2-01 & 2-02 Before the Dawn (Inactive)

Game Master P33J

Yes. You should have all the spells and powers available to you, save the ones you spent in the ambush.

Juliet leads you to a great stone portal.

At fifteen feet high and ten feet wide, this door is an impressive structure. Carved from a dull yet shimmering metal, every inch of its surface is covered in runes, glyphs, pictographs, and intricate patterns. A single rift, about an inch deep, splits the door in half from top to bottom, giving you the impression that it might open were it only to have handles. The door sits recessed several feet into the jagged rock of the ridge’s impressive cliff face, which stretches a hundred feet or more above the camp.

On it is a pattern from the scroll that Zey gave you. He was fairly certain that the key would open the door. Though there really is no place to enter a key.

Suddenly you hear shouts.

"For the love of the Gods, let us in, those things will rip us apart. We'll surrender fully to you, we'll help you fight them, we'll do anything you want just let us in."

Juliet grimaces.

"Under normal circumstances, I'd let 'em rot, but we're down serious numbers and that's the largest contingent of Charau-ka, I've ever seen."

As she speaks you hear an ungodly roar that seems to shake the whole camp. The globe lights up like a star, nearly blinding those who look at it.

"That's not good," She mutters. "Look, these mercenaries were chasing you, so I'll let you make the call, do we let them in and put them on the wall to hold back the Charau-ka, or do we let them fend for themselves?"

"Let them in and I will deal with them."

Bones shrugs speaking to Juliet "Normally I would agree with letting them rot, but if you doubt you have enough forces to hold, by all means put them to use on the wall, but take care they can't over power you after the fighting done."

(Did it seem the portal responded to something Juliet said?)

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Not the portal, the huge globe she pointed out when she was making nice.

Juliet nods and the guards open the gates, about 50 of the 100 or so Aspis Mercenaries that had been chasing you rush through. Immediately falling to their knees to surrender.

One of them calls out. "They caught our vanguard and wiped them out. There's something huge with them. I hope you guys got a plan."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Ryjel will give them all a very stern look then cast arcane mark on the one who spoke. My mark is the profile of a fire-breathing gold dragon with a stylized capital R boldened over the dragon. I will make the mark visible to all.

"You gentlemen are now in my debt. It was at my command that you were allowed into the fortress. I have marked you as mine and any treachery will be met with death."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Tori gives Ryjel an incredulous look, then addresses Juliet, "I think you can trust them for the moment, Venture-Captain, hopefully you'll have enough to hold back the apes while we work."

With that she returns to the door to try to figure out how to open it.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

The dwarf snorts at seeing what Ryjel is doing. Then turns his attention to the portal.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
knowledge arcane : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Ryjel walks over to Tori and Bones with a little smirk on his face.

"I thought a little bit of showmanship might help to insure their loyalty, especially if we are going below and out of their sight. The last thing we need is them causing trouble once the ape men are gone. Hopefully my ruse will cause them to think twice before betraying the fort and its defenders."

Vanya stays uncharacteristically silent for the whole episode, and once the aspis men are allowed inside she shrugs:"Now that we allowed these beggars safe heaven I suggest we see to the tomb. I suspect things here are going to get nasty in a very short time and we might need everything we can find and use from the ruins"

"Agreed."

As you get closer to the portal the key begins to glow and an opening starts to appear.

"So, magic guys, anything we need to worry about here?" Tori asks as the portal opens.

Bones chuckles "You mean besides a sea of murdering ape-men outside the gates, four dozen plus Aspis mercenaries hunting us inside the gate? Naw this should be a cake walk."

The dwarf stands ready to step through once the door is opened.

"It will be fun..." Vanya adds noncommitally

As you step to the door, an opening for the key appears, upon insertion, the door splits smoothly down the middle and swings inward revealing a short narrow ramp down into dimly lit area.

Bones lets the others knows what he sees, "Big room with some statues ahead". The cleric cast guidance before moving down the ramp into the room.

"Lead the way." Tori says, looking into the room to see what Bones is talking about.

"Hopefully the statues are just statues and not guardians."

Cast detect magic

"Anyone has ways to give us some light?" asks Vanya clearly wishing she could see in the dark as well as the others

Bones looks over, "Oh right, let there be light" The cleric cast light on his shield.

After casting detect magic I will continue to concentrate for the first couple of minutes that we descend. If I see anything magic I will stop the others and ty ti determine the nature of the magic. If we get to the statues and nothing sets off detect magic, I will drop the spell.

Bones continues to look around
perception : 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

sorry I have been trying to close on a house all weekend.

Will post tomorrow.

The Map is Updated, just use the link above.

A wide set of stairs descends into an enormous room, measuring thirty-five feet wide by forty feet long, and more than thirty feet tall. The entire room smells sickly sweet, but the floors, wall, and ceiling are all smooth and clean—rather similar to the sphere in the ground outside. Four enormous monoliths, fifteen-foot-tall human-shaped metal statues, rest in the four corners of the room. They’re made of white metal, almost like a suit of full plate sized quite large, but without anything discernible as a face.

All four monoliths detect as magic, but strangely you cannot discern the type of magic, even after focusing on them.

As you enter, to your right is a long hallway that seems to have a glowing orb at the end of it.

Tori glances up with amazement at the 4 metal monoliths, "I hope we don't have to fight these too, or we're really in trouble."

She then looks warily down the hall with the glowing orb, "Let's be on the lookout for traps, even if we did need a key to get in here."

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Bones examines the statues, floor, and walls in the main room, for unusual stone work (traps, secrete doors or compartments). Are all four statues identical?

perception: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 = 28 (dwarf +2 to notice unusual stone work such and traps and hidden doors)

All four statues are identical.

Bones seems to hear something moving in the shadows down the hall.

Vanya points towards the orb:Somehow I think we'll need to check that thing..."
The rouguish pathfinder seems esitant for a moment then she shrugs:"No use in fidgetting now... follow me..."

Bones whispers to the to others "I here something down the hall"

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Tori nods in acknowledgement to Bones, nocking an arrow as she waits for whatever it is to show itself.

As you wait, slowly six figures emerge from alcoves in the wall.

Bones and Ryjel can make them out clearly, they are Skeletons. Armed and moving methodically toward you.

Skeletons are up first, then everyone else can go!

The first skeleton steps up to Vanya and attacks.

Scimitar: 1d20 ⇒ 6 Miss

The second skeleton also closes and attacks.

Scimitar, Soft Cover due to corner: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 = 9 Miss

The Third follows suit.

Scimitar Soft Cover: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2 Miss

The rest of the Skeletons close and wait.

Just after Ryjel failed his knowledge check:
Bones touches Ryjel's shoulder "Your the magical expert here, do you know anything about this?"
(Domain power: Recall- Touched creature can retry a failed knowledge check with a +3 bonus)

(Ryjel, try Knowledge arcana again at +3)

As the Skeletons attack, Bones move up and cast Bless

(Bless - Allies gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects. )

knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 anything unusual about the skeletons?

Knowledge (arcane)Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Ryjel casts disrupt undead at one of the undead attacking Tori.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Man, this dice roller hates me.

Bones comments to the group, "Best to use blunt weapons to smash the skeletons' bones! Pointy and sharp blades just slide off for the most part."

(Don't forget the +1 to hit for bless)

"Anyone got a blunt weapon I can borrow?" Tori asks as she moves closer and tries to shoot one of the skeleton over Vanya's shoulder.

Longbow+PBS+Bless-Cover: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9

"Take my morningstar!"

Tori's arrow sails through a gap in the bones of the Skeleton as it continues to press forward. Ryjel sneezes as he casts and the bolt of positive energy flies wide.

Vanya and then the skeletons.

Vanya scoffs at Bones:"Good idea! Unfortunately I only have this plain old rapier!"

Attack roll: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11
Damage roll: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Attacking S1 and then 5foot step back

I don't suppose we can move into the space with the stars?

All attacks miss. Skeleton 1 five foot steps up and attacks.

1d20 ⇒ 6 miss and claws.

1d20 - 3 ⇒ (7) - 3 = 4 miss lol all other skeletons move up.

Party is up, Tori the Star spaces are filled with the golems.

"Draw them in between the first two statues, so we all can attack them." Tori suggests as she moves back and tries to shoot a skeleton around her companions.

Longbow+PBS+Bless-Cover: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 1 = 10

Tori Hits and drops the Skeleton.

Bones moves up "Feel Pharasma's power, and begone from this world!" The cleric channels positive energy vs the Skeletons.

Channel Pos. DC11 will for half: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Skeleton 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 Made it -2
Skeleton 3: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 Made it -2
Skeleton 4: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Drops
Skeleton 5: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 Made it -2
Skeleton 6: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Drops

2 of the skeletons fall beneath the wave of channelled energy.

The other 3 weather the storm, at considerable price.

Cast disrupt undead.
Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage Roll: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Skeleton 2 falls.

Skeleton 3 five foot steps and attacks Bones.

Scimitar 1d20 ⇒ 14

Claw 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (10) - 3 = 7

Skeleton 5 does the same.

Scimitar 1d20 ⇒ 3

Claw 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (12) - 3 = 9

All attacks miss.

Party is up.

Since it seemed to work well last time, Tori attempts to shoot an arrow at another animate skeleton.

Longbow+PBS+Bless-Cover: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9