[5e] Lost Tamoachan [Completed!] (Inactive)

Game Master mishima

Pisco, at a glance nothing is jumping out at you as an obvious trigger...no plates or hidden levers. You could try a closer look at something. (Passive detects nothing, roll active on something if you want)

Katra will give cloud a good slap across the face to try and shake him out of it.

With the combat over, Cloudrunner's consciousness slowly returned to reality...but not before a good adamantine slap to the meow box.

With the combat over, Cloudrunner's consciousness slowly returned to reality...but not before a good adamantine slap to the meow box.

That is one of the greatest descriptions of a mouth I have seen in a long while. +5 Internets sir!

Meow-box!! Love it!!

Gently entering the room, Pisco decides to go to what he thinks is probably the most obviously trapped item...the mask.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Lidras follows after, focusing his arcane sight on the mask. Specifically he was looking to see if there were any illusions, or spell triggers (such as magic radiating off of something besides the mask).

Pisco's hunch turns out to be accurate, this trigger is mechanical, not arcane, in nature. The long dowel the mask hangs on is a lever, perhaps springing iron bars upward from circular regions in the floor to trap the victim in a 5 ft square.

dex thieves tools to disable. Also, it might be kind of hard to see, but the mask location is very near the door on the south wall.

The jade death mask itself is also mundane, but its ornamentation makes it quite valuable. Incidentally 'jade death masks' are actually a thing, if you do a google images search you can see some real examples from the art history of the Maya.

Pisco carefully removes his tools and attempts to disarm the trap on the mask.

Disable Trap: 1d20 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 6 = 23

Pisco, you slide out a small bronze cylinder acting as the hinge on the stone lever, and with it the mask comes off easily.

Lidras, you can't shake the feeling something incredibly powerful is inside the crystal, or the crystal itself has some arcane radiance. The aura is so strong it is difficult to concentrate in that direction.

Lidras rubbed his temple. It felt like there was a sharp pain behind his eyes. ”That crystal...it is incredibly powerful. So powerful that I can’t concentrate on it. As curious as I am about it, if it is dangerous then it will almost certainly be fatal...”

Cloudrunner tenses up, ready to strike - but blinks and sees Katra staring at him. He rubs his meow-box, "Thank you, Katra. I might have lost myself in my revels in there, but," he puffs up his chest proudly, "I defeated the warrior inside the freaky mirror that isn't a mirror. I do not know what deadly trap he had in store for us, but we are safe from it."

Following the others and still pleased with himself, Cloud listens to Lidras and nods solemnly. "Yes, we should be careful, it must be very dangerous. Perhaps I should see if there is something inside of it to fight and easily defeat... again." Cloud draws his sword and slowly starts to reach for the crystal... but will certainly stop if anyone wisely tells him to. :)

"You are most welcome. You should steel your mind so that such things do not happen again." Katra nods at Cloud then makes her way into the room.

"What's all the fuss about a crystal?"

Arcana on the Crystal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Katra, you've read about this particular type of crystal being used in binding rituals before. Something about trapping a called essence...but this one is obviously empty. Still, you sense a divine presence not unlike the feeling you receive talking to Moradin.

As soon as Cloud's body passes the edge of the first step leading up to the crystal a voice booms throughout the chamber in modern common "Interlopers, you have trespassed on my sacred chapel. For this affront, retribution has already begun, for you are now breathing a toxic gas which will kill you shortly. It is possible your actions were not from malice or greed, but just idle curiosity. Therefore, you will find the cure upon the stone in the middle of the dais, if you can solve the puzzle to reach it by the proper route. Choose your path wisely, and act quickly."

There are indeed 4 paths that lead to the dais, one for each cardinal direction.

The door to the room closes and glows softly white momentarily. Should you try to open it, it is securely locked by magic.

Well...damn! Best look at those paths now, then."

Starting with the south path (directly before him). Pisco will examine the steps for traps.

Find trap (Perception?): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Oh look...this one is just fine!! Lets go...{death}...I hate failing all the time..lol

Pisco, with each step upon the southern path the colors of the stair cycle rapidly, its mesmerizing as it reflects in your eyes but in the end you make no progress and actually end up one stair back down.

Katra will move around to the North stairs and then try to climb them.

Ominous 666 post

Katra, it seems you have chosen wisely as you are able to climb the bloodstained steps and make progress. At the top, between you and the crystal, is a large warrior statue. As you approach, parts of its armor glow brightly and turn to smoke, and the form lashes out with a nasty looking blade...

Pisco: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Lidras: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Lidras Warning: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Katra: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Cloud: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Enemy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

...but the construct's hinges *screeeeech* terribly, those with sensitive ears are especially alert to the fact that the horror has come to life.

Round 1:
All PCs <---UP
Enemy

edit: Map updated, and reminder north is to the left on this one

How long and high would Pisco need to jump to make it to the top of the stairs? Just thinking it might save time rather than running all the way around and up the stairs!

Sure with a running start you can do 6 ft with your strength score, you'd probably need to use feline agility to back out and run in. You could get into melee and attack, no check required...yeah, kind of makes this little puzzle absurd but that's whats up I suppose.

Katra will hit it with her axe.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Damage Roll: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Katra, the axe bounces off the animated armor, which you suddenly recognize is adamantine like your own. AC 20 im afraid

Lidras focuses his bracelet, and attempts to turn the creature into stone.

AC20? Well, let’s see if we can end this with a Lucky die roll...

Lidras, nearly microscopic runes glow blue as the magical energies wash over the surface, clearly this...mechanism...was designed to resist magic. Or perhaps it didn't work since it isn't flesh. Who knows what effects it may be wholly immune to...

It's a construct, flesh to stone needs flesh to trigger a save.
Good thinking outside the box though, this might be challenging to beat down actually.

edit:

"Ha! I knew there would be something to fight! Maybe I don't hate this place so much after all!" Cloud rushes around and up the stairs to confront the armored thing.

I also knew I shouldn't have burned through my Action Surge, but he wanted to totally dominate that feathered fella. :)

Macuahuitl attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Macuahuitl extra attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

I also uses my Protection fighting style to give disadvantage on it's first attack on anyone within 5 feet of me (likely Katra).

Cloud's enchanted nightstone rakes across the metal, shearing pins and studs off to the floor. A hissing emanates from within the hollow helmet.

43/60 hp, 20 AC

Round 1:
Katra, Lidras, Cloud, Pisco <--UP
Enemy

Backing up, Pisco takes a running jump to the top of the platform.

Use 1 KI to increase jump distance and feline agility for speed

Pisco launches high over the crystal dais to the south in a triple backflip, landing perfectly next to the armored monstrosity. You can attack as well, ki jump is a bonus action and feline agility is part of move.

Cool!! Thanks for making it sound so awesome...now I will flatten my claws against this beast!!

Landing near their enemy, Pisco lashes out with a clawed attack.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Pisco's paw swipes across the armor, dislodging some of the softer metal inlays from the design.

35/60 hp, 20 AC

Target: 1d3 ⇒ 1

The helmed horror squeaks bringing its ancient longsword against Cloudrunner...

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 slashing to Cloud
Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Round 2:
All PCs <---UP
Enemy

History: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

”A helmed horror? Interesting. Well...they are common guardians for certain religions.”

Too bad on the bracelet. Looking for ways to destroy something without rolling to Hit. Based on this roll would Lidras think that dispel magic would work? Or would he know if any weaknesses?

Lidras, you might recall from your early days...as your eldritch powers were just beginning to manifest and you were still desperately searching for information, a certain conversation from an old witch on the outskirts of Neverwinter. For the price of a goblin's liver, she recounted a legend involving a fallen celestial who turned to demons for power during the Time of Troubles. The story, while fantastical, held the lore that divine constructs as these had special wards resisting his magic in general, but also in particular the kind of force energy granted to such a twisted warrior...such blasts were completely ineffective.

Lidras smiled. At least his sword would still work. In his old life he had been a warrior, after all. It had been awhile since he had to rely on swordplay though.

Sword doesn’t do force damage so it should work. It’s just a magic sword. Swift action hex and attack

Hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Crit Damage: 2d8 + 14 ⇒ (5, 1) + 14 = 20
Hit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

...Lidras started to run, then took off into flight, heading straight for the Helmed Horror. Holding his sword like a lance, he used the full force of his momentum as he slammed into it. As he hit the helmed horror he thought to himself how in the old days he wouldn’t have had aerial tricks such as that...

"Yet again a construct dares to trifle with one of The Forgelord's priests. So be it then."

Katra swings her axe at the thing's head. Lidras, for crits you only double the damage dice, not the bonus. It will, however, double things like Sneak Attack.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage Roll: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"Excellent work! Now, let's finish this!" Cloud growls, twirls his sword and tries to powerful upper cuts at the creature... but is unable to pierce it's armor. "Or... not. Grrr..."

Macuahuitl attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Damage:: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Macuahuitl extra attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Consistent at least!

And continuing Protection fighting style

Lidras' flying sword thrust finally punctures the glowing plackart, shearing a good peel from the ancient starmetal. Katra spots a weakness in the vambrance, a hinge point quite amateurish really, and feels the ax head delight in breaking the connection. Cloudrunner's swings, although near misses, appear to hold the horror's attention as it sways to and fro.

8/60 hp, 20 AC

Round 2:
Lidras, Katra, Cloudrunner, Pisco <---UP
Enemy

Surprised his claws even did a little damage, Pisco once again swipes at the metal horror.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

His first attack results with a sound like fingernails on a chalkboard, while the second actually sank into the creature's metal skin.

Pisco slashes out the strange metal ball seemingly powering the devices levitation, and it crashes to the floor in a trash pile.

Combat Over

The strange voice again booms from within the chamber "So you have passed the first test. Perhaps you are not the fools you first seemed. But it will take the best tool of your most clever person to breach these crystal walls. Your time is running out."

The surface of the crystal cylinder is cold to the touch and impervious to all blows. The enclosure has no visible gaps. The stone within holding the precious cure is just out of reach.

Pisco investigates the crystal in hopes of coming to a plan on how to deal with it.

Investigate?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

As it is crystal, perhaps the right vibration might work to shatter it??

The main clue is here: "best tool of your most clever person".

Katra, its kind of like a glass display case, it completely encloses the stone on the dais with no gaps. The crystal appears to be growing out of the dais itself.

Pisco, anything might work, do you have something that generates vibrations of certain frequencies?

Thank you Katra. Still learning 5e

As the armor fell it pulled Lidras’ sword from his hand. He let it go, and the sword vanished, only to reappear in his hand.

”Well then. There seems to be two parts to this. We need to figure out which one of us is the most clever in the group, and have him...or her, touch their best tool to the crystal. Pisco has been saving us from all of the traps in this place, and I’d call that clever. So why not just tap it with whatever tool you think best describes you? If I’m wrong I’ll look foolish, not you.”

"Well ok...could not hurt to try!"

Using one of the picks from his thieves kit, Pisco taps the crystal.

Pisco, the instant you touch the tool to the crystalline surface it turns amorphous and swirls like molten candy glass, spreading open a great aperture and allowing passage.

The voice returns, seeming to come from within the stone "So you have reached my altar, but your time is nearly exhausted and the cure is just beyond your reach. Trust your souls to the gods, foolish mortals."

You see a small potion bottle sitting on the stone. Attempts to grab the bottle are met with what appears to be an invisible force barrier once again preventing your passage. A glyph is etched into the side of the pillar just below the bottle.

The poison seems to be taking effect and you are all feeling quite weak at this point.

Katra will say a prayer to Moradin and attempt to grab the bottle.

Katra, focusing on the avatar of your god, your hand penetrates the barrier, snatching the vial within. Immediately a feathery explosion occurs from within the stone as a huge snakelike creature with wings of a bird bursts forth and slips through your legs out the crystal aperture. It hovers there momentarily looking down at you all...

Creature looks like this

How do you react here guys, first acted on impulse?

Lidras spreads his wings (majestically, he hopes) and hovers back.

Katra shrugs and sips from the bottle. I see her as being one of those people who is blasé about everything. Oh, the moon is crashing to the ground! At least it will make it harder for some races to try to murder me in my sleep.

As the creature realizes you aren't attacking, it lets down its guard and says "Thank you warriors, you have freed me from thousands of years of imprisonment. In my cynicism I doubted you, I am sorry. I have kept these hidden for a very long time...I think they must now pass to you."

Objects materialize in a vibrant purple glow at the foot of the dais:

a set of scales with gems
a hand mirror
a pendant

...all obviously swirling with the magics of a god.

Pisco bows deeply to the winged serpent.

"It was our honor to free you Great One. You do us further honor by bestowing these gifts upon us. Welcome back to this land!"