Ascension to Murder (Inactive)

Game Master overfiend_87

Whisper's eyes flash in a sudden rage as Solaria begins to take the books from the shelves, and her whispered voice becomes a rasping snarl as she shoves herself between the bookshelf and the halfling. "Hey! I want to read those." She rapidly grabs any books Solaria hasn't grabbed and begins shoving them into her backpack, and looks back up at Solaria with a glare. "Do you have the book on the Oracle? Give it to me, runt."

Sorry, this is something she would do--she was going to grab them and take them herself but you got to the thread first. :) You wanna roll dice about what books Solaria has and what ones Whisper grabbed?

'Whoa, Whisper. These books belong to us all until we can find their true best disposition. None has a claim on anything till we can take it back to the Temple of Lathander.

'Surely, Whisper, you don't want these ancient tomes and pages to come to harm from improper handling?'

Solaria, steps back in amazement at Whisper's fury and timidly lets Whisper have her way. She issues a warning to Whisper, "Beware my friend that you do not destroy these fragile books, power is in the words, but the pages must hold for the power to be wielded. You need only ask to see the knowledge contained within, we are in this together. Your danger is our danger, together our knowledge will overcome."

The only books that Solaria removes from the shelves are those that she has detected a magical aura, slight though it is. These books may or may not be those identified earlier.

Solaria waits for the excitement of Whisper's actions to die down. Once more she looks into the circle and the heap of bones, "Please watch me, be careful, I will seek out the magic in this circle, for this might be a dangerous act if I disturb the magic." Solaria very tentatively and methodically, searches through the bones in the circle seeking out whatever it is giving off the magical aura.

Not sure if you want a perception roll, if I am using the detect magic spell to guide me to whatever it is?

Whisper's eyes flash in a sudden rage as Solaria begins to take the books from the shelves, and her whispered voice becomes a rasping snarl as she shoves herself between the bookshelf and the halfling. "Hey! I want to read those." She rapidly grabs any books Solaria hasn't grabbed and begins shoving them into her backpack, and looks back up at Solaria with a glare. "Do you have the book on the Oracle? Give it to me, runt."

Sorry, this is something she would do--she was going to grab them and take them herself but you got to the thread first. :) You wanna roll dice about what books Solaria has and what ones Whisper grabbed?

If Solaria is going to be willing to fight them over then I'll roll for them and what ones might break. Many of these books are in bad condition. The only ones that are worse are the ones that are already turned to dust.

Solaria, steps back in amazement at Whisper's fury and timidly lets Whisper have her way. She issues a warning to Whisper, "Beware my friend that you do not destroy these fragile books, power is in the words, but the pages must hold for the power to be wielded. You need only ask to see the knowledge contained within, we are in this together. Your danger is our danger, together our knowledge will overcome."

The only books that Solaria removes from the shelves are those that she has detected a magical aura, slight though it is. These books may or may not be those identified earlier.

Solaria waits for the excitement of Whisper's actions to die down. Once more she looks into the circle and the heap of bones, "Please watch me, be careful, I will seek out the magic in this circle, for this might be a dangerous act if I disturb the magic." Solaria very tentatively and methodically, searches through the bones in the circle seeking out whatever it is giving off the magical aura.

Not sure if you want a perception roll, if I am using the detect magic spell to guide me to whatever it is?

It's simply something shinning under the bones suggesting there is something there. You can assume with spellcraft if it has anything to do with the circle. The shining is coming from under a pile of bones.

"I've handled more books than your munchkin arms could ever hope to hold, Shorty," Whisper sneered at Badger. She already knew she was making a fool of herself with her possessiveness (all the while part of her was still raging "MINE" in the back of her head), but being given a longwinded lecture by the gnome, however well-intended he was, was not going to put her in a better mood.

She is surprised at how easily Solaria yields to her, and that breaks her sudden rage--for the most part. Muttering several curses under her breath, she adjusts her stance, and begins more carefully packing the books into her bag. Her dextrous fingers run across the brittle tomes carefully as she places them, cushioning them with clothes and the bedroll that they be as undisturbed as possible once they enter her pack.

She looks at Solaria. "One of the books is about summoning; the other 'lesser demons of chaos,' though all demons are 'of chaos' so I don't know what that means. The others are about the time of troubles and of stealing a god's power. Given what the Baneite said about the Prophecy of Bhaal... that could all fall together somehow."

Badger thought for a moment it might be good to cast a protection from evil on Whisper. Her change of attitude might signal some sort of demonic possession or some sort of evil influence. His mentor had often spoke of such things and the need for quick action to prevent a possessed pawn of an undead from ripping your throat out or leading you into a trap.

Inquisitor stories were filled with betrayals by trusted retainers and friends. This is why Inquisitor's rarely even trusted anyone and often went concealed in cities. The inn keeper's daughter could easily be the pawn that delivered the poisoned broth or scratched a hole in a circle of protection.

Further, while Badger had traveled with Whisper, he wasn't familiar with the demon half-breed race. There were many tales of how the race was the pawns of darker forces. Though the same was often said in human towns of gnomes. Ignorance was a dangerous force to scared people.

Whisper might give truth to the lies.

Seeing Whisper get more control of his nature, Badger relents on casting the spell. Badger decides to continue with Whispers more lectured explanation of titles.

'The Time of Troubles. I lived through those in my late youth when the magic went crazy and the gods sought to rip the world apart because they were angry and jealous. At least that is the way that I heard it in my village.

'It was a bad time in our village and forests. We gnomes have magic in our very blood. We bring forth light with sneeze or a burp.' As he speaks those words Badger sneezes and burps producing a few small orbs of coloured light to drift around the room spreading more illumination over the circle and the bookshelves.

Use Gnomish ability Dancing Lights.

'At first when the magic went crazy, we were delighted at the new and unexpected marvels that might appear every time we waggled a finger, an ear, or a toe.

Badger continues in much sadder tones. 'That lasted only a day or two before worse and worse things happened. When a practical joke leads to setting a home on fire or the quashing a family under the weight of a whale, it ceases to be funny.

'All that was left was crying and fear. I don't ever want to see those dark days return.'

Whisper listens to the gnome's long tale for once with rapt attention. And a temptation strikes her mind--and she decides, whatever they encounter below is unlikely to be thwarted by the one little party trick she has up her sleeve, so she decides instead to use it to accentuate Badger's point. So she closes her eyes and concentrates and calls up the foul magic in her blood: and a ball of darkness appears and swallows the dancing lights whole.

"Then I guess we'd better get a move on, huh?"

(The darkness obscures the corner of the room up to Badger, but leaves the spot on the floor Solaria is looking at and their exit from the room clear.)

'If we have packed up the books and Solaria is satisfied the circle has been finished with, then, let's hit the other double doors and look at what they might be like.'

Badger is not sure what to make of the rolling darkness and decides to leave the wizard and the demon rogue to their books and demon circles.

Perception check on the opposite set of double doors again looking for signs of usage or disturbance of the dust. Anything that might indicate problems. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Solaria, kneeling before the circle, concentrates on the magic within, her eyes wide staring, her arms outstretched almost pleading with the magic to reveal itself.

Spellcraft 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Solaria, kneeling before the circle, concentrates on the magic within, her eyes wide staring, her arms outstretched almost pleading with the magic to reveal itself.

Spellcraft 1d20+5

The circle itself is dead in terms of magic. Whatever spell it was used for has been used and has no power anymore, the glow you are getting however you can tell is coming from a small item amungst the bones. This suggests there's a item there that is glowing magical.

"Not the statue, the figure carved on the wall of the antechamber. I am sorry my friends, my near death experience has addled me, I daresay frightened me, badly. In my fight on the brink of death that creature depicted on the wall clutched at me, only the intervention of my Goddess saved me. I believe he may be one of the presences here that is causing mayhem in the surrounding area. If we can identify him, it may help. This must be done before we leave this Godsforsaken place. I am ready to explore the rest of this place if you all are".

Addressing Solaria Mal asks, "Do you wish me to reach across the threshold of this circle and retrieve that glowing item for you?

Solaria looks up from her thought as she hears her name. It takes a second for the words to register with her brain, what were they apart from her name. She looks quizzically at Mal and asks him to repeat what he said which he does. A smile breaks over the deadpan seriousness of her face, "Why Master Alenuath, that would please me greatly. I may not be the best to find it in those bones, despite the gifts given to me by what gods look down and protect me."

She gets up off her knees and stretches her legs as she watches and guides Mal to the position of he object in the bones.

Kyras watches with interest as the two women have their row, smiling with amusement as Wisper packs the books like fragile eggs. "Yes, they do seem precious don't they?" he muses more to himself than anyone.

Shuffling his feet as he looks from shelf to shelf he will drift off to examining the walls as the group discusses and searches.

Mal hesitates for a moment but then reaches into the circle to lift the bones as well as the glowing object beneath out of the circle.

"I wonder who this poor victim was, perhaps there is some way we can identify these remains and give them a suitable burial", he says as he lifts the objects out of the circle.

"Seeing as the bones haven't gotten up and walked, I'd say they're safe enough for now. We need to deal with the rest of this place first, else we'll have more burials to see to. Let's get the shiny and go."

Mal hesitates for a moment but then reaches into the circle to lift the bones as well as the glowing object beneath out of the circle.

"I wonder who this poor victim was, perhaps there is some way we can identify these remains and give them a suitable burial", he says as he lifts the objects out of the circle.

The glowing object you pick up appears to be a ring, glowing with magic from the detect magic spell. The bones seem pretty small, possibly children or from the smaller races.

'If we have packed up the books and Solaria is satisfied the circle has been finished with, then, let's hit the other double doors and look at what they might be like.'

Badger is not sure what to make of the rolling darkness and decides to leave the wizard and the demon rogue to their books and demon circles.

Perception check on the opposite set of double doors again looking for signs of usage or disturbance of the dust. Anything that might indicate problems. 1d20+11

'Oh dear.

'I can though, create some water and check to see whether there are any cracks around here that the water might drain into. It might help spot any hidden pits or openings from which things might pop out.'

Badger backs away from the second set of doors to await the others input and ponder this new problem.

He looks at the rock of the altar and figures that will make a good solid barrier if needed. He moves his dogs and himself to the opposite side of the altar from the door to do some thinking. He orders his dogs to lie down so they have as low a profile as possible.

Mal hands the ring to Solaria. He then turns to Whisper, "Badger believes the doors are trapped can you disarm the trap? If not I am willing to open the doors so long as you are willing to pour more potions down my throat if I need them". Mal looks somewhat hesitant but ready to do what must be done.

Solaria looks at Mal and smiles as he hands her the ring, "Thank you for putting yourself out and picking up this ring. I don't know what it could be and the magic within, but given time and study I should be able to discover its secrets." There is a slight movement like a curtsy as she holds the ring in front of her, before putting it into her bag.

Her happiness at being treated so well, is somewhat tempered by Badger's words to 'sacrifice' one of her friends to the traps on the door. "Whilst I appreciate that the creatures I summon are nothing to you Badger, I feel loathe to let one of my friends die for us all, before we have tried all the options available to us. Though my dear Mal, I don't want to see you injure yourself for us either. If need must I can summon a creature to help, but my skills are limited. I will have to send TzeTing away whilst I do that, so someone else should guard the stairs. Tell me the results of your deliberations."

Solaria looks at Mal and smiles as he hands her the ring, "Thank you for putting yourself out and picking up this ring. I don't know what it could be and the magic within, but given time and study I should be able to discover its secrets." There is a slight movement like a curtsy as she holds the ring in front of her, before putting it into her bag.

Her happiness at being treated so well, is somewhat tempered by Badger's words to 'sacrifice' one of her friends to the traps on the door. "Whilst I appreciate that the creatures I summon are nothing to you Badger, I feel loathe to let one of my friends die for us all, before we have tried all the options available to us. Though my dear Mal, I don't want to see you injure yourself for us either. If need must I can summon a creature to help, but my skills are limited. I will have to send TzeTing away whilst I do that, so someone else should guard the stairs. Tell me the results of your deliberations."

Your character should know, summoned creatures don't die. When they go into negative hitpoints they get sent back into their home plane, however that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Same with your summoned creature. Only native outsiders or outsiders who enter through a calling would die. Since it's up close you can do a spellcraft check on the aura of the ring to tell what it is.

Thanks Aron for that explanation, she doesn't like them being hurt.

Solaria takes the ring, holding it in her hand rolling it across her palm and through her fingers, over one, under another, then over again and she feels the magical powers in the ring. She repeats the rings journey across her hand back and forth several times, watching intently the magical auras twist and turn.

Spellcraft 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Thanks Aron for that explanation, she doesn't like them being hurt.

Solaria takes the ring, holding it in her hand rolling it across her palm and through her fingers, over one, under another, then over again and she feels the magical powers in the ring. She repeats the rings journey across her hand back and forth several times, watching intently the magical auras twist and turn.

Spellcraft 1d20+5

You don't quite grasp the power behind the item. You are unable to try again today, but there might be others who can identify it for you.

'Here. Let me see that.' kyras hold out his hand for the ring to examine it.

spellcraft if Solaria gives it 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Badger put his hand to his head feeling a headache coming on. People wanting to take possession of books and now magical friends having feelings. What was adventuring coming to? Would he next have to check to make sure his choice of forest cloak was colour co-ordinated to match the other party members?

He thought the magical beings were summoned into battle just so they'd take damage instead of the wizard. They were tools weren't they?

Badger strained not to reply to Solaria's words and looked down at his dogs. He saw their trusting eyes looking back at his. And he knew that she was right.

'Alright Solaria. I guess I can understand your thinking. I'd not want to send any of my dogs to their death unless there weren't another choice. I guess that we can figure to do this a different way.'

Badger dug into the saddle bag on Victor and pulled a knot to release a pick and a crowbar.

'It's a bit more noisy and a bit of work but I think that we can take apart the door jam and make our own entry. There'll be a bit of risk but not as bad as doing what the trap designer figured.

'Willingness to cut holes like carpenter ants is often a better strategy than opening doors. Provided you aren't planning to live here afterwards. Since I'm planning to burn this place to the ground afterwards. I don't see a few holes really dropping the re-sale value on the place.'

Badger moves over to the doors and starts to examine them more carefully using small gushes of water to look for cracks or openings. He washes water around the lintel and stone around the doors and across the floor. He then washes some water over the doors to again check for any signs of hidden opening.

Using the spell Create Water level 0 Orison to give a modifier for perception check to spot elements of the trap on this side of the wall, floor, and doors. He will after that use a torch to check for smoke movement around the same areas. He will also keep an eye for a good spot to attack the wall or frame of the door with his pick and crowbar. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

'Here. Let me see that.' kyras hold out his hand for the ring to examine it.

spellcraft if Solaria gives it 1d20+8

Solaria gives the ring to Kyras, "Sure its not something I've seen before, but if you can say what it is, that would be helpful to us all."

She is intent on Kyras's work, and out of the corner of her ear hears Badger say 'I don't see a few holes really dropping the re-sale value on the place.'. She turns round gives Badger a really quizzical look, before watching Kyras work again.

"Badger did you hear anything on the other side of that door?" Mal asks as he stands about 20' away from the door with an arrow nocked ready to let fly at anything on the other side.

Badger looks up from where he is working on the door.

'Not yet. Still searching. But this isn't really my field of expertise. I've got to go with just the things I was told to look out for by my mentor. Tombs are supposed to be full of all sorts of traps for the unwary making it part of a monster hunter's survival guide to keep an eye open for these things.'

Badger put his hand to his head feeling a headache coming on. People wanting to take possession of books and now magical friends having feelings. What was adventuring coming to? Would he next have to check to make sure his choice of forest cloak was colour co-ordinated to match the other party members?

He thought the magical beings were summoned into battle just so they'd take damage instead of the wizard. They were tools weren't they?

Badger strained not to reply to Solaria's words and looked down at his dogs. He saw their trusting eyes looking back at his. And he knew that she was right.

'Alright Solaria. I guess I can understand your thinking. I'd not want to send any of my dogs to their death unless there weren't another choice. I guess that we can figure to do this a different way.'

Badger dug into the saddle bag on Victor and pulled a knot to release a pick and a crowbar.

'It's a bit more noisy and a bit of work but I think that we can take apart the door jam and make our own entry. There'll be a bit of risk but not as bad as doing what the trap designer figured.

'Willingness to cut holes like carpenter ants is often a better strategy than opening doors. Provided you aren't planning to live here afterwards. Since I'm planning to burn this place to the ground afterwards. I don't see a few holes really dropping the re-sale value on the place.'

Badger moves over to the doors and starts to examine them more carefully using small gushes of water to look for cracks or openings. He washes water around the lintel and stone around the doors and across the floor. He then washes some water over the doors to again check for any signs of hidden opening.

Using the spell Create Water level 0 Orison to give a modifier for perception check to spot elements of the trap on this side of the wall, floor, and doors. He will after that use a torch to check for smoke movement around the same areas. He will also keep an eye for a good spot to attack the wall or frame of...

Still trying to work out the OOC...sounds like real science here. You don't hear anything the other side of the door btw. I would've assumed Whisper would be able to disable the device anyway.

Kyras mutters to himself as he examinec the ring every wich way. Holding it to the light, drawing it close, slipping it on and examening it at arms length, sticking his tounge out and tasting it. 'Abjuration,.... protection most likely,... very faint, yes, but still there,... hmm,.. looks nice all right,..'

Finally satisfyed he takes it of and hands it back to Soleria, "The ring is of faint abjurative power, protection from what I can determine."

Solaria thanks Kyras for his work discovering the secrets of the ring, "Quite a useful ring, though not very pretty. Do you think anyone would mind if I kept it, its quite nice really I guess? Or would you like it, as you found its properties? I prefer prettier sparkles for my hands."

Not sure how you handle the distribution of magic items in the party?

Time to exercise the old NetHack muscles ;> (BTW Jedi with light sabers in a Star Wars campaign tend to leave most spaceships and buildings looking like blocks of swiss cheese. LOL )

If Badger has not found any noticeable cracks or 'hidden' openings then he will attack the stone around the door jam with his pick. He calls on his Gnome ancestors that hollowed out their homes from the ground and rock. He is hoping to chop a small size 'mouse hole' through the lower right corner of the door for him to get through.

If Whisper wants to take a crack at the door then Badger will retreat to where his dogs are lying behind the altar.

Time to exercise the old NetHack muscles ;> (BTW Jedi with light sabers in a Star Wars campaign tend to leave most spaceships and buildings looking like blocks of swiss cheese. LOL )

If Badger has not found any noticeable cracks or 'hidden' openings then he will attack the stone around the door jam with his pick. He calls on his Gnome ancestors that hollowed out their homes from the ground and rock. He is hoping to chop a small size 'mouse hole' through the lower right corner of the door for him to get through.

If Whisper wants to take a crack at the door then Badger will retreat to where his dogs are lying behind the altar.

Whisper is more than willing to get involved in attempting the lock. She decides to take her time with it unless you wish to rush her she'll be taking 10. She get's 17 from this and fails, setting it of instead which does effectively disable it and the arrow luckily lands into the wall near her head, barely avoiding it.

Not sure how you handle the distribution of magic items in the party?

well I've expressed that anyone can have magic items and they'll adjust to your size. This way smaller races don't get left out when a human had a magic armour that all the medium races have better versions and the small races suffer or vice versa with a gnome bard having a magic item or weapon that a medium creature wants but can't have.

I usually worry on the dividing of treasure after a dungeon crawl. Till then, if you can use it, use it. I also usually figure that overall, items will get distributed out though the selling of an item is usually considered bad manners unless the whole party agrees to the sale of the item. Often in the sale of an item it is the whole group has decided an item is of no longer use to the group (everyone has protection rings and the new/old ring is redundant to what the group has) at which point the money is then distributed. Pretty much the same for physical items.

Badger is fine to let Whisper do her 'magic'. The arrow that pops out is further confirmation to him that cutting holes in walls is the best solution to avoid such traps.

'Well, I guess it is time to knock and see if anyone is home.'

Badger will mount up on Victor and take his hounds forward to the door. He'll then open the door and take a look inside. He'll wait long enough for any that want to join him at the door have the opportunity to join in.

Mal will come forward with Badger bow still at the ready.

I take it the doorway is pitch black?

It shouldn't be pitch black. Badger lit and tied a sunrod to his backpack when we were entering the temple. That gives 6 hours of light. I'm not sure how long we've spent on searching the temple and the first room but I'm thinking that we should still have at least 5 hours of light if not a bit more.

Mal will come forward with Badger bow still at the ready.

I take it the doorway is pitch black?

Nope

You enter a large room. It appears to be a storage room/makeshift kitchen with many ingredients in barrells with meats hanging on hooks and a table with a collection of cooking knifes. You have no idea where these things came from, but they seem pretty common food, nothing exotic.

Kyras will enter the room with the group and have a look around, seeing if anything pikes his interrest.

perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Kyras will enter the room with the group and have a look around, seeing if anything pikes his interrest.

perception 1d20+5

'Hmm...' Kyras's eyes wander around the room and he seems to gravitate to what apears to be a spice rack. 'This might be interresting. Salt! Yes of course. Oh yes, Yes!' He nimble finger quickly sift through the various vials and pouches as he ponders their content. Various materials disapear into the fold of his robes as others stay in place.

Only online for a second. Please have Whisper disable the trap. Aron, feel free to do the rolls.

Only online for a second. Please have Whisper disable the trap. Aron, feel free to do the rolls.

It's already disabled. Took but hten looking at traps I found lowest DC for traps is 20 so failed, however didn't want you to get hurt on something stupid I did and so it nearly hit you, but the arrow is imbedded in the wall and that basically disabled it.

Is there another doorway through this room?

"This room seems rather mundane to have been trapped, do you see anything worth protecting with a trap Kyras?"

Hmm, well... I only see mundane foodstuffs, nothing exeptional. I'm just collecting the spices out of academic curiosity." Pausing to ponder a bit he continues, "Maybee food is precious in these parts?" he says sounding rather unconvinced.

'Could be there was concern the zombies might raid the cupboard? It is hard to keep them and ghouls on a low meat diet.'

Perception check as Badger joins in the search of the storage area. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Solaria takes the ring and puts it on her finger, before entering the storage room, where she looks around, but not with any great interest. She takes some meat to feed to TzeTing, which she takes outside and stays with him at the top of the stairs.

Is there another doorway through this room?

"This room seems rather mundane to have been trapped, do you see anything worth protecting with a trap Kyras?"

Nope, but some of the meat does look very nice.