GM..Kashka's Emerald Spire Campaign

Game Master Andrew Torgerud

Agriver nods at Robin as he shows his expertise with the rope. Glad that the ranger has a plan to help get his fully armored self thru the hauntingly familiar floor.

"I am with you Robin. Everyone follow our ranger, conserve your resources - and prepare for the next floor.. if its anything like this one was, we are in for some pain."

Nodding quietly.

"Iomadae grant me zeal for the coming challenges"

"Ansel, do me a favor, and before we go down to the next floor, cast mage armor on Ayame. I have a pearl of power if you need it. Robin asks.

Yon Jumps in the water, Rbuod bounding in behind, like a boy and his dog playing in the pond.

Yon turns around, "You guys coming?". Then leads the way through the water.

"Not a problem." says Ansel as he taps himself with the wand. He looks to the wolf and then to the wand again, "You know this isn't a stick right? Not for fetch or chewing.." Then he taps the wolf on the back of the neck.

Stowing the device, the Dwarf takes in a deep breath of the musty stale air. "AHHHHHHHHhhhhhh this is what it's all about. Right behind you Yon."

Vala checks her traps as usual as she passes through the tower down to the drowned level. She pauses to make sure all of her supplies are stowed properly before heaving a great sigh and entering the water.

Traversing down the stairs from the drowned level about 100 feet...

The long stairway ends in a small chamber. On the north wall, a panel with two bronze levers—one red and one black—is set chest-high in the wall. To the east, an archway leads to an alcove. Distant ticking echoes through the walls, as if several large clocks were operating simultaneously.

"Vala what do you make of those levers? Are they of the same make or maybe by the same hand as the Godbox? Ansel, per my outdated childhood stories.. dwarves are good with stone and machinery aren't they? Do you notice anything?"

Agriver will tighten his greaves and pull his adamantium greatsword out with the shrill sound of lightly scraping metal.

With a sigh the paladin places on foot on the floor and moves toward the east to peak at the archway and the alcove.

Smiling as he moves he taps his wayfinder and causes it to illunminate

Robin tries to calm Ayame, as the ticking causes her hackles to rise. "Defend her, please" he says, indicating Vala. Autosucceed on the DC10 Handle Animal skill check

Ayame allows Robin to calm her, letting her hackles rest. 'This isn't natural' she thinks. Reluctantly following Robin's command, she moves along with Vala, quietly, making sure the dirty human b#&@+ isn't getting herself into trouble.

Ansel gives Agriver a look like the paladin was crazy, then continues to scan the room and archway. "I seriously doubt I've spoken of anything BUT stone.." he mumbles as he rubs his hands along the walls, tasting and smelling some of the dust.
Perception: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 = 6 Added Stonecunning
Craft Sculpture: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 For the archway

Vala runs her fingers across the levers with a contemplative look on her face listening only faintly to the party in her concentration. She looks around to see if she can see any connecting material leading from the levers anywhere, or get any clues as to their make or origin.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Knowledge Engineering: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

She makes mental note of the ticking in the distance. "Some sort of clock? But why levers then? No one ever turns clocks off and on."

Suddenly protective (of the device or the party, you cannot tell) "Don't touch anything." She moves forward checking for traps.

As the party searches the alcove to the East....
The walls of the alcove are mismatched. Most of the room is finished in masonry blocks, but to the north is a curved wall of bronze. There’s a narrow seam between the bronze wall and the masonry, and the bronze wall seems to be vibrating very faintly.

Vala can glean no information from simple observation of the levers. She also finds no traps.
edit: forgot this piece:
Vala determines either of the levers can go up or down.

"I want to have some idea what it'll do before we go pushing levers" Vala explains as she moves to the curved alcove running her hand along the bronze. "Some sort of lighting control? Somewhat elaborate for that. And judging by the vibration whatever it is is on right now and there's no light." Vala's mind keeps cycling through ideas.

She continues down the hallway, curious.

Vala finds there is nowhere else to go.

Vala presses her hand against the ... door? "Well then. Red or black? Anyone have a coin to flip?"

She moves back to the levers and goes to pull one.

Agriver watches the rogue work he trade and at the mention of a coin, the paladin pulls a Taldan platinum crown and gives it a toss.

The coin lands in his gauntlet with a *clink* and then he looks up at Vala "Black"

"Red!" Yon says with a chuckle, and then looks at Agriver with a sly smile, "Oh fine, black"

Vala steps up to the levels... examines it carefully... and pulls the black lever to the up position...

The party sees and hears no change from the black level being raised.

"Well, that was exciting." grumble Robin, arrow at the ready.

Seeing the impatience of the man-pup she takes care of, Ayame growls and raises her hackles.

Vala gives Agriver a glance as he produces a coin. "I hope he doesn't flash the platinum that easily around everyone ..."

"Someone stand in the hall and watch as I mess with the levers."

Vala shrugs then wiggles the black lever, seeing if it moves any other direction. back to middle, then to down position.

"Nothing, still nothing... nothing.. Hey you're taking notes of what you're doing right?"

as Ansel mysteriously stated...

Vala lowers the lever back to start.... no one notices any change. She pushes it down with no results either.

No sound. No visible change. nothing.

Ah, the luck of skepticism!

"Hmpf, black's broken I guess." he mumbles. As Ansel waits for the red to be manipulated he puts his hand onto the wall to feel the vibrations. 'Maybe I'll be able to feel something change that we can't see or hear?'

"I have all the notes I need in here" Vala point to her head. "If you wanna take notes, you can."

Vala puts the black lever back into original position then goes to manipulate red. Up first.

As Vala pulls the Red lever, a quiet grinding sound begins from the alcove. Ansel and Agriver see the bronze wall rotate revealing a corridor that turns to the left and shines lamp light in towards them.

Robin moves up to investigate, and looks down the corridor. "Vala, out of curiosity, would you wanna move it down as well? Just to see what happens?" He whistles for Ayame to come to him at this time, and stands at the ready to fight.

'Making bird-noises at me? Who does that manling think he is?' Ayame thinks, as she bounds over to Robin. 'He's lucky I don't give him a nip in the nethers.'

Vala moves around the corner and takes a look at the open door before returning to the levers. "Stand back a sec. I imagine being crushed in stone to be somewhat unpleasant."

Vala moves the red lever to the middle, then down position. "Up/down to open/shut? Or red to open black to shut? Or some doors red controlled, some doors black controlled?"

As Vala pulls the lever down, the wall rotates back into place.

Upon moving to the down position, the wall rotates the other way revealing a passage to the right, also lit by lamps.

"Two paths." Looking to Agriver, Ansel nods to the coin, "Want the honors?" Then to Vala, "Now that it's open, let's check if Black does anything... watch out for poison, spikes, arrows.." the dwarf drones on about traps he's found in his past. He readies his hammer and tenses.

Vala nods at Ansel. With red in the lower position Vala moves to black to see if it does anything differently now, shifting it first to up, then down.

The black lever makes no noticeable difference

"Agriver, you and me?" he asks, as he steps in with Ayame following. He takes a look to see if he sees anything of interest.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Nodding at Robin he will rest his giant blade on his pauldron and move forward with the ranger.

"Being brave and going first goes right out the window if we encounter traps on this floor similar to the ones on Splinterden..." he remarks with a chuckle.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 huh? what?? where?

oups - slight adjustment. there is a double door on the other side of the elbow.

"Hey, Vala, there is a set of doors here!" calls out Robin. "You want to check them?"

Suddenly he has a thought. "Ansel, I've heard of this neat cantrip called message. Let's you talk and still be stealthy. You got that one?" he asks.

Vala shifts the black lever back to the middle. Before leaving the levers she makes a mental note "Red up to go left at the first door. Red down for right."

Vala shakes her head at the guys going first but keeps an eye out for traps from behind them. Seeing the doors, she goes and checks for traps/sees if she can open it.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Vala steps past the ranger to check the door. She finds no traps but....

After pausing to listen at the door Vala holds up her hand for people to be quiet.

She turns to the others to whisper.
"I think there's someone or something moving on the other side."

She waits for others to prepare before attempting to open the door.

Agriver nods as he brings his blade off his shoulder and moves toward the front of the group - his armor gleaming.

"Open the door and I will take the brunt of whatever means us harm."

Robin readies his bow, and prepares to launch an arrow through the group of friends. His newest training has given himself gives him the confidence to take the shot... now bandits hiding behind arrow slits will need to fear him!

"Ayame, defend Vala!"

"Of course I know Message. I can prepare it once we have some downtime." Ansel takes a step forward and then sees all the people crammed into a tight space, 'Just how I'd want to have then grouped if I was defending a door...' He stops and waits ten or so feet back.

A large double door, reinforced with iron bands, seals off this room. It looks much newer than the dungeon walls. An emblem in the shape of an automation’s head inside interlocking gears is painted on the door.

Vala pushes the door open revealing a lit room...

A small pool of water in a basin of gold tile lies in the center of this chamber, and the walls are decorated with tiled patterns, once colorful but now cracked and faded. Four staggered columns support the vaulted ceiling.

Agriver steps only a pace into the room before Vala grabs his arm, and Robin calls out a warning. Both see a brass-plated minotaur statue in the room, but notice its chest expand slightly...

Active Party Conditions
Mage Armor Ansel, Ayame

Initiative Surprise Round! Bold May Act
Yon
Rboud
Ansel
Agriver
Ayame
Robin
Vala
Minotaur

Robin readies a shot at the minotaur as soon it is in sight and within 30'.

Vala draws her rapier and attempts to move unseen to what she hopes to be a future flank position, giving space for others to enter combat.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
The minotaur's eyes follow Vala as she moves up... and he steps 5 feet over the pool to swing hard at her.

greataxe, cover: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
damage: 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) + 5 = 11

and hits a glancing blow before the pillar slows his axe.

Active Party Conditions
Mage Armor Ansel, Ayame

Initiative Round 1 Bold May Act
Yon
Rboud
Ansel
Agriver
Robin
Ayame
Vala -11hp
Minotaur

Agriver sees the minotaur in the distance and notices its slight movement right before it swings and hits Vala with his greataxe.

”Iomadae be my shield.”

Saying a prayer to his goddess he is covered in a golden sheen Protection from Evil

With that the paladin moves into the room to confront the beast.

'Oh s@+% oh s@!# here we go!' Ansel noisily scuffles around the corner to see the Minotaur between the pillars. Yon and Robin can hear him breathing heavily.

"Þú ert að verða mjög klókur..." he mutters in Dwarven with a downward flick of his wrist.

Grease on the beasts weapon, DC 16 Reflex

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

The grease has no effect on the mighty Minotaur.