Maldoc Tisbane |
Maldoc would not stop Noisy, or anyone, from doing just that. He wouldn't be opposed to simply taking it either. If no one objects Maldoc will try to collect the Seal.
Bartholomew Robert Flaxseed |
Bart ponders, "It's not magical? Well either the magic is hidden or suppressed or the real one is somewhere else and this is just a decoy. Or maybe it's not supposed to be magical and it's just important historically; who knows? I think we should take it either way though."
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl is not one to steal if the King is the rightful owner.
Hrrmm, shall we just ask him?
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl will address the King.
Hrrmm, Master King. A thousand pardons at disturbing you.
We are looking for your missing associate. In performing the search, we encountered something unusual.
What do you know of this seal? Is this in storage for a reason?
DM Feral |
The giant kappa is noticeably less friendly now.
"That is a sacred relic and belongs inside this temple. Is it one of the artifacts you are seeking? Tell me again, why do you need these artifacts? Speak the truth. I will not suffer liars and thieves inside this sacred place."
Someone will need to nail a fairly high diplomacy check to convince him to part with the seal.
Noisy |
Noisy does his best to calm the angry kappa down, unsure exactly what he's getting angry about as he was sure he'd already explained most of this.
"The order I mentioned earlier." He explains. "That tasked us with trying to locate these lost relics of theirs."
"The Order of the Ki-rin." Once again, he points up towards the statue towering over their heads.
He will continue to try to diffuse the situation before it escalates, explaining what he can.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 21 + 2 = 32
DM Feral |
"I think not", King says doubtfully. "If such an order existed, they wouldn't ally themselves with thieves."
"But I propose a challenge - a test of strength. If you are victorious it will be a sign that I am not a worthy guardian and you can leave with your artifact. If I am victorious, you will leave empty-handed and distract me from my mediation no longer. Do you accept?"
Noisy |
"I think not." Noisy responds in kind.
"We are not thieves. Yes, we took the seal down, to better see if it was the one we sought. You gave us permission to look through these areas, did you not?"
"It was you who were being deceptive, when you did not mention you had the seal, after we told you we were looking for it. On honest mistake? Perhaps. But we did not start levying accusations at the discovery."
"You could extend the same courtesy." He admonishes.
Noisy |
Ya, I figured I'd need to have rolled higher. Was mostly objecting out of course over faulty logic =). The poor fellow's clearly a little on the eccentric side. Heh.
Too bad that 5th player we were supposed to have at the start didn't show... I think his PC was a grappling barbarian... he would have had a fine time to shine!
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl emits a low growl.
"What are the rules on this competition, especially regarding preparations?
Fendahl Silvermane |
I can understand the no spells part as this could be trivial with FoM...at least a draw. Does 'other aid' include not using race/class abilities like wild shape or just no help from allies? .
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl bows in samurai fashion before responding.
A moment while we consider your offer.
Bartholomew Robert Flaxseed |
Sorry, I'm back now! Our field was peaking in pollinations this weekend so I was rather busy. Things should be back to normal for now, except that I'll be out of town on Friday-Saturday.
Bart moves away with his companions and taps his foot impatiently on the wet stone floor. "Well, I'll not win against him, that's for sure. Maldoc's strength is in his magic and his blade, of course, and Noisy's in his... well, that contraption and his overpowering vocalizations. But Fendahl, I think you might just stand a chance if you're up to the challenge."
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl will give it a try. If we fail, we fail and have to move on anyway.
He returns to the King, and bows.
Master King. If there are no other means to convince you to provide the seal to us in a civilized manner, then we will submit to your test. Although, I may take a form I am more accustomed to wrestling. If you take exception, then I will decline your competition.
He turns to Maldoc.
Please restrain Kirrah until after the competition. I suspect no foul play, but she does not always understand the difference. Noisy, please verify that both of us are free of magic spells.
He speaks to Kirrah in the language of cats before turning back to the King.
Hrrmm. Very well, are we to commence here, with my allies as witness?
Any other rules to be concerned before I take my form? Do we have a signal to start? I accept your competition and challenge you in a duel of wrestling as you have cited.
Unless there are any last requests or comments by the King on the details of the rules, Fendahl will take the form of a dire tiger and assume his position waiting for the signal.
I will calculate up his stats for GM review to make sure I have it correct, counting samurai challenge into the mix.
Noisy |
Sorry, was a long family weekend!
Noisy snorts derisively.
"There is no point in this." He grumbles. "Picking a competition at which you excel versus opponents who do not, is not competition, merely preening."
"We have better things to do, and he clearly has a lot more meditating to do to on Irorian teachings if this is his way."
Despite his objections, he steps out of the way to allow Fendahl to try.
Fendahl Silvermane |
With a low growl, Fendahl fights off the natural instinct to maul the King with bite and rakes. Instead he tries to break free of the creature's grip on his neck.
CMB: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (6) + 19 = 25 vs CMD
Grrrrrr
DM Feral |
Pin: 1d20 + 27 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 27 + 5 = 38
In his tiger form Fendahl may be stronger but King is a skilled wrestler and maximizes his leverage in a way that keeps the elf-cat from breaking his hold. The giant kappa shifts his weight dragging his opponent down and pinning his shoulders to the ground.
Fendahl is up.
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl tries to escape the pin, but the wrestler is too much for his feline form.
1d20 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 29 vs CMD
Assuming the pin is maintained and the King completes the 3 count, Fendahl will tap to yield.
Once released, Fendahl will revert to primary form and bow.
Hrrmm. You are a true master at your sport. There can be no doubt.
However, I find flaw in your argument as to the competition actually proving anything else.
Picking a battle where you set the rules very much in your favor hardly shows you are qualified defender of the seal.
An adversary should be ready to defend against a full strength opponent at any time under conditions they cannot control. Otherwise, you may show your strength but not diversity.
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl will make his argument combined with others, if they chime in.
Please consider for the future.
diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 13 to aid if possible, or stand alone.
Bartholomew Robert Flaxseed |
"Fendahl indeed put up a strong fight considering the fighting style was not his own choice. But we hold no grudges; indeed, the offer still stands. If you are willing to part with the seal and allow us to look for the other artifacts, we will let you stay here and will treat you as an ally when future expeditions come this way. I hope that is an agreeable proposition to you."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Noisy |
Noisy does not comment on the match, still viewing it as a less a competition than the kappa wanting to show off.
"As my friend here says, our mission still stands, so we need to be going. Returning all the relics to their rightful owners would be preferable."
He nods slightly. "As would good relations with those who aren't looking to do us harm."
He leaves the window open on whether either of those goals can be accomplished here.
Can I take a 10? Though I suppose last time I got a 9 and it wasn't enough, so a 10 might not be either.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 21 + 2 = 43
edit: egads... well guess that's a bit higher than a 10
Noisy |
Noisy looks puzzled.
"No one is proposing a test of any kind." He says. "We are talking about cooperation, not competition."
"Your 'friends' below were not interested in cooperating." He nods towards the stairs leading further down. "So instead of helping you, they tried to kill you. When that didn't work they proposed leaving you along... and yet still kidnapped your friend when you were away. I'm sure they'll continue test you in other ways as well."
"We don't want to compete. We are looking for allies. Even friends." He concludes.
"We all have enough competition already." He adds a moment later.
Fendahl Silvermane |
Fendahl nods in agreement with Noisy.
rather than competition, cooperation is a better test. If we can recover your kidnapped friend,
perhaps that would show we honor our commitments and could engender goodwill to reciprocate?
Bartholomew Robert Flaxseed |
"I think that sounds like a much fairer deal. Benefits for both parties. Well, I'm glad that has been worked out but now we must go below and see what we can do."
DM Feral |
With some kind of agreement reached, the party leaves the giant kappa behind and descends the stairs.
A trickle of water seeps through the closed door on the east side of this small, fifteen-foot-high antechamber. A moldering tapestry hangs from floor to ceiling along the south wall, while to the north a closed wooden door remains relatively dry despite the dampness. A heavy stone hatch rests open against the southwest wall, revealing a slick staircase carved from the bedrock that descends into the darkness below.
To the north is a small office. On the desk is a small pile of scrolls and maps that track an excavation of the area's progress, as well as several old maps from before the valley was flooded. A cabinet stands against the east wall inside which the party finds a worn wand. Wand of resist energy CL 11 with 10 charges.
Descending through the secret hatch, the party finds a long series of switchback stairs that ends with a twenty-foot-tall hallway that seems to have once been a major intersection with passageways to the north, south, east, and west. A heavy pile of wood and debris partially barricades a ceiling-high set of stone doors that lies to the east, and shattered chunks of rock and dried mud block the way south.
A wide flight of stairs rises to the north, terminating in a set of double doors.
Fendahl Silvermane |
So are we all the way to A8 and still 'dry'. Once we hit a submerged level, Fendahl will have Kirrah meld into his hosteling armor
Hrrmm. No signs of those boggards here. No going to the east. The pair of doors seems to hold our destiny.
Fendahl will search the passage for signs of traps or hidden things.
perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25