Moonpate |
[dice=Harvest away!]d20+5
Leaf id alife and bound. We moof vorward. Karek grunts, as he continues his bloody work.
"Master Kogan, that may indeed be the best solution, though we must be very careful with securing it such that it cannot escape or even move, lest it somehow struggle and move into our trapped wall. Perhaps, if we secure it to the wall of the corridor, with pitons and rope if we have any, then it will surely not escape. Of course, it will eventually expire and whatever curse is here or upon it will no doubt summon another creature."
Xerissa Auraraun |
"Whew! Great to be back to the land of the living. Drinks on me!"
Great to be back. Thanks guys! Gotta learn to keep my saves higher. i thought they were decent. Oh well.
Maybe the basilisk will produce another round of juice to save the NPCs if we wait long enough. Moonpate's plan is smart. Not to be too cruel though, but if the basilisk is out of juice we will be OK. I'd be fine if you want to kill the thing and move on. Perhaps the dwarves can do an emo post of their conflicted guilt and we can move forward. Another thought is if you guys all want to rest and level anyways, why not do it right here, right now. We can guard over the basilisk and make sure it's healing ok.
Gandel |
Once we're done with the basilisk, I wonder if there is any way we could keep it securely bound and positioned so that it is facing the entrance - unhooded with its head secured so that it can't turn from side to side. That way, if/when the Asmodean monks break through the booby-trapped wall of stone, any survivors will then be faced with the basilisk's gaze.
Karek Kogan |
Once we're done with the basilisk, I wonder if there is any way we could keep it securely bound and positioned so that it is facing the entrance - unhooded with its head secured so that it can't turn from side to side. That way, if/when the Asmodean monks break through the booby-trapped wall of stone, any survivors will then be faced with the basilisk's gaze.
I love the way you think, Trapspringer.
Xerissa Auraraun |
Dude! You rule! We are so doing that. We got like three 18+ Strength guys in the party, right? We should be able to move it into position. Maybe make one of those weird neck braces injured dogs have to wear so you can only see the eyes if you are coming from the entrance direction.
Pact Stone GM |
Hope things normalize for you Dennis! Hang in there man!
P.S. The living gaze trap looks very possible. You've got ropes and pitons which will hammer into the floor nicely. You can jury rig some kind of brace for the neck and remove the red sack at the last moment. What I would need to know is where you plan to put it. Where you are now? Or drag the beast to X distance from the explosion wall trap you set up earlier?
P.P.S. At this point I think our poor highly abused basilisk deserves a name. Don't act like you didn't know that was coming.
Karek Kogan |
Did... you just laugh at him reiterating your joke? (It's a good suggestion. I like it.)
Karek's job done for the time being, he slowly rises. He checks to make sure that the bonds on the basilisk are tight, then returns any complete, fallen statues to their upright position. He lifts his hammer and moves back to the front of the line, trying to coax Bunky to come along with him. He turns back to the party and says, Now whud?
Halstadt Morgrym |
Things are back to almost normal thanks Beetle.
Hal looks quite anguished at Lydia's plight, "We must place Lydia in a secure place until we can rescue her from this predicament. Any idea why these ceatures keep appearing out of nowhere and ambushing us?" Hal directs the question towards Gandel and Pate.
Moonpate |
Things are back to almost normal thanks Beetle.
Hal looks quite anguished at Lydia's plight, "We must place Lydia in a secure place until we can rescue her from this predicament. Any idea why these ceatures keep appearing out of nowhere and ambushing us?" Hal directs the question towards Gandel and Pate.
Are there any alcoves or niches in this entry shaft that we can place Lydia in?
"The first creature attacked us from in front. This basilisk here materialized behind us. I do not know if this curse that surrounds them is tied to this corridor, the whole pyramid, or to some malevolent spirit watching our every move. I do think it is safe to assume, however, that if the basilisk continues to live, we may not see another cursed manifestation. If it dies and the curse remains in force, I fear we will again be attacked by who knows what, unless we move further in and the curse is only meant to guard this entry shaft."
Pact Stone GM |
Are there any alcoves or niches in this entry shaft that we can place Lydia in?
-
Not really. Some of the hieroglyphs are in bas relief, meaning they puff out an inch or two from the wall. That might be something you could rest a statue against, but while it's handy for balancing a statue without a base, it's not going to offer much in terms of protection.Pact Stone GM |
I'm thinking Barney. Barney our Bloodletting Basilisk. Or BoBB for short. :)
-
Bobb it is!And speaking of Bobb - anyone want to let me know where you are going to set Bobb?
Am I right that once Bobb is in place the Dune Squad then intends to continue deeper into the pyramid down the entry shaft? Towards the bridge-like structure, using the default marching order? (Anyo 2.0 in front etc.) Or is this a rest session?
Donkor Sooron |
We could keep Bobb more-or-less where we took him down, I suspect. Does anyone think it would make a difference to move him closer to the entrance?
Don't really care about where we place Lydia, and if we think this would be a good place for a rest session now that we've dealt with the immediate threat, there are certainly those amongst us who could use one.
Actually, if we minister to Bobb over the course of the rest session with Heals and channels and whatnot, is there a chance he might be recharged enough to do more de-stoning?
A rest would work okay for Donkor, he prays at midnight which I'm guessing would be 8-14 hours from now? Might not be optimate for our dawn pray-ers.
Moonpate |
We could keep Bobb more-or-less where we took him down, I suspect. Does anyone think it would make a difference to move him closer to the entrance?
Don't really care about where we place Lydia, and if we think this would be a good place for a rest session now that we've dealt with the immediate threat, there are certainly those amongst us who could use one.
Actually, if we minister to Bobb over the course of the rest session with Heals and channels and whatnot, is there a chance he might be recharged enough to do more de-stoning?
A rest would work okay for Donkor, he prays at midnight which I'm guessing would be 8-14 hours from now? Might not be optimate for our dawn pray-ers.
Sounds like we will have to carefully lay Lydia down against the wall, maybe padded with cloaks or blankets. Another option, would be the Han Solo treatment: even with low blood volume, gutting the creature and stuffing her inside coating her with every foul bit of beast should do the trick. We would have to be quick about it, since the creature will probably turn to ash like the last one. And then we would have to brace ourselves for another assault unless I try my remove curse scroll on the glyphs.
I don't think we should move the basilisk trap closer to the entrance than he already is, to avoid the chance that he might set off the explosives. As for resting in this corridor...Pate would prefer not to, given the presence of dead bodies, a struggling basilisk, and not knowing what is just ahead of us. But...if we can move the dead bodies away and post reassuring security measures than I suppose he can try resting. He is pretty wiped out from the forced march to the dig site. We will lose Anyo 2.0, however, if we stop now.Halstadt Morgrym |
I agree with Pate we should move a bit furtehr in before stopping. Not sure about sliding Lydia into the Basilisk though, what if she disappears with the remains of the basilisk? At least if she is still here we can attempt to revive her at a later date. I think we should carry her out and place her in the next room or the room after as the hall seems to be a poor choice. I do like the idea of leaving the basilik here as a second trap for our unwary pursuers.
Pact Stone GM |
Can Breach carry her? . . .
-
Yes he can - he's very strong. He'll need to sheathe his axe and shield to do so, but he's the man with the Quickdraw feat and the quickdraw shield so he can get back to ready-to-battle mode faster than most.Just care care Breach doesn't, say, drop her.
Pact Stone GM |
We could keep Bobb more-or-less where we took him down, I suspect. Does anyone think it would make a difference to move him closer to the entrance?
-
It doesn't sound like it, so we'll have the heavies spike him down right there and then. It's a noisy affair, but the Dune Squad's pretty sick from all the skulking around they've had to do the last 24 hours.Pact Stone GM |
Once Bobb is hammered into the floor and his conical head piece is adjusted, Hurgah reclaims his trade-mark sack and the Dune Squad is back on its way.
It's only a few feet further down the hall before Anyo 2.0 lights up more of the strange bridge ahead.
There is no bridge per say. The floor continues at the same width and is made from the same flagstones as before. The difference though is the walls fall away, giving way to a wider chamber. That chamber is also deeper, huge pits form on both sides of the floor-bridge. After about 20 feet, those pits terminate and the floor resumes.
Perhaps my clumsy text map can assist (the Dune Squad is heading north [i.e. up on the map]):
XXFFXX
XXFFXX
PPBBPP
PPBBPP
PPBBPP
PPBBPP
XXFFXX
XXFFXX
XXFFXX
XXFFXX
FF = the corridor floor
BB = that same floor extending into a bridge
PP = a sharp and sudden drop off (pit).
XX = solid wall
Is there space under the bridge? You can't tell from here.
How wide are the pits on either side of the bridge? You can't tell from here.
How deep are the pits? You can't tell from here.
Where is here? The Dune Squad is now 70 feet away from the point where the floor first turns into a bridge. Anyo is 30 feet away from the bridge and closing.
There is no sign of any glyph-covered monsters.
Pact Stone GM |
Here is an updated sketch of the current marching order. In addition to a smaller roll call, Hurgah is moved to the back instead of the middle. If his guard duty was meant to be restricted to just while the Dune Squad was stationary, let me know and we'll readjust it. For that matter let me know if there are any other changes as well.
.
.
.
BB <--Bridge
30
25
20
15
10
5
US* <--Anyo
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
KK GT
DS*XX
XX HM
XA MP
BS XX
XX HR
Breach Shattershield aka Javell |
"I'll not leave her here. I'm gonna carry her. I'm not for trustin' leavin' her here. I've made me promise to her and I'm gonna keep it. Now," he sheathes his axe and shield and goes to pick her up, "let's move!"
Unless I missed something on Breach, I don't think I have Quick Draw. But that's not gonna stop him from carrying her if he can. :)
Pact Stone GM |
"The Anyo Crossing"
The Dune Squad cautiously advances further along the shaft towards the strange bridge.
Anyo tests the bridge out first, scattering its glow into the dark recesses of the pit below. The bridge appears to be able to take the manifestation's full weight. It is slow, but Anyo crosses without incident. All is silent.
Once Anyo reaches the other side, the Dune Squad can see that the entry shaft only continues another 15 feet or so beyond the bridge. After that point it seems to open up into a great chamber. Each of the three dwarves can intuitively sense that the chamber levels out, ending the pattern of subtle declination throughout the rest of the shaft. Could you have finally reached the end of the entryway?
---
The frontline (Karek and Gandel) are currently 20 feet from the bridge.
Moonpate |
Let's maybe not put everyone on the bridge at the same time. And take a look at what's down in the pit before we cross. Perhaps a precautionary bomb or two. If we're really cautious we could rope up, but I'm cool.
"After you boys!" Xerissa says melodiously.
"One at a time seems prudent, especially given my, ah, enhanced girth. Though, I swear I have lost weight these past couple days of deprivations."
Thinking of food reminds him that he has stashed away a few more of those delicious cakes from the "volunteers" tent. He munches on one while waiting for one of the dwarves or Gandel to declare the bridge safe.
Pact Stone GM |
Gandel and Karek arrive at the edge of the bridge. The halfing inspects it closely.
It is rather odd that the bridge has no railing to speak of, not even a lip on its edges. But it is 10 feet wide and not terribly long. It does not appear treacherous - one should be able to walk along its middle without going anywhere near its edges. Moreover, the bridge is a few feet thick at least. Made of granite, it is presumably strong enough to support even the heaviest among the Dune Squad. The bridge is devoid of hieroglyphs or other signs of stylized craftmanship. If anything it looks rather plain.
Perhaps more worrying is the pit below (it is indeed one single pit - not two). The pit's walls descend into darkness, leaving it unclear just how deep it might actually be.
---
So, anyone crossing?