Tarren the Dungeon Master |
Okay.
The night passes without interruption. The swaying of the seedpod is no worse than the rocking of a ship at sea and it maintains its temperature quite well.
As the sun rises, the clay golems do not return to the dig site, nor do the slave masters and the handful of still sane slaves. Those mad slaves that were lying on the ground around the dig site have mostly disappeared.
Your actions?
Korian Allande |
Ok, back and spell list updated
"Well, we'll need to look in some direction my friend, and as our experience last time showed us, those ruins, if there are any in this pyramid, could be anywhere. I do have a couple ideas though, not excellent ones, but perhaps better than nothing. One, we could possibly take a few slaves with us and have them walk in front of us, then if any of them see one or two ruins, we could send them back out of the pyramid. Or, I have memorized a spell which allows me to summon a being of force, I could have it float ahead of us and carry a mirror, although I still do not know if seeing the rune in a mirror will prevent the curse of the rune affecting us or not. This is all I have been able to think of for now. Perhaps Khymsara or Hoffenburrow might know more."
Korian Allande |
Korian glances briefly at Refina, nods very subtly, turns back to Khymrasa and, putting on his best smile says "I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting Khymrasa, but I see my companions have failed to properly describe your beauty! Truly you are a desert flower beyond compare! Since the leader of our group has informed us that we only live because she has agreed that we shall explore the temple for you, I replied that I would only agree if I could but see your beauty with my own eyes once before I die. Now that I have, if die I must, I can do so a happy man." he then nods and smiles and begins to turn away, but then turns back as if remembering something "Oh, well yes, also, should we have any chance of actually succeeding in our mission, being the coward that I am, I beg that I be able to ask but a few simple questions of Hoffenburrow, right here in the open under your full supervision of course?" his smile big and disarming.
While he speaks, Korian also prepares a readied action to counterspell the wench should she try and enchant him or some such deviltry.
Korian Allande |
Gritting his teeth to force a smile, Korian replies "I would be most obliged if you might wake him up dearest desert damsel! For you see, none of us here know but a tenth of pyramid lore as does Sir Hoffenburrow. I have heard rumours from other pyramid plungers of dangerous runes that abound. Runes that can kill one outright or, even worse, change one into the living dead! Being but a humble thief myself, I know not much about such things, which is why I would ask the advice of an expert such as our Hoffenburrow. Would you wake him? For I am sure that having the lot of us turn into raving undead, hungry only for living flesh, would help none us."
Despite throwing up in his mouth a little, the young mage decides to turn on the extra charm. Diplomacy1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Tarren the Dungeon Master |
Khymrasa laughs a little cruelly. "Hoffenburrow," she says, "knows less about pyramids than you do! He's a glorified gardener. I will tell you this though--I know nothing about cursed runes guarding this pyramid. No one does. After this pyramid was built, the slaves who built it were slain. Then, the soldiers who slew them were slain. I have no doubt the pyramid has its secrets, but you'll only find out what those are if you go inside. And, if you do not go inside soon, you will have broken our agreement."
With that, she returns inside her palanquin.
Korian Allande |
"Oh, we know you Esteban. We also know you don't like to stick around. But tell you what, stay, you get your reward, leave, and, well, Sykala, do you still have that nasty curse you prepared special for Esteban attuned to him? You know the one that would forever cause him to lose any wealth he might gain. Very clever that was by the way, you'll have to show me one day exactly how you devised it. Anyway Esteban, yes, I think we can likely do without your services inside. And you are currently the only one who can fly this contraption. But you better not leave. It's not been easy convincing our dear Druidess not to unleash that curse upon you already. But I had a feeling keeping it in reserve might come in handy. So all I ask is that you stick around until we come back. But also keep this ship out of any one else's hands. Take it high enough so no one else can get aboard and keep it sealed up until you see us return. Think you can do that?"
Tarren the Dungeon Master |
Esteban guides the ship back to the dig site. He points out to you that the seedpod is a bit of a slow moving mode of transportation for short trips like this--it turns poorly and requires wide circles to turn around. If you just ignore him, he'll get you there eventually.
You are over the dig site. You can easily climb down to ground level.
The entrance was widened a bit last night. There's still sand at the entrance but it is cleared enough that you can enter.
Ovirid Thorvirson |
Ovirid looks around the party to see if anyone has any suggestions or warnings. If there are none, he climbs down to ground level and awaits the rest of the party, peering into the opening from a safe distance, he hopes. He'll get to about 30' and look in with his darkvision.
Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14 with another +2 vs traps
Korian Allande |
The young mage had been waiting for Esteban's (and Sykala's) reply to his last question/threat/proposal, but, as everyone files out of the ship he sighs and mutters to himself "Well, it's not like we'll be surviving this pyramid delve anyway..."
And then climbs down to join the others. First he takes out one of his wands and casts Mage Armor on himself as well and then, putting it away says to the group "I recommend that at least one of us has a spell of protection cast on them as well. Refina, perhaps you could cast it on yourself, then, should any of us fall under mental domination of any kind, you can cast further spells on the rest of us. I have a spell to cast it on all of us at once, but for a shorter period of time. I'll make sure we can all easily keep in contact with each other again. Anyone to help me check out the entrance?"
Casting the message spell, he then moves forward to the entrance and, without going in, peers all around, looking for traps and such. If he finds nothing he says "Well, it's not going to get explored by us standing here. Shall we? And if no one objects, I'll take point for now. I convinced you all to come along and I'll be damned if I make you pay for it before I do."
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19 (+1 for traps)
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25 (+1 for traps)
Before stepping in he takes a small mirror out his haversack. First he asks Ixius to cast Light on the backside of it and then he casts another spell, summoning an invisible servant. He passes the mirror to the servant, instructing it to hold the mirror lighted side forward and then proceeds into the pyramid, the servant bobbing about 10' ahead of him.
So casts Message on the whole group, and then Unseen Servant. Oh, also noticed that I hadn't actually saved the new spell selection I had chosen. The way it is now is correct.
Ovirid Thorvirson |
Climbing down Sykala stays in her playful mood and with a mystified look she pokes Ovirid when he peers into the darkness as if testing something, "Not sure. You still live? You mummy?"
Quite surprised, the dwarf looks at the druidess before laughing loudly. "Lass, Ah'm fer sure glad t' 'ave ye along. 'ere's 'opin' ye don' 'ave t' spirit me outta th' pyramid like a cloud o' mine gas 'is time, though."
Sykala |
Now that Korian is out of the ship Sykala's smile turns once again to a predatory grin as she says in elvish, "I thought your threat was enough. It is truer than you think. My curse is called being trapped and eaten by an angry tiger in a small airship." Her look then turns innocent as she pats a certain gourd containing Esteban's hair, "And I think he will have a very difficult time trying to hide himself from me." She pats another gourd, "Actually that's why I collected some of your head fur too."
Korian Allande |
Korian smiles and nods to the Dwarf "I'll happily have you by my side any day old friend."
When Sykala replies to him his smile at first widens as he laughs and says "Ha, between never being able to have money or being eaten, I think Esteban would choose the second option" but then his expression quickly turns to a look of surprise and then to one of slight dismay.
He opens his mouth to say something, stands with it open for a while, and then closes it with a snap and turns back around. He then turns his head back to her again, looks once more as if he is about to say something but then shakes his head and finally turns to move into the pyramid. The druidess can just barely hear him mumble under his breath "No, I really do Not want to know..."
Tarren the Dungeon Master |
Korian, if you are going to bluff, make a bluff check.
You cautiously peer in the entrance. The sand that pressed in all around the entrance fills the first 20 ft. or so, allowing you to crawl in, but after 10 ft. you would be able to stand. By 20 ft., you would have very little sand under your feet.
The passage slopes down very slightly.
You see three bodies within 30 ft. to the entrance. They are whole, but crushed in the middle so badly that they are almost split in two. Their stomachs are ruptured and their internal organs have burst out.
Much further down, you see more bodies but you cannot tell from this distance whether they are alive or dead and what kind of injuries they suffered.
Ovirid Thorvirson |
"Slow 'n careful, lad."
Ovirid will move very carefully forward, expecting a trap and watching for it. He has the Trap Spotter talent and a +14 Perception bonus vs traps.
If he reaches 5' from the first bodies without incident and has not spotted the trap trigger yet, he will take 20 to find it.
Tarren the Dungeon Master |
Ovirid nears the bodies without finding a trap. The stench is unbearable even to a seasoned delver. Whatever killed these men left little inside that could be outside. The heat has made it worse and nothing has come along to eat it.
These were clearly slaves. Probably the ones sent in yesterday. Three of them at least.
Korian Allande |
What, for talking to Esteban you mean? Wasn't sure if a roll was needed cuz he was only kinda bluffing. But sure, here it is. Bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 15 (why in the world did I never but ranks into that??).
Korian takes in the bodies and the smell stoically. He waits to see if the others have anything to report, and if not, continues moving on with Ovirid, lending his aid to help the Dwarf search for traps.
Not sure how you want us to handle perception rolls Tarren? But as we are moving very carefully, it makes sense to me that you just roll as many as are needed for us, and let us know of the results, if any.