Ibid. |
The old gunslinger makes sure he is positioned outside of the room, knowing he cannot disarm the trap, calling to the knight from his place of protection.
"I think you'd best get out of there, Sir Alaric," Ibid's voice carries into the room, while the old man's gaze is fixed up on the glowing light.
Pulling his attention away, Ibid looks over the room, for a door or way to deactivate the trap.
perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Obviously, Ibid doesn't see anything :)
The Norv |
Unfortunately, no one has been able to find anything this round...the trap activates again, blasting Alaric with a bolt of force! This one strikes the knight squarely in the chest.
It does 4 points of damage this time, and the party is up (in posting order)! Please also see discussion.
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Sir Alaric |
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
The knight grunts his acknowledgement, but stubbornly continues his search. "Only- GYAH! ... only a flesh wound."
The Norv |
Sir Alaric's investigation uncovers a carefully hidden door on the southern wall! (Marked on map) It doesn't have a traditional handle; rather, it has a small divot about the size of a hand, which looks like you're supposed to insert your hand and pull...or push...or something.
I'm going to need to know how you attempt to open the door: push, pull, try to slide it in one direction, etc. Alaric gets a free try, then everyone else can try twice/round.
Sir Alaric |
Alaric will grip the handle and set his shoulder the door, pushing with all of his might.
But not before flashing a smug smile to his nay-sayers.
Ibid. |
Ibid watches expectantly to see the result of Elan's attempt, also appreciating the Samsaran's preparation.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Just dotting in so I can see this in my campaign tab. Was going to wait for my intro post but didn't want to wait anymore...
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
A Click, a soft thud, followed by a second click and thud faintly echo through the halls to the distracted pathfinders, currently trying to convince the knight to get out of the trapped room. A few moments later, the group looks up to see that Azgar is no longer behind them, but instead, a dark skinned elf, cautiously peering around the corner.
Disable Device, First Pit: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (8) + 29 = 37
Disable Device, Second Pit: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (3) + 29 = 32
"Don't shoot! I'm a friend. I passed a clown on the way in, I was sent here by the society to clear this tomb with a few others. I waited in town for a bit, then realized I was actually late, and not early... I noticed a few pit traps back there that you left. I disabled them, shouldn't be a problem anymore, no need to worry about them if we all need to run screaming out the front door. So, what's going on here? Hey, That doesn't look safe, maybe you should get out of there? Let me see if I can turn that off..."
Perception, Look for the trap/mechanism: 1d20 + 19 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 19 + 3 = 29 Trapfinding allows me to find mechanical or magical traps and disable them.
Disable Device, If I find it: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (16) + 29 = 45
"Balaxxius is my name, by the way. I'm not your typical drow. You know, pure evil and all? And I'm not that blasted ranger either, in case you are looking for a shoulder to cry on."
Quadravos φ |
Were it not for the Drow's disarming attitude and capabilities, Quadravos φ would have surely conjured an acid arrow.
"Well, at least you speak the truth about your capabilities, Balaxxius was it?"
@Balaxxius, is there a relevant knowledge to figure out if I have heard about you before?(could be that you worked for the society before or are you a member?)
Knowledge(relevant subject): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 As long as it's not Arcane or Engineering, then it's a +10 modifier ;)
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Balaxxius breaths a satisfied sigh, standing up from his crouched position and wiping off his hands on his breeches.
He turns to the group, "indeed, I am Balaxxius, trapmaster of some minor fame within the society. It only seemed natural that I join the dark archive faction, though I've never been known to care all that much for the designs and goals of the higher ups. I am here for the thrill of the recovery of the secrets and treasures this tomb holds, and the challenges of the traps within. There has not been a trap that has bested me yet, and I intend to see if such a device even exists. I am at your service." he finishes with a deep bow.
"I understand your trepidation to working with a drow, my kin have a nasty habit for unending webs of lies and traitorous backstabbing. I assure you that even were I inclined to such selfish and rudimentary behavior, that type of thing is only done when it best suits the liar. In here, it is in my best interest to keep you alive as we walk through these halls, so you can keep me alive when we fight through these halls. " his smile is as disarming as his nimble fingers.
"I only wish I had met you in town, but the situation is unchangeable now. Please allow me to earn your trust. I will defer to your wisdom as we search these halls, please just let me know if you wish me to do anything to aid, and I will do my best to make myself useful." he removes one of his intricate gloves and extends his hand, as is the custom of most humans.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Not sure if there would be, unless it would apply to knowledge about the society which we are all a part of... I suppose the gm would have to rule, but I think out would be pretty cool if you had heard of me... Would at least make the meeting rp a little easier, not having to convince you I am not an evil drow and all... :)
-Posted with Wayfinder
Elan Crew |
Knowledge local covers humanoids.
"As you state, you race's reputation is well earned, but as you state it is in your best interests to keep us alive in here. At least until all danger is cleared out. Until then welcome aboard."
Elan walks over and shakes Balaxxius' hand.
Ibid. |
"Aye," says the old gunslinger, removing his weatherworn hat and nodding slightly. After pushing the knotted tangles of hair from his face, and covering them once again with his hat, the old man continues. "Well done with the trap, you will be of great use to us."
"And us to you," Ibid finishes, raising his musket as an indication of the group's protection.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Balaxxius slides next to the knight after exchanging pleasantries.
"May I?" he says, while indicating the door mechanism, all the while trying not to come off as rude or pushy.
Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31 +3 for traps.
"try pulling, then twisting that way, yes, ok how about...." The drow and knight try as many varied combinations of the lever as possible until the door opens.
please let me know if you need a specific combination and I will list some out
-Posted with Wayfinder
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
I'm going to try not to be annoying about this and remind you too much, so if I am, please tell me. Just want to remind you that whenever I pass within 10 feet of a trap, you are supposed to secretly roll my perception (+22) check to notice it. Its my Trap-Radar. Built in trap-awesomeness. :)
Balaxxius nods in affirmation to the knight as they discover the way to open the door.
"Please, allow me." He says, trying not to be condescending to the brave knight. Walking into the next, bare room, he takes his time examining the walls, floor, and ceiling first for traps and other signs of danger, and next for a hidden door.
Take 20 on Perception (assuming you have already rolled for potential traps): 20 + 19 = 39
Sir Alaric |
Alaric shrugs, offering Balaxius his 10-foot pole and folding his arms. "... long as you find me another battle, you go ahead and lead the way."
Quadravos φ |
Balaxxius is checking the new room for traps & hidden doors as per his last post :) Quadravos φ is happy to wait ... Have you seen Balaxxius & my question about whether or not I could have heard from him as he is part of the Pathfinder Society. Got a 24 on my knowledge check. Was waiting for your ok/not ok to continue on that thought.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Hey there, sorry if I wasn't clear enough. Is there something else I should say to help move things along, or be more specific? I put my token as far forward on the map as it looked like we could go. By your description this is an empty room, so I am looking for traps and secret doors, taking 20. I figured I couldn't really do anything else without you telling us what we found (if anything...) so I was waiting for you...
Please let me know if there is a posting style, or specific things you need me to say or do in order to move things along so you aren't waiting for us. I check the boards frequently throughout the day, and as such I am able often times to post 2 or 3 times per day, sometimes more. This group shouldn't ever have to wait for me, so if you are, please let me know!
The Norv |
Hm, nope, nope, sorry, ignore all that, let's skip to the part where I learn to read and therefore continue with our game. Totally my fault. Answers to questions and progressing the game...now! Sorry, work's been crazy lately and it's affecting my brain. Balaxxius, please don't worry about being annoying with the auto-trap-detection; it's the sort of thing that's tricky for a GM to remember, but I'll get used to it eventually. And my life will stop disrupting my reading/response abilities eventually.
Retconning back to just before Balaxxius enters the room in order to cover the trapfinding...
Balaxxius, eager to show off his skills in front of the others, takes a quick glance around the room and, finding nothing, steps in to begin his search. Just as he reaches the middle of the room, however, a set of arcane runes on the ceiling flare to life, and the drow is blasted by a bolt of arcane force!
The bolt does 3 damage; your passive ability started strong with a natural 1. :P The party is up; everyone can take a turn in posting order before the trap goes off again!
Trapfinding: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (1) + 22 = 23
Bolt: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
GM - I just want to make sure we are on the same page about something before we get too far in. However you rule it is fine with me, but I just want to present my case first. First, the rules I want to reference:
In the rule for taking 20, you are only allowed to do so when there is no threat or distraction, and there is no penalty for failure. In the description of the perception check, it specifically states that you are allowed to try again, as long as the thing you are looking for is still there. Those two things together suggest that taking 20 on perception checks is allowed. Additionally, it talks about how looking for something purposefully is a move action, and taking 20 is the equivalent of 20 move actions (or 2 minutes of game time).
In my post I mentioned that I wanted to take 20 (which I will pretty much do all of the time, unless we are in combat, or running, or some other situation that requires a timer), so in this case you wouldn't have needed to roll for me, you should just be able to use my take 20 score of 42 (or 39 for non-trap things). In fact, as long as we are out of combat, please always assume that I take 20 on all of my perception checks. Cant be missing anything and letting my group down. :)
Also, thanks to the wonders of simplified rules in pathfinder, as compared to 3.5, one perception roll covers everything I might see, hear, smell, touch, or taste.
Long story short, my point is I feel I should have had a perception score of 42 to see the trap since I was actively searching for it, and then an opportunity to roll to disarm it. (cant take 20 on that, since there is consequences for failure).
Please let me know how you rule it, so I can adjust my play style and posting accordingly. Thanks!
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Oh yea... either way you rule, I still try to disarm the trap.
Disarm Trap (disable device): 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (18) + 29 = 47
Elan Crew |
My 2 copper. While I'd agree with take 20 looking for a trap on a door or a chest or something you look at from the outside. I'd say no for an area trap as you have to be in the trap to find it and it takes 20 rounds for your take 20 whereas the trap goes off in one.
The Norv |
I completely agree that you can take 20 to examine things from outside; however, the check I rolled for you was (just) too low to see it, and you did say in your post that you were "walking into the room" to carefully examine it. That triggers the trap. If you want to take 20 from outside, be careful to say that exactly--given how finely-tuned many of these traps are, I'm going to be pretty strict about interpreting the way things are described. :) In any case...
Balaxxius makes quick work of the trap, disrupting the arcane runes. They die down to a simple gray etchings.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Perfect! I understand how GMing through traps can be difficult to rule because things tend to flow differently out of the structure of combat rounds. I don't want to be a pain, I just want to make sure we are on the same page. I will do my best to describe it, but if I make a mistake in my post or don't describe something correctly, I expect you to make me pay for my mistake. That's what this dungeon is supposed to be about right? :)
Balaxxius curses silently under his breath, slightly embarrassed that he didn't notice the runes.
Muttering under his breath, "Stupid rune trap. Stupid dark elf. Pay attention."
Accepting the singe as appropriate payment for his carelessness entering the room, he quickly goes about disarming the trap before it can go off again.
"Well... Another empty room." He says, clearing his throat and straightening this tunic as if nothing odd had happened.
"There has to be a door here somewhere..."
Take 20 on Perception: 20 + 19 = 39
Quadravos φ |
"Acererak sure has a love for traps and secret doors. I'm glad you came when you did Balaxxius."
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
"Hmm.. Well this looks familiar..." he says as he looks at the handle, simultaneously nodding to the wizard's compliment.
Balaxxius tries the handle in the same manner as the last door that Sir Alaric and he managed to open. If that doesn't work, he tries pulling up, and to each side.
Balaxxius, having learned his lesson last time, takes a moment to look for more expolosive runes before entering the newly opened room, similar to the ones in the last two rooms.
Take 20 on perception: 20 + 19 = 39 +3 for traps
If there is another trap: Disable Device: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (18) + 29 = 47
Sir Alaric |
Alaric sets his jaw after struggling with the door, nursing the blow to his pride. "Indeed? No doubt you heard about our quest and wanted your share of the plunder. Well it matters not to me so long as I don't wake up with a knife between the ribs. You'll forgive me for sleeping with one eye open."
Alaric claps his mailed fist to his breastplate in agreement. "Damned right! I'd say the lich wants us to die of boredom if his traps don't get us."
The Norv |
The door doesn't slide into the floor at all, but when Balaxxius attempts to pull it to one side, it gives slightly; a little bit of fiddling leads to the discovery that this door pivots on a central point; it turns a full ninety degrees, leaving two 5' "doorways" into the next room.
Which, yes, appears to be identical to the last. Prepared, this time, Balaxxius spots another magical blasting trap located in one corner, and makes quick work of it. The 10' square room seems to be free of other adornment or peril; a thorough search reveals another secret door on the south side of the room, this one with a handhold near the floor.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Down, spin... Sideways? This one must be up...
After dealing methodically and carefully with the traps in this room, then double checking for more, just to be safe, Balaxxius investigates the newest handle. Grasping it firmly, he lifts up, assuming the door will lift up to the ceiling.
if that doesn't work, he will try other methods as well... I'll wait to see what the description is next before I decide what to do
-Posted with Wayfinder
The Norv |
The door doesn't lift straight up into the ceiling, but it does give slightly, and Balaxxius realizes on wiggling it that it pivots on a hinge at the ceiling. It opens into a room that, while still unadorned, is at least slightly different from the previous ones: a 30' long hallway that stretches away to your right. There are no doors or obvious openings anywhere along the hall.
Sir Alaric |
"Finally! We're getting somewhere..." the knight bellows, shrinking into his pauldrons. "That is... I think so." he adds, with a heavy sigh. Shouldering his lance, he begins to aid Balaxxius in searching for traps.
Perception (floor traps): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
The Norv |
With Alaric's help, and some idea of what to look for now, Elan's eyes are sharp enough to spot a magical blasting trap similar to the ones Balaxxius has disarmed waiting about 5' into this hallway. The cleric reaches an arm out to prevent the knight stumbling into it.
(And turn, I imagine, to the master disarmer. Going to go ahead and make the roll for you so as to speed things along.)
Disable Device: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (11) + 29 = 40
Balaxxius makes short work of this trap, as he has the others, and the party is free to move bout the hallway.
Sir Alaric |
Alaric murmurs his thanks. "Some good eyes on you, priest. We could make use of you on the Qadiran front, if you've a mind."
Alaric slinks back to the rearguard, scuffing his boots on the flagstones.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for keeping things moving for me!
"well done, good eyes you have." Balaxxius compliments the cleric as he goes about disarming the magical trap.
"now let's see what secrets lie in this room..." Balaxxius pulls out his weapon, noting that they seem to have gotten past the string of similar rooms, and half expecting something horrid to jump out from around the corner.
Trusting his companions to watch his back, he goes about searching for the mechanical obstacles.
Methodically taking 20 through this room...: 20 + 19 = 39 +3 for traps
-Posted with Wayfinder
Quadravos φ |
"I must attest that much more effort was put in the adornments of the first hallway. I hope we will see more than blank walls with spell traps from this point onward."
The Norv |
Heh. Don't worry; the endless hallways come to an end soon (well, the endless unadorned and identical hallways).
At the end of the hallway, Balaxxius identifies another secret door; after several minutes of prodding and pushing, he places a hand right in the middle and pushes, causing it to swing open in two halves. A new hallway, barren as the others, stretches away to your right...
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
"Anyone else going to be surprised to find a blasting trap in this room?"
Balaxxius, ever cautious, takes a few minutes to search the entryway for traps and other devious devices.
Take 20 Perception: 20 + 19 = 39 +3 for traps
Disable Device: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (19) + 29 = 48
Once he is sure the room is clear and safe for entry, he leads his new companions into the next hallway.
Ibid. |
The old gunslinger holds his musket uneasily, watching the drow deftly searching for and disabling the various traps which have crossed their path.
"Just let me know when I can be of use, Balaxxius..." Ibid says, watching with great expectancy. Briefly pausing to look at the others, raising his eyebrow in an exaggerated motion, signaling a begrudging nod of respect for the drow.
Balaxxius Trapmaster |
"Oh trust me my aged friend, you will know." he says with an ominous tone, not looking up from his work.
yup, just try not to scream like a little baby when the boogie man jumps out from behind the next door. Or at least try to make the scream sound masculine...
-Posted with Wayfinder
The Norv |
Balaxxius, to no one's surprise, finds yet another blasting trap. Disarming it handily, the party proceeds into the hallway, where a thorough search reveals another concealed door--this time set into the western wall. A handhold similar to the others' allows the door to slide into the left wall, revealing another barren 10'-square chamber...but this one is slightly different. In the far wall, a series of seven iron studs protrude from the stone, arranged in a pattern such as one might find on dice or cards: three across, one in the center, and three on the bottom.
For ease of reference, if you choose to do anything to the studs, let's refer to them by numbers, reading left-to-right, top-to-bottom. So the studs are arranged like so:
1 2 3
4 [should be in the center but the forum can't do that]
5 6 7