GM Chyro |
(Pushes with a stick)
I will take a d20 roll, since though being indifferent, he does have standing orders to attack strangers, which he can follow.
All fine.
Diplomacy Joseph: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Joseph says some half-meant flattery on the craftsmanship of Vulcus, and inquires why a proud dwarf is working in a place dedicated to a monster bent on domination.
The smith wipes his hands in his smith apron. I think that's what it's called?
Vulcus: "I used to be a slave in Quadira. One day there was this woman passing by, asking the local smith for an order of weapons.
The man was clearly inept to do so, and i managed to convince her to buy my freedom, in exchange for working the forges for her here."
He spits into the lava..
"But as of late, i feel underappreciated, and a feeling for need of purpose has nested in my chest. Now if this place was rid of its occupants, i would not be bound to my deal....and you 'could have' snuck past a busy ironsmith."
His one good eye locks with yours, as a somewhat rogue-ish smile shows on his face.
"Just for your information, my forges' generated heated steam goes up through pipes, reaching way up. They might be a hindrance for the unprepared."
DC 25 Disable Device to fix a furnace's steam route.
There's 4 of them.
Brallenera Thalkham |
Awww..Thank you for your information. I'll put a word for you to our bosses. Dwarf craftmanship shouldn't be wasted.
Looking at Whippie.And Joseph. And Beaky.
Awww, tell me you're able to fix the furnaces?
Ting Tang |
I assume to take care of the pipes we must go up stairs? Taking a perception check to see what there is. If it's dangerous he will retreat back downstairs, if it's just the pipes on the second level he will deal with them
Ting cocks his head "Generated 'eated steamy pipes ya say, I's'l see's what I's can do, wroight." Ting heads to the stairs taking a look around and then attempt to deal with the four pipes.
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
disable device/trap: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38
disable device/trap: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (7) + 21 = 28
disable device/trap: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22
disable device/trap: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25
really a natural one? well, if we can, after what ever awful thing happens; apply the #4 roll to #3 and ting will role again
disable device/trap: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34
GM Chyro |
Aided by the inspiration of the others, on basic engineering told in a pub, Ting fixes the pipes, so that the pressure is turned down significantly.
Kn. Engineering DC 10 was required. But since Kn. checks can be made untrained at max 10 DC, the writer setting that in the description was trivial.
1 time, a pipe is handled slightly the wrong way, and steam spews towards Ting.
1d8 ⇒ 8
Ref Ting for half: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
-------------------------------
The following involves some trials, should you wish to take them is up to you.
The smith continues his work, and you get through the door ahead.
Ascending the stairs, you come upon a mural, that stretches alongside the wall.
The corridor’s walls are decorated with mosaics of a female pilgrim’s journey. Throughout these scenes, a small golden idol of Moloch perches on her shoulder.
Trial A: The outer mosaic)
At some point, there is a picture of her willingly getting blown into the face with sand. Near it, you also find a heap of sand, actually, next to an air vent.
Trial B: The inner mosaic)
The pilgrim encounters increasingly large fire creatures, but in each
case she prostrates herself to them and is allowed to pass.
As you walk further ahead, an obsidian statue of a towering bull-headed man looms over mosaics of pilgrims kneeling before it.
Trial C: The last mosaic)
It shows the final judgment of the pilgrim. The pilgrim immolates herself by placing her hand in a bonfire of blue flame. A much smaller brazier of blue flame stands on an ornate sconce in the passage.
Las Lajas |
Obviously it would be nice to know if attemptingt these trial is important to any other tasks or boons. I suspect some of these are left over from faction missions?
GM Chyro |
Taking a trial, that'd be up to you guys to decide, where'd be the sense of adventure otherwise? :)
That aside, actual faction missions are no longer applicable.
Las Lajas |
Invoking his wayfinder, Las tries to determine what, if any, is the benefit for non-believers to take the trials.
K. Religion (T10): 10 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ 10 + 8 + (5) = 23
GM Chyro |
The best that comes to mind, is that it is for proving worth to Moloch.
It looks like the woman is receiving some sort of blessing from the demon lord.
But if that is something a non-follower, or not-yet follower, would get, is up for speculation or a try & find out basis.
Las Lajas |
Las shares what he suspects with the group and searches the room in general.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
GM Chyro |
I assume that means the hallway.
Las Lajas finds nothing of note, but the murals and a few doors.
They are, surprisingly enough, not locked.
Three of them, if he opens them, are largely filled with desert sand.
One, the last one, has been partially cleared, providing space to 3 rough bunks and a crude shrine to Moloch.
Las Lajas |
With his invisibility undoubtedly expired, Las does a thorough search of the rooms and contents and employs Joesph to use Detect Magic.
This is a Take 20 which included using a tool to dig through the sand.
GM Chyro |
I take it you have a shovel then?
Searching the rooms, takes Las Lajas 30 minutes.
What will the others do, while Las Lajas & Joseph search the rooms?
Las Lajas |
Not going to spend 30 minutes, just poke around a bit and see what Joseph can detect. It's a Take 20, so only 2 minutes on each room.
Ting Tang |
while Las pulls out his shovel and goes to town, ting searches the bedroom with the shrine, "May as well eye-balls tha sleepin' quarters wroight."
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
hey Las, just do like that so you don't have to take so long ;)
GM Chyro |
Ok, that is what is says, merely. To search it for anything = 10 mins each sand filled room.
What's Brallenera going to do?
Perception?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Perception?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Lucky her.
Las Lajas |
As I said, I'm only Taking 20...which is 2 minutes per room. I'm not digging through all the sand, so if we have to dig out the sand to find something, then we don't find it.
As Las concludes his search, he turns to the group.
"I say we hole up here for the night so that Joseph can restore his spells and I can restore my extracts. We go back and make sure Gali can't free himself and then we bar the door on our side that whoever is inside cannot get out. Since it is clear that the devil was not summoned here, I do not fear another will return to take its place."
GM Chyro |
That sounds like camping in the bunk room, correct?
Fyi, Gali's so tied up, he can't even escape on a nat 20.
GM Chyro |
No, i'd mention it if you found the McGuffin. :)
When the team discusses camping, a woman's voice is heard from upstairs, and in not too kind a tone either.
GM Chyro |
Particular walking order?
It came from up the spiral stairs.
Las Lajas |
Las whispers to the group,
"If that is some sort of caster, then we should pretend that we are going to fight, let him cast all his defensive spells, then shut the door and wait for ten minutes. That way any short duration spells will have worn off. Then Bri and Ting can use the oils and we can buff up and battle. Agreed?"
GM Chyro |
Ah?
Well...this is a temple dedicated to fire..... :)
GM Chyro |
Some words can be clearly heard:
"Surrounded by incompetent ones.."
..."At least the gate grows continuously."
In a revered tone:
"Oh dark one, the portal will very soon be large enough for your bigger servants to pour from forth. The devils and fire servants will compare to naught, when they can step through.
This world will burn in your name."
You can hear some vague sounds of screams of anguish and the sound of metal clashing against metal, coming from above.
Las Lajas |
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Las whispers to Joseph,
"I think she's bluffing, can you tell? Let's send some silent images up the stair case to get her on the defensive."
Sense Motive on voice: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Is it male or female, human or something else?
Whispering to Joseph, "If they start to come down the stairs, grease them. Mean while, let's use silent images to convince them that they are under attack."
Las motions the others to hide in the rooms. Las attempts to activate his wand of silent images, conjuring a roguish looking fellow in leather armor.
UMD: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 10 + (2) = 24
GM Chyro |
You're convinced these sounds are very much real, as is the claim of the speaker.
Pretty much any result on a sense motive reveals Las Lajas' spoiler, if people want to roll for sense motive.
You'll need to see where to send the images, they unfortunately don't function like a wind-up toy, set and walk.
I am now reminded of good old Gorky 17....'feelings boss? No, i am a wind up toy"..
Las Lajas |
I send it up the spiral stair case, so that it can be seen and I can still see its feet. Also, the image will be armed with a dagger.
GM Chyro |
The spiral stairs is the central one, with a wall around it going up. The rooms you guys are in, have a mere base, by the looks of it.
Las Lajas |
I'm pretty sure that's a railing as it matches the same graphic inside each of the towers. Does the scenario specifically say that it's a wall around the stair case?
GM Chyro |
Looks plausible. It doesn't state either, however.
Let's assume it is partially visible, from the floor you are on.
From the castles i've visited in Europe, there's a thick part of floor involved, it looks like the final part is between floors.
If it (the image) would go further up the stairs, you'd be walking 10 feet behind it.
Edit: When walking up the stairs, stealth checks might be useful.
Las Lajas |
Before we begin, does Joseph have a grease spell handy?
GM Chyro |
I skimmed.
Joseph had used 2 grease spells on Brallenera & Ting, in preparation of the fight with the devil, and used hideous laughter vs Gali.
Las Lajas suggested Gali be cast charm person on, while interrogating him, to prevent him from any non friendly actions, should he wake up. Since nobody objected, i took that as a yes, spell used.
That has him used his 4 lvl 1 spell slots for the day, with which he doesn't have grease at hand. :/
Las Lajas |
Flipping the room occupants.
Las communicates the plan.
Then we wait for whatever to try and get down greased stairs. Joesph will be scanning whoever comes down and looking for buffs. Once he sees they have worn off, he'll signal Brallenera to attack. Either way, we attack after one minute of no casting by anyone who comes down.
If the group tries to move past Brallenera, we attack. Remember, the goal is to hold out for as long as we can until we attack, that way any buffs the residents are using will wear off.
If whatever tries to attack us in the rooms, we shut the door and the group from the other side, opens and taunts to get them to change doors.
Don't use the oils until we are about to attack.
Ting Tang |
Ting nods his head, attempting to follow the plan as Las explains it, So's I's foller's ya and we's hide behind tha other door where tha sand is at, an then's when ya's say's ta tha mistress o' Mayhem attack's's from tha front's an' I's attacks's' from tha back, wroight!
pointing to the other doorway, he continues You's lead tha way's gov'n'r I's'l foller ya!
Brallenera Thalkham |
Awww... Won't that plan give enough time for whoever is upstair to complete whatever they do and call in some creature? Can't you get unseen again, and check on the next room??
GM Chyro |
Stealth Las Lajas: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Perception ??: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Perception other ??: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 51d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 251d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Disbelief?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Disbelief 1st, post remark of fake: 1d20 ⇒ 18
The image, followed by Las Lajas 10 feet behind it, and out of sight, walk up the stairs. Something hears the latter coming, and when the image sets foot at the top few steps, two attacks are made at it.
A foul and surprised grunting is one sound, but the voice of the woman sounds annoyed.
"It's a fake...damn cowards."
From above, the voice clearly speaks out to you.
"If you've come this far, you've dispatched my underlings, face me in the dark one's glory, stop cowering!"
GM Chyro |
By the plan, you guys, aside from Las Lajas, were in the smaller rooms, and he himself 10 feet behind the image.
The blue dot is the image, was, rather, as one disbelieved it.
(Cue more screams of suffering and metal clashing)
Ting Tang |
Hearing the woman's voice, Ting sticks his head outside the door he is hiding behind, "Psssst, does ya tink we's can get her's ta come down tha stairs? I's don't want me head's lopped off, stickin' it up 'at hole, wroight."
GM Chyro |
I know of a very fun one, i read on the net.
A party went into a dungeon, and came upon 4 pillars.
1st) Insert weapon for power.
A PC stuck his sword in it, and gained a blessing of +1 dmg.
2nd) Insert head for knowledge.
A PC did so, and gained +1 intelligence.
3rd) Insert weapon for power.
This time...the weapon got broken.
4th) Insert head for knowledge.
Well...that PC couldn't keep his head on himself.
Ting Tang |
I know of a very fun one, i read on the net...
Funny for the GM, a little scary for the rest of us ;)
So, I just looked at the map again; did anyone else notice that the little rooms all have stairs in them? Do the stairs go up or down?
ting quietly asks "what 'appens if we's sneaks up 'em stairs an' bush-whacks tha lady up 'air?"
GM Chyro |
They are remnants of stairs not having to be used, only the spiral stairs in the east can be used.
Las Lajas |
Las retreats back down the stairs, pulling his wand of magic missile as he moves behind Ting.
Las motions to the group to WAIT.
GM Chyro |
(More death screams from people dying)
"Yes, it is growing steadily.
The destruction you will cause, will be splendid."
Las Lajas |
How many rounds have passed?