"Death, famine, war & pestilance, ribbit, ribbit ribbit. What good is the end of the world even to immortals? It seems like such a terrible waste of resources."
Still, he is intrigued by the weapons and Gertart studies them a bit more closely, hoping for inspiration when he gets back to the smith.
The Perception check finds the door. And/or detect magic finds the door and she's it is enchanted.
"So pestilence. Famine. Death. And that one reads Hail Vetra Kali. Its in Abyssal" as he looks rhe shrines over
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"Ah, the abyss. Place of demons and other wicked entities.
I once saw a powerful mage open a portal right behind a group of 'heroes'.
Oh, the screams of confusion and the ensuing carnage...a masterpiece."
Xeram briefly reminisces on times and victories past.
The sight of would be heroes coming to his estate, only to fall down into a pit with spikes or snakes, lynched by a mob Xeram started, or the simple agony caused by poison.
Ok, so there is definitely more to do in 3-5. How about telling me how you approached the room and what you've done there?
You've discovered the secret door, and determined it is enchanted.
Gerion shakes his head, large bovine ears slapping each side of his skull, and then steps aside, letting those more trap and sneaking oriented take the lead.
Gertrart studies the door for any precautions the previous user might have left, especially the arcane surprises.
Gertrart studies the door for any precautions the previous user might have left, especially the arcane surprises.
1d20+11
When searching for traps, feel free to take 20, it's a canon example for "take 20" in the book. You find no traps on the door.
"Want me to knock?"
Taking 20: When you have plenty of time, you are faced with no threats or distractions, and the skill being attempted carries no penalties for failure, you can take 20. In other words, if you roll a d20 enough times, eventually you will get a 20. Instead of rolling 1d20 for the skill check, just calculate your result as if you had rolled a 20.
Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. Taking 20 takes 20 times as long as making a single check would take (usually 2 minutes for a skill that takes 1 round or less to perform).
Since taking 20 assumes that your character will fail many times before succeeding, your character would automatically incur any penalties for failure before he or she could complete the task (hence why it is generally not allowed with skills that carry such penalties). Common “take 20” skills include Disable Device (when used to open locks), Escape Artist, and Perception (when attempting to find traps).
Taeral waits as Gertrart probs the doorway, while he himself looks intently at the magical auras.
Strong Conjuration
Gertrart
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Unless the bard's discovery suggests some other course, Gertrart waits for everyone to get in place then kicks in the door.
"Have you found a way to open the door other than with the use of brute force? You did notice on the one shrine of Vetra-Kali, the strange jagged key with what looks like writing on it. The characters look Abyssal." Taeral ask Gertrart, as he watches the half-orc.
Gertrart looks at the door, "Did I miss a key hole?" If not he bows out of the bard's way.
Having found the door, it appears fairly simple to open should you wish to do so.
Did anyone interact with ABCD or E, the shrines or the face in 3-2?
Gertart studies the runes on the armor, and the rune-covered armor.
[dice=Knowledge most]1d20+5+1d6 (+2 more for engineering, +3 for dungeoneering, +4 local).
Taeral will study the shrines and statuary closer.
Gertrart examines the bas relief of vetra kaili. If the strange key looks removable, he will see if the three blades seems removable. If they do he pulls them first to disarm the bas relief before taking the key. If they do not he takes the key.
"Die fast, or die slow," he thinks.
Xeram keeps his distance, blade traps tended to be harmful.
Gerion Joth is also at the ready, prepared to step in at the first sign of trouble.
As Taeral and Gertrart approach the bas-relief image of Vetra-Kali, they feel a sense of dread come over them.
You see many fearful visions from the depths of depravity, things the likes of which you had never imagined.
DC 18 Will save from those two, or be affects as via a fear spell.
"Ack!! Did you see it... the eyes moved as I got closer. I am out of here!!!"
Taeral turns and flees the room, heading in the direction of the teleporation device on this level.
Xeram calmly responds,, pointing a quick finger at Taeral.
"Where are you going?"
"Who would swallow one of those, let alone all of them!?!" Gertrart screams running out of the room. "and without any mustard!"
Xeram repeats his trick, after Taeral was too hyped for it to work.
Geriam Joth lowers into a crouch, staring at his two companions in confusion, then turns to the others.
"Let's wait for them to regain their wits."
After 7 rounds of fleeing, they come to their senses, and with the remembered dread of what they were forced to see still fresh in their minds they return to the chamber.
"Well that was truly frightful. The power of Vetra Kali is still very strong here. Hail Vetra Kali, for he will become a great ally of our Master." Taearl says as he approaches the statue again.
"I have seen the might of Vetra Kali, I am less than a squashed bug to him and must labor in reverential deference." Gertrart bows before the bas-releif, touching his head as he does so. A formian worker crawls on his knees before checking the key and knives he tried to before.
Gerion Joth resists the urge to sneer, not understanding the necessity for deference, but stays quiet and at the ready.
Taeral approaches fine, Gertrart screams and panics.
snicker...
Taeral explains, "While not necessarily a trap, I would advise saying these words when you approach this shrine. 'Hail Vetra-Kali.' Otherwise you may react as both Gartrart and myself have already. Now let's see if we can find anything here."
Since Malleck had translated it, we can run with you knowing what it means. We'll assume Taeral said the words in Abyssal, the same language they are written in.
So, yes, if you say "Hail Vetra-Kali" in Abyssal. You can safely approach the shrine to him.
Taking 20 there finds no hidden anything beyond what I've described.
So, the mystery still remains regarding the enchanted secret door here. Unless I missed it, no one has opened the door, although you do know how. Pressing V-K's three eyes in a certain one of the murals opens the door.
Gerion Joth waits patiently, ax at the ready. "Shall we try the secret door?"
With a flash of insight on the working of the room, Taeral reaches up to the three eyes of Vetra-Kali's center shrine (E) and press them in unison.
When looks back over at the secret door to see if the magic has changed at all, after activating his spell-like ability.
"Fine, I feel better about saying empty words than pretending supplication." Gertrart is Gertart again.
"Hail Vetra-Kali," Gertart says and presses the eyes in order.
Apologies...
Clarification...
Back in this post I mentioned you knew how to open the door, but didn't express how. The whole room is covered in murals. The one that you press the three eyes to open the door is actually in the door.
This is separate from the altar that shows the Tears of Achlys and the phrase on it that made the guys run.
Did I clear that up ok?
Apologies...
Did I clear that up ok?
Gertrart opens the door.
Gertrart presses the eyes in the mural, and the door slides open. Beyond the door, Gertrart sees a room roughly 60' long and 40' wide. The room is filled with discarded temple paraphernalia covered in cob webs, wrecked perws, discarded masonry, piles of mouldering boards and the like.
Gertrart steps back and rethinks the matter, he glances at the wall, and this time, while pressing the three eyes of Vetra-Kali, Gertrart says "Hail Vetra-Kali" (in Abyssal, of course). This time, the room opens, and beyond it you spy a treasure vault filled with many wondrous things in it. Most notable, you spy a podium in the center of the room that rises up from the floor like a claw, and clutched between its talons a single dark radiant emerald. But before you have access to the loot...
Meandering about the room, are four creatures. All are incorporeal, one is large and the other three are medium sized.
Ask questions about their abilities if you rolled high enough.
The large creature moves towards you and demands in common, "who dares to interrupt the vigil of Ezra Thrice-Damned?"
Xeram says to the others, in a hushed tone:
"I am no expert, but going by the vestments of the smaller three, they somehow suggest previous operatives?"
Gerion nods, gripping his ax tighter.
"Aye, Ezra was the high priest himself of Vetra-Kali. Be careful, all. He was terribly powerful in his time."
"In that case, by all means, do the talking."
At Xerma's prompting, Gerion Joth steps forth. He's no silver-tongued bard, but he pushes his shoulders back and eyes the shade.
"Hail Vetra-Kali, and hail Ezra, High Priest of Vetra-Kali. I am Gerion Joth, the former commander of our temple's guard, and was killed centuries ago by the damned Mithran's when they overran our grounds. These men have brought me back from the dead, and I have deemed their mission righteous."
At this he falters and looks back to the others.
"We seek guidance and wisdom in how best to serve Vetra-Kali, and strike revenge against the Mithrans who now rule the land."
"I see you and recognize you Gerion Joth. The Mitrans who destroyed our faith are our mutual enemy you say? I will aid your mission against the Mitrans, and I will allow you free access to the stored wealth of the Order that I have protected, with one exception." Ezra points at the jewel, "The Eye of Hatred shall not be removed, unless the one of you who takes it from this place must swear a blood oath to restore Vetra-Kali to this world." The creature pauses, "are these terms acceptable?"