Merle turns to Seph "Now stuff like this is why I decided to be an atheist"
Isaac will thoroughly ransack the footlockers in the hopes of finding something of use or some clues as to what's going on.
Perception to search for anything useful downstairs
"So what do you guys think?" Merle asks as she starts to rummage "Head for the temple or try and see if we can get throught that blocked door we left further down?"
Perception to search for anything useful downstairs
1d20 + 6
"So what do you guys think?" Merle asks as she starts to rummage "Head for the temple or try and see if we can get throught that blocked door we left further down?"
"The temple. Only one who knows the dark about all this is up there. Besides, that's where they keep the good stuff."
Justin relaxes visibly as both Ekuur and Karrin seem to agree to disagree, at least for now. He then nods his head at Isaac's words.
"SUre, why not? Long as we're here, let's finish up with Toranna's boytoy. CHances are he can tell us how to find this 'Shadowknave'. If he IS a shadowdancer, he's going to be very difficult to get a hold of. Like trying to carry a gallon of water in THIS place with only your bare hands. Difficult, but not impossible,..." Justin mumbles off, brow furrowed in concentration as he begins trying to solve this newest puzzle.
Mr. Swire:
Perception to search for anything useful downstairs
1d20 + 6
"So what do you guys think?" Merle asks as she starts to rummage "Head for the temple or try and see if we can get throught that blocked door we left further down?"
Merle:
Bethany stands by, watching the various discussions and taking stock of the differences within the party. "I don't care what we do, as long as we do it soon. They definately know we're here and the longer we delay, the longer they have to prepare for our arrival."
She then proceeds to slide her Footbow back into her Quiver and pull out her Sabre. "If we're heading inside my chances of flying are going to be slim, and I don't like my chances of trying to fire down corridors into any fight we're sure to get in, so I think it best to be prepared."
Isaac will thoroughly ransack the footlockers in the hopes of finding something of use or some clues as to what's going on.
1d20+13
Issac begins to pull out the simple footlockers and flip them open. They are unlocked, and they seem to hold basic clothing items and a few trinkets. Issac gets the sense that the guards don't live here full time, there's simply not enough stuff for an average berk to own. The few mildly valuable keepsakes in the footlockers weigh about 5 lbs and might be worth 5 GP pawned off in the Lower Ward.
Mr. Swire:
** spoiler omitted **
"Now what do we have here?" Swire begins to slowly pull one of the bricks out of the wall.
Swire:
Spoiler:A large cabochon red stone. A stylized flame is etched on its face.
"Now what do we have here?" Swire removes the pouch and holds the gem up to the light before turning to Merle. "Hey, cutter, you mind coming over here and seeing if this's magic?"
"Sure thing"
As Ekuur heads outof the tower towards the temple to the SW, he hears Karrin's words. He briefly calls back, "Perhaps that is how things are done 'in the cage', although I suspect it depends upon whichever inhabitant you are talking to. I remind you, however, we are not currently 'in the cage'. At this point, it no longer matters to me; I am proceeding to investigate the temple."
Unconcerned with jewels or other valuables, Ekuur begins heading to the doors of the temple, although with some caution.
Perception
"Sure thing"
It is indeed magical
"Well good news Swire it is magical" The next bit Merle says with a shrug "Bad news I have no idea how it works."
"Well good news Swire it is magical" The next bit Merle says with a shrug "Bad news I have no idea how it works."
"Still worth some good jink." Swire pockets the gem and heads back to the rest of the group.
Unconcerned with jewels or other valuables, Ekuur begins heading to the doors of the temple, although with some caution.
Perception 1d20+4
Ekuur strides out the open iron double doors and walks along the red-veined black marble landing. He heads up the wide ramp leading up from the cylindrical building, and heads towards the distant shimmering white temple.
The heat of the atmosphere feels refreshing to him, like a taste of home. The distant hiss and crackle of the flames sing of triumph and vengance.
The temple sits nestled in a crater that seems to be the highest point of the entire blasphemous rock. The ramp he strides upwards on is flanked by the rough crater wall, a rough opening is chisled into the basalt. The red-veined marble walkway leads to a yet another set of iron doors. The temple is surrounded by a portico with large white colums. The lintel of the temple is painted in bright colors showing an embossed sculpted fresco of deities engaged in sport and war.
Ekuur doesn't see any living creature about.
Isaac shakes his head with a rueful grin.
"One thing about bein' a sellsword, cutters: no shortage o' moody bashers that got it in their brainboxes they're the first with the 'trig, menacing, intense type' angle. Hells, I'd even venture Uncle Burny out there ain't the only one we got, right?"
He dusts his hands off.
"Well, nothin' in these berks' lockers. I'll go after Ekuur 'fore he frowns somethin' to death."
Isaac heads after Ekuur toward the temple.
Justin shows a mild interest in the gem that Swire and Merle are examining, but is obviously still wrestling with the intricacies involved in attempting to capture a shadow-dancer. Frowning thoughtfully, he follows Ekuur, Isaac, Swire and Merle out the door.
Seeing Isaac and Justin take off after Ekuur, Bethany shrugs and follows after them, Sabre at the ready.
The others watch as Ekuur strides towards the temple doors. The heat makes the temple shimmer. There is no sound but the muted roar of the flames.
1d20+13
Issac:
Merle jogs to catch up with Issac and the others she quickly listens to see what she can hear behind the door.
Perception
Merle jogs to catch up with Issac and the others she quickly listens to see what she can hear behind the door.
Perception
1d20 + 6
Merle runs up to the iron doors and puts her ear to them. She can hear muted voices within, but can't make out who or what is doing the talking, or what language they are using
"Well there are certainly people in there" Merle whispers to the others
Bethany looks to Isaac. "So how do we proceed? I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not exactly in the best of shape and I am loathe to walk straight into an ambush."
She c o c k s her head to the side thoughtfully. "Of course fire boy up there is hells bent on charging on in, let's just let him take the brunt of the ambush and then pile on in to take them out once they've sprung it."
Isaac watches the flames in the crater nervously.
"Saw somethin' in those fires, cutters. Somethin' big. We oughtta be careful; find some cover, watch the priest's back. I'll slip round the side, see if there's another way into this case. If yer hurt, now's the time to take care of it. I'll be back in a minute."
Isaac slips off, looking for another entrance.
Stealth:
Isaac watches the flames in the crater nervously.
"Saw somethin' in those fires, cutters. Somethin' big. We oughtta be careful; find some cover, watch the priest's back. I'll slip round the side, see if there's another way into this case. If yer hurt, now's the time to take care of it. I'll be back in a minute."Isaac slips off, looking for another entrance.
Stealth:1d20+10
Issac scrambles off the red-veined black marble walkway onto the rough-cut stone of the raw asteroid. The black basalt is covered in rocks and pebbles, as well as nasty ankle-breaking holes which look like small popped lava bubbles.
Issac:
Swire decides to let Isaac look around the sides and attempts to hear what's on the other side of the door.
Swire decides to let Isaac look around the sides and attempts to hear what's on the other side of the door.
1d20+7
Swire:
Isaac watches the flames in the crater nervously.
"Saw somethin' in those fires, cutters. Somethin' big. We oughtta be careful; find some cover, watch the priest's back. I'll slip round the side, see if there's another way into this case. If yer hurt, now's the time to take care of it. I'll be back in a minute."Isaac slips off, looking for another entrance.
Stealth:1d20+10
Issac scrambles off the red-veined black marble walkway onto the rough-cut stone of the raw asteroid. The black basalt is covered in rocks and pebbles, as well as nasty ankle-breaking holes which look like small popped lava bubbles.
Issac:
** spoiler omitted **
Reflex (with +2 for Acrobatics):
Unconcerned with jewels or other valuables, Ekuur begins heading to the doors of the temple, although with some caution.
Perception 1d20+4
Ekuur strides out the open iron double doors and walks along the red-veined black marble landing. He heads up the wide ramp leading up from the cylindrical building, and heads towards the distant shimmering white temple.
The heat of the atmosphere feels refreshing to him, like a taste of home. The distant hiss and crackle of the flames sing of triumph and vengance.
The temple sits nestled in a crater that seems to be the highest point of the entire blasphemous rock. The ramp he strides upwards on is flanked by the rough crater wall, a rough opening is chisled into the basalt. The red-veined marble walkway leads to a yet another set of iron doors. The temple is surrounded by a portico with large white colums. The lintel of the temple is painted in bright colors showing an embossed sculpted fresco of deities engaged in sport and war.
Ekuur doesn't see any living creature about.
Ekuur notices Isaac try to climb around the sides, and Swire attempting to listen at the door. He figures it wouldn't be a bad idea for several folks to try and discern what's on the other side ...
perception
Justin watches Isaac creep carefully out of sight around the building, and Merle, Swire, and Ekuur take a careful listen at the door. A small, impish grin creeps onto his face. He cannot help himself, he slowly leans over to Drazek and whispers,...
"So,... A Rogue, a Sorcerer and a Priest walk into the Plane of Fire,..."
Reflex (with +2 for Acrobatics): 1d20+11
Issac manages not to break his ankle on his walkabout. He returns to the group after traversing the crater lip around the temple.
Ekuur notices Isaac try to climb around the sides, and Swire attempting to listen at the door. He figures it wouldn't be a bad idea for several folks to try and discern what's on the other side ...
perception 1d20+4
Ekuur:
"No other doors. Reckon this place is a bloody death trap: holes to break a berk's ankle and a nasty fall even if yeh were to get out on the side. Peaked 'nother landing with some statue; Power or fiend with tentacles. Anything behind that door?"
"Some people no idea who though. Probably be best at this point just to kick the door in. Less anyone else can come up with a better idea?"
"Kicking in the door is pretty effective," Karrin notes, "but maybe we should look for something to use as a shield first though, I suspect there could be a barrage of arrows waiting on the other side of that door."
"No other doors. Reckon this place is a bloody death trap: holes to break a berk's ankle and a nasty fall even if yeh were to get out on the side. Peaked 'nother landing with some statue; Power or fiend with tentacles. Anything behind that door?"
"I heard voices; though I do not know the language, it sounded like what I have heard goblins, and the hobgoblins earlier, speak. My guess is that more are behind the door."
"Hmm I could put down some fog to cover whoever is going through the door but it may affect us as much as whatever is behind there."
Justin glances nervously at the flames surrounding the island, as if expecting to see a giant face appear at any time now. He forces himself to turn back to Merle as she speaks.
"True, but we wouldn't need to leave the fog for long, just long enough for a couple of individuals to use it to cover their entrance! Then you could drop it, and we would already have,... whatever is on the other side, surrounded and flanked! What about it Isaac, Swire, will it work?"
"What about if we drop the fog and then line our backs to the walls on either side of the door, then if they do fire arrows, chances are they will miss us. Then after the initial volley, we charge into the room, weapons drawn and attack anything that looks alive."
Bethany looks from one person to the next, fully expecting everyone to start congratulating her on an excellent plan.
Isaac nods and responds diplomatically.
"Justin's plan is sound, I reckon. And Bethany's got the right notion about cover. Whatever we do, I reckon we ought to do it quick: coolin' our heels here, they're liable to melt."