GM ShadowLord's Rise of the Runelords Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master GM ShadowLord

"I read people like you read tracks, Delendir. I promise not to question your expertise there... if you will afford me the same courtesy within my realm of knowledge?" Grace says.

Kiley braces the door, but the pokes and prods at the portal seem more interrogative than anything else. The sounds soon cease, and a few of the group even hear the sound of something sliding across the floor away from the door.

Delendir mutters his apologies, then proceeds to the northern door, opening it as the others gather round.

The lower four feet of the walls in this empty room are covered with crude drawings in mud, blood, and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins engaged in some sort of violence against humans, horses, or dogs. One picture on the north wall is at least three times the size and complexity of the other scrawlings. This image shows Thistletop from the side, the goblin stockade perched atop it like a crown. A cave has been drawn into the center of the image, and looming inside is what appears to be an immense, muscular goblin with snakelike eyes and a dogslicer in each taloned hand. If the scale compared to the rest of the drawing is to be believed, this goblin must be at least thirty feet tall.

As the door to the tentacled creature closes Tal breathes a little easier. "It was a Tentamort. It is an abberation with tentacles that hunts using its poison which liquifies it's targets. We probably could have beaten it, but one unlucky jab of that stinger could have forced us to withdraw."

As the group enters the larger empty room with the drawings, Tal looks at the murals and studies the drawings to see what story they tell.
knowledge local: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Jessica shudders in horror as Tal tells about the creature, "I-i-i-it's not likely to follow us is it?"

Grace looks around the room.

"You would think the goblins would at least be entertaining with their vandalism. Pornography or some such."

She walks over and wraps an arm around Jessica's shoulder.

"I think we're safe from the evil monster, dear. Well, the one in the cave anyway. The human one is downstairs still."

Stepping into the empty room the milquetoast warrior stands idly in the center, letting his head and eyes lazily drift about.

Tal places a hand on Jessica's shoulder. "We barred the room so we will be fine. Otherwise the others would not reside here."

After his brief study of the murals, Tal moves to leave the room. "Just your basic goblin cave markings." He says with a shrug.

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Forgetting her anger at Tal for now, Jessica leans against him for comfort when he puts a hand on her shoulder and reassures her. She looks up at him, "Thanks Tal," then givea him a brief hug before looking around the new room herself, "Well now, isn't this interesting art."

"Yeah, interesting..." Kiley tries not to look at the pictures too closely as she makes for the door on the other side of the room.

Seeing Kiley head for the door Sunday follows after her in his same languid pace.

"I wouldn't be surprised if some idiot collector in Magnimar wouldn't pay large amounts of money for these walls. Goblin primitive art." Grace snorts.

"Idiot, deranged, probably both," Kiley says as she opens the door.

"Those who collect are always different from those that don't." Sunday says, his wistful monotone voice breaking his enforced silence. "My former master collected music boxes. She liked music boxes."

His head starting to tilt in thought he stops and resumes his placid state. "It was the only sound she allowed."

Kiley moves forward to open the door leading to the next area from the goblin art room. She growls in frustration as the door just leads to a short 10' hallway. As the others line up in their exploration conga line behind her, she marches down the hall, throwing open the next door impetuously.

A large table surrounded by chairs fills much of the room. A slate board to the north is covered with scribblings in chalk, but the map of Sandpoint that has been carefully inscribed on it leaves no doubt as to the purpose of this room--this is doubtless where the recent raid was planned.

Kiley snarls when she sees the map, but manages to keep herself under control otherwise. She opens the two doors leading out of the room, checking to see where they lead.

"Vould you rather I open those incase zhey're trapped?" Sunday flatly asks as he follows in behind Kiley.

Kiley checks the doors in the new room. The northeast door leads to the second flight of stairs Orik told you about, the steps leading up, presumably into the heart of the goblin complex above.

The other door opens into another room, a bit smaller than the one you are currently in. A large wooden worktable sits in the middle of this room, its surface cluttered with scrolls, books, stone tablets covered with dense, spiky runes, and fragments of carvings that appear to have been chipped off of statues or bas-reliefs. To the north, a floor-to-ceiling set of wooden shelves sags with picks, shovels, brushes, lanterns, and other equipment one might expect to see at an archaeological site.

"Booorrring" Elisai trills lightly, the wonders of digging holes obviously not thrilling her at all. Seeing all the various doors open, and no sign of important clues or foes, she backtracks and opens up the next unexplored doorway.

"Olrik said that the way down was probably to the north. What if it's hidden or something?" Kiley says at Elisai's trilling statement.

She begins looking to see if there was something she had missed.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

She'll start in this room then back track, looking for any doors that might be hidden.

The nearest unexplored doorway are the double doors leading to the sanctuary that Orik warned you about. Or you could always try the Tentamort door. :)

So blasphemous beast or tentacles?

I vote for the one that won't lead to a hentai scene.

Or, you know...you guys could actually search the rooms you're traveling through. Just a thought. :O (Kiley, exclude yourself from that sarcasm).

Unnnhh, I hate when my characters are in Safe Mode.

Elisai is very unperceptive but lessie

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

"Hold on Kiley. Some research has been done here. Allow me a quick scan for magical auras and if anything looks interesting we should take it with us." Tal states and starts shuffeling through the room and paperwork while detecting magic.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19
spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

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Moving into the room with the scrolls and such, Jessica looks through the contents for anything of interest.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Wow, I go to bed and nothing, wake up about six hours later and there are 13 posts, crazy.

Kiley and Jessica both look through the room fruitlessly...well, beyond the mounds of paperwork they don't really understand. Elisai gives the place a fleeting glimpse, and when she travels to the western wall she finds a faint outline in the wall, obviously a concealed door of some sort.

Tal does not find a source of magic in the room, and the artifacts and papers on the table seem to be various items found in Thassilonian dig sites. Some are catalogued in a beautiful hand, but they seem to hold little actual value. Other papers, like in Tsuto's journal, contain several variations of plans to attack Sandpoint.

Delendir keeps defending the rear of the group bow at hands.

Once at the planning room, he checks the last notes to see if there has been any late change. He also looks for any clue about where Nualia hides, what is she following and what she wants to do after Sandpoint.

Once Elisai finds the concealed door, Delendir checks it to know if it is save.
Perception (+1 vs traps): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

If save, he pushes open the secret door trying to be as stealthy as possible Take 10 for total 13 and checks the contents at the other side trying to find any potential danger for the party.
Perception (+1 vs traps): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Sunday, there is no safe mode for barbarians. There's only unsafe, and decidedly unsafe. :D Also, I want to apologize for taking some liberties with your character. I hope I don't step on your toes.

Kiley lets Delendir check the door as she checks her halberd. The fact that someone posing as Nualia was behind this was making her uneasy. Nualia was quiet, and she had tried to be her friend, more than once even. The heaven-touched girl she knew was just convinced that no one just wanted to be her friend.

And now...

And now someone was desecrating her memory. She deserved better than that. She was just a lonely girl, and she deserved much better than dying in a fire. So did Father Tobyn. So did her mother.

Kiley's hand reaches up to the silver butterfly hanging from her neck on its delicate silver chain. Her thumb traces the edge of the wings as she stands there. She looks up and finds Sunday standing there, stiff and formal.

She sets her halberd down, leaning against the table and makes her way to the battered and scarred warrior. Her arms wrap him in a hug and her head press against his chest as she whispers something so only he can hear.

Tal stuffs the paperwork regarding Thassalonian artifacts and objects in his bag for later study.
"Not much. Let's continue."

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lol np, you're good ^w^

Sunday fixes his gaze on Kiley as she aproaches, waiting for her to say something. When she keeps moving forward he tenses up, moreso when she moves her arms around him. Trying to stammer something out he stops when she begins talking, waiting for her to finish before he responds.

Kiley chuckles as Sunday almost calls her "milady." The rest of his sentence leaves her feeling sad however.

His chest starting to heave up and down as Kiley holds him tight he tentatively raises his hands to place on her shoulders.

Kiley squeezes her eyes shut. It was clear now. It was clear that Sunday was hurting deep inside. She felt her soul crying out, to comfort him, to be the friend she'd want. Her arms tighten even more, threatening to squeeze the breath out of him.

"Not that this isn't touching", Elisai remarks, seeing the Care Circle around her "but I found a concealed door which our trap expert might want to take a look at, just to make sure that their isn't a nasty surprise somewhere".

Elisai isn't a fan of the Care Bear Stare, apparently. I'll update later, when I get home and can access the map.

She's just jealous because she hasn't gotten a hug. :D

Upon hearing Elisai's remark, Kiley look up at Sunday, a grin on her face.

"You know, I think she could use a hug too. Wanna help me cheer Elisai up?"

Letting a quick exhalation escape him as Kiley releases him he gives her a faint smile... which is promptly wiped away when she makes her suggestion. "Um... okay?"
His voice was slightly more livelier than before but there was a definite uncertainty to it, even though he had a good idea what she intended.

As Kiley and Sunday converse quietly, and Tal shuffles through boring paperwork, Elisai points out the concealed door. Looking upon the floor and wall around it, it's rather surprising no one else saw it, considering it seems to have been heavily used these last couple of weeks.

Delendir comes up to inspect the door, and finds no hidden traps cleverly concealed. Trying to ease the door open, he finds the catch and releases it, revealing a staircase leading down further into the depths...

Map Updated

With an awkward silence of no-one saying anything after the door and the staircase beyond being revealed, Elisai moves forward and heads down the stairs, keen to explore.

If there's no light on the stairs or below/

Grace sings the three notes that call forth her black, glowing magic lanterns. They float ahead to provide light for the party.

If there is light on the stairs/below.

Grace follows along, assuming her spot in the middle of the party. Protected on all sides by gorgeous and/or cute warriors.

The party descends the steps another thirty feet or so. Suddenly, around a bend, they end at a door, the portal beckoning.

Map updated.

"This place is full of doors. Let's keep advancing." says the half-elf before checking the doors and make them open.
Perception (+1 vs traps): 1d20 ⇒ 5

If no danger is found Delendir pushes the doors open and moves in.
take 10 then for 13 stealth and 20 perception (21 vs traps)

Interrupted by the discovery of the secret door, Kiley whispers to Sunday, "I guess well handle it later then."

Seeing Delendir stop at the next door, she just shakes her head.

"She supposedly came this way quite often, Delendir. Do you honestly think whoever it is would leave a trap active, do you?"

At Kiley's whisper Sunday will nod, still slightly unsure before following after her and everyone down the hallway.

"If she can arm it from zhe other side so she she isn't interrupted." he chimes in to the Fighter's impulsiveness.

"Well, it looks like we have found the way to her lair, shall we deal with her to end this threat?"

Two pillars support the ceiling in here. In many places the stone walls, floor, and ceiling are caked with ancient grime and soot. Alcoves in the north and south walls, contain partially damaged statues of a man in robes clutching a book and a glaive. The entire room is canted toward the west, and whatever ancient upheaval caused the complex to tilt knocked the statues from their bases so that now they lean against the western walls of their alcoves.

Map updated