The Pyramid of Shadows (Inactive)

Game Master 137ben

Despite having trouble finding it, Mundarion is quickly able to deactivate the trap.

Mundarion quickly returns to rejoin the rest of the group in the chamber. Once he does so he gives the statue with the gem in its forehead a thorough inspection.

Perception check: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18

And again taking "10" for a result of 26 (using plus 16 as he is searching for traps on the statue/gem).

Mundarion also casts Detect Magic to examine the statue and gem with.

ASF check: 1d100 ⇒ 83

Yessai stands well back from the statue, blade at the ready, buckler held up.

The statue has no magical aura at all.
The moonstone itself has a strong Conjuration aura, the same as the Head of Vyrellis.

Mundarion says, I'll wait until Gemheart is ready and then see if I can remove the gem without all hell breaking loose."

In a little over one minute's time, provided no enemies burst forth, Gemheart has repaired the damage to his structure.

When you approach the statue, the moonstone floats off towards the Head of Vryellis, slowly dissolving into water. As it does so, a whispy spirit passes out of the moonstone and merges with the Head, simultaneously emitting a burst of warmth on the group.

"Hrph, thou didst take thine time,"
Vyrellis' voice now sounds deeper and fuller, as she has started to come back together.
"What dist thou expect, a monster to emerge? What couldst give thee such a thought? At least thy stalling ended and thou recovered my fragment. Mine power ith returning, which I share with thee."

Whoever is currently holding the Head of Vyrellis feels a rush of energy, quickly healing all wounds.

From now on, whoever holds the Head of Vyrellis has fast healing 1. So, now you don't have to keep track of CLW wand charges.

You all really seemed to think there was a trap coming...

:)

You are of course assuming I for one do not still consider the Head of Vyrellis to be a possible complete and utter perilous danger of doom. Yessai remains skeptical, though obviously happy for the healing energy and the gaining of a powerful healing item that will more or less keep us sustainable in the Pyramid...

I still have a sneaking suspicion we're putting Karavakos back together.

As you heal, a crackling lightning sounds, and a phantom image of Karavakos appears, floating at the top of the chamber.

"Fools! Scum!"

He snarls,
"Cease wasting your time with inconsequential factional rivalries! Kill us, three times! Only then can you escape!"

Mundarion says, "If you weren't such a coward, maybe we would. As it is, the only reason we've been 'wasting time' as you put it is because we haven't been able to find your worthless kobold molesting orc raping self."

Still waiting for a statue's mouth with a lever in it... Then we can expect a trap :P

Also, i've completely forgotten who has the head...

Nice retort 'Darion

@Dee - well either you or me - seeing as we are the injured folk…Seems you are more injured than I at the moment - so - you? ;)

Sensing a respite before more violence, Yessai sinks to the ground. The githyanki unbuckles her buckler and sighs.

"We needs must grow in power. And strength. And we need support."

Yessai looks to the ceiling, and then considers her... friends.

"Thus we "waste our time". Regardless, we know not how dangerous a successful destruction of Karavakos might be. Or whether such an act will result in our escape."

De'arv'ki collects her gear from the roof, flicking her ears at the comment about a waste of time. She then walks down a wall and silkily sinks to the ground beside the party, slowly recuperating.

Gemheart ignores the yelling of the Karavakos hologram, turning to his companions.

"There is much we do not know. Like why Karavakos wants us to destroy him."

"Find the first me to the west, then north!"
The tiefling's image cackles before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

At Gemheart's comment, Vyrellis speaks
"Didst thou already forget? Thy mechanical memory is truly imperfect. I suspect Karavakos is demanding you destroy not him, but three constructs bearing his likeness, each containing a piece of his essence. Destroying them would make him stronger. I suspect the true Karavakos is not in the place he just specified."
Vyrellis explained this back on pages 26-27.

"Hmm. But can we find him without doing so?"

Mundarion comments, "Regardless, the more immediate consideration is whether we want to wait here for the remaining lizardfolk and dragonborn to come to us, or if we take the fight to them. Given that we originally came here to check on kidnapped Sahuagin, the latter may be the better bet if we're good to go."

"I knoweth not the simplest way thou couldst reach Karavakos. Perchance the Arboreans, or others in the Pyramid, could tell thee how to reach him without destroying the constructs."
Vyrellis answers Gemheart before nodding to Mundarion's comment.
Y'all should decide which way to go...or decide to wait.

we should go, if we are good HP-wise

But which direction? North, where the escaping greenscale ran? South, where they lizardfolk initially told you to go? Or West, where Karavakos tolk you to go?

I vote North…

North. Karavakos can wait. :-)

North, stuff the evil overlord, we're on a vengeance quest!

yeah i was thinking north, since we dont want to leave too much unfinished business around. such things are easy to forget about in a pbp for players, but the DM always remembers and confuses me later

Assuming everybody is ready, the group heads north. Mundarion on point making sure nobody falls in the pits, and then trying to be stealthy and check for traps once the stairs have been reached.

Perception check: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

Stealth check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Mundarion finds an alarm trap in the doorway (DC 25 to disable).

Shortly beyond the doorway is a sharp turn to the right, beyond which you can clearly hear many creatures moving about.

Sorry for the delay...computer temporarily crashed, and it's hard to post updates from my phone.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23

Oops!

Gemheart follows, but remains back from Mundarion so as not to spoil his attempt at stealth.

A ringing, ear-piercing siren sounds throughout the chamber.

A trio of reptiles emerges almost immediately from the door--two tall blue dragonborn in full armor, and one unarmored lizardfolk behind them. The greenscale lizardfolk from earlier follows shortly behind the first three.

An instant later, the southeast door also opens. At the top of the stairs is a pair of brown-skinned lizardfolk, each mounted on a large, red-eyed wolf-like creature.

"Intruders!"
One dragonborn calls out.

"You are surrounded! Leave dragonborn territory, to the southwest where you came from, immediately. Do so and no harm shall come to you. Otherwise, you will not live through the next hour!"

Knowledge (Arcana) check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Mundarion turns to the rest of the group and says, "Your call."

"Then choose soon, and choose wisely!"

The other dragonborn growls.

The way this group does things that could take days IRL.

One or two of you can decide for the group.

The githyanki whispers to her comrades, blade and buckler held high protectively.

"I am tired of being corralled and warned, bullied and threatened."

Yessai shouts back.

"Begone! Call back your reavers! We wish to treat with those of you in power. Or merely bring to us the sahuagin you captured, and YOU may yet live."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

I am sure we are outnumbered, and out-powered. Yessai is merely tired of being….tried and tested.

Gemheart, though he remains silent, grips his weapon tightly and clearly stands ready for battle.

intimidate assist: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12 vs DC 10

What the heck ...

Intimidate Assist check: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Yeah! Though if I had got that roll when I was trying to disarm the alarm we wouldn't be having this problem.

Yay, time to be intimidating. Rawr :3!
De'Arv'Ki stands just behind and to the right of Gemheart, with her crossbow pointed at the ground, eyes narrowed slightly and her tail tip flicking slowly behind her.

Intimidate Assist Check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
I'll just go and play with my yarn then, since this cat is anything but scary >_<
Reroll: 1d20 - 19 ⇒ (6) - 19 = -13

Nice assists folks!

The lizardfolk and dragonborn shake somewhat. The first dragonborn smiles nonetheless
"You wish to speak with our leader? Very well..."

The dragonborn step back through the corridor to the north, and beckon for you to follow.

The corridor ends shortly in a corner. A pair of giant, steel doors creak open to reveal a much bigger chamber, lined by five massive pillars. This area is dry, not filled with water. There are five other passageways leading out.
Spread throughout the room are a team of lizardfolk. In the middle is a giant red dragonborn.

"So, you bashers are the trouble-makers who've aligned yourselves with the harpies chasing after the high up tiefling, eh? And you aren't looking very hard, since everyone but you knows Karavakos is merely a shadow."

He speaks in a very thick accent typical of Sigil natives.

"As far as I can tell, you berks just waltzed in with no way of making me give up your harpy friend. I, Garash Vren, am not so easily intimidated."

Garash Vren pauses his speech for a moment and glares at the followers of his who were intimated by Yessai.

"There's no way you sods are getting your harpy back. Leave my territory immediately, or she will die, and you addle-coved bashers will be held captive. Or killed, if I am feeling merciful. Unless you berks have something better to offer me, get lost."

The githyanki is unperturbed by the brash dragonborn, perhaps her ack of familiarity with the City of Doors leaves her oblivious of tone and intent. Neverthless, the fear-eater bows. "Garash Vren. Perhaps we have something to offer you and perhaps we don't. Only time will tell, time which you have in....great abundance."

Yessai spins slowly about, holding her arms about - indicating the passageways and the chamber itself.

"Here you sit. Master of a corner of a level of a pocket plane, a slice of a dimension. Not really very much is it? And for what? Interminable affray and squabbles with harpies, arborlings and sahuagin? Was it your mighty warriors that ended the ettin? After how long?"

The githyanki pauses before continuing.

"We let your agents pass without killing them when we met them on the Great Stairway. We dropped your minions in the speartrap chamber. [ here drops the poison-tipped spear to clatter to the floor] . Ask of us that which you would like for us to do, that will pay blood-money for the harpy." Yessai looks to her companions before continuing.

"We maintain that we are free agents. We wish for no alliance, or brokerage of freedoms, but to get what we desire, freedom from this prison, for there is no denying that thus is what the pyramid truly is, we needs must treat with the likes of Garash Vren."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Mundarion says, "My companion has the right of it. We serve no larger group here. We also have the power to slay as we will if that proves necessary. But we are here now to negotiate."

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

"Mighty warriors abound in this prison-plane, gnashing at each other. We seek to be free from it. To pierce the heart of Karavakos. Merely a shade, you say?"

"Indeed... essscape isss our only... goal..."
De'Arv'Ki stands near Yessai, not particularly diplomatic, nor actively trying to be otherwise.

Just don't cough up any hairballs. :-)

Meow can you say that?! >_<

"A Shadow indeed."
Garash Vren glares down at Gemheart.

"I have seen it with my own eyes. Maybe it used to be more, maybe not."

Garash turns back to Yessai
"Your taunts impresses me not. It was not so long ago that we arrived here from Sigil. "

"I suppose I could return your harpy companion, and lend you aid in reaching Karavakos, for a fair price. Head to the library of whispers, to the northwest of here. Retrieve from it a book called the Tome of Vecna's Breath, and return it to me unopened. It is...critical that you do not open it. Then, and only then, shall you have my aid."

Mundarion takes some time to try to remember if he has ever heard of this tome.

Knowledge (Arcana) check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14