Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
Kosei will not include himself in the communal resist energy nevertheless as his domain grants him fire resistance 20. He will instead extend the duration of the spell
Kosei moves forward over the stone bridge and points with a hand the ground below the red mockery then looks up stretching his eyes and mumbling loudly while raising his other hand upwards. An air geyser erupts from bellow attempting to send the creature up into the air and making it fall prone.
Geyser damage (bludgeoning): 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6
Ref 20 for half and to avoid falling damage and falling prone.
The falling damage will depend on how high is the ceiling, but if it strikes the ceiling it will be doubled when it returns to the ground if I understand correctly the spell.
CL 15 (Penetration CL +19; Concentration +22); only 10% mischance while deafened
Orisons (4)
light
divine guidance
create water
detect magic
Level 1 (7/day + 4 pearls of power I)
burning hands - D
obscuring mist
remove sickness
expeditious excavation
* longstrider (h/level)
thunderstomp (CMB +21)
faerie fire
Level 2 (7/day + 1 pearl of power II)
produce flame - D
barkskin (10 min/level)
frost fall (Fort 19)
frigid touch (no save)
2x stone discus (no SR)
stone call (no SR)
Hand: see invisibility (CL 5; 50 min)
Level 3 (7/day)
fireball - D (Ref 20)
stone shape
greater magic fang (1 h/level)
* resist energy communal (10 min/level)
spider climb communal
* air geyser (Ref 20)
sleet storm
Hand: daylight (CL 5)
Level 4 (6/day)
wall of fire - D
freedom of movement (10 min/level)
dispel magic
geyser (Ref 21)
flame strike (Ref 21)
life bubble
Level 5 (6/day)
fire shield - D
death ward
blessing of the salamander (fast healing 5)
call lightning storm (Ref 22)
communal air walk
Level 6 (5/day)
fire seeds - D
dust form (become incorporeal)
* stone wall
greater dispel magic
+1 open slot
Level 7 (3/day)
elemental body IV (fire only)
heal
wind walk
Level 8 (2/day)
incendiary cloud
sunburst
GM Euan |
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The red mockery, not the most dextrous creature, tries to resist being thrown into the air (30' ceiling in this chamber).
Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 vs DC 20
... and miraculously succeeds - its solid weight apparently being a factor with this attempt. Or just luck.
GM Euan |
Florence summons an ice storm. The magically summoned ice sizzles and melts almost immediately though it’s still considered difficult terrain as the effect is at least partly visual. Stelle charges in and knocks one into next week and off the platform as it crumbles into the lava, destroyed. Kosei attempts to throw a mockery to the ceiling, but it miraculously manages to avoid the worst of the spell. Nidhi DMPC begins to inspire the group as she draws her bow and moves into position to fire it. Zilchus double moves ahead, while his croc’ misses its target.
The remaining mockeries, move to defend their lair against the upstart invaders.
Red steps up on the croc’ as it tries to tear it apart.
Bite on Croc: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (9) + 21 = 30 damage: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (2, 6) + 8 = 16 Grapple: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (3) + 27 = 30
Slam on Croc: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (15) + 21 = 36 damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Slam on Croc: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (7) + 21 = 28 damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
The Mockery of Ra digs into the chaosodile and manages to grapple it, though it looks too large to swallow whole so it is let go at the end of the round.
Green and Brown attempt to close with Stelle, but their slow gait and a hindering ice storm prevent any attacks. Stelle gets an AoO however (two if she has Combat Reflexes).
- Round 2 -
Florence - 26
Stelle - 22
Kosei - 19
Nidhi - 16
Zilchus - 14
Chaosodile - 14 (-42hp)
Mockeries of Ra (red) - 2 (-21hp)
Mockeries of Ra (green) - 2 (-18hp)
Mockeries of Ra (brown) - 2 (-18hp)
Next up - Everyone!
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
Round 1
Zilchus joins with this chaosodile to strike at the red foe.
1d20 + 21 + 2 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 21 + 2 + 7 = 40 to hit; (+hero,+grunt)
2d6 + 23 ⇒ (3, 6) + 23 = 32 adamantine slashing damage.
1d20 + 13 + 2 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 13 + 2 + 7 = 28 to hit; (+hero,+grunt)
2d6 + 23 ⇒ (2, 5) + 23 = 30 adamantine slashing damage.
1d20 + 8 + 2 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 2 + 7 = 28 to hit; (+hero,+grunt)
2d6 + 23 ⇒ (1, 3) + 23 = 27 adamantine slashing damage.
Chaosodile:
1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 13 - 2 = 31 to hit (bite,grappled)
2d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 6) + 12 = 24 damage.
Pot Crit:
1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 - 2 = 24 to hit (bite,grappled)
2d8 + 12 ⇒ (3, 5) + 12 = 20 damage.
[ dice]1d20+20+2+2[/dice] to hit; (+hero, +holy)
[ dice]1d10+23+2d6[/dice] adamantine slashing damage. (+holy)
[ dice]1d20+13+2+2[/dice] to hit; (+hero, +holy)
[ dice]1d10+23+2d6[/dice] adamantine slashing damage. (+holy)
HP: 122/122
AC: 38/34 (10 armor + 2 def + 3 dex + 1 dodge + 2 insight + 2 natural) + 4 shield/buckler +3 barkskin (kosei) + 1 armor (warpriest) + light fortification.
DF 1/10
Weap: 0/15 rounds used (swift, +3 bonus/flame/ghost/frost/holy)
Grunting/Summoning: 2/9 used (+7 str)
Quick Prayer: 0/10 used
PoP1: 0/1 used
PoP4: 0/1 used
Armor: 0/15 minutes used (swift,+3 more bonus (fortification=+1/+3)
Crocodilic Channel: 0/2 used/smite: 0/5 used (7d6)
Gr. Magic Weapon (+3); Magic Vestment (+3)
Falcon Crown: 0/3 used, immediate action sac spell
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not use
Large animal Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +9 natural, –1 size)
hp 105/105 (red)
Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +6 Resist 10 Fire & Acid DR 5/lawful
Special Qualities: Tail thrawping, heel nipping
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., swim 50 ft.
Melee bite +13 (2d8+12)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 9
Base Atk +7; CMB +17; CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Mobility, Toughness
Skills Perception +14, Swim +16
Florence Corvina |
Round 2, Init 26
Aware that this is a case where prevention may be worth a pound of cure, Florence takes a deep breath and moves out onto the stone bridge summoned by Kosei.
Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down!
Trembling, she begins to cast a spell and attempts to anchor Red's shadow to the floor.
______________
Flo moves to her current map position and casts Shadow Trap at Red; DC 17 Will save. If Red goes down before that then she'll instead target Brown since I think she'll have juuuust enough range to do so~
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
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Kosei steps forward behind Zilchus and stares at the chaosodile "Do not complain to me, by the stars of Osirion, don't bite me, you are friend too"
The Garundi makes a gesture and conjures a sheet of ice under the two mockeries in the front in order to help Stelle.
Frost fall cold damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5
Fort 19 to avoid staggered
Extra cold damage if they begin turn in the frost: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Sopdet-Ka "Stelle" |
Combat Reflexes
AoO (Orange): 1d20 + 15 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 3 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 15 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 3 - 4 + 2 = 44 +Hero, +Inspire, -PA, +Flank
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 + (3, 1) = 27 +Inspire, +PA, Holy
AoO (Green): 1d20 + 15 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 3 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 15 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 3 - 4 + 2 = 42 +Hero, +Inspire, -PA, +Flank
for Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 3 + 3 + 8 + (6, 4) = 33 +Inspire, +PA, Holy
Round 2, Init 22
Stelle prevokes as she turns to charge Red.
Spirited Charge: 1d20 + 15 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 15 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 3 = 42 -PA,+Charge, +Hero, +Flank, +Inspire
for Damage: 3d6 + 15 + 9 + 24 + 9 + 6d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 6) + 15 + 9 + 24 + 9 + (1, 4, 6, 2, 3, 5) = 87 +PA, +Inspire, Holy
GM Euan |
Florence attempts to pin Red to the floor.
Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 vs DC 17 - and the tophet fails!
Stelle hits with both AoO's digging deeply into the creatures. As she turns to charge red, both green and orange try and bite her.
Bite on Stelle: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25
Bite on Stelle: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25
...and both fail. She continues on, un-grappled, and hits red, but does not quite finish him off due to DR.
Kosei then attempts to stagger the poor tophet in the rear.
Green Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 vs DC 19 - and the tophet succeeds
Orange Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 vs DC 19 - and the tophet fails!
Nidhi is up.
GM Euan |
Nidh, GMPC, tries to take out orange with an unimpeded lane.
Manyshot: 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 17 + 2 + 3 = 24 (heroism, inspire) damage: 2d6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 5) + 6 + 6 = 21 (inspire)
Rapidshot: 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 17 + 2 + 3 = 30 (heroism, inspire) damage: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 3 = 10 (inspire)
Iterative: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 2 + 3 = 25 (heroism, inspire) damage: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 3 = 10 (inspire)
Hitting every time, she very nearly drops it, and might have but for a small amount of DR (you've figured out it's DR/5 adamantine by now, so Nidhi can use those arrows next round if needed).
GM Euan |
Florence tries to pin red to its shadow… and succeeds as the poor mockery strains against its own shadow. Stelle stabs both on her before wheeling around and charging red, unscathed from behind thanks to Annubis’ fleet feet and their poor reach. Kosei showers further cold upon the beasts more familiar with heat. One seizes up a bit as the cold gets into its joints. Nidhi fires a volley and nearly takes out orange. Zilchus slays red with his first back-swing, doing full damage - no DR.
Orange and green take a little frost and cold damage before orange, staggered, moves a bit and green charges the Croc’!
Bite on Croc: 1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 21 + 2 = 36 (charge) damage: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (1, 1) + 8 = 10 Grapple: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (18) + 27 = 45
The mockery lets go of the too large to eat creature if in fact it grapples it.
- Round 3 -
Florence - 26
Stelle - 22
Kosei - 19
Nidhi - 16
Zilchus - 14
Chaosodile - 14 (-10hp)
Mockeries of Ra (green) - 2 (-51hp)
Mockeries of Ra (orange) - 2 (-74hp)
Next up - Everyone!
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
Round 2
Zilchus moves up with this chaosodile to strike at the green foe, shooing the chaosodile out of the way.
1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 21 + 2 = 27 to hit; (+hero)
2d6 + 23 ⇒ (1, 4) + 23 = 28 adamantine slashing damage.
Chaosodile:
1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 to hit (bite)
2d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 3) + 12 = 21 damage.
[ dice]1d20+20+2+2[/dice] to hit; (+hero, +holy)
[ dice]1d10+23+2d6[/dice] adamantine slashing damage. (+holy)
[ dice]1d20+13+2+2[/dice] to hit; (+hero, +holy)
[ dice]1d10+23+2d6[/dice] adamantine slashing damage. (+holy)
HP: 122/122
AC: 38/34 (10 armor + 2 def + 3 dex + 1 dodge + 2 insight + 2 natural) + 4 shield/buckler +3 barkskin (kosei) + 1 armor (warpriest) + light fortification.
DF 1/10
Weap: 0/15 rounds used (swift, +3 bonus/flame/ghost/frost/holy)
Grunting/Summoning: 2/9 used (+7 str)
Quick Prayer: 0/10 used
PoP1: 0/1 used
PoP4: 0/1 used
Armor: 0/15 minutes used (swift,+3 more bonus (fortification=+1/+3)
Crocodilic Channel: 0/2 used/smite: 0/5 used (7d6)
Gr. Magic Weapon (+3); Magic Vestment (+3)
Falcon Crown: 0/3 used, immediate action sac spell
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not use
Large animal Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +9 natural, –1 size)
hp 105/105 (red)
Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +6 Resist 10 Fire & Acid DR 5/lawful
Special Qualities: Tail thrawping, heel nipping
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., swim 50 ft.
Melee bite +13 (2d8+12)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 9
Base Atk +7; CMB +17; CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Mobility, Toughness
Skills Perception +14, Swim +16
Sopdet-Ka "Stelle" |
Round 3, Init 22
"You take the one on the right, and I'll take the one on the left!" Stelle calls to Zilchus.
Act as One -- should Zilchy choose to take advantage: The cavalier can spend a standard action to move up to his speed and make a melee attack. All allies within 30 feet can also move up to their speed and make a melee attack as an immediate action. This movement and attack can be made as a charge if the movement qualifies. All attacks are made at a +2 bonus (this stacks with the bonus from a charge) and all participants receive a +2 dodge bonus to their AC for 1 round. A cavalier can use this ability once per combat.
Blades Above and Below
+3 morale bonus on saving throws against fear (Everyone within 60 feet)
+2 morale bonus on attack rolls made as part of a charge(Everyone within 60 feet)
+2 against charm and compulsion spells and effects (Everyone within 60 feet)
+2 Flank (Melee, Everyone on Orange)
Spirited Charge: 1d20 + 15 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 5 + 7 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 15 + 3 - 4 + 2 + 5 + 7 + 2 + 3 = 43 -PA,+Charge, +Hero, +Flank, +Inspire
for Damage: 3d6 + 15 + 9 + 24 + 9 + 6d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 2) + 15 + 9 + 24 + 9 + (6, 2, 4, 2, 6, 4) = 95 +PA, +Inspire, Holy
Florence Corvina |
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Round 3, Init 26
Huh...this isn't as bad as I thought it'd be...
Relieved to already have two of the Mockeries destroyed and the remaining two noticeably damaged, Florence moves up a bit further on the stone bridge and conjures a snowball into her hand. She then quickly tries to throw it at Green before it melts away!
Snowball vs. Green (Ranged Touch; Drawback, IC, Into Melee): 1d20 + 9 + 3 - 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 3 - 1 - 4 = 26
Damage (Cold): 5d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 6, 1, 6) = 19
8th - Mind Blank
7th - Chain Lightning, Fairy Ring Retreat
6th - Cone of Cold x2, Greater Dispel Magic, True Seeing
5th - Befuddled Combatant, Break Enchantment, Hold Monster x2, Hungry Earth
4th - Blessing of Fervor, Confusion, Death Ward,
3rd - Dispel Magic,
2nd - Aid x2, Glitterdust x2, Lipstitch, See Invisibility + Pearl of Power
1st - Ear-Piercing Scream, Ill Omen,
Lesser Extend Rod: 1/3
______________
Flo moves to her current position and casts Snowball~
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
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If I read that right....ignore if not.
Spurred by Stelle, Zilchus joins with this chaosodile to lash out again.
1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 21 + 2 = 35 to hit; (+hero)
2d6 + 23 ⇒ (4, 2) + 23 = 29 adamantine slashing damage.
Chaosodile:
1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 to hit (bite)
2d8 + 12 ⇒ (7, 8) + 12 = 27 damage.
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
Kosei moves forward retrieving his extend rod and touches Zilchus in the back casting extended barkskin on him.
+5 natural armor enhancement for 300 min
GM Euan |
Florence sets up green with a snowball to the face, somehow surviving the intense heat. Stelle takes out orange with a jagged smash through the center of its very large belly… so much so that she has trouble freeing her lance. Kosei provides Zilchus greater defense. Zilchus pounds on the last tophet and drops it onto the hard ground with his second mighty blow.
The blizzard to the south not withstanding the room is safe to explore. Those spells will fade in a few moments and the way to the furnace will be clear - though there’s still a pool of lava to deal with.
Florence Corvina |
"Well, that went better than I expected," Florence smiles once the last Mockery is taken care of. "This still isn't anywhere I'm happy to be but at least it's one hazard taken care of."
Desiring to be somewhere a little more solid and permanent, Flo quickly moves off the stone bridge and onto the platform proper.
"May as well look around before we tackle getting across to the other side there," she remarks before scanning the area for magical auras.
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
"This is an interesting place with all this bubbling lava my friends" the Garundi man looks down the platform "Do you think the next pyramid will be hidden inside the lava pool?"
While the group starts to search around Kosei brings up greater magic fang on himself, life bubble on the party and uses his pearl of power to recover barkskin and cast it on himself.
15 h, 5 h each (including Anubis-Ka) and 150 min respectively
Then he advances towards the eastern corridor using light on his shield and covering behind the walls while he also scans magic auras like Florence.
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
”Well, okay, then. Good work. Even you, Might Croc,” Zilchus almost thinks to pet his creature, but whips his hand away as the beast snaps at him.
’Okay fine, go away. Get out of here,” Zilchus says, dismissing his summons.
Like Kosei, he notes the weirdness of the lava.
”Yeah, wise Kosei, you are right. How did they get bubbling heated lava in this damn pyramid? That seems like a lot of work and not sure why they needed it. It’s just...uh...weird, you know?” Zilchus comments as he also looks around. He does not venture into the lava, but does skim on the surface.
1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 25 + 2 = 29 Perception
Thanks for the barkskin.
GM Euan |
Florence and Kosei examine the area for magics, though the find none to speak of beyond what the party has with them. Kosei sees a circular chamber to the east, while Zilchus finds a trap to the south.
If you were to run and leap over the lava to the platform to the south, you'd hit a grease-trap in the last few feet, causing you to slide into the lava rather than jump over it. Quite insidious, though rather easy to spot for careful observers. Nidhi can disarm it without breaking a sweat and does so.
To the south, a huge black iron furnace covered with hieroglyphs and gold and silver sigils fills half of this chamber. Occasional tongues of fire lick out hungrily between metal slats in the furnace’s door, which has an elaborate handle formed to resemble a reptilian mouth fixed on its left side.
Extreme heat pervades from the furnace, and seems to be fueling the lava. Just stepping onto that platform, should any do so, causes 2d4 fire damage per round so extreme is the heat - though your resistances will protect you.
Do you further examine the furnace, or head through the eastern tunnel?
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
"Perhaps disabling or destroying the furnace will end this extreme heat my friends" Kosei points to the circle room ahead of him "But if we don't want to risk it, I suggest we take the circle room as we can just easily walk through it seems friends"
Percpetion: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (20) + 22 = 42
GM Euan |
Kosei, where are you looking when you roll that perception-crit? Into the next room down the hall, or the furnace? On the map, you're nearer the next room, but I didn't want to presume. :)
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
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"Eh. Meh. Let's go east for now," Zilchus answers Florence with a bit more than a little grunt. "We can come back. Might be we don't need to deal with it at all. Unless we need to, that is."
Zilchus keeps his eyes open as he goes down the hall when others are ready. He tends to walk 5' above the ground when he can.
1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 25 + 2 = 47 Perception
Ah! I think this is the natural crit perception room. Amirite?
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
It was a kind of roll for wherever we finally end going, I am dizzy fighting a cold these days xD
Kosei observes the circle attentively "Everything seems so clear in this room indeed. This should be the Magical Circle of Clear Seeing"
The man scans also this area for magic and if apparently save, the southern corridor too.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
GM Euan |
Sorry to hear you’re sick Kosei, I’ll spread the crits around to the furnace and the next chamber.
As you look more closely at the furnace, your magics guarding against its blistering heat, you’re able to read the hieroglyphs. The main glyph simply represents ‘fire’, while the rest spell out, ”How can mortals cool the anger of a fiery god?” A simple, for Florence at least, Knowledge Arcana check reveals that the sigils on the furnace reference a long defunct order of eccentric Osirian fire sorcerers who sought balance in their lives by lying in baths of ice water daily.
There is a mighty door on the furnace, with a relatively simple large lock. It’s an ancient lock and no match for Nidhi’s quick picks, though the door will take some strength to open. Zilchus and Stelle should be able to manage it working together. Once again your fire protections will help a lot preventing damage to your hands. Based on the arcana lore, doing a large amount of cold damage directly to the furnace should quench the fire for upwards of a week - allowing you passage throughout the Fire Crypt more easily (each room would be cooler by one step), though you don’t believe it would remove or cool the existing lava so quickly. (100hp of cold damage does the job)
To the east you observe without entering a round room. Painted on the floor of this circular chamber is a stylized sun, with rays extending from the solar disk’s edges and creeping up the room’s walls. Tiny flecks of metallic material are embedded in the floor’s stone. You also fairly readily spot the blinding trap in the chamber should you pass through without disarming it. You think Nidhi can do the job, though closing your eyes as you pass though the chamber should also do it - though you’ll take a little damage by doing so (3d6 if your eyes are closed).
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
Zilchus has no icy magics to offer, but can withstand the heat, so does not worry too much about the furnace.
”I tell you, we should try keeping the mask into the lava to see if we can destroy it that way,” Zilchus murmurs, recounting one of earliest thoughts on what to do with the mask. ”But I guess we’re well beyond that now.”
He waits for Nidhi to deal with the trap, not willing to risk blindness.
Florence Corvina |
"I could apply cold magic to the furnace if we decide to go that route," Florence offers while they wait to see if Nidhi wishes to tackle the trap in the eastern chamber. "But it'd leave me with fewer cold magics to use if we encounter more guardians. So that's something to think about, too."
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
"The few ice desert has granted me today have as much water as a cactus. I am devastated to inform you the Ancient Guardian of the Sun Lion won't be of help neither my friends..." Kosei turns to Nidhi "Yet I am sure the strong Nidhi will have no problem opening us the way through the blinding circle" then he nods in reassurance and waits behind a corner to see what happens.
Once the room is untrapped the Garundi will go along with either Zilchus or Stelle to check what lies beyond.
GM Euan |
A simple trap, Nidhi is able to disarm it without breaking a sweat as you proceed into another like chamber to the south. Rinse and repeat and you find yet another circular chamber to the west! This too is trapped, though Nidhi can tell you that the trap is rather more deadly, summoning a 20d6 fire storm…
Disarmed you come to the end of the hall and a block of greenish basalt with a simple lever set in the wall nearby. Likely to lower the block and reveal the room beyond. You doubt it’s another circular room, but time will tell…
GM Euan |
Stelle pulls the lever and the green basalt stone sinks into the floor, revealing a large room beyond.
A double row of hieroglyph-covered pillars runs down the length of this chamber. To the north, two greenish basalt statues of regal figures sit in high-backed basalt thrones in alcoves. The larger of the two statues, a cat-headed woman holding a large bowl in her lap, with dried flowers spilling over the brim, sits in the alcove in the center of the north wall. On the floor before the statue is a painting depicting a religious supplicant bearing an offering. The statue in the easternmost alcove on the north wall is smaller, depicting a camel-headed man with an empty, oversized bowl in his lap. Three empty alcoves sit in the south wall. Images of bowls are painted on the floors in the east and west alcoves. The bowl in the eastern alcove holds flowers, while the one to the west is empty.
The hieroglyphs on the pillars are a philosophical treatise on pleasing the gods, something that becomes apparent soon after translation of the symbols has begun. Translating all of the writing will take 10 minutes. The cat-headed statue (the largest one) has the hieroglyph for ‘perfume’ carved into the statue’s base. To save a little time, magical detections in the chamber reveal that the two statues, and the paintings, have a mild transmutation aura.
Let me know if you spend the 10 minutes to translate the pillars and note it for ongoing spells.
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
Kosei moves into the large room after Stelle "Mmm... we probably should spend the time reading those pillars as the tale tells us, there is never nothing as knowing too much before taking your decisions. Have I ever explained you the tale of the serpent and the owl?" the man stops at the depiction of the flowers and looks back at the bowl with the dried flowers "Hmmm... hmmm... Am I seeing a pattern here my friends? Should I expect that some of us has carried some flowers among us?"
Florence Corvina |
"We may as well do what we can to translate these while we're here," Florence suggests as she skims some of the hieroglyphs. "Looks like it's some sort of treatise about pleasing the gods. And since there's some transmutation magic at work in here - on the two statues and the paintings - I feel that we might need to offer something up in order to proceed."
She points to the cat-headed statue. "Like that one, that hieroglyph there is the word for 'perfume'. We might need to make some sort of offering that's scented, for example."
______________
Barring any interruptions or objections Flo is happy to spend the 10 minutes on translation.
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
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Zilchus follows along, sword at the ready and with his eyes alert.
1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 25 + 2 = 44 Perception
"The serpent and the owl? That story must be a hoot," Zilchus comments, wanting to hear the story. "Maybe you can tell it to me while we're translating the stuff here. I'll keep an eye out for trouble if you want to have at it."
Sopdet-Ka "Stelle" |
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Stelle would agree to spend the time to do the translation, but she's already engrossed in doing just that.
"We might need to make some sort of offering that's scented, for example."
Stelle rifles through her bar kit. "Oh! I have some rose water, do you think that will do? How about elderflower tonic? I also have some dried lavender flowers in here."
GM Euan |
Translating all of the writing takes ten minutes and, when finished, you recognize the author’s central theme: the gods are fickle, they will never be fully appeased by mortal sacrifices, and one is often forced to take offerings from one deity to placate another. When you step back and look at the total treatise, it’s really somewhat weak in its outline. It takes a long time to say something fairly straightforward, but there you have it.
Yes, rose or lavender water would do fine as a perfume.
Oh and as it wasn’t clearly stated in the text, and is therefor confusing on the map, the northwestern statue on the map isn’t there currently. It descended into the floor with the wall when Stelle pulled the lever.
Sopdet-Ka "Stelle" |
"Maybe that was the rose geranium. All that does for me in its concentrated form is make me sneeze and my eyes water. Never use that stuff. This is made only from real roses!" Stelle says, holding up a surprisingly sized flask of pretty pink water.
"How are we to proceed? Make the sacrifice to this cat lady with the dried lavender flowers, then pour some rose water sacrifice into the camel boy's empty bowl, then re-sacrifice by sprinkling some rose water into the cat ladies potpourri, and then throwing some dried flowers into camel boy's bowl?"
Stelle waits for other insight before proceeding.
Florence Corvina |
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"Um...that makes as much sense as anything else does," Flo shrugs as Stelle offers up a plan of action. "And there should be enough of a pause between steps to see if anything happens before moving to the next step. If that doesn't work then maybe we can figure out something else to try."
To Zilchus, all Flo can offer is a wrinkling of her nose. "Maybe but do you know anyone that intentionally wears alcohol as perfume? Having it on your breath and oozing out of your pores later on doesn't count!"
Kosei Sharif-El-Sadad |
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"Hoot. I think Zilchus made a joke there my friends" Kosei seems happy that Zilchus urges him to retell the tale "Ok. Listen. I will tell you the story of the serpent and the owl. These two did live in the deserts of Katapesh. Both of them did know each other as they were sharing the night. No one sane would try to hunt down food while the Ancient Sun is burning in the skies, isn't it? They both were competing to eat the tastiest mice and the juiciest worms" while Florence works on deciphering the hieroglyph Kosei goes on with his tale, noticing her judgmental stares he lowers his tone and modulates his voice towards Zilchus and the others interested "It would happen that one day a tribe of gnolls arrived to their hunting grounds. The owl hooted to let the snake know, but the snake, who was up to hunt a juicy worm -by the way, the worm was guilty of a Golarion wide doomed spawn infection, but that is a total other story-, ignored the alert. And so the snake was kidnapped by the gnolls tribe. The owl, who would not like to lose its closest rival flew to the tribe camp and looked for the snake, but it was captured too. There assembled to the same fate, the snake questioned why the owl tried to free it, and the owl explained it had only become better at hunting thanks to observing the snake and having to beat it day after day to chase the mice"
"When they were going to be eaten by the gnolls the owl would challenge the tribe. Only the gnoll that would drink the most beer would eat both the owl and the snake. The tribe, fascinated with the idea, started a beer fest. The leader took ten pints, while Gognar the One-eyed drunk twelve. That would pale with Rivind the matron who would surprise everyone with a distant twenty three pints" Kosei gesticulates thoroughly while Florence completes her reading "By when the matron drunk its last pint, no one else in the camp would remain awake, and so, the snake, the owl and the lion would run away and escape their clutches and cross the deserts, and only because the owl took its time to observe the tribe and knew a gnoll wants to be the best beer drinker before it wants to eat a tasty snake"
"Have you finished dear Florence? Those hieroglyphs appear long" the man remains silent for most of the smells discussion "Mmmm... I actually find dogs smell good enough. Does it help my friends?"
GM Euan |
The party chats and tells stories as they read the hieroglyphs and try to sort out the room. In the end, Stelle adds flowers to the cat lady, and nothing happens. She adds perfumed water to the camel, and nothing happens.
Then she adds perfumed rose water to the cat, and it slowly descends into the floor revealing a small chamber beyond. Really just a cupboard. Within the space though are a few items…
Clay bowl (acts as an admixture vial, 5,000gp)
Candle of Clean Air (7,500gp)
Jade figurines of cats (150gp ea) x12
Black Pearls (500gp ea) x6
Beads of force (3,000gp ea) x2
Richly perfumed candles (15gp ea) x15
Case of expensive cosmetics (200gp)
Crown of dried flowers
You take a moment to admire the haul before Stelle shifts some flowers to the camel bowl, whereupon the statue, and a portion of the wall beyond, sink into the floor. As it does so, the statue in the northwestern alcove rises up, temporarily blocking your exit. The cat statue will also rise up to its normal position in about ten minutes, though I doubt you wait around to see it.
The new hallway extends north and you can see a lava pool ahead though further tests in this room remain if beer, or even applejack is brought to bear - what will happen?
Zilchus Lyghtlode |
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”That was a delightful story, Kosei. I understand it perfectly, you Lothario,” Zilchus understands that he and Kosei must try to find women, together as a team, and that is how he learnt and perfected his craft. I could be the owl to your snake, and we would hunt the prettiest desert flowers in all the lands. I see. I get it.
He offers a knowing nods to Kosei.
Zilchus declines at this time to waste any of his precious applejack on stupid camel statues to appease some dead old gods of the past. Instead, he takes the bait and moves to the newly revealed hallway.
1d20 + 25 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 25 + 2 = 31 Perception