Quietly watching the other members of the party -- particularly Paul and his glossolalia -- Blue Heron begins to worry. Perhaps Gii and I were not the only ones who dreamed.
Quietly watching the other members of the party...
Paul waits for the lion-like creature to return and report.
He glances ahead with cold eyes and slides the edge of his thumb over the blade casually, then opens the skin gently on his thumb and lets a trickle of carmine dribble over the edge of the weapon.
He holds the blade up to examine it in the dim light and nods in grim satisfaction as he watches the blood color the steel...
Linndell walks slowly up the passage after the lion...watching for trouble.
He draws his bow, his keen eyes scanning for a target.
Ayreth casts Light on her ring and allows a little more room between herself and Paul.
Paul quickly turns at the presence of light suddenly appearing. He moves back down the hall, moves around the corner, pushes past Bart and looks to see where the light is indeed coming from.
Once he observes that it seems to be coming from Ayreth, he studies her for a moment, then turns and returns to his place in the tunnel.
Linndell waits by the fork....watching down both passageways for trouble.
Linndell waits by the fork....watching down both passageways for trouble.
With no one taking any action, Paul leans casually against the wall of the cavern and picks his teeth absently.
As he waits for the party to do something he glances back at Bart and studies the boy thoughtfully.
Bart's focus was on what Alar was revealing to him, where the Lion was going and what he was learning. Though the creature was incredibly durable and didn't seem capable of being killed, so much as just dismissed, the lad worried for Alar all the same. He didn't notice either the elf sneaking forward or Paul's thoughtful look toward him. "Alright, he's making his way down the left fork now...
Alar moves, steathily and cautiously, 25 ft into the left tunnel when he stops abruptly - his keen sight discerning a pressure plate on the floor of the tunnel immediately in front of him (5 ft square area - shaded in grey on map). He doesn't proceed any further in case he steps anywhere on the plate and sets off the trap. Alar doesn't know what the trap is designed to do, however.
As he listens intently he picks up a muffled sound -- a distant sing-song feminine voice -- which seems to be repeating something over and again, but Alar does not understand the words for the song is in an unfamiliar language.
His nose picks up a strange animal-like scent -- further down the left tunnel.
All this he relays back to Bart via their link.
Bart grins broadly and directs the lion to come back, and as he does Bart quietly informs everyone of what Alar found through his message spell. "Alright, Alar found a pressure plate trap, a woman with a singsong voice and an animal scent down the left path. I think... Yeah, the woman was repeating something over and over. Gii, that typical of someone casting a ritual magic spell?"
After thinking it over for a moment, he sends a thought to Alar. 'What do you think? Ritual Magic?'
The lion spends a moment thinking, then sends back not but the equivalent of a mental shrug. Bart carefully considers what he remembered studying back in that nobles house.
Alar relays to you that it sounded like a phrase - a strange set of phrases - like the voice was trying to convey something. It didn't sound like magic casting. But he can't tell you any more than that as the language/words are unfamiliar to him.
Paul merely continues to lounge; waiting for the party to make up its mind.
However, he listens carefully to Bart's words - noting specifically the accent the lad is using...
Paul glances behind him to study the lad intently; as if some vague hunch was confirmed in his head...
Then he continues to wait for direction from the others.
Blue Heron also waits for someone skilled at traps to disarm the plate.
Gii scratches his jawline for a moment in thought. "It very well might be," he relays to Bart.
Can you companion show me where the trap is? I will try to disarm it.
Can you companion show me where the trap is? I will try to disarm it.
Paul's gaze flicks between Linndell's words and goes back to study Ayreth and her work with the glass ball.
Naturally, he says nothing at this time; but like everyone else, he continues to wait patiently for the trap to be revealed and disarmed and so that they can move forward.
As he waits for action, his ear cocks to hear the inevitable noises echoing through the stone tunnels.
He spits a stream of tobacco into the dirt and makes himself comfortable.
The repeated phrases mentioned by Alar/Bart do not sound like ritual magic. You can't ascertain any more than that because you have not heard the phrasing yourself. Also identifying certain spells requires spellcraft. Maybe once you're closer to the source, and can hear it for yourself, you can try to discern what it is.
You steadily work on the delicate trigger with your masterwork tools. It looks like you may have just gotten it, when the tools slip slightly and the trigger holds firm.
rounds (The first try took you 6 rounds)
Paul pulls out a rag and begins to polish his sword absently as he waits for Linndell to finish with the trap.
As he works he wonders what is down the tunnel to the right, but the mystery will have to be unlocked at another time...
Linndell flexes his fingers and mutters a curse in Elven before getting back to the trap.
With the extra concentrated effort, Linndell works methodically, and on his second try successfully (and easily) manages to disable the trigger beneath the pressure plate in rounds.
Re your previous Perception check to spot other traps, you do not notice any other mechanical traps at this time. You may roll Perception again (if you decide to explore this left tunnel further), once you have informed your party of your success with disabling the pressure plate. Well done!
The trap is cleared...it was a tough one. Not tough enough though. Linndell says with a grin.
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Bart grins at Linndell's reply, but then frowns. "Linndell was it? Good on ya for the trap, but try and keep things in the spell I got ya guys in. You talkin's a lot louder then the spell's whisperin."
The boy was nervous. They were close, possibly very close, to dealing with some cultists that had nearly destroyed a persons mind. Whoever these people were, they were dangerous. Not that Bart hadn't faced danger before, but if what he suspected was true they were affecting a large town with a magical spell, one that even reached Gii and Blue. That bothered him. But he found, oddly, that it angered him more. "Alright everyone, traps done. Lets all move quiet now, ya hear?"
** spoiler omitted **
Paul lifts his blade and studies the cold gleam of the steel with icy eyes and began to make his plans.
He now knew with clarity enough to gauge what was important about the boy and his dark deceptions...
Such a shame he did not try to bluff his way out of things from the beginning; it is very likely he might have succeeded...
A sudden scowl darkens his visage.
Even an enemy may be forgiven, but a friend who betrays you is one who commits the darkest sin...
Paul spits to the side and continues to wait for Linndell to advance; knowing that the quality and the quantity of traps in this place prevented any action whatsoever until their pointman decided to head out.
Ayreth moves up as the group does, searching for anything unusual as she goes along, ball still rolling across the tops of her fingers.
When Paul looks back at Bart, a dark look crosses his face and Ayreth recoils slightly. What in Nine Hells?
---------------------
[dice=Perception]1d20+10
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+10
It's clear that Paul is now very suspicious of Bart for some reason. Something about what Bart has been doing, saying, or acting seems to have been confusing Paul for some time. However, it seems that whatever it is that confused him he is no longer confusing him. Unfortunately, it also seems that he is clearly upset at his observations/conclusions.
As to what his conclusions are specifically, I'm not sure how to answer it (I'm not sure how much could be read by his expression) but I'm guessing that his conclusions aren't too easy read tell without asking him directly, unfortunately.
Via the mind link: Apologies, my mind was focused on the trap. Not used to just thinking.
With that Linndell waves his colleagues forward, his senses straining for any signs of danger.
With keen intent, you begin to look about the area; with your lowlight vision and the light provided by the ioun torch to aid you.
Try with all your senses and expertise, you do not seem to notice any other traps in the place and relay this information back to your companions via the message spell.
Gii shuffles forward a bit, eyes carefully taking in as much as possible, one hand wrapped around his staff, the other around his holy symbol. The Nethian is still curious about the chanting Bart had mentioned, but it doesn't sound like any ritual he is aware of. He tells the young man as such, but requests that he relay that everyone should be careful, regardless. "Don't want to walk smack into a log again, even if it's a singing, lady log," he explains.
You move cautiously forward 10 ft to G:3 whereupon your keen eyes note something threatening. There before you is another trap - bigger than the last. It consists of a number of barbed, spring-loaded spikes that lance up out of a 10ft square area (10ft square grey shaded area on new map).
You may attempt to disable the trap or you can warn the others of its presence and move around it. I leave it up to you to decide what you'd like to do.
If you decide to disable the trap, I need a Disable Device check please.
Paul glances at Gii and shrugs in assent.
He scratches his beard absently and looks up and around the corner to his right, wondering what might be down that corner but for now he waits for the company to advance.
Via link: There is a large trap ahead....I will mark it. Stay to the left.
Linndell takes a stick and traces a line around the perimeter of the trap, along with arrows pointing to the left. He the moves ahead of the trap.....checking for traps.
Edit: format error
Via link: There is a large trap ahead....I will mark it. Stay to the left.
Paul will wait for the company to advance to the next point; at which time he'll advance with the group and in order while avoiding the marked trap until they come to another potential threat.
As you move steadily and cautiously forward, you believe (have a strong impression) that there are no more traps in this part of the tunnel/mine.
You wait for your companions at b:4 after you have informed them of your findings.
Paul continues to advance after Linndell.
He glances back at Bart suddenly as they move up and considers if perhaps changing his place in line was a good idea at this time, but then suspects that such a change wouldn't be a good idea.
At least - not yet...
He hefts his blade casually, letting the gleam of the magical light flicker on its edge and smiles.
Besides for giving Paul concerned looks, Blue Heron is mostly watching Linndell's back. She is focused on protecting the party and tangling with worthy foes whom she believes are malingering in this mine.
Besides for giving Paul concerned looks, Blue Heron is mostly watching Linndell's back. She is focused on protecting the party and tangling with worthy foes whom she believes are malingering in this mine.
Paul notices Blue's look and nods at her encouragingly, raising his blade to her in a casual but friendly salute and continues to wait for the company to advance.
Ayreth continues to follow, keeping her distance. Something niggles at her mind about how Paul is acting. When he hefts his blade and sets his shoulders, she dismisses it as him being combat ready.
As Paul advances in formation he seems to sense a glance and turns to look behind him.
His eyes rest on Bart for a moment, his knuckles whitening around the hilt of his sword - but then he looks up to see Ayreth as well.
When his eyes flick to her his expression changes from the look he gave Bart. As he pauses to study her his gaze jumps quickly between each of her eyes - yet his expression is enigmatic at best.
Then he turns back to keep his eyes front on whatever may be coming...
Blue Heron smiles at Paul's nod. He is odd, but he is also a barbarian. All barbarians are odd. He seems honorable though.
Blue Heron smiles at Paul's nod.
He is odd, but he is also a barbarian. All barbarians are odd. He seems honorable though.
Paul pulls his eyes off the rearguard of the company.
When he notices Blue's smile he gives her a quick wink; yet his attention seems to be divided. Right now he seems to be putting most of his focus on the potential threat that may be before him...
The rest of his attention seems to be on the potential threat that may be behind him...