Lavender Leaf |
Lavender starts to study the ruins. "I don't really know much about this kind of stuff... " Despite what lavender says, she tries to help Bahram figure out what the columns are about.
Spellcraft 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 (helping other, if possible)
ProfPotts |
ProfPotts |
Despite Yousef's warning, nobody else manages to spot anything 'in' anything in the room...
ProfPotts |
The alabaster altar is a full ten feet wide, and a little less than that deep, and appears perfectly clean and polished as it gleams in the erratic blue light cast by the eerie glass lamps suspended between the columns of the chamber on green copper chains. The sculptures Yousef refers to are those on the altar's pedestal - carvings in the shape of winged, scale-covered bulls.
Yousef olan Ahmad |
"I believe it is some kind of magical trap. There may be a way to bypass using magic or some kind of keyword. Maybe there is a safe path that won't trigger it." Yousef inspects a little closer trying to wrack his brain for any ideas.
.
.
Disable Device (to determine how, not to actually do anything yet) 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25
Knowledge (local) (for any legends or information) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
UMD (same reason as rolling DD) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Bahram Zarishu |
"Is it safe?" Bahram asks, his head still peeking from behind the pillar he's hiding behind. 'Some sorcerer you are.' he scolds himself and forces his feet forward.
Casting detect magic, giving his eyes that all-too-familiar blue glow, he fingers his new-found holy symbol, hanging by his neck by the Guides' Token and approaches the altar. 'Sweet Nethys, guide me as I view this wonderful creation.' he prays silently as he inspects the carvings.
spellcraft; 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Rashid al-Gahiji |
Rashid puts a restraining hand on Keldar's shoulder.
"Those temple guardians we encountered earlier stood-down when Bahram presented that holy symbol of his, so it is possible a similar system may work here. Let Bahram go ahead..."
I am not saying much at present, as I do not feel that Rashid can really contribute to a discussion about 'arcane' matters ;-)
ProfPotts |
As Bahram cautiously edges forwards, within the range of when the mystical effect should trigger, hand on his holy symbol of Nethys, the movement of scales over scales seeming to come from the sculptures themselves - which Yousef noted earlier - becomes plain for all to see. However, the actual 'trap' effect doesn't yet manifest... almost as if Bahram was teetering on the brink of triggering or not triggering the ward...
Bahram Zarishu |
Stopping in his tracks Bahram's brow furrows as he purses his lips and inspects the magically moving carvings. "uummm... It's definately magical... faint, but active... a summoning spell? For a fiendish viper!" he almost squeaks out the last sentence, raking his brain for a way to counter the summoning.
'anothersummoningspell?wouldanyconjurationmagicwork?howaboutanopposingschoo l?alteration?transmutation?illusion?Oh,sweetNethyswhattodo?' runs through his mind as he unconsciously mutters prayers to Nethys.
Kn; Arcana; 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Lavender Leaf |
Lavender leans forward, squinting her eyes, trying to beleive what she is seeing. When Bahram confirms it, she remarks. "...A fiendish... Viper... Is that it? Seems a bit lame compared to the stoned sphinxes, the hall of insanity and the four armed yacht tour guide. Maybe we should just trigger it and deal with the thing. Problem solved. Unless... Do you think the trap resets once triggered? Or maybe it summons more then one? Maybe it's a really big viper? (Sigh) I hate traps..." Despite Lavender's statement, she seems quite intrigued by it.
ProfPotts |
As Bahram considers the altar, and the others ready themselves, a serpent finally manifests from within the carvings - a jet black thing, a full eight feet long and as thick as a grown man's arm! Rearing up, the serpent flairs out its hood, venom dripping from its fangs to sizzle ominously on the floor as its eyes glow a threatening red colour...
Yousef olan Ahmad |
** spoiler omitted **
Yousef raises his hands, one of which still gripping the flachion, and coughs. "Ahem. Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho. Go away snake!"
Rashid al-Gahiji |
Sigh. Ah, the impetuousness of youth!
"Well, it looks like it did not work out after all..."
Rashid starts to move forward, scimitar at the ready, intending to place himself betwixt Bahram and the serpent...
ProfPotts |
As the serpent snakes its way out of the altar, Bahram casts a spell of his own, causing the fiendish thing to vanish in a puff of black smoke. As he does so, Yousef darts across to the altar (no disarming traps at range - sorry!) and utters his (scary as all heck!) chant... No more snakes manifest... And anyone checking with detect magic will confirm that the mystical ward is 'disarmed'.
Lavender Leaf |
Lavender rubs her hands together. "Nope! Time to investigate! Nobody traps something for no reason! There is more to this alter here than what we first thought!" Lavender says, that curious sparkle back in her eyes!
Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Damn, that sure was some sparkle! A roll like that for me probably means that there is nothing there...
jjaamm/Keldar |
Lavender rubs her hands together. "Nope! Time to investigate! Nobody traps something for no reason! There is more to this alter here than what we first thought!" Lavender says, that curious sparkle back in her eyes!
Perception 1d20+8
Damn, that sure was some sparkle! A roll like that for me probably means that there is nothing there...
Course, we dwarves wouldnt think of false traps and dead ends.
ProfPotts |
There proves to be a small room off the side of the niche the altar is in - barely six or seven feet across. Considering the proximity to the altar, and the size, best guest would be that the room was a vestry of some kind, but now it stands open and barren, any rich paraphernalia once kept here by the temple's priests in ancient times long since gone...
That's pretty much it for the whole place - there's still (technically) the chance for the odd 'wandering monster' encounter, but you've basically cleared the place out now... and finally finished book 1 (main and secondary adventures!).
Rashid al-Gahiji |
Once appraised of the situation, Rashid becomes much more business-like.
"Right then. Let's head back to town, and let the good Father know what we discovered. We should also order in some scrolls from Katapesh to help Keldar and myself..."
I recall that the local Priest of Nethys was offering a cash reward for exploring the ruin ;-)
Keldar needs one scroll of Restoration, and Rashid requires two...
ProfPotts |
The journey back to the village proves uneventful, although Almah and her retinue are certainly pleased to have the Knight Protectors of Kelmarane back safely in (mostly) one piece. Father Zastoran excitedly quizzes you all on what you discovered, happily (despite his usually rather spendthrift tendencies) handing over the nine hundred gold darics he promised you for information. Once your story is related, the good Father focuses on questioning Bahram, seeming fascinated by the young sorcerer's experiences with the guide and the barge...
Over the following weeks and months, scores of merchants and settlers arrive and the work of rebuilding the village begins in earnest. Yet despite the turn of events for the better, rare are the nights that pass for Kelmarane's new keepers that are not punctuated by distant howls. Somewhere in the mountains the gnoll warlord known as the Carrion King still lives...
Right-oh - there's now that year of downtime I mentioned a while back, so I'll need to know what everyone plans to be doing for that year. You guys can choose pretty much anything you want, but the general catagories in the book (in case it helps) are the following:
Helping with administration of the town.
Setting up a business.
Work involving the Church of Sarenrae.
Hanging out with 'shady characters' (like Undrella, or incoming black marketeers or the like).
Exploring some personal mystery (something from your character's background).
Patrolling the the Kelmarane hinterlands (hunting gnolls and the like).
Focusing on a personal romance.
Helping to rebuild the town.
Research (studying stuff at the ruined monasteries and the church).
Travel (pretty much being anywhere else but Kelmarane).
Also, Yousef has the opportunity to spend his time practicing with his new Tempest related superpowers (although he by no means has to, and there's no point in the campaign which would penalise him for not doing so - it's simply an extra possible option for him).
Buying stuff should probably wait until you've decided on what your year's downtime will be spent doing, since lots of stuff could possibly net you some extra cash, or alter the max GP you can blow on single items at the town. Don't worry - you'll get to shop 'til you drop before we plunge into book 2, it's just that it'll help if I know what your downtime activities are first.
I hope that all makes some sort of sense - as always, feel free to ask questions!
Rashid al-Gahiji |
Well, oddly enough, Rashid will spend his year of 'down time' helping to restore the Temple of Sarenrae in town, and the Monastery (of Sarenrae) out in the desert...
After 'taking out' the cost of the three Restorations, each PC's share of 'party loot' comes to 4355gp, 7sp, and 4cp (less whatever was spent by a PC before we went to the temple of Nethys).
@ProfPotts: Given that we have a year of 'down time', I assume we should probably be able to identify the four 'dehydrated' potions without too much trouble?
jjaamm/Keldar |
I will first see if I can help to build the oasis, using what little I know of know nature and survival.
build a blacksmith. Maybe saving some expense with proffession miner, to get my own iron. Got 1 rank in craft weapons and 3 in craft armor. Also figure can do other simpler blacksmithing like nails, tools, and such.
Also will help some in scouting, since can fly around looking for any gnoll excursions.
jjaamm/Keldar |
Well, oddly enough, Rashid will spend his year of 'down time' helping to restore the Temple of Sarenrae in town, and the Monastery (of Sarenrae) out in the desert...
After 'taking out' the cost of the three Restorations, each PC's share of 'party loot' comes to 4355gp, 7sp, and 4cp (less whatever was spent by a PC before we went to the temple of Nethys).
@ProfPotts: Given that we have a year of 'down time', I assume we should probably be able to identify the four 'dehydrated' potions without too much trouble?
Thanks!
Lavender Leaf |
Lavender will help in deciphering the spells in the temple. Once that is done, she might look into trying to find her dead mother's body so that it might be resurrected. (Don't really expect to find it, but it is something she would do.)
With whatever time she has left she spends it assisting in the administration of the city.
She also assists the other PCs on their own tasks if they need the assistance.