DM Brainiac's War for the Crown: Table 2 (COMPLETE!) (Inactive)

Game Master Brainiac

Maya doesn't find anything unusual about the door. This rectangular room appears to host a celebration frozen in time. Gaudy nobles crowd the corners of this room, all of which are dressed in ostentatious and pretentious fashions. Tremendous wigs soar toward the ceiling, each covered in thick layers of dust. A larger gaggle fills the center of the chamber, each aristocrat presenting a jovial or mocking leer as it stares out blankly. One of the figures is sprawled on the floor; overlapping circles cut into its waxen chest and face.

The magic aura is coming from one of the smaller wigs.

She seems surprised at Jowuan's response. "I wasn't actually trying to get money from you. No offense to your god, but this is a time for us to work together, not quibble over bureaucratic details. That's what's hurting Taldor!"

"I recognize your point, but I have sworn oaths to the Master of the First Vault," Jowuan says. "I cannot forsake them, no matter the situation. However, I would be willing to offer a discount for my services in exchange for your protection in leaving these dangerous halls. How about half the price?"

Doritan steps in, "Perhaps Abadar would recognize a hasty contract? Something along the lines of, 'in return for services provided- escorting, protecting, and aiding your return from these chambers, you provide healing for any injuries and wounds attained in the pursuit of aforementioned services?" he offers, trying to frame the request in a way that the cleric would accept.

Maya surveys the new room while listening to the others' conversation with Jowuan.

If she doesn't agree with her oaths, why doesn't she just renounce them? Maya wonders.

Still, the conversation seems to be going well, so Maya decides it's probably best not to rock the boat with a misplaced comment.

Walking over to the source of the magical aura, Maya examines the wig to try determining its significance.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

"Perhaps. I could provide healing for the time being, but I would have to have the contract ratified by the Arch Banker once we escape from here. They may send you a bill for retroactive compensation. Would this be amenable?" Jowuan asks.

I will use Maya's roll for a Spellcraft check against the wig.

Maya examines the wig while detecting magic, analyzing its properties. She determines that the wig is actually a hat of disguise!

Reflex Save (DC 15): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

(Takes the full 9 pts NL damage)

Elif felt the shock go through her when the case was opened and she gasped upon its full sting. You need to be more mindful and quicker on your feet, Elif, she silently admonished herself.

She accepted the silver raven and command word from Katria.

Leaving talk of cost of healing to Doritan and Katria, Elif carefully followed Maya into the next room and stopped at the figure on the floor, "I do not like the look of that," she said quietly, pointing to the waxen figure with the circles cut in its face and chest. Please be careful, Maya."[/b]

Elif cast her gaze about the articles in the room and upon the figure on the floor. She held the Elven-branched spear on the ready ... If the other rooms and hallways were anything to go by, they should expect danger at every turn.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Elif spots several bits of jewelry and fine clothing among the wax figures.

An Appriase check is needed to gather as many valuable baubles as possible,

Maya smiles as she realizes what the wig is.

She turns and shrugs at Elif before saying, "What do I have to fear when our enemies can't even recognize me?"

The halfling activates the hat of disguise, placing it on her head and transforming it into a fancy noble's hat. Maya shudders as she realizes what she's done before quickly changing into a simple cap, like one a commoner might wear.

"See?" she say to Elif, "What could possibly go wrong now?"

Maya finds herself grinning from ear to ear. Perhaps this is her defense mechanism for situations like this, but it feels good to smile again, if only for a moment.

"As for that waxen figure thing, it makes me wonder if there were nobles down here who went crazy, judging by the figure and the random circles we've encountered in previous rooms. Perhaps I should say more crazy, since most nobles already are to some degree."

The hat would be great for Maya since she just took two ranks in Perform (act) and took her first versatile performance in that, so she can use it for Bluff and Disguise checks. That said, I understand why someone like Doritan might want it ic, so we can hash/rp it out if we need to.

Appraise isn't a class skill for an oracle, but Elif does have Profession (Merchant) for her time with her merchant uncle and working in his store in Cassomir. Am I able to use that instead to help value items?

Elif noted the jewellery and fine clothing and using her previous experience gained from working at her Uncle's store, she attempted to determine their monetary value.

Profession (Merchant): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

The halfling activates the hat of disguise, placing it on her head and transforming it into a fancy noble's hat. Maya shudders as she realizes what she's done before quickly changing into a simple cap, like one a commoner might wear.

"See?" she say to Elif, "What could possibly go wrong now?"

Elif's eyes took in the changing hat and she smiled. "Very becoming. If anyone can pull off a hat of guise, it is you."

"Now, as to what could go wrong, let us not tempt fate by saying such things. I am used to tight spaces, sewers and alike, but this so called underground sanctuary is more a hazardous pit. My fingers still tingle from the shock I received only moments ago and that was the mildest threat thus far."

Yes, you can use Profession (merchant).

Elif diligently gathers up all the valuables in this room. Altogether, she estimates them to be worth 450 gp.

I have serious doubts about Doritan wanting to use a magic wig IC, regardless of how useful it might be. Besides, they're cheap enough that in a few levels I can pick one up when I start going down the disguise route.

Looking down at the jewels and fine cloth, Elif looked to Maya and added, "I would say these would be worth four hundred and fifty gold pieces. Shall I add them to the other items we have discovered down here? Katria's clothing was ruined recently, so she may like one of these dresses."

If Doritan (or anyone else, for that matter) doesn't want the hat, then Maya will take it. I think it'll be a lot of fun. : )

Maya shrugs at Elif and says, "We're already lucky to be alive. It doesn't seem like even Lady Martella knew that our badges were capable of teleportation. Best to enjoy ourselves while we can... even if it's only till we open the next door.

"As for your noble trinkets, yes, I think we should stash them with everything else for now. I would hope the state of Katria's clothing is the least of her worries right now. But then, she's a noblewoman, so her priorities are inscrutable to me."

Once the new loot has been sorted, Maya walks over to the door to the west of the room where she found the hat and, after casting Detect Magic and examining it thoroughly (taking 20 on perception for 23), she opens it.

Maya does not detect any magic or find any traps.

Intricate banners hang motionless against a wooden pillar in the center of this room. Wooden racks line the south and west walls, each bearing up a unique banner of its own. Two additional banner racks lie on the floor in the northeastern corner of the room, their flags pulled away and inked with dozens of circles. Two doors exit this room, one to the east and the other to the north.

Intelligence Check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

"Huh," Maya says as she examines the new room, "Maybe the circles mean something after all."

Maya gestures at the appropriate places as she says to her companions, "If you look here, there are many other geometric notations that go along with the circles. Looks to be the work of a brilliant, if untrained, mathematical mind.

"You think someone got trapped in here a while back and bided their time by scribbling mathematical gibberish everywhere?"

Is the clothing dated? Or could Katria claim some of it for herself for real? (We've all needed fine clothes once, and may well again, so it might be worth more to us than selling.)

"Maybe?" Katria says, once her attention is pulled away from the clothing (which she cares about much more for historical reasons than her own comfort or fashion: Who knows how long these garments have been here, and what they could tell us about our ancesters?). "You're right, though, that they seem to have some sort of meaning, but what exactly is beyond me."

Katria's attention turns to the banners, in hopes she can identify them, maybe better place the era all these items were placed here.

Int: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 or Knowledge (nobility): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

The clothes are a haphazard variety of fashions from various points in the empire's history. Wearing them to a high society event would likely get you laughed at.

The banners in this room belong to old regiments of the Taldan Phalanx, various baronies, and a few foreign allies, and at varying times have been hung in the senate to welcome visiting dignitaries or war heroes. Most of the banners here belong to disbanded regiments and have little value beyond the historic purpose they still serve.

"Clearly this is all from some time ago," Katria says, as much to herself as anyone else. "After all, most of these banners' regiments aren't even active anymore and those clothes are all quite old. If we needed any more proof..."

Any indication of how old the circles and mathematical formulae are? Dust on them or anything?

There is dust covering some of them. It's hard to tell exactly when they might have been made.

"Based on what we've seen so far, I'm happy to let the banners stay down here, unless we want to burn them. They're all reminders of Taldor's warring past. Not something any Taldan should be proud of. Still, the mathematical stuff is intriguing. Maybe we'll find further clues to their signifiance elsewhere in this place."

As Maya finishes, she walks over to the room's northern door and, after examining it as she did the one before, opens it.

Maya Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Several large doors line this 200-foot-long hallway. The hall looks far older than any of the surrounding rooms. Time has worn it so thin that it almost appears to be a natural—if perfectly straight—cavern. Directly across from Maya, a large, metal door to the north is covered with chalk circles and mathematical notes. The circles on this door radiate a faint aura of enchantment magic.

Maya glances back and forth down the long hallway, before trying to examine the enchantment aura further - without touching it.

She then informs everyone else about the aura and anything else she learns about it.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Maya is unable to determine more about the magic circles.

"There sure are plenty of magic circles and the like down here", Bernal comments, trying to sound helpful. "Were magic circles common in Old Taldan noble rituals and practices?", he asks the knowledgeable ladies.

"I suspect the people who were saved from Tar-Baphon by ancient warring Taldans might disagree, Maya," Katria remonstrates her companion. "Yes, there are things to not be proud of, but to act like the empire hasn't done any good is to ignore the truth writ large in our history books.

"Which don't mention anything of much significance about magic circles," she adds, looking over the ones etched in front of her but realizing with a sinking feeling they're likely beyond her ability to decipher.

I really should have studied harder...

"Maybe we should ask if you wouldn't mind channeling Abadar's healing into us, Jowuan. If there's more threats ahead, I'm still hurt from that last trap. Bernal? Elif? Is anyone else hurt? Gather close."

Katria has 5 gp she's willing to spend.

Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Spellcraft to discern more about the circles: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Channel Energy: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Jowuan accepts the payment, holding her holy symbol aloft to channel healing energy to all around her.

Katria is unable to determine anything about the nature of the magical circles.

Eveybody heals 4 HP. This healing cures an equal amount of lethal and nonlethal damage, if you have any.

"Elif, Jowuan, can either of you -- or anyone else? -- make any sense of the enchantment on this door?"

Want to give them a chance to check before proceeding through it.

For things that have a shared benefit, we should probably share the cost. I'll chip in 1 gp for the channel. Per person, that'd just be 1 gp each.

Maya just shakes her head as Katria explains the supposedly noble deeds from Taldor's past. There was still far too much unnecessary bloodshed for Maya's liking. But she lets the banners be.

"Perhaps we should also consider checking out what's along either end of this long hallway first? Or the other door back in that room with the trapped display? An enchantment aura does not sound like something I want to mess with, save as a last resort."

Still, Maya waits for Elif and/or Jowuan to examine the door. Her preference is still to check out other areas before trying the enchanted door.

Neither Elif nor Jowuan can determine the purpose of the circles.

You won't be able to figure out what they do with skill checks.

Maya's vote is for checking out the rest of the place first. If the enchantment aura actually enchants one of us, it could leave us down in numbers. I'd rather be at full strength for whatever else is in this place before we try the enchanted door.

Katria nods, happy to accede to Maya's suggestion.

"How about this way first?" she asks, gesturing to the left "south" on the map.

The left passage turns south and ends at a door. Maya inspects it, but doesn't find anything unusual and does not detect any magic auras.

The wooden walls along the northern section of this room give way to natural stone. From the narrow entry alcove, the room expands into a vast area lled with rampant green vegetation. Thick briars and vines cover the eastern and western walls. To the west, the vegetation overruns several neatly arranged sets of patio furniture. Further south, past the morass of vegetation, a stone building looms, the top of it emblazoned with a brass-winged eye.

Braziers hang from the ceiling, lit with continual flame spells to illuminate the chamber.

"Huh," Maya says as she see the expansive area beyond the door, "I wonder how so many people could forget a place as big as this exists. It seems like it may have once been used for more than just emergencies. Either that or the people who fashioned this place were expecting folks to have to live here for a long time."

Maya takes a few steps into the room to try examining it more closely.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Any Knowledge checks for the brass-winged eye or anything else?

Maya looks around the room, noticing that the plants here are all hardy species--blackberries, kudzu, and mosses. The rampant growth covers several cabinets and tables along the western wall, but she'll have to get closer to examine them more thoroughly.

'She'll have to get closer to examine them.' That's not ominous at all...
No Knowledge (religion), so hopefully someone else can identify it.

Not sure what to make of the room, Maya notes the hardy plants in the area. Maybe the nobles really did intend for the place to be a long-term refuge.

After plucking and eating one of the blackberries, Maya tries to clear out some of the vines enough for her to search the cabinets and tables along the western wall.

The others follow behind Maya as she explores the western part of the chamber. As she starts to clear out the vines, the halfling's perceptive companions notice something moving nearby and call out a warning! What seems to be a mass of diseased fibers growing on a plant suddenly moves and slithers independently from its sickly host, oozing towards Maya.

Bernal and Katria may act before the ooze. Map updated.

"You're right, Maya. That winged eye is actually Aroden's symbol, which means this place was finished at least a century ago (as it's not likely it was built after Aroden's death). If we get out of here, I'm going to have to do some research to learn more," she concludes excitedly.

As usual, she gets almost lost in the details while Maya moves forward, only glancing up just in time to see the thing slither toward the halfling.

"Look out," she cries out.

Moving to clear a line of sight, she throws a dagger toward the thing, hoping it might dissuade it from its pursuit. She misses badly, flushing slightly at her poor martial skills.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Dagger: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

I apparently picked really poor implement schools for this dungeon. :)

It's been over 24 hours, so I will bot Bernal to keep it moving.

Falcata: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 231d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Bernal quickly rushes to Maya's aid, hacking into the ooze with his falcata. The weapon slices deep, splattering foul-smelling protoplasm across the vines.

Katria moves closer and hurls a dagger, but it flies harmlessly past the ooze.

The ooze slithers a few feet closer to Maya before releasing a cloud of foul-smelling gases! The horrid stench is overpowering.

Bernal and Maya must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d3 rounds. Everybody may now act. Elif is staggered since this is still the first combat round.

Doritan moves up like lightning, nimbly jumping off the wall and out of reach, flanking the blob with Bernal and striking at the ooze with his new magical hatchet.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
+1 Handaxe, flanking: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 2 = 161d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Katria closes in as well, not wanting to hit any of her companions with a dagger or her new crossbow. Pulling her sword, she slashes gingerly at the ooze.

Longsword: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Anticipating a Fort save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Fort Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Maya grits her teeth and wriggles her nose at the smell of the ooze. She just wanted to enjoy a blackberry and take a look at the shelves and tables. Why did an ooze have to ruin that?

She manages to shrug off the effects of the ooze's stench, before something nags at her. Is Bernal responsible for this horrible stench? She doesn't know enough about the man to deduce his personal hygene habits, so it's hard to say.

The nagging passes and she realizes with horror what she came close to doing. She gives a word of warning to her companions, "Be careful around the ooze! It may try to compel you to act against the rest of us. The ooze is the source of that horrible smell, not us."

Then Maya swings at the blasted ooze, hoping to end its miserable existence.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

So sorry, I somehow completely missed that I could act!

Fortitude: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

The ooze's foul odor tickles in Bernal's nostrils, causing him to get caught in a fit of coughing. Through the veil of noise and stench, Bernal hears Maya's advice--why would we think the smell is coming from anyone other than that hideous thing? With not much time to contemplate, Bernal attempts to drive his falcata into the ooze again, hoping to get rid of it as fast as possible, but his limbs shake violently from his coughing fit and he cannot aim straight.

Falcata + flank - sickened: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9, Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Doritan Fortitude: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Malphene Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Malphene Dagger: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 - 2 = 171d4 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 2 = 3

Doritan tumbles in behind the ooze. The stench gets to him a bit, but he still manages to slice into the quivering mass with his handaxe, splattering protoplasm.

Malphene stifles a gag as she moves in as well, driving her dagger into the creature's body. "Ugh! Disgusting!"

As Elif staggers closer to the fight, Maya deftly swings her blade. Though she scores only a light cut, it's enough to finish off the creature, causing it to sag and dissolve into an inert puddle.

You may now make another check to influence Malphene: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (history), or Knowledge (nobility).

Maya looks down in surprise at the puddle the creature has become. Apparently her pitiful swings could actually make a difference every now and then.

Deciding to make the most of the occasion, Maya says to Malphene, "See Malphene, even halflings can contribute in combat situations. You'll do well to stick with us."

Maya glances at Malphene's dagger, then adds, "Stick with us, please. Don't actually stick us with that."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Malphene scoffs. "If I wanted to stab a dagger into your back, I would have done it already." It's not a very reassuring statement.

18's not enough, but others can make a check or try to assist.

Coming out of her 'vision', Elif shook her head to clear the fog from her mind when she realised Maya had ended the ooze and heard her attempts with Maplhene. Taking a deep breath, the oracle added politely,

"Well, it is good then that you are proficient with the dagger. I think it is a reasonable idea to put aside any differences and work together to safely get out of here. We can accomplish more as a united party. What say you, Lady Malphene?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Malphene considers Elif and nods. "Yes, let's continue to work together. I've been trained in the use of most martial weapons, you know. If you've got something bigger, I can help out more." She slides her dagger back into its sheath.

Success! She's slowly warming up to you. :)

"Very good. Then fortune smiles on us. Thank you, Lady Malphene."

I can't see any larger weapons on the loot list at this time? Can we give her something to use to help us?

I believe there was a second longsword in the escape room that was not claimed.