Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15 The low voice... the slumped shoulders... she looks... afraid, Boss.
1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 2 = 28
Helac's eyes dart about the remaining captive. Yes... and her request to be slain quickly suggests a fear of torture... which is somewhat reasonable.
Without looking at her person, Helac projects to Charivia, My good lady, have you studied or acquired any powers that allow one to influence others?
Charivia projects back to Helac,
What sort of influence doth thou mean, good Helac? Mentally, I can instill unearthly fear in others, but my power is limited as thou saw, even the giant toad could resist me. I can daze another with a sort of mental lash, but this one seems immobile already. Tell me what thou wisheth, and I shall try.
Even without help, Kiana seems to have frightened the yuan-ti, the death of her companions is hard for her to handle.
"The K--keyssss?"
she stutters, shaking.
"This t-tomb holdssss the remainssss of the ancient king Fremaryllissss the Great. My mistress desscends from the great king's cousin. The vault containing his body requires four k-keys to open, hidden in the tomb, and another key h-hidden in a living persssson. My c-comrades found th-three of the keyssss, but the fourth is sssstill hidden. Each key curssessss those who h-hold it, but it is necessary to reach the Tremble Tooth."
"M-my comrades and I come from and old Sssyrk tribe, from before the vile Inspired invasion, I mean--"
She gasps, covers her mouth with her hands, and her eyes widen in fear.
"Forgive me, before the wise Inspired descended. Our tribe is native to the region near the modern village of Tam Jath. Our ruler disssspatched us here, lead by her vassal Lord Anesti, the shapeshifter. He took a few of my fellowsss to a place near the city, for sssecret matters of which I know not, whilst commanding us to find all four keys before his return. But the lassst key isss still hidden, and we did not expect thy attack. "
Still shaken, she looks up at Kiana.
"Is that...all thou wanted to know?"
Helac:
Tam Jath is not a particularly well known place (it is just a village). However, Qara did mention it in your first meeting with her. At the end of page one and beginning of page two.
Well, is that all we want to know? Kiana asks mentally.
She waves off the 'inspired' invasion nonsense. "Call them vile for all I care. Most humans are vile wretched creatures whose only use is fertilizer and target practice." Then she continues. "The keys, what do they look like, and who had them the last time you saw them?"
"Th-then--thou are not Riedran? I had th-thought--
on our way here, before we entered Adar, we were ambushed, by agents of the Thousand Eyes of Riedra. I merely assumed you--
No?"
Her breath grows heavier, and her expression becomes confused as she tries to discern your motives.
"Not all humans are horrid, she whispers. Then she continues,
"The keys--the first is a pitch black, c-cracked orb. It c-could not be m-moved from its placccce, to the east of here, I do not understand why."
"The second key is alsssso a dark orb, but uncracked. Lasssst I saw my cousin held it in the north edge of the tomb."
"The third key, I have not seen with mine own eyes, but hath heard another of my fellows has found it to the north, and it, too, is unmovable."
"The fourth key is hidden, I think it is in ssssealed in a room we could not find."
The yuan-ti, still breathing heavily, waits a moment to see how you all respond. When no reply is immediatly forthcoming, she breathes faster
"I should warn thee, when my Lord Anesti returns here to empower the Keys, he shall likely cause thee great pain or worse if he finds thee, and me as well if he discovers what I have told thee at thy questioning. He can transport ghostly creatures long dead from the plane of death, Dolurrh, to torment those who are disloyal. If thou art intent on leaving this place, granting me the strength to flee, I beg of thee to do so quickly."
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac nods.
Very well, then. I suggest you not resist, because then... the process will not work.
Spending a standard action to attune to the Yuan-ti.
Looking into her eyes, he projects Good. You have accepted me and the connection. Now... I can aid you.
Spending 3pp to give the captive 9hp back.
An odd but familiar odor to the Yuan-ti originates from Helac and brings to mind a brief flash of a long ago memory and disappears as quickly as it came. She is briefly slicked with a glistening substance that evaporates just as quickly.
I would do more but... I need to conserve my strength. Should we see each other again in the future... I will not bare you any enmity... as that one does. I wish you well... and fleet feet.
The yuan-ti stands up, still shaken, but healed and relaxed.
"I thank you for your mercy," she utters, eyeing Kiana,
"I shall hope to honor your request never to be seen by you again. I shall not forget your kindness."
With a brisk walk, she moves to the base of the ladder and climbs up.
Perception, 20:
The voices in the room to the east start up again.
"An ambush would have worked better, I believe."
"This is the Harmonious Shield we are dealing with, it would not work. They would discover it and overwhelm us."
"It matters not, it is too late for an ambush. Our current plan is the only one left. The noise in the entry room has quieted, so either those intruders have moved north, or will assault us momentarily."
"If they were coming towards us now--"
"The tunnel mostly projects sound one way, they'd have to be loud for us to hear--"
"If they go north we could still ambush them."
"You couldn't on your own. I'm inclined to follow our master's plan, for it is safer than an ambush. For us, at least."
One voice is high-pitched, the other two are very low. All three sound confident in whatever it is they are doing.
Perception, 25:
While not as loud, there are now footsteps in the corridor to the north as well, likely of a quadruped.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Yeah, drop the Yuan-ti as a free action...
Both Helac and his crystal Eroh listen intently as the faint conversation in the east hall resumes.
Aid Another:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 ...
Perception:1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 13 + 2 = 25 ...
In an odd moment of psychic synchronization, Helac and Eroh apparently just share each other's ears, creating an odd sort of stereo.
Hm... the bird lady is pretty sharp boss.
Yes, but all together too biased, my friend, to be easily trusted. Helac thinks to his minion. ...I wonder how she would feel if she knew I was no longer entirely human.
You're close enough, boss. You're still squishy where it counts.
Helac smiles at the comment and projects to Charivia, Kiana, and Nik'o, ...the foot steps... It is possible there are two sets, but the coordination suggests a four footed creature.
And then as an aside to Charivia, Thank you for that information. I thought you might have a more direct mental influence, like listening to thoughts or the ability to make one think you are their friend even though they just met. I knew... a fellow or two... that had such abilities. I think what you have will come in quite handy... but less with interrogations... of which hopefully there will be few... I am not natively good with people. The last he projects a bit ruefully.
Alas, no, I can read the emotions of others, but I shan't be able to alter them mentally save instilling terror. perception:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 Nor can I even hear what thou art able to.
When I was in Syrkarn yester-century, I did suspect that some of the tribes were under influence of the Inspired, while others shared thine hatred or fear. This tribe doth seem to be of the latter variety, yet methinks they are still unfriendly.
But now, which direction shall we go? It is for thee to decide.
Helac/Perception 25:
The footsteps Helac noticed grow closer, then stop. They aren't more than 30 feet into the corridor, but their source is still invisible due to alcoves blocking line of sight.
I should have made it clearer in my previous post I was waiting for you to decide what to do next.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac glances over to his other companions, his body tense. Well... Kiana, Nik'o... whatever it is in that corridor is very close... and thinks us part of the Harmonious Shield, which we very much are not. Should one of you like to try diplomacy or shall we go with... scorched earth?
From the northern corridor, a carnivorous animal growls. From the same location, possibly from a rider, comes the voice of a human female:
"Harmonious Shields you may not be, but loud and revealing your interrogations are, and dead you shall be!"
A volley of arrows fly out of the northern corridor, towards Kiana, Helac, and Charivia:
at Kiana:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 at Helac:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 at Charivia:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Apparently this woman's threats are empty, as they all miss. With another growl, the footsteps turn to a run, this time away from the group, further north.
perception, 15:
You can make out the figure of a wolf, with unnatural, glowing eyes. On its back sits a robed human woman with a longbow. The wolf, and its rider, are running away from you--she was practicing hit-and-run.[/dice]
[spoiler=Knowledge (Local) or Linguistics 15]Her dialect is actually Riedran.
"Let her run. For now... This corridor is trapped and she's luring us to it." offers Nik'o as he resumes his favourite human mien.
He seems lost in thought, as he tries to make sense of the conversation: "So they're not our enemy, but they're not allies. They think us something we aren't. They've three of the four keys to the Tooth, but they can't move them... They work for some necromancer who will make us pay when he arrives..."
Know Local w/ Inspiration about the Harmonious Shields:1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 6 + (5) = 26
The Harmonious Shield is the army that stands between
Riedra and the countless dangers of the outside world. As the main military force of Riedra, most members of the Harmonious Shield are deployed along Riedran borders or in other nations (although the Bastionn Guards help keep order in Riedran cities). Like other parts of Riedran society, most members of the Harmonious Shield are humans. Nonhumans are mostly segrated into their own divisions--the Horned Guard is the division contianing all the ogre mages, while the so-called "Savage Legion" consists mostly of ogres, shifters, and half-giants.
Most members of the Harmonious Shield have undergone significant indoctrination, both psionically and through "mundane" methods.
The Harmonious Shield mostly fights in the open, but they occasionally engage in espiononge (in which case they usually work in conjunction with the Thousand Eyes or the Dreaming Dark.)
Despite similar goals, there is considerable tension between the Harmonious Shield and the Thousand Eyes of Riedra, mainly caused by a personal rivalry between their leaders.
The Harmonious Shield has never been known to have entered Adar, as the surrounding mountain ranges and abjurations keep unwanted Quori and their troops out. Conquering Adar has been one of their primary objectives for a long time.
"Furthermore! Furthermore... Thes Harmonious Shields are nothing more than a sort of standing riedran army! It's almost insulting! And yet... It means we have opportunities beyond battling from room to room. We can perhaps ally with those who seek the Tooth?"
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac attempts to keep his face neutral, but Nik'o sees a bit of nervousness in Helac's sharp and small emphatic gestures accompanying his thoughts. Yes... No... the Harmonious Shield is... the army, yes, but they not only deal with military threats, but threats of a more aberrant nature, as denizens of other planes find Riedra more interesting with... the immigration of members of Dal Quor.
Because of the... nature of the job, they are more aggressive and wary than what you'd see in a soldier. They usually see... the inspired, their masters, as... something akin to gods.
I'd rather avoid them... if possible. That goes... triple for the Thousand Eyes, who have a reputation for... deceit and zealotry.
By not standing around here and getting ambushed... again... Kiana thinks back impatiently. Or would you rather wait for another arrow or two when that one finds some allies? We need to go if we're going, or get the hell out of here if we aren't.
That is all very well, my good lady Kiana,
Charivia thinks to the group,
Which direction shall thou have us go in? The path to the north where the archer knows we are here, or the path to the east with guards who cannot hear us?
If you don't decide soon enough, I might make something crazy happen, and I doubt anyone wants that:)
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac glances about his compatriots and projects, The persons to the east wait in ambush... and the one to the north has fled back that way... where the Yuan-ti said some of the keys are. If we have one of the keys, we buy time to get the Tooth... I think. Sound?
If so, we head north. If not, we go to the east... hoping that the fourth key hidden in sealed in a room can be found and maybe used to get to the Tooth first?
We are relatively unharmed at the moment. I suggest seeking out the enemies now, while we are unhurt, rather than having them come upon us when we are weakened later by unknown traps or dangers. So I suggest we go east, the guards don't seem to know we're here, and we can take them out quickly, I hope. Then try to sneak around to the north from a different direction and ambush the ambushers.
Mmmh... Let's go east then. offers Nik'o, hugging the walls of the hallway to use the shadows to his advantage. He proceeds slowly, searching for wires and plates, or worse.
Looking for traps as I make my way. Stealth:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
The corridor is narrow and twisted. Along its walls, a few bright blue lines of graffiti are painted in Riedran script:
Riedran:
Beware the feet of those who defile the tombs of kings.
At the end of the tunnel is a moderate sized chamber, less than forty feet in length and less than eighty feet long. In one corner stands a large, marble column, fifteen feet wide, reaching to the ceiling. On the side facing you (west), the pillar is engraved in ancient runes.
Linguistics, 20 (15 if you know Reidran):
This runes are a variant of an early human language, which is the common ancestor of both modern Riedran and Khorvairian common.
It appears to be a tombstone or monument engraving for someone, although not the person for whom the Starlight Tomb was built. It roughly translates to
The King's great Protector, Latexoet, who brought secrets back from the Giants.
In the middle of the room sits an alter of solid amethyst, about five feet tall, projecting a dim, blue glow of light. Carvings on the pedestal depict a scene: in the scene, yuan-ti and humans sleep, happily, but a hoard of dark, formless, sinister blobs lie underneath them, whilst a hooded creature with hundreds of eyes looks down upon them from above. It is not unlike a picture Helac saw carved into a tunnel earlier.
At the top of the pedestal sits a dark, cracked orb, fitting the description the yuan-ti escapee gave of the first key. On it, in small letters, are engravings in the same ancient language on the pillar. The light from the pedestal projects this engraving onto the wall, making it easy to read from a distance:
Same Linguistics check as above:
The engraving translates as
[i]The loop shall be completed when then loop is broken, but another lies untouched.
Perception, 25:
The south side of the large pillar actually has a secret door built in to it, which is camouflaged into the column. The door is big enough for a human-sized person to enter.
There are three visible occupants to this room: a human female on the south edge, a yuan-ti male on the east wall, and a tall, seven foot tall giant-like creature. This man has a ting of pale green skin, and the muscles of a half-giant. He also has long, almost canine-like teeth.
Knowledge (Local) 13:
This is an Eneko. While Eneko are their own race, they are thought to be the distant descendents of half-giant and ogre hybrids, from before the time of the Inspired. Almost all Eneko now live in Syrkarn.
Knowledge (Local) 18:
It is believed by many scholars that the earliest Eneko were refugees from the ancient Ogre kingdom of Borunan, after it was destroyed by the Quori. While most such refugees fled to Syrkarn, some modern scholars think that other of the Eneko's ancestors actually migrated to Khorvaire.
Each of the three residents of this room are paying cursory attention to the dark corridor in which you hide. Do they notice you?
Human perception:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 Yuan-ti perception:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 Eneko perception:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
The odd acoustics of the hallway give you a +4 to stealth while you are in the corridor.
And here is approximately what the layout of the room looks like. You are in the light gray corridor--you have to move up to around AL-17 to see the room. The light blue is the pedestal, the orange is the pillar, and the light green are the human/yuan-ti/Eneko.
Door in the large pillar, on the side. Easy to miss if you're stupid. Anyone read that graffiti on the wall?
Even with the bad stealth roll, I think the -1 per ten feet on the perception check should get the 25 guy down to 20 or lower. At least until we get closer.
The yuan-ti shakes his head momentarily as his eyes meet Kiana, before he blinks and looks away, assuming he had seen nothing more than a flicker from the amethyst pedestal.
Yep, Kiana remains unnoticed. Charivia's Perception:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 Charivia's stealth:1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 + 4 = 25 As does Charivia.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Aid Another:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 Ok, remember, when skulking about, one should present as small a profile as possible.
Stealth:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 How would I... make myself smaller, Eroh? As Helac, moves to rub his temples out of mild annoyance, he apparently jostles his morningstar on his belt, the metal weapon clattering to the stone floor.
You know, Boss... right now you are sonically huge.
...I had planned for more, but with that roll, I assume that Helac has no time to note or decipher anything else. :\
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Aid Another:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 What did she mean by that, boss? There's something odd about that pillar, but I don't see a door.
Perception:1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 13 + 2 = 32 She is conflating the concept of visual acuity with intelligence, which in my experience is... not mutually exclusive. Maybe only bird people with... good eyes live long enough to become intelligent... not flying into trees and such?
Aid Another:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14 ...Why does this script look familiar, Helac? Linguistics:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 It appears to be the root language from which Riedran and Khorvairan are descended, and since I know both, it looks familiar to me as well. Since you are a shard of myself, now bound to crystal and developing a different set of experiences, you are likely imperfectly drawing on my own knowledge, thus creating that sense of familiarity.
Projecting to the group, Helac notes The script says "Beware the feet of those who defile the tombs of kings."... maybe we should watch out for ground based traps?
Nik'o reacts fastest, but Helac's words give him pause, and Kiana's intent decide for him his course of action.
To his companions, he mentally transmits: These are not ambushers. Carnage will bring ignorance only. We need to speak to them! No one fires unless they do!
Through the room, he shouts: "Peace! Peace! We are Khorvairan researchers! We have no ties to Riedra. There has been a misunderstanding!"
No, I equate being able to understand the meaning of what one sees. Everyone sees everything, most people are too stupid to realize what they are seeing. Kiana responds to the voice with some acidity. It matters not how good your eyesight is if you are mentally blind to the details.
Despite his plea, Nik'o sounds hostile to the ears of the yuan-ti.
"Khorvairian researchers?" he calls back.
"The only misunderstanding is you thinking you can break into our tribe's crypt and start killing our companions without provoking us!"
With unusual speed beyond an ordinary yuan-ti, he pulls out a bow and fires it twice, first at Nik'o
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
his arrow soars overhead, slamming against the wall of the corridor behind you,
then at Helac:
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
striking Helac but ineffectually rebounding. Apparently his extra speed doesn't make him the most accurate shooter.
The human and eneko assume combative stances--the eneko prepares to charge forwards whilst the human prepares to cast. Despite Nik'o's best effort, it looks like you are in for a fight.
Charivia moves forwards an conjures a layer of slippery ectoplasmic goo in front of the eneko,
reflex:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
although he appears to keep his footing.
The human responds by freezing Charivia with a psychokinetic cold
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16 cold damage:2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 6) + 2 = 13
"Freeze, intruder!"
she cries.
Charivia pants, heavily wounded but still able to move.
The Eneko holds out his hands, and a big two-handed mindblade manifests between them. With a menacing tone, he calls out
"You lie! Non-Riedrans don't send enslaved ogres to do their fighting!"
He runs through the ectoplasmic sheen,
acrobatics:1d20 ⇒ 19
barely reaching the mouth of the tunnel, his blade held poised to attack.
Helac's turn. Map updated, the light blue next to the pillar is Charivia's ectoplasmic sheen. Remember, you can move through the spaces occupied by an allies--i.e., you don't block each other's movements in the narrow corridor.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Hmm... Maybe I didn't make something clear enough, Kiana. Helac, Kiana, Nik'o, and Charivia are connected via network, and Helac and his crystal are connected by the normal familiar/psicrystal bond. For ease, I'll try to start keeping their dialogue under spoilers, again. I left dialogues visible, hopefully for the amusement of the players, even though characters wouldn't necessarily be privy. Helac is leery of including Eroh in the general network, though now there is room to, because he fears Eroh's inexperience will lead to distraction.
Helac spends a moment in brief contemplation. Kiana is inordinately agile and also concentrates on staying out of reach. Nik'o and Charivia, on the other hand... eyeing the eneko will be in reach of that monster. Making a decision he hangs back and channels temporary energy into Charivia and Nik'o. Vigor, 3 pp for 15 temp hp (Nik'o) and 1 pp for adding it to another collective member (Charivia).
Manifest without display:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 So much for keeping it low key. :\
As Helac initiates the psychic exchange, an odd but familiar odor eminates from him in a twenty foot radius, disappears as quickly as it came, and brings to mind a brief mental flash of a long-buried memory. Nik'o and Charivia are briefly slicked with a translucent, shimmering substance which evaporates just as quickly. (Sophisticated psions recognize the material as ectoplasmic seepage from the Astral Plane and it is completely inert.)
Helac's lack of stealth continues as he channels life into Nik'o. The charging Eneko let's out a sneeze as the smell of Helac's power hits his nose, although he quickly returns to a combative stance.
Kiana's turn.
Okay, I should have asked for you to at least specify what order you were in in the corridor, since I'm going to need that to determine what the NPCs do on their turns. I should have asked earlier....
I was expecting one or more of you would move, and specify which space you were moving to, but none of you moved:)
Please specify what spot on the map you are standing on, y'all.
Kiana would be at the junction where it turns. Either firing from around the corner, or out in the corridor firing down it (depending on other people's placement).
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
I sort of supposed that Helac was next to last with Charivia bringing up the rear, though I suppose she can be where ever she wants. She's a strong independent halfling that don't need no cover.
1d6 ⇒ 1
The yuan-ti steps forward, and fires his bow again,
First at Helac
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 confirm:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15Normal hit 1d8 - 2 ⇒ (3) - 2 = 1
which scapes Helac a bit,
then at Kiana
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
His second arrow flies completely underneath Kiana.
Charivia, heavily wounded and far from a melee combatant, pivots and runs back into the party, away from the Eneko, without leaving herself sufficient time to manifest another power.
Because her move is only 20 feet.
The human moves forwards to the mouth of the corridor, putting her clearly within sight of the group. "Wherever you hail from," she calls out,
"you plainly seek that which does not belong to you!"
She emits a flash of light as she focuses on manifesting something time-consuming.
spellcraft,16:
She is manifesting Astral Construct, and will finish in six seconds.
The Eneko charges towards the nearest target: Nik'o
"No matter what the Inspired say, you aren't really a superior life-form, Changeling!"
he growls, whilst slashing at Nik'o with his mind-blade:
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (5, 7) + 3 = 15
As his blade strikes Nik'o, the Eneko swings off of the momentum of his weapon to bounce back five feet.
Knowledge: Psionics 12:
He is using a blade skill to reposition himself Combat Slide.
