ages if we didn't sashay up in here and relieve them from their drab lives as forgotten treasures of a bygone age? Just right next to the very devils' rooms, here were these valuables. There may just be still so much more here to find, but we must check every nook and cranny."
That said, she didn't find anything else of interest, and is ready to move on from the group to the north branch of the hallway. Just like her to preach diligence and patience in the search, then get bored and keep moving, adding a nonchalant "Those tapestries are likely heavy, we can get them on our way out."
Heading towards U54
Stealth 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
+1 vs traps, and +4 vs stone like creatures
DM Bigrin |
Hun?? did you misread the "huh" or did I?
Neither of the spellcasters can figure out the wand's spell, and so determined to try and identify it at another time. Jakscar moved north to investigate the corner, his attempts at stealth hampered by his low rumbling growls. Angelica rolled her eyes and went north to join him.
What they found was a short hallway that ended at another wooden door. Another passage moved off to the south about halfway up the hall.
Are you going to try and portage the tapestries? The combined weight is about 100 pounds
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
If nobody wants to carry the tapestries I can cast floating disk to haul them after us, but the duration for the spell is only three hours. Otherwise they're too heavy for me to carry.
If no one wants them Shabbezz will just move on with the rest of the party.
Zaphomil Collander |
So Harbug didn't figure it out with a 27?
Zaphomil looks excited to help in the recovery of the tapestries, but realizes that coming back for them later after exploring would be best. I won't be of much help lugging those things around, and who knows if we're to find any tight spots as we continue? Best to get them ready to transport, then the next time we head back for supplies, we can take this with us.
The gnome stays a close but respectful distance while the burglar does her exploring.
Harbug the Slasher |
"Meh, leave them. We can grab them later after we get the shard. There's no need to waste time on this junk--especially if we're just planning to sell it--until after we find the good stuff. That said, the wand will come in handy, so looking behind the tapestries is worthwhile."
Zaphomil Collander |
I'll say, Zaphomil chimes in agreement. Do you think I should carry that wand? Now that I know what it is, I can likely tap the magics within for use. That kind of restorative magic is of a kind Desna can wield through me already.
Shabbezz Whorlpad |
"I suppose that you've right," she responded to Harbug. "We have more pressing concerns right now. And I agree that Zaphomil should take the wand; a priest would have an easier time commanding that type of magic than any of us would."
Zaphomil Collander |
Neat! Zaph says as he tucks the wand away, but leaves it accessible for when it's needed.
Good idea, Jakscar, let's check out the next room. We should be thorough to find the artifact we seek, he agrees.
Angelica Nenaviste |
Angelica continues on, uncertain why they bother discussing what to do with the tapestries; she already gave them a reasonable idea. Clutching her silver dagger, as the most effective weapon she's had since they came into this part of the Crow, she moves up to the corner of the hallway heading south and looks both down it and at the room with the wooden door.
Moving to T58
Stealth 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 1 = 23
Perception 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 1 = 23
+1 vs traps, and +4 vs stone like creatures
Jakscar Steelclaw |
Jakscar will follow up behind Angelica relatively quietly, muttering to her as she passes by.
"Bookworms, take their time don't they!"
stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Move to T57
DM Bigrin |
as Angelica approached the intersection, she noted that it appeared to be another hallway. Leaning cautiously out, she saw it extend beyond the range of her darkvision. A long hallway indeed. The door ahead of her was definitely closed, and she heard no sounds coming from either it or the corridor to the south.
Angelica Nenaviste |
She looks at both directions, before asking to see the map they were given, "Okay, so down this way says there is a 'fireball trap'," she points down the long southern hallway, "and the other way says 'water'. So what do we want? The trap or the water? Can you guess where my interests lie?"
Jakscar Steelclaw |
" I am really hoping you are going to say that you want to practice your trap disarming skills, after all I am sure that with your skills there isn't a trap that doesn't shake in fear and I don't mix well with water."