DM Rah's "The Night March of Kalkamedes" (Inactive)

Game Master Kobash

"What kind of magic is on that wand?"

Peri feels a tiny surge in her strength.

Having faith in Haris' trapfinding skills for better or worse, Rowanna climbs up the statue and pulls the wand free. If nothing terrible befalls her, she attempts to decipher the wands function with a casting of Detect Magic.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

The wand comes free, and after a short time examining it Rowanna determines that it is a wand of ray of enfeeblement.

With the wand in hand, Kilian will climb back up on the platform, alert for signs of weakness.

"Hum, it seems like a curse. It says “Those that would dare believe they are strong enough to oppose us shall learn that their strength is their weakness and our weaknesses are our very strengths.” seems like an awful lot of work for the master of laziness."

"Anyone in need of healing. I know a shower wouldn't hurt, either."

Kilian still feels weakened even with the wand in hand.

"Sounds like a dumb riddle", Haris says as he looks at the wand, "Let's try the wand on Kal. Peri-?".

how strong does my familiar feel?

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"Sorry, guys. This isn't my strong suit. I'm going to wait right here until you all deal with the foul magic of this place. I'll cleave a skunk in twain, but I'm not messing with curses."

Kilian climbs gingerly back down from the platform. "Still sucks the strength out of me. What does it do to you, Peri?"

Ill check out the statue. If I can, Ill also try to rwplace the wand backwards from where it came. Assuming that does nothing, Ill try to turn the statue or move it.

"Can I also see Kal's sword. It just dawned on me that being broken and odd, and with Kal attempting to return here, maybe the sword is either some sort of key, or was sed to so something here but was never completed.

Mind if I inspect it a little more?"

Detect Magic + the normal work up, (Perception, Know checks, Spellcraft, place it in Kals hands, pet it on the hilt and sing it a little tune to go to sleep to). Anyone have UMD?

As Garinol experiments, Peri brings out her scorpion and gives it a little test. Though it doesn't look any stronger the little creature tells her that it feels very powerful.

"Go ahead and hit me", indicating the wand.

"WAIT!"

Is there anyway the scorpion could attempt to open the door?

Rowanna steps up on the platform to see what the big fuss is about.

Peri's scorpion scuttles to the door and pushes against the bottom. It looks ridiculous, but an alarming groan comes from the door. Maybe with a little help the door might be forced open.

Rowanna steps onto the platform, but feels nothing more than a tiny tingle.

Kilian nods slowly as the scorpion almost pushes the door open. "Rowanna, use the wand on yourself. Or on Peri. This platform has to make weak things strong and strong things weak."

"Nobody listens to me", says wounded Mr. Invisible.

"Sorry acrobat, when you said use it on Kal, I imagined something else entirely."

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"With pleasure." Rowanna says as she shoots a ray at Peri.

Assuming Peri doesn't try to avoid the ray and doesn't try to make a Fort save

Str loss for 1 round: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Haris, if I'm right, using the wand on Kal would make him stronger, and in any case he wouldn't have been able to tell us what he felt like."

Here's a little song for Haris.

(If he only had white gloves...)

The ray strike Peri and makes her feel stronger.

"Testing magic items on the one who led you here would not be very nice." A metallic voice near Haris says suddenly. "I think you should test it on the knife-juggler. here. He's about useless."

Haris Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Haris cannot place the source of the voice.

Anyone else want to try to "fastball special" the scorpion? Anyone?

Peri with her new found strength assists her nameless scorpion tattoo familiar.

If what I think is actually happening here, mechanically, I think that someone forgot how Pathfinder changed the rules on ability Damage -> Penulty. :) Not arguing, cause I like story over rules sometimes, just commenting I don't think it actually works this way

I'll help, too. Getting down on my hands and knees behind the scorpion, I'll aid another, finger beyond it's back right leg in the equivalent of "putting my shoulder into it" to give the little Hercules a bit more stability, while looking absolutely ridiculous doing it.

I'll cast Guidance (+1).

”Any one hear that? ”,Haris looks around ,”Morrey? ”

Now that you've figured out the trick, it's only a matter of time before you get the door open. I'll make some rolls to see exactly how long.

With some teamwork from the weaker members of the group, you push and push at the doors, sliding on the platform or losing grip. Rowanna stands back, using the wand on Peri, perhaps with a little too much pleasure. Meanwhile a voice continues to whisper to Haris, heckling the acrobat during his attempts.

"What, is a little door standing in your way? Perhaps it would help to pretend it was a helpless sleepwalker. Oh, so close that time! Nope, not that time either. Why don't you let the other lady try, she looks tough." It talks enough that the source soon becomes apparent - Kalkamedes' damaged mithril sword vibrates with every word spoken.

On your 8th attempt the doors creak slowly open and those pushing against it stumble into a hallway beyond. Kalkamedes immediately follows and begins walking towards a massive metal cage shaped like a demon’s head suspended by thick chains over a dark shaft at the far end.

The cage’s door—by all appearances a menacing maw, filled with incisor-like fangs—hangs open to the west. There, a narrow bridge spans the short distance between the ledge and the cage. A small console on the north edge of the bridge bears a single lever.

As Kalkamedes walks off Peri's scorpion flexes it's claws menacingly, and squeaks at Peri.

"Now is not a good time to be losing your mind, Hawk. Morrey is outside." Rowanna admonishes the rogue, unaware of the talking sword.

Keeping the wand on her person, Rowanna peers down the hall. She appears extremely unimpressed by the demonic architecture, but chooses to say nothing.

My first instinct is to rush after Kal, but there is a underscore of distaste for the theme of the room as well, a rather close second.

Grapple: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

How long am I enfeebled?

Valeros moves back to the front of the party, as the "demon room" was more his speed.

"Alright! That's enough out of you! One more, and I'll stick you in Kal!", Haris appears to be talking to his crotch, "Oh, ah.. the sword is talking to me.". He retells the sword's words to others, then talks to the sword again. "If you're so damn smart, what's with the devil's bedroom here?"

I moved Val for him. A little more than his movement speed, but I figured we where out of combat. What is the little dotted line on the map?

Peri, you are only enfeebled 1 round (you had to use 8 charges from the wand). Garinol, ignore the dotted line.

Garinol grapples Kalkamedes before he can enter the cage. The sleepwalker throws a punch, but misses.

Punch at Garinol: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

"Are you deaf and dumb?" The sword speaks louder, and suddenly everyone can hear it. "I haven't been here before. Kalkamedes only saw the entrance to the Black Edifice from a distance."

Valeros gets a better look at the cage upon moving to the forefront of the group and realizes it is some kind of lift, designed to descend into the darkness below.

Valeros explains the device to the others. "Welp, I guess a few of us need t head down and see what's down there, who's coming with me?"

"That's enough of you-", Haris tosses the sword on ground with a clang hoping it hurts the sword in some way, "How about I just leave you here for all eternity, unless you start becoming more useful.".

Intimidate: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Kilian steps up with Valeros. "Sure."

"You think that's going to bother me?" The sword laughs. "Did it occur to you that I'm made to slash and stab at scale and armor? Fine, leave me here if you wish. When Kalkamedes wakes up he'll come find me, and I'm sure he will just love to hear how you treated him and I."

”Okay, fine”, Haris walks off.

Someone with a better alignment match?

Trying to walk with Kal back to stand in front of the talking sword, "wow, I've heard legends about them, never seen one, though, Damn, did it jut read my mind? <whistling a tune in his head>", "Come now, come now, lets not be hasty. We want to help Kalkamedes to. So far, you are our greatest hope at being able to find out what is really bothering his mind. If you really been paying attention, you will note that I've tried at every step to keep him out of harm, and stepped in his way so others would not strike him. Obviously we are both friends to the innocent man, and seek to help him. Lets work together."

Thinking it over a second, "You say that you have always only seen it from a distance. That means you and he have never actually made it inside. With our help, we managed to get this far, something you hadn't been able to do on your own. Even though we are trying, we are not able to figure out exactly what is afflicting him. Can you help us?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

So, we can buy ourselves a talking sword after this. . . RIGHT!!!??? :)

[ooc]

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"Come on, Valeros. Let's get down there before Kal frees himself."

The Andoren draws out a sunrod and lights it, then looks down the shaft. "Peri? Can you take a look here? Your eyes are better than mine."

Garinol struggles with Kalkamedes and quickly pins him again while someone ties him up.

Garinol Pin: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

After, Garinol approaches the sword and attempts to have a diplomatic conversation. The sword responds. "You have helped. I have seen that. And you have taken measures to restrain him without causing injury, and so I will talk with you. But the other one, he only seems interested in making jokes at Kalkamedes' condition and experiments at his expense. I truly know little about this place, though I know Kalkamedes sought it. I don't think he remembered every coming here before, though the sketch he drew indicates he must have seen it. I myself do not have the senses to see further than a few paces, so I could not have helped before. Should I become aware of anything here, I will inform you."

Meanwhile, Valeros and Kilian step up to the cage and try to see the bottom. Neither can, and when Peri looks, neither can she. It descends beyond 60 feet.

Two question marks on the map - what is that area?

"Don't be too quick to judge. They where not serious, it is simply how they cope with things, by jesting. But at the end of the day, they too are here helping when others have failed. They have even taken wounds and more serious grievances," joking waving a hand in front of his nose, " but are still here and trying to help, in their own way. Would you allow my friend Val, that is to say, would you help Val's arm in defeating any further threats. He is a great warrior, but even great warriors can always use any edge they can get, and your's seems exceptionally fine."

Haris, ignore those areas. The map is misleading at the moment. Pretend there is a dark pit and nothing else in sight.

Regarding the lift - it can hold four people, so who is going down?