Who all is where when the door is closed? Everyone in the room or anyone out in the hall?
From the inside of the room, nothing appears to have changed when you close the door. It's nice and cozy, no apparent portals or extra-dimensional spaces.
If Detect Magic is used:
There is Strong Conjuration magic radiating from the doorway, stronger than the aura that permeates the rest of the house.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
For what it's worth, Nella's line of thinking was for everyone to be inside the room before trying the trick with the key and the door, so I guess she'd be inside.
Smiley, on a hunch (and because he's a little bit cold), heads back down to the fireplace and feels along the back wall while the rest of the group mills about Room 8.
He still keeps his eyes closed, though, because that's how you find things that can't be seen.
Male Half-orc Fighter 2 | AC 19 (t 13) (ff 16) | F+5, R+4, W+1 (+4 vs fear) | CMB +6 CMD 19 |Darkvision 60', Init +3, Per +0 SM +0 | speed 30 ft | HP 19/19
Well, I have to admit I am not sure where Kharg is at this point. He understood that Nella was thinking of going in the room. It seems Markus closed the door from outside, though. So, since Kharg is CN, I will roll randomly for him: odd he is outside and even he is inside.
Kharg, the chaotic type that he is waits outside as the rest of the party files into the room. From the hall, he hears a "click" as the door is closed and locked, and sees the faintest outline of an 'A' that appears next the the 8 on the door.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
Smiley rushes back up the stairs, fists comically winding up to punch the assailant(s) into next week. Upon seeing only Kharg outside room 8, Smiley is confused.
What's up, old buddy?
I guess I'm as dumb as Smiley today. I was assuming that when the door is locked from the other side it leads to 8A, and when unlocked leads to 8.
When nothing happens as the door locks, Markus checks to make sure the door is locked. Satisfied, he moves towards the mirror and tries to tap on it with the tip of his knife.
Markus taps on the mirror with a satisfying, metallic <thunk>, but nothing obvious to assist the group in their quest.
However, when Smiley opens the door, He and Kharg see a room completely identical to the way it was moments ago, except in that it doesn't contain any of their party members!
Moving this forward at lunch. We can have people's reactions / retcon afterwards, but I want to get this moving again into the end in less than a week!
Sorry, had a lunch meeting that kept me from posting, then the web goblins ate my post! Moving things along to get closer to the action
With a little bit of trial and error, the group is able to determine that now that Smiley is in the room 8A, that the group that is in room 8 can leave, then join their erstwhile companion. This time, touching mirror in this room causes any prying tool or appendage to pass through, allowing access to the Tower!
Once through, the group finds that the southeast corner of this room has broken off along with part of the floor. Rubble, loose bricks, and masonry litter the edges. Beyond the opening, blue sky and the Absalom’s city skyline are plainly visible. The full length mirror the party came through is bolted to northwest wall and solitary door is closed to the south. From brief observation, it appears that the door is unlocked, but it feels like something heavy has the door wedged shut on the other side.
After dusting yourselves off, the group only has a moment to observe the door, though, before several of the group are knocked flat as the tower lists to the east slightly!
Moving in the West direction for the remainder of the scenario is considered Difficult Terrain unless you succeed a DC Acrobatics Check.
There are two main avenues to go from here, to chance the open sky and swing around the broken wall to the other side, or attempt to get past the door!
Acrobatics or Climb DC 15:
You manage to scramble around the side of the wall over open air (and a broken floor underneath) and see into the hallway beyond. There is a large pillar wedged up against the door [ooc]Assuming it hasn't been pushed aside already.
Strength Check DC 21:
You manage to push the door open! A large column that had fallen against it shifts free with a massive cracking sound, but allows you to venture into the rest of this floor!.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
"I'm glad that oddness is over with," Nella comments as they appear inside the floating tower, but immediately wishes she hadn't when it becomes apparent just how high up they are. "Never mind, I'd like to go back to the odd room..."
"Um...maybe we should-WHOOOOAA!" she cries as the tower suddenly lists and sends her sprawling on the floor. "Like I said, maybe...maybe we should try the door..." she mumbles from her position on the floor. "We're awfully high up..."
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
Pulling herself to her feet, Nella makes her way over to the door. "You're probably right, maybe if we all try we can budge it," she agrees as she attempts to help force the door open.
Confused by the room's strange access condition, Markus steps into the tower and is nearly blown out of the tower by a gust of wind. Moving carefully away from the missing floor, Markus cries out in alarm as the whole tower shifts.
"Aaaaagh!" he shouts, struggling to stay on his feet and grabbing at a wall sconce to keep himself from plummeting off the tower. Regaining his composure, he looks over at Nella and Kharg trying to force open the door. "Keep pushing guys, we need to get out of here before the tower tries to kill us again.
NG Female Halfling Street Poet 7 | HP: 60/60 | AC: 23(18 Tch, 17 Fl) | CMB: +8, CMD: 25 (26 v. Overrun) | F: +10, R: +9, W: +5 (+4 v. Fear) | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +4 | Speed 40ft | Challenge: 0/3 Used | Tactician: 0/2 Used| Panache 0/2 Used | Active conditions: Waiting for Game (???)
Maybe the easy way is the right way.
"I'll see you on the other side. Maybe it'll be easier from there. Hold the other end of this rope," Jillia says, hoping 'the other side' refers to the tower gap.
Acrobatics:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 (+3 more if it counts as 'jumping')
For a brief, stomach clenching moment Jillia is over empty sky with only a broken floor beneath her should she fall. There is a harrowing moment where she almost slips, but manages to hang on long enough to flip herself onto the other side of the wall!
From there Jillia is able to see more of the Tower outside of the room. It appears that a heavy column is pressed up against the door and will have to be removed to get past.
Or, you know, the entire party dances on the sky...
Smiley, too, manages to get out from the room without plummeting. From your vantage, you might be able to move the pillar out enough a bit easier than just banging on the door.
Markus' stomach lurches as Jillia and Smiley seem to throw themselves into the sky, and he clings even tighter to the wall. Hearing Smiley's shout, he carefully sidles towards to door.
"How about I push from down here while you and Nella shove at the top," he suggests to Kharg. He sets his feet, and drives his shoulder against the blocked door.
Exploring the current floor, it appears that this is a mixture garrison, armory, and siege tower. Numerous arrow slits surround the sides, and you find an unlocked collection of weaponry (You can take any mundane weapon or ammunition, just post what you take.)
With nothing else of note in sight, you continue on, up a winding set of stairs.
The top floor of the tower is open, undivided by interior walls but for the small space partitioning the stairwell. Windows large enough to step through line the exterior walls. Immense magical circles are permanently etched into the floor, their lines and curves inscribed and filled with several types of metallic powder. Faint, multi-colored mist roils within the southern circle.
Two strange contraptions stand near the northwest and southwest windows. Each device is a large, red-tinted crystalline lens mounted in a frame so that they may be angled in all directions.
As you walk up, three Aspis agents appear ready for you!
If the greatsword wielder is Blue, then it appears I don't have enough movement to reach him this round, and no clear path for a charge. If so, I'll use that roll to disarm Red, moving West of him with a 5ft step to allow flanking with Kharg if he so desires.
HP: 67/67 l AC: 12, T 12, FF 10 l CMD 18 l F +10, R +6, W +12 l Adoration (7/7), Channel Energy (5/5), Clarifying Channel (1/1), Inspired (1/1), Resistant Touch (7/7) l L1: 4/5, D1: 1/1, L2: 4/4, D2: 1/1, L3: 3/4, D3: 1/1, L4: 3/3, D4: 0/1 l Init +6 l Senses: Perception +4
Nella cries out in surprise as they're immediately set on by more Aspis agents as soon as they reach the top of the tower. "Jillia! Stay strong!" she calls to her companion as she reaches out and places a hand on the halfling's shoulder.
Cure Light Wounds:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Burning another spell to spontaneously cast Cure Light Wounds on Jillia; Nella will stay where she's at for the moment.
The presence of nefarious Aspis agents this far into Arliss Hall is an unwelcome surprise. Markus quickly regains his wits, and sees Jillia take a serious looking slice from a huge sword. As Nella's magic heals her wounds, Markus' hand flicks forward and a thick length of vine shoots from it, wrapping itself around the leg of the greatsword wielder.
Standard Action to use Tanglevine against Orange, aiming to trip him.
Tanglevine to trip, vs CMD:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
The Aspis brute really isn't having a good day, as his initial attack missed, he just barely holds onto his favorite weapon (it was a birthday present!) when suddenly finds himself flat on his back after a strange vine trips him up, and...
Direction:1d9 ⇒ 4
He cries out in horror as there is a strange sound, similar to the one you heard in the Sky Key room. He flickers around in various places and directions, before coming to rest just inside the Southern Circle! Before he can even move, the mist trapped within the circle congeals into a pair of purplish arms that crush and rip him up!
Purplish Horror of Death:2d8 + 6 ⇒ (2, 8) + 6 = 16
You can still hear him screaming, still alive, but in a really really bad place in the middle of the circle.
The remaining Aspis agents exchange worried glances, and throw vials of acid at the party!
Acid vs Markus:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 Acid vs Jillia:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Acid damage vs Markus:1d6 ⇒ 4
Markus gets splashed in the face and the rest of the party gets burning droplets on them 4 points on Maruks, 1 point on the rest of the group.
Orange is essentially out of the fight unless you guys do something really odd, so I'll roll the group into the same initiative
NG Female Halfling Street Poet 7 | HP: 60/60 | AC: 23(18 Tch, 17 Fl) | CMB: +8, CMD: 25 (26 v. Overrun) | F: +10, R: +9, W: +5 (+4 v. Fear) | Init: +6 | Perc: +2, SM: +4 | Speed 40ft | Challenge: 0/3 Used | Tactician: 0/2 Used| Panache 0/2 Used | Active conditions: Waiting for Game (???)
"Stay strong, indeed! Smiley, Kharg, Nella, Markus. Let's show these bastards what we can do."
Standard Action: Use Tactician for Coordinated Maneuvers.
Coordinated Maneuvers Text:
You are skilled at working with your allies to perform dangerous combat maneuvers.
Benefit: Whenever you are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, you receive a +2 competence bonus on all combat maneuver checks. This bonus increases to +4 when attempting to break free from a grapple.
Jillia moves adjacent to Smiley in an attempt to better harry their foe. Pointing her blade at the Asp, she explains, "You are running out of options, serpent. You can leave this tower as a corpse or help us find some way out that doesn't involve funeral preparations."
Markus barely has time to register the bizarre fate of the sword-wielding Aspis agent, when he feels a hot burning sensation across the the backs of his legs. "Aaaaagh!" he screams, as the acid melts into his flesh. The pain quickly subsides, and Markus turns towards the thrower.
Markus uses Kharg's intimidating size to distract the Aspis man, shouting "Go on Kharg, slice him up!", and flicks out another tendril of thick green vine to wrap around the agent's leg as he stares in horror at Kharg's double axe.
5ft step northeast (Lockwood please) remaining adjacent to Kharg, then Standard Action to use Tanglevine to trip Red with Jillia's Coordinated Maneuver bonus.
Tanglevine to trip vs CMD + Coordinated Maneuvers:1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 2 = 18
The tag-team duo of Markus / Kharg continues to be effective as Kharg knocks out the downed opponent!
Nella-bot attempts to Bless Smiley with improved AC in the face of the remaining enemy, who scrambles back 5 feet! The Aspis agent mutters a curse as he brings the strange contraption to bear, which shoots out a fiery lance at the dwarf!
