Faithless and Forgotten Part 2: Lost Colony Of Taldor (Inactive)

Game Master nightdeath

... That mistake gave me an idea... We need numbers for a code, right? Then that error can be read as a number... and it should be six. Checked the poem: and what did I know? There are other numbers hidden in the text. After checking this a couple of times I think the code is 7 4 3 8 6 9 1

Magni scratches his head before pointing out the obvious:"The mistake should be the key for this riddle. We are searching for numbers, right? Then that phrase only makes sense if it's meant to give the reader's an hint about the code used here. Therefore... the dwarf starts scribbling down the unholy poem searching for something apparently eluding him.

After a while he gives back the piece of paper with several words underlined within it

"I believe I've got our combination" he exclaims.

Magni solves the puzzle after pondering on it. His dwarven heritage might have him given him an advantage as cipers are part of their lives as well as numbers.

The vault door opens easily.

Dozens of carefully organized codices and scrolls fill the stone shelves carved into the walls, each labeled with names and sigils hammered into small brass placards over each niche. Two statues of humanoid fiends holding red-flamed torches monitor the room from the corners. Two open chests on either side of the door hold jumbles of unsorted documents, but a third chest in the far corner remains closed.

Stepping into the Grandiose vault, and ensuring it is at least pulled too behind them, Samildanach gives a low whistle of appreciation at the wealth of knowledge and material stores here. Frowning slightly he shrugs and casts a small cantrip to ensure no posion lies before them on hidden needles.

Detect poison

"So this will be where unsanctioned knowledge his kept eh? Let us have a look for the important stuff as well as the riches of a Chelaxian prison."

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Aid Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

"Let's find the location of the prisoners quickly," Nithrun suggests. "We might be followed, and I believe the rods of silence were not activated."

"Yeah... along with a lot of other stolen stuff I'd wager..." answers Magni, searching the room.

Perception check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Oggil slaps Magni on the shoulders.

"Keen as the edge of a blade!"

He too looks around the room, spending a bit of extra effort on the unopened chest.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

It takes no time at all as the team assembled swiftly and throughly search through the room.

The corner chest stores the Nail’s monetary assets for covering basic expenditures, holding an assortment of Chelish-minted gold and silver coins.

The documents contain information on Cheliax’s numerous political targets extracted from the Nail’s interrogation sessions. There are also other intersting pieces that stand out.
See Handouts #3,4 & 5

Magni whistles after reading the note on the genealogical records:"This is interesting... so the strumpet actually is the last living heir of the Davians, eh? I guess this will make things interesting for her once Thrune's find out..."

Then he mutters darkly:"And Ianareth Alazario is a bloody traitor and spy"

"Let's move quickly to avoid suspicion," Nithrun opines. "Where could we go to free the prisoners and leave?"

Samildanach quickly reads through the notes, whilst helping himself to a choice amount of coin from the Prison coffers. Whistling softly he shakes his head in disbelief at what he was reading.

"So the Paracountess is the true Queen and our new Liason seems to be an Aspis spy. I hate Chels." he says the last slur with a sigh before turning to Nithrun.

"No offense. Anyway you are right friend, the Silence crystals need fitting then we should find Zefiro and get out of here before this place collapses on our heads."

"Who cares. As far as I'm concerned there's no true queen. But if I were to take a guess I'd bet my money on the queen being the one with armies at her back and call and an alliance with Hell itself in her pocket... I might not be an expert on such things but the strongest wolf always leads the pack and compared to Abrogail Thrune the paracountes is just a pup. A vicious and conniving one to be sure, but a pup nontheless"

Then the dwarf sighs:"Let me see what I can do with those crystals..." he mutters.

Spellcraft: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Samildanach nods at the Dwarf's assessment of matters and gives him a wry smile.

"For once I agree with you. Though there will be fools sparked to rebellion on all sides. I feel our organisation will soon be dragged into a war if this isn't handled delicately." Samildanach states grimly as he helps Magni with the Crystals.

"When handling eggs, a careful hand is best used" agrees Oggil.

Once all the chests and papers have been searched he leads the way back to the main entrance into the centre of the prison.

"At the eye of the storm we may find calm. Let us see what is in the eye of the prison."

With such shocking relavations revealed, the party gamely continues on. Their very sense of urgency renewed as the stakes revealed are proving to high indeed, their next destination?

The Prison.

A10
The stink of unwashed bodies permeates this narrow corridor, illuminated by violet prisms set into sconces on the inner corners. Iron bars isolate the hall’s outer perimeter, where the walls are lined with manacles set into the stone. Dozens of filthy prisoners lie behind the bars, each one wearing a sign around his or her neck bearing an identification number, a crime, a red “X” next to the word “Interrogation,” and a release date. Two sets of iron double doors lead deeper into the building.

Each corner of the central prison chamber bears a sconce fitted for a fist-sized prism; only the southeast and southwest sconces are empty. Each prism sheds light like a torch when active.
It's a good thing that Magni knows how to fit in the prisms you found earlier. Currently at a quick count, there are 36 prisoners of varying conditions here.

"As the fledgling returns to the nest, should we return these prisms to their sconce's?" muses Oggil.

He approaches the closest prisoner and checks out his name card, looking for the missing historian.

Looking around the prisoners, Samildanach's face is a mask of disgust and rage and the treatment of the poor souls here. Fists clenched he has the grasp to nod at Oggil and bring the matter at hand first. Unless they make this place silent , their continued exploration will come short. Assisting Magni and Nithrun how he can, the then joins the odd Dwarf in looking for Zefiro.

"Around forty souls? I would love to rub it in the Chels faces by releasing them, but it may just get them all killed... quicker that is." he growls.

Having some compassion, Samildanach uses his connection to Gozreh to call forth water to share amongst the prisoners.

After making sure that the place is silent, Nithrun says, "Should we continue walking? Zefiro should recognize us when we pass him."

"Why not? I like silence when freeing prisoners in a chelish prison" mutters Magni in answer to Oggil's quip.

The entire prison goes abssolutely silent for a moment as the prisms all glow with their own inner light and everything goes back to normal.

The prisoners upon examination reveals that though that many of them are serving time for minor infractions, and most are only a few days away from being released. It also reveals one who is dead who has more then a month of his sentence left.

Samildanach's gesture is much appreciated by the prisoners as the they all reach out and eagarly slurp up the precious liquid. As for escaping, they expressed some relauctance.

Heading to the doors, it opens easily with the key found in the office.

Oggil looks within.
perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

"I am guessing these prisoners are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they escape they or their families may pay a hard price. Though staying, I hardly imagine their questioning will be gentle."

Samildanach shakes his head as the prisoners drink the god gifted water and then turns to follow Oggil. Giving a start as all noise is quelled for a moment. Looking to the odd Dwarf, the half-orc shrugs his broad shoulders as he prepares for trouble ahead, slipping his shield to his arm.

"Aye, fear will do that to ye i guess. My Captain said the Chel's 'follow the laws to a fault'. I always wondered what he meant till now. Let us hope they are not made accomplices in this eh?" with a sigh, Samildanach rolls his shoulders and peers into the next room.

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Perception chack: 1d20 ⇒ 2

"Mmmh... I can't seem to find Zefiro among their ranks..." considers Magni.

Nithrun joins in the search for Zefiro.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

As Samildanach peers into the next room....A 11

THe sight that greets him might have sent lesser men to their knees.

Barbed chains hang like streamers from the pyramidal ceiling of this large chamber. Several chains wind around the room’s grooved, bloodstained central column. Each corner of the room bears an iron statue of a regal, four-horned devil standing over a network of winches wound with the wicked chains. Light pours in from a dirty pentagram-shaped skylight set in the roof’s highest point, casting a shadow of Asmodeus’s unholy symbol crisscrossed with chains over the stone floor.

Zefiro Balinger and three other humans are wedged into the grooves of the central column.

Oggil stands stunned.

"What fiendish device is this?" he asks.

He carefully examines it from the doorway, looking to see if there is an obvious way to release the men.

perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Staring inoo the room, Samildanach gives a soft curse "By the Gods, I have no idea what this could be, but I know it isn't humane." he growls, before trying to see if it is safe to enter the room. "We shouldn't tarry too long her, Zefiro seems broken and the guards may start a patrol route any time."

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Oggil's keen eyes spots cunningly laid tripwires that leads form floors, ceiling walls and finally into the statues. Any wrong move here which is likely to happen due to the intricate pattern laid here, would set off whatever defense mechnisim is inside this room.

What is the party to do?

When Oggils warns them about the rigged spots Magnis asks:"Well spotted! Perhaps there's a way to disarm this trap without triggering it first?"

In other words: what are our options? Is there a way to disarm the trap or can we avoid it since we know it's there?

"While the eagle may spot the hunter from far away, he must still face the arrows before his claws may play" explains Oggil.

That is... no disable device here.

Samildanach shrugs his shoulders as the intricate tripwires are revealed to them by the keen sighted Dwarf. Shaking his head he sighs. "I ain't got the patience for such fiddly things, I normally have others around that jump on locks and traps. Nithrun you got anything?"

If no options are forthcoming, Samildanach will move forwards cautiously, trying to avoid the triggers in a bid to reach Zefiro.

"I don't know how to disable such things," Nithrun admits quietly.

lol. Oh oh

The party glances at each other in open consternation as their predictiment becomes clear. Without any of them being skilled in the ways of skulldugger. This may turn out badly for them.

The only thing that can be noticed is that each of the statues are armed via Wires to Winches. That's a lot of Wires actually and Winches if one reflects on it.

So... if we can't disarm the trap can we avoid it and then free the prisoners without triggering it?

Oggil looks around the room, wondering if the wires stretch up, and if climbing along the walls would give an avenue for approach that might not trip them.

"I wonder if there is a clue in the inquisitors office, or we need to go back and ask our contact..."

You could possibly destroy teh trap before it activates via the statues or you could just weather its storm as the silence is already in effect.

What sort of checks would we need to make to destroy the trap?

Pulling his foot back as he realises moving forwards in this place would be incredibly difficult, the Cleric eyes up the Statues and his own Trident uneasily. With a chanted prayer, the Half-orc touches the Weapon's prongs and it seems instantly sharper.

"Well, let us try and ruin this thing before it ruins us. I wish I had a blade of Adamantine right now..."

Cast Magic Weapon which last three minutes

He then prepares to strike the closest statue.

Ready?"

When everyone is ready, will attack. I will stow the shield and attack two-handed

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 for magic damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

No check needed. Just pure destruction also how would you move to the statue? Destroy the winches on the statue in one turn before it activates. (hint)

Can we tell whether any of the winches are more important than others?

Oggil nods to Sam. "The sun is ever ready to rise."

Can Oggil 5' step from the door, and get a full attack (flurry) in?

"I'll let you do your thing then..." comments Magni as Oggil and Samildanach start pounding on the statues.

I have moved us all to the central chamber on the map, and assumed we can step in.

Samildanach steps forwards quickly as Oggil takes a step forwards and attacks the same statue's winch as the odd Dwarf.

To speed it up. Let's move on. Else having all of you roll perception and all other rolls needed to spot the winches and destroy them all might take a few posts.

With your precautions done earlier, Both Samidananch and Oggil waste no time in reducing all the statues to rubble while bypassing the trip wires. Destroying the winches seemed to do the trick and soon have them pounding away at only the winches. This seems to do the trick.

Zefiro Balinger groans as the party extracts him out of the contraption.
Assuming you extract everybody. He groans and mumbles, his words a jumble of denials and strangely enough poetry.

Heal Check required please.

Heal check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Magni carefully examines the prisoners' wounds and Zefiro's in particular.

"Zefiro! Seems like you are happy to see us this time, am I right? Care to inform us on the identities of your torture - mates here?" Magni chuckles in the most inappropriate manner given the situation these people were in just a few minutes before.

Eyeing up the prisoners chained up, Samildanach helps break the others free as Magni helps their old friend. Shaking his head at the sorry state, the Cleric raises his wooden symbol and chants a Prayer to Gozreh, bathing the prisoners in healing warmth.

channel energy: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

"Aye, at least we will have chance to laugh, that contraption looked nasty." Samildanach mutters as he helps the prisoners by offering them water.

"Now, how are we gonna get outta here?"

"The fly that escapes from the spiders web, would do well to flee the locale.." notes Oggil, who also helps free the other captives.

"I might be able to fascinate people we pass, but only for a short amount of time," Nithrun proposes.

"A rat has many tunnels to escape it's den." starts Oggil.

He points to the east door. "Less other rooms to pass if we go that way."

Looking around at the other prisoners he considers releasing them. "These will likely be released soon anyway. "

But how best to cover our tracks, with so many witnesses?

"Unless they are able to pay, I see no reason why the Aspis Consortium should bother ourselves with their release. These were the ones we were paid to get out."

bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 12

From the looks of things, it is clear that Zefiro and the three human bellflower agents incarnated with him are not likely to be useful here. Their fatigue and injuries suffered makes it difficult to walk.
NPCs are sickened and Movement speed halved. Except your treatment removes those conditions.

Magni however manages to make them more comfortable though as this point, you'll all realise that with the amount of time that has passed, it's entirely likely that the Inquistor maybe on his way back anytime now.................

"Shall we make our exit?" Nithrun asks. "I can stand in front in order to fascinate anyone we pass."

Samildanach nods and orders the prisoners to stand between Oggil and himself. "Aye that will be a good idea, Magni if you take the spot beside me we can protect the poor souls between us eh?"

Once ready he indicates Nithrun should proceed.