GM Crunch's Delirium's Tangle (Inactive)

Game Master Saving Cap'n Crunch

"What a strange door. You would think it would want to open." comments the sylph.

"I wonder if there is a way to open it without touching it? Does anyone have any idea? If not, we should each stand near one of these opening valve thingies."

Dolomite steps up near a valve ready to try to help.

Rayquaza requires some simpler explanation of what the door does, but agrees to manipulate one of the valves without asking too many questions.

Similarly, Thundering Bull goes and does as instructed.
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Are we thinking we need to turn them all at once or something?

Kegdrainer headed to one of the valves. "I Guess we need to turn them at the same time. Get ready to turn them. On the count of three. Once...Two...Three!" he said

Rgulbux nods at Kegdrainer. "Ready!"

"Go!"

Vag tries to open her device.
not sure what roll this is: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Upon touching the door, it grinds to life, its insides spinning and whirring. At the same time, the doors leading back the way you came swing shut! And as if that weren't enough, a great gurgle precedes water starting to rush from the five chutes on the floor and ceiling - with no end in sight! The only solution to the ever-growing problem looms in front of the team.

Okay, here's how this'll work. Each of you can make one check. Once everyone has, rinse and repeat if necessary. They will be accounted for in posting order.
Success allows you to close a chute, failure reopens one (all are currently open). For opposed checks, I have rolled each of you a number to beat. The following are the methods you can use to make your check (more may crop up):

• Intelligence: Solve the door's puzzle
• Wisdom (at a -2): Take an educated guess

Rgulbux: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Vagantem: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Thundering Bull: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Kegdrainer: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Dolamite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Rayquaza: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

"That is not what the dragon was expecting would happen."

Intelligence: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12 Dang it!

Rayquaza looks at his teammates with unsettling confidence and decides to try and figure out how to close his chute. He twists some knobs and gears, and the water from one chute stops flowing. Just when he takes a moment for a sigh of relief, the stream continues.

"MY CHICKEN IS GOING TO GET WET!" Thundering Bull cries, hoisting his bucket as high above his head as he can manage. One handed, he frantically starts pulling knobs, turning valves, and even shoving his hand up the chute.
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Vagantem starts to twist knobs, pull levers and flick switches, hoping she can work things out quickly.

Dolomite goes to work on his chute, closing it off efficiently.

Wisdom-2: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 4 - 2 = 19

Wis-2: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 2 = 20

Kegdrainer quickly reached over and was able to find a way to close the chute.

Fortunately for the chicken, Dolamite and Kegdrainer manage to close off a chute each, leaving three open. The water's rise slows a bit but continues, now perhaps knee-high.

(It is relieving to know sanity is a bit more prevalent in this part of the maze; otherwise three nonexistent chutes could 'reopen' and the team would be contending with eight!)

Rgulbux: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12 (When you make your check, remember to make another at DC 9.)
Vagantem: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Thundering Bull: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 (Again with the high rolls, bwa ha ha...)
Kegdrainer: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Dolamite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Rayquaza: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Status: 3 open, 2 closed.

"Hold up!" suggests Vagantem.

"Perhaps only the three of us with the best chances of success should try this time... why risk making things worse?"

She stops and points to Kegdrainer and Dolamite who had succeeded earlier.

Wis-2: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 - 2 = 10

"Sounds good, we just need to get them closed before we start breathing water." Kegdrainer said as he went over to another chute.

"Thundering Bull keep chicken safe!" he explains, leaping at the chance to prevent the dilution of his perfect spice blend and the imbalance of the moisture within his birds. With two ands now, he holds the chicken over head and away from any foreign liquids. "It's ok, Thundering Bull got you, nothing can hurt you now..." he whispers to his bucket.
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Would we know the DC? Dolamite's increased from 9 to 17. That is considerably harder. IF we know the DCs and that the change every moment then he would just wait. But I am not sure hoe he would know that.

Wisdom-2: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 = 22 Whew

You probably wouldn't know the exact DC, but a general indication of whether it got easier or harder. Either way, this plan is fine.

The oread and the Shoanti shaman use their intuition to deftly shut off another two chutes. Only one remains, but the puzzle isn't going down easy!

Kegdrainer: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Dolamite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Int Check DC9: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

"There we go! Mine is closed!"

Not sure if I should be rolling a second. Sorry, bit confused here.

Oh yeah, completely forgot about yours! In that case...

Rgulbux manages to shut off the final aperture, and the door goes still. As the water slowly drains from the room, it swings open to reveal a chilling sight.

More to follow later, am currently at work.

Once-cheerful mosaics of smiling children and adults running through the streets of Absalom line the walls, but age and water damage smear the faces enough to make it seem as though they weep. Sturdy work benches and bookshelves line the walls. An intricate mess of bronze chains, plates, pendulums, and gears that form a sort of astrolabe dangle high above the room. Catwalks spin out from the walls in three places, curving on a horizontal plane and meeting in an open circle in the middle of the room.

Between the catwalk circle dangles the body of a desiccated elf, ragged and dusty scraps of clothing barely covering his thin, bony body. He seems to be dangled in a maze of chains connected to the massive astrolabe above and the chains clank silently as he lolls his head from side to side. Even stranger, the albino Nuar Spiritskin lies chained to a couch in the northeast, bloody and battered but still alive.

The catwalks and ladders go 20 feet high. What would you like to do?

"Aha! The dragon sees the Minotaur prince, and he even seems alive!"

Rayquaza urges his allies to join him and approach Nuar.

Can you place Nuar Spiritskin on the map? Seems like we may need to attend to him to keep him alive and if so I need to know how far away he is.

Vagantem takes a look at the elf in chains, sighs and starts to climb up toward the catwalks that lead to him.
climb: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

While Vagantem started to climb to the catwalk, Kegdrainer kept an eye out as it seemed to a good place to set up an ambush
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Thundering Bull follows Rayquaza fearlessly to release the minotaur from his bonds. "Thundering Bull chop chains with axe and free prince!"

Good point, Dolamite, I forgot. I didn't think much on it because Nuar isn't in the upcoming combat. Oh, did I say there was a combat coming? Oops, I spoiled it, tee hee.

Also, he seems stable, not in immediate danger.

The team looks around the chamber in search of hostiles, coming up with nothing. Meanwhile, Vagantem decides to investigate the upper level. By the time she is halfway up the ladder, Rayquaza and Thundering Bull are closing in on the minotaur prince. It is at this point that the desiccated elf’s head lolls to the side again and his eyes flutter open. He stiffens and tugs at his tethers, screaming with rage. “You! You ungrateful, short-lived insects! I was betrayed and dragged on this altar of pride! Mortality is all you crawling beasts deserve!”

At this pronouncement, the entire room trembles slightly. Following that, chains rise up from the benches around the workshop, paneling plates swivel atop the astrolabe, and pendulums just below it swing threateningly! The elf himself begins to glow with magical power, but still seems unable to move.

Rayquaza
Elf
Dolamite
Kegdrainer
Thundering Bull
Rgulbux
Vagantem

"At least Minotaur Prince is alright. Now the Dragon shall go on to defeat an evil undead elf!"

Rayquaza shifts course and hastily climbs the ladder.

Hmm. You did mention Nuar and said he was chained to a couch in the northeast, bloody and battered but still alive. I asked for a map clarification and seemed to be penalized in starting position because I did not know where to run to. I don't think Dolamite would have known Nuar was stable so he would have run to him to make sure he was alright. I was concerned that, if low hp some area affect could have killed him or even that he was bleeding out. So, I'd like to assume that Dolamite moved to Nuar initially.

That's fair. I didn't move you initially because you didn't say where you'd like to be, but then I realized that happened due to a wish for clarification! So that works, all's good, sorry about the confusion.

The elf, now practically incoherent with rage for whatever reason, casts a spell on the clump of fighters approaching the ladder. While attention is there, a pendulum swings out of nowhere at Rgulbux! The heavy weight misses, despite the dwarf's attention being elsewhere.

Pendulum vs. Rg's FF Touch: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (1, 6) = 7

Dolamite, Rayquaza, and Thundering Bull, please make me DC 16 Will saves.

Rayquaza
Elf
Dolamite
Kegdrainer
Thundering Bull
Rgulbux
Vagantem

Rgulblux moves to the southeast as far as his stubby legs will allow while shouting profane names at the elf, "By all the power of the dwarven gods, Oh, how I hate nasty little buggers like you!" He turns and utters the draconic words for flame and a ball of fiery brimstone erupts about the elf.

Move Action: 20' to the SE. Std Action: Cast Flaming Sphere, DC17 Negate

Flaming Sphere: 3d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 4) + 3 = 13

Thundering Bull holds his head as the spell washes over him. Head... Huuuuurt... As best as he can, he heads toward the ladder.
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Will Save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

Dolamite, sees that Nuar is stable about the time he is attacked. The warpriest looks more closely at the suspended elf trying to understand just what he is.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

He then casts Protection from Evil on himself as a swift action and begins to climb. Not sure how far he can get with a double move. Acrobatics and Climb are both +7. He will be taking 10 if/when needed.

Taking a look at the elf, shook his head. Moving so the catwalk provided some cover, he cast a spell and started to rise off the ground.

Move to new location and cast Levitate on myself

Did Vagantem manage to climb up to the cat walk before the action started? If so she moves along it to the elf, if not, she climbs!

Will (+2 if vs. mind-affecting): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Rayquaza ignores the spell that seems to have been cast on him and moves swiftly on the catwalk, approaching the elf with a stern expression. He reaches the inner circle, strikes his signature arms-over-head pose, and attempts to punch the dangling elf.

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11, Damage + Dragon style: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Move action to move, swift action enter Dragon style, standard action attack.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Rgulbux creates another pyrotechnic to plague the elf. Somehow, however, the wretched creature manages to writhe his way out of the fire's path! The team prepare to fully engage as they converge on the unmoving menace; only Rayquaza is quick enough to reach striking range. Unfortunately, his blow stops inches short of its target, halted by an unseen force. "No blade or fist will stop me! I am Abysiel; you have no hope!"

???: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Having unhelpfully dropped his name and little else, Abysiel attempts to cast a spell without leaving himself open. It's surprising that he could be any more open, but he tries too hard to avoid that prospect and not enough on his casting, causing it to fizzle. The pendulum that swung at Rg comes back from the opposite direction, this time striking to great effect!

Pendulum vs. Rgulbux's Touch: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Confirmation: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5
Extra Damage: 2d8 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9

Rayquaza
Abysiel
Dolamite
Kegdrainer
Thundering Bull
Rgulbux
Vagantem

Vagantem walks along the catwalk toward the elf, striking at him when she gets there.

If she was not on the catwalk yet, she keeps climbing
climb: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Despite what appears to be a sense of urgency, Thundering Bull only makes it 2.5ft up the ladder.
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Move to climb the ladder, climb is 1/4 speed. I'll see y'all in like eight rounds :)

Right, climb speed. Unsure even how high the ladder is. This is round two of climbing up and moving across the catwalk. Can Dolomite charge across the catwalk? Dragon Style allows charging through difficult terrain. Gonna make some assumptions below. Modify if needed. Also did the knowledge Religion tell him anything?

Dolamite, having reached the catwalk last round charges across it to full attack the elf-thing. As he moves he swift casts divine favor.

unarmed strike flurry of blows, Stunning Fist: 1d20 + 6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 3 + 2 = 291d8 + 6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 3 + 2 = 13

unarmed strike flurry of blows: 1d20 + 6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 3 + 2 = 241d8 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 3 = 16

First attack adds an extra +2 damage due to dragon style. DC for Stunning Fist is 16. If Dolomite cannot charge then only the first attack counts. The to hit is the same as the charge bonus is offset by the flurry penalty.

The map says the catwalks are 20ft high, presumably the ladders are the same.

Heading upward, Kegdrainer drew even with the edge of the catwalk. "Look into my eyes!" he said to the elf.

Levitate 20' and use Evil eye to cause a -2 to AC. DC 15 Will save.

Not dissuaded by the protective force field, Rayquaza keeps throwing punching at Abysiel.

Flurry of Blows + Flank: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26, Non-lethal Damage + Dragon style: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10, Enforcer intimidate: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
Flurry of Blows + Flank: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27, Non-lethal Damage : 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11, Enforcer intimidate: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

That's right, the ladders are 20 feet high. Also, the Knowledge check hasn't revealed anything, and the catwalk is too winding to charge to Abysiel on.

+1 Mithril Kukri: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Confirmation: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 - 2 = 9
Flaming Sphere: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 1) = 11

Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Having made it to Abysiel, the other front-liners start attacking him; Dolamite and Vagantem score a direct hit each. Thundering Bull keeps making his way up the ladder. Abysiel manages to keep his eyes off Kegdrainer's, but is still plenty distracted enough for Rayquaza to sock him twice.

Edit:
Heavily wounded, the elf doesn't manage to escape the fire this time around, burning himself. He seemed about to cast another spell, but this pain pushes him over the edge. Sagging into unconsciousness doesn't prove much of a difference in his movement patterns.

Edit: Did not think it would be hard, given the party, but not that east. Combat over! (Abysiel is stable.)

"How fares the Prince?" calls down Vagantem.

She unwinds the elf from his chains and looks around the area that had served as his throne.

"UUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHH Thundering Bull miss all the fun!" he complains loudly, in a very deep, slow voice while descending his minimal progress up the ladder.
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Slow is a B! Nice work guys.

The dwarf ambles over to the minotaur prince to assess his condition.

Heal: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2

"He could be sleeping or he might be dead... I have no clue." Rgulblux pulls out his wand of cure light wounds. "Anyone know how to use one of these thingies?"

I do. Dolomites says flatliy as he climbs down, leaving the body of the elf for the others to deal with. Once down he will firs at check him and then healing ability to begin to heal the Minotaur.

Heal: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Fervor: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11

Nuar Spiritskin stirs feebly, but returns to consciousness at the healing. By then, everyone who "What? Where...oh, still here," he moans dolefully. "But who are you? Not the elf, or those thrice-damned morlocks, at least. Why're you in this place?"