After the 15 minutes it takes Valgrim to climb the 40', he finally reaches the top and thanks Vug for her help. He then looks down the passageway with his darkvision. "Ok, let's find out what was so dang important that got that poor fella killed. However, since we didn't find any broken shards by his body, I doubt he managed to find the missing lantern."
"Undoubtedly. But maybe he wasn't looking for it?"
Bubba is also looking down the passage with his darkvision.
Feres carefully climbs up the chain, using the rope to steady himself.
The stout priest eventually makes it up to the passageway at the top, puffing like a bellows.
"Well...*huff*...that was...*puff*...fun. Let's...*wheeze*...not make a...*groan*...habit out of that...*bends over clutching chest*...Shall we?"
Feres leans against the wall at the passage opening, trying to catch his breath as his companions begin to explore the passageway.
Urg takes the lead (except, of course, for Chirosa, who's scouting ahead.)
A thin passage (only 5 feet wide) extends into shadows to the northeast. Perhaps seventy feet away, the passage ends in what looks like an enormous stone human face, its mouth open in an angry scream. With his superior vision, Urg actually sees it before Chisora does.
Chisora notices something else, though. There are several long scratch marks in the floor, as if something had been dragged toward the lip of the shaft.
"Huh...this is looking downright spooky. Do you think something could have pushed that dead guy out of the tunnel? Maybe we could tie ourselves together with a rope and tie the rope to a piton; that way it would be harder to push us out of the tunnel." Vug Vang looks a little nervous.
Furrowing her brow at the marks on the floor, Chisora carefully inches forward towards the mouth. Once she's close enough, she hold her lighted Hanbo down so that she can see in side the mouth and then search around the face for anything that might help solve the puzzle.
Perception Check:
"Hmmmm.....more puzzles. The creator of this Cairn must have some weird sense of humor."
Vug Vang pounds a couple of pitons into the floor of the passage, just to be on the safe side. She braces her feet against them.
"So you brought pitons but no rope?? You sure are a strange one, elf!" Valgrim laughs heartily. "Don't worry, I'll stand in front of you and not let anything push you back. Worse case, run back and jump on the chain so you don't fall."
Bubba goes up to the face with Chisora, scanning for magical auras.
As Chisora approaches the face she just has time to reflect that its physiology is uncannily similar to that of the figure on the sarcophagus before she hears something go 'click' under her feet. Instantly the face comes to life and a strong wind erupts from its screaming mouth. At the same time its eyes flash with swirling hypnotic patterns of red and indigo.
You all need to make a Will save vs. 13 or be frozen to the spot, unable to move.
Now what? The wind is growing stronger by the second.
Will save:
"Guess you were right to worry, elf. Back to the chain!"
Valgrim will move back to the chain as quick as possible.
That will mean climb checks for all that try to go down the chain. And this time there is no taking 10. Also I wonder in what order you're going down.
Bubba is frozen in place, transfixed by the stone face.
Although Urg (just) manages to break the force he feels trying to hold him, he can't leave Bubluka to the mercy of whatever would happen next. He shouts to be heard over the wind. "Chisora! Can you disable that thing?"
Vug Vang swallows a lump in her throat as she dashes forward to see if she can help turn the device off.
Disable Device: (4 ranks, +5 dex, -1 armor penalty, -2 for not having the right tools)
Valgrim double moves to the chain.
Round 1 then: Valgrim runs back and grabs the chain. Bubba stands transfixed. Vug tries to stop the wind.
Waiting for actions from Chisora and Feres (and Urg).
Round One:
Feres' eyes widen in alarm as the trap is sprung. Realizing that he is blocking the access to the chain, he turns and begins to climb down as quickly as his bulk will allow.
As Chisora and Vug try to figure out this magical contraption and Bubba stares at the pretty colors, Feres scrambles down the chain as well as he can while Valgrim tries to hold it steady. Urg is caught in the middle, desperately trying to save his friend.
The wind steadily increases in force. Your torches are snuffed out by now (fortunately the eerie lights from the eyes provide illumination) and it is growing difficult to move against the wind. You feel the wind tugging at you and your exposed clothing.
Round 2 is up. Bubba gets another saving throw to snap out of his trance, and the rest of you get to act.
"C'mon people, this wind is picking up! Stop yer looking at the blasted pretty lights and get down this chain...now!" Valgrim is avoiding looking at the stone face.
Round Two:
Feres tries to accelerate his descent down the chain, aided by the rope and Valgrim, in an effort to make way for his companions.
Bubba remains transfixed.
Will Save:
Just amnaging to resist the pull of the magic, Chisora inces forward against the wind with Vug to see if they can shut off the trap. She curses her self under her breath the whole way for not seeing the mechanism.
Disable Device Check:
Seeing it for the wasted exercise that it is, she grabs Vug's hand and pulls her back down the passage towards the chain. She stops at Bubluka along the way and attempts to drag him back with them.
Vug helps drag Bubluka towards the chain and rope.
"Whoever's not going down to the rope should try to hold on to the pitons I hammered in," she suggests.
Urg helps Chisora and Vug to drag Bubluka.
OK, for round 2 I assume that Valgrim and Feres are scrambling down the chain, Chisora and Vug make a run for it while Urg is dragging Bubba.
Feres is down 20 feet already, and I need another Climb check for Feres and Valgrim (Feres can take 10).
In round 3 the wind hits hurricane force and Urg, Chisora and Vug need to make Fortitude saves vs. 18 to avoid being blown away.
Fort save:
Fortitude Save:
Chisora manages to dig herself in and get a hold as the wind picks up. She watches helplessly as the others get blown back down the corridor. She starts to ease herself back slowly, using Vug's pitons to guide her journey.
Vug Vang strains to the utmost of her ability, but it is of no use.
"Can't...take...it...any more...might...as...well...enjoy...WHEEEEE!"
She flies through the air, squealing in delight.
Climb:
While Chisora manages to brace herself, Urg loses his grip of Bubba and is blown back 10 feet and slammed into a wall for 4 points of nonlethal damage. Only his great strength keeps him standing.
The lighter Vug is picked up bodily and blown away. She is buffeted for 1 point of nonlethal damage and must make a Reflex save vs 10 to grab hold of the chain.
Ref save:
Swinging from the chain, Vug adds: "Wow! That was scary, but kind of f-fun. I don't think I'll try it again, though."
She starts to climb down.
Climb:
1d20
The still mesmerized Bubba is picked up by the wind and bounced down the hallway for 4 points on nonlethal damage before taking a plunge down the shaft for 16 points of damage.
Round Three:
Dangling from the chain 20 feet above the bottom of the shaft, Feres grips his holy symbol and channels the healing power of Sarenrae, sending a wave of energy into Bubba's unconscious form at the bottom of the shaft.
The stout priest then continues his descent down the chain.
That should more or less put you out of danger, and as you climb downwards out of the wind the chain swings less, making it possible for you to take 10 again, so you should be able to get down in one piece.
Panting, you assemble on the floor below the blue lantern, around Bubba's unconscious form. Above you the storm continues unabated.
What do you want to do next?
Feres climbs down the chain as quickly as he can and rushes over to Bubba's unconscious form. Laying one hand on the half-orcs chest while gripping his holy symbol in the other, the stout priest intones a quick but fervent prayer to Sarenrae, invoking the favor of the Healing Flame.
Cure Light Wounds: