Are there any fish in the water?
Waiting by this pool for a few minutes, Taranis eventually spots a fish lazily swimming into sight, then back out again.
Taranis taps himself with the wand of Monkeyfish and explores the underwater stairs.
Taranis plunges into the water. Silt and murkiness obscure sight beyond ten feet under the water, but he can see that the stairs lead down to a completely submerged hallway headed west. At the far end of the sunken hall, another set of stairs ascends.
Short enough for a natural swim? He beckons the others forth.
John is once again gobsmacked at the casual way these people employ powerful magicks. A man just turned himself into a fish before his eyes and swam around in an underground lake. His boy Erasten will be delighted to hear about it, but his older sons Gozrek and Crayden will never believe the tale, he thinks.
He takes a few moments to secure his gear for a swim. His firemaking gear and a few pieces of paper go into an oilskin pouch. His companions notice him close his eyes and inhale deeply, smelling one of the folded papers with eyes closed before tucking it carefully away. With his weapons cinched down and his belongings protected, John signals he is ready.
Ooc- Swim check is +7
While leading the way back to the underwater stairs, Taranis spots the skeletal remains of a long-dead unfortunate at the bottom of the pool. A worn leather satchel is still draped around the shoulders, and a platinum and ruby ring sits on a hand.
At the far end of the sunken hallway, another set of stairs ascend into a dry, oddly-shaped chamber. From the stairs descending into the cloudy
water to the east is a level, open space, and beyond and another set of stairs descends to a bronze double door to the southwest. Scattered about the room are dozens of empty clay pots and urns, elaborate pieces painted primarily in black and white and depicting lotus flowers, cities, and one-eyed humanoids engaged in everything from worship to fighting to athletic contests. Some even show vicious confrontations between these humanoids and centaurs.
Taranis grabs it on his way to the other side, submitting it to Tess for possible magic and subsequent identification.
The Baron looks about at the decor and shakes his head, "Curiouser and curiouser."
His companions notice him close his eyes and inhale deeply, smelling one of the folded papers with eyes closed before tucking it carefully away.
Unrak, who happens to be near John as they're both attending to their gear, sees this. He wordlessly places a big hand on John's shoulder, giving a brief squeeze and a pat.
any broken vessels? (just curious)
His companions notice him close his eyes and inhale deeply, smelling one of the folded papers with eyes closed before tucking it carefully away."Unrak, who happens to be near John as they're both attending to their gear, sees this. He wordlessly places a big hand on John's shoulder, giving a brief squeeze and a pat.
[B]"Unrak, do you have family? I've heard you call Taranis 'Brother" but I'm not sure it's biological of some other deep connection.
If we can talk in hushed tones while we explore, I'm all ears."
any broken vessels? (just curious)
Not a one.
Taranis gives a nod and smile to Unrak, letting his brother answer the questions.
"Come, let us check out what else is here."
"Unrak, do you have family? I've heard you call Taranis 'Brother" but I'm not sure it's biological of some other deep connection.
If we can talk in hushed tones while we explore, I'm all ears."
Tar and I are half-brothers--same mother. Never knew my natural father, never wanted to. Hell, I never even learned the circumstances--and I don't really care. I was raised in the Redleaf family like Tar. He and I were the closest to each other. We spent most of our childhoods in nature, kind of raising each other! We decided together to leave our family's...well, pettiness aside & strike out together for better things.
After drying himself off as best he can, he looks around the room. He is curious what was stored in the clay pots. He casts detect magic to see if he can pick up any magic auras in the room.
Bytor's spell garners no new information; the only auras he sees are those of the preservative magic on the structure itself. The pots may have once contained an organic substance, perhaps food, but time has long rotted away anything but bare clay.
Taranis motions for everyone to head to the door where they give a listen and a check. If there's no reason not to, Unrak throws the door open.
A ten-foot-high hallway extends at an angle from the bronze doors, passing two shallow alcoves before reaching a square room. Standing in the side alcoves are two man-sized statues of painted stone depicting one-eyed humanoids.
Sixteen more of these statues stand in ranks within the room beyond. All of the statues wear helms, but only four bear weapons and armor.
"Be careful. Old magic suffuses this place. I half expect the statues to attack us." Taranis urges the party forward, keeping gimlet-eyes on the statues.
Unrak, his greatsword at the ready, also peers about suspiciously
Wary of the statues as you are, they nevertheless remain inert as you pass the alcoves. Nearing the square room beyond, Unrak notes several (16, in fact) stone doors hidden within the relief-work carved into the ceiling.
"Perhaps these doors lead to bedrooms for the statues to sleep in when their shift is over?"
Tessaria chuckles at the joke, then looks to Augrym to see if he actually meant that as a joke. "So... first door, on the left?"
"I worry about the ceiling having doors... But sure."
Taranis mounts Toth and tries
Bytor tries to help out by inspiring competence.
"The greatest climbers cannot help but work together to accomplish great feats! They work together as one!"
Taranis clambers onto Toth for a better vantage, and positions himself beneath one of the doors. Like others in this complex, this circular door is made of thick stone, and very heavy.
"Maybe one of you should try. I'm not terribly strong."
Toth arches his back, trying to help out:
Unrak gives Toth a pet. Sorry, boy. I'll try to be careful... He removes his boots before copying Tar, and gives the door a shove.
With a heave from both cat and Dreadful Bear, the stone door grinds an inch upward. There is a small *click*.
Then several things happen all at once:
The stone door above the pair slides laterally with an astonishing speed and force, exposing a dark cavern above. All of the other 15 doors in the ceiling do likewise, and there are further sounds of grinding stone somewhere further... up.
Back near the bronze doors at the entrance to this room, a hidden portcullis slams down with an enormous *CLANG*. There is a muffled simultaneous clang somewhere to the south of you (or perhaps it was an echo?).
Meanwhile, the two stone statues in the alcoves recede into the floor, while the walls behind them each swing open on secret hinges. Behind each door is another dread zombie, axe in hand.
An instant later, the purpose of the ceiling doors becomes clear, as a terrific deluge of water comes pouring out of them. Unrak and Toth are each battered by the sudden onrush of falling water.
The waters quickly begin to rise...
+2 if Surprise
Round I: Water Level 0 ft
Trap!!!
1. Augrym (46/78 hp), Taranis (63/65 hp, Toth 51/54 Reflex), Unrak (71/88 hp, Reflex), John, Bytor (53/66 hp), Marc
2. Zombies
3. Tess (46/49 hp)
4. WATERS RISE
Bytor wastes no time and immediately looks around and attempts to disable the trap and find a way to escape an early grave.
"Quick! We must get out of this!"
Taranis immediately takes out the wand of monkey fish and taps himself with it. He then takes a small step to the side.
Unrak isn't able to keep his feet, and twists awkwardly trying to avoid falling on the great cat--landing on his big arse with a grunt of frustration.
He stands, and takes quick stock of the threats. Figuring that he's best suited to try to take down the zombies, and that he can't afford to be hit for fear of someone having to drag is big arse through water, he casts Mirror Image before engaging.
With the trap already sprung, Bytor tries to think of something to jam the murderholes with, but the effort appears seems almost futile. Each of the 16 apertures is nearly 5 feet in diameter, and a massive amount of water is gushing through each of them already.
With the portcullis down to the north and no other apparent exit, you are, for all intents and purposes, trapped.
Taranis gets ready to swim while Unrak gets ready for battle. Toth is knocked to the ground by the water.
Round I: Water Level 0 ft
1. Augrym (46/78 hp), Taranis (63/65 hp; Toth prone, 51/54), Unrak (71/88 hp), John, Bytor (53/66 hp), Marc
2. Zombies
3. Tess (46/49 hp)
4. WATERS RISE
Toth rises and obeys his master, who asks the cat to hold on for a moment.
Augrym approaches the northern portcullis to see if there’s any way past this. Doing his best to keep an eye out for any other traps that might be triggered along the way. Especially if there’s some sort of release mechanism for these monsters. If there’s something, I will attempt to disable.
The only way out that Augrym can see is to lift the portcullis and run back up the stairs. And the portcullis looks HEAVY.
Round I: Water Level 0 ft
1. Augrym (46/78 hp), Taranis (63/65 hp; Toth, 51/54), Unrak (71/88 hp), John, Bytor (53/66 hp), Marc
2. Zombies
3. Tess (46/49 hp)
4. WATERS RISE
- Round the First
- Current HPs: 62/62
John focuses on the only thing he can seem to control amidst the chaos unleashed around him. He sights down the shift of an arrow at the zombie to the east (white) and looses his first arrow... followed closely by a second... and a third!
First Attack:
for damage (+1 Attack & Damage if target w/in 30')
Second Attack:
for damage (+1 Attack & Damage if target w/in 30')
Rapid Shot:
for damage (+1 Attack & Damage if target w/in 30')
John looses a volley of arrows at the most immediate threat. Only one of his arrows finds its target, doing so with a solid *thwip*.
Round I: Water Level 0 ft
1. Augrym (46/78 hp), Taranis (63/65 hp; Toth, 51/54), Unrak (71/88 hp), John, Bytor (53/66 hp), Marc
2. Zombies (white @ 17 dmg)
3. Tess (46/49 hp)
4. WATERS RISE
Even as water begins to pool around the toes, the two zombie guardians move to offer a swifter death than drowning. One comes for Tess, the other for Augrym.
HIT
HIT
HIT
The first assault is heavy and pitiless. Red blood swirls among the rising waters...
Round I: Water Level 0 ft
1. Augrym (13/78 hp), Taranis (63/65 hp; Toth, 51/54), Unrak (71/88 hp), John, Bytor (53/66 hp), Marc
2. Zombies (white @ 17 dmg)
3. Tess (27/49 hp)
4. WATERS RISE
"Focus on one at a time!" Tess shouts, hacking at the zombie who hit her.
The sudden chaos gets to Tess, and sends her strike awry. The waters churn and swell, rising rapidly to ankle depth.
Round II: Water Level 1 ft
1. Augrym (13/78 hp), Taranis (63/65 hp; Toth, 51/54), Unrak (71/88 hp), John, Bytor (53/66 hp), Marc
2. Zombies (white @ 17 dmg)
3. Tess (27/49 hp)
4. WATERS RISE
Taranis taps Toth with his wand before stowing it and moving a bit closer to the action.
Unrak goes for the injured zombie, roaring in his customary rage as he approaches.
Bless, Mirror Image: 3 images