Heralding the Coming of the Age of Worms (Bravo Team) (Inactive)

Game Master Fanguar

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Perception check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Coming up with the group, Talia checks the skeleton by the blue lantern."Strange, it looks like this one just crashed to the ground.", she says raising her head to see the chain from the lantern disappearing out of the lamplight.

"It looks like there may be something up there. At least a trap. Maybe we can have a look. does anyone have some climbing gear."

Talia volunteers to go and climb up but she will use a rope (in her pack) and some pitons as I remember Harold has some.

"I have climbing gear."

100' Silk Rope, a Grappling Hook, a Hammer, and Pitons.

"Thanks", replies Talia, taking the gear from Harold. "I could also use some help. Anyone can belay me?"

Kn engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Harold and Bones look to be the strongest of us, they'd best serve as belayers I believe." Elvar muses. "I'm a fair climber myself too."

+6 mod on climb here.
Edit; Woops, make that +5, got a -1 ACP.

[dice=Kn engineering]1d20+8

"Harold and Bones look to be the strongest of us, they'd best serve as belayers I believe." Elvar muses. "I'm a fair climber myself too."

+6 mod on climb here.
Edit; Woops, make that +5, got a -1 ACP.

Same for Talia +6 mod/-1 ACP

You guys can just climb up the lantern chain itself, if you'ld like. DC15

That could have been the trap. You climb 30 ft and then it goes...

Talia tries to climb the wall (with all the climbing gear, the DC should be 15 as well) Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Climbing second try: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

climb second try: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

@Talia: I'll assume you have some light source.

Talia climbs up the shaft that the blue lantern's chain descends from. 40 feet up, she pops through a hole in the floor at the end of a thin passage that extends into the shadows to the northeast. Perhaps seventy feet away, the passage ends in what looks like an enormous stone human face, its mouth open in an angry scream.

@Talia: I'll assume you have some light source.

Talia climbs up the shaft that the blue lantern's chain descends from. 40 feet up, she pops through a hole in the floor at the end of a thin passage that extends into the shadows to the northeast. Perhaps seventy feet away, the passage ends in what looks like an enormous stone human face, its mouth open in an angry scream.

Talia has a miner's lamp that she can strap on my head.

Talia secures the rope with a grappling hook. and describes those down what she saw.

"Maybe the human-faced stone is trapped. I need someone that can detect traps or magic better than I do to help me up here."

Talia will haul whoever wants to come up with her.

Is there any mold/water traces or dust in this passage ?

Investigating the skeleton under the blue lantern:

** spoiler omitted **

** spoiler omitted **

heal: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

"He feel and that seems to be what killed him. He feel from such a height that my darkvision can't even help."

"I don't climb so well. Now if one of you anchors a rope so I can brace myself off of the wall it might be easier than using the chain. We can also try to find some treasure in this place and get a scroll from that wizard back in town."

"We could probably haul you up Bones." Elvar responds to the dwarf before accending the rope to Talia.

"I'm coming up!" he shouts up before climbing, using the walls for anchor and climbing hand over hand.

Take 10 on climb for 15.

Once up Elvar casts Detect Magic and scans the area, if he finds nothing untoward he cast Detect Seacret Doors and does the same.

Take 20 on Perception for 24 if possible otherwise; 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Parnel looks at Hector...then at himself...then at Hector again, and slowly shakes his head with a frown on his face. "No way we can climb up there".

If Elvar finds nothing of interrest he will approach the leering mouth cautiously and inspect it with detect magic.

Istvan is sure we can arrent something Parnel, perhaps we can rig a harness for Hector

@Talia:There is no sign of mold, water or dust in the passage.

@Elvar:Your search reveals a number of gouge marks in the floor, running parallel to the passage way. Scanning at a distance, the passage end-to-end, reveals that the face is fiercely magical and that it conceals a door.

@Everyone: Between aid anothers and those at the top pulling up the others, you can all make it to the upper passage if you wish. No need for magical assistance.

How are you going to rule on them pulling me up?

What sort of magic and can you tell me more about the gouge marks?

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Kn. Engineering: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

"Talia, these gouge marks mean anything to you?"

Taking 20 on perception gives me a 30. If I don't detect anything I will move up 20 feet, and take 20 again. That puts me within 50 feet of the door.

I then wait to see what the others can find out.

spellcraft:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

edit:Oh well at least there are other casters in the group.

Istvan will also inspect this magic, but he believes the gouge marks on the floor should indicate something heavy pushing towards the shaft opening. Perhaps this be explaining our companions untimely demise.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

@Garish: You don't find anything in that area other than the gouge marks

@Elvar: The gouges look to be the result of something being jammed into the stonework, as if to brace against a force. The shape of the gouges suggests that the force was being applied from the direction of the stone face.

Should have mentioned there was 2 auras
extra spellcraft checks
Elvar: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Garish: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Istvan: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Elvar recognizes one of the auras as being from a primed Hold Person spell.

Kn arcana 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Kn arcana 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

"Hold it guys, there is a primed Hold Person spell on the face, and another one, a transmutation spell of the air subschool." Elvar warns the party.

"Anybody good at counterspelling?" That said Elvar goes over to the chain and ties one end of his rope to it and the other end around his waist. "I'm getting a nagging feeling on how that unfortunate soul down there died."

Harold breathes a sigh of relief when he finally makes it to the top.

His nose wrinkles when Elvar reveals what he knows about the magical auras up here.

"Charming. I am afraid that I an not good at counter-spelling. Disrupting spellcasters, on the other hand, is more my forte."

"Well there must be something important behind that door, and hopefully it is valuable. None of us knows what killed our friend at the bottom, nor how to bypass it once we find out what killed him. What we do know is that some type of magic is active so maybe we should investigate the rest of the area, and see if we can find some clues."

Elvar eyes the distance to the mouth and then the distance down to the floor below, maesuring his rope in the process, mulling over the options. The face was at the end of a 70 foot hallway but the distance down was only 40 feet so it would not work tying off to the end of the hallway to prevent falling if he was blown away from the whole 70 feet, besides, his rope was only 50 feet.

Sighing he unties himself from the chain.

Is there some way Elvar can bypass the trap without disbling it completely? Delay it perhaps? Also, is there any space behind the hole? Could someone stand there and hold the end of a rope tied to Elvar and haul him in if he's paralyzed and blown down the corridor?

Istvan has an idea. Istvan could summon a servant to open the door while we wait in safety.

@Elvar: If you had pitons to anchor ropes, you could set something up to block the hole or just prevent you from being blown down it. The only way to bypass magical traps without disarming them is to use Dispel magic. There is no ledge or anything on the far end of the hole.

@Istvan: Just to be clear, there is no visible door. Elvar's spell detected a secret passage behind the carved face, but for all outward appearances, it's just a giant carved stone face.

My aplogies, we'll have to locate the activation device first then. That or attempt to have the Unseen Servant intentionally activate the trap while the controller waits over the edge.

At CL 1 it only has a range of 25 feet, the hallway is 70. Shall we try the pitons + rope to fasten Elvar and cover the hole with something?

Talia's suggestion is similar to Elvar's and she lays out her plan.

" Every one but Elvar and myself go back down. and we leave one rope to climb down. I will stay near the mouth of the tunnel with one rope attacked to Elvar and ready to haul him back if he's held by the spell. Then as a secon precaution, as you go forwards, Elvar, you can hammer a piton halfway through the tunnel and anchor you to it with a third rope. So, if you're blown away from the tunnel, you'll stop at the entrance. What do you all think?"

Harold nods.

"Having a couple of back-ups seems eminently sensible."

Just FYI, hold person has a range of 100ft....

"You know there is nothing I can do here so I will go down and wait unless you have use of me. I would suggestion anyone else who is not able to participate do the same."

If I use a rope to is it going to be a DC 5 climb check or higher?

"Since it's not safe to stay in the hallway because of the range of the spells I'm goint to suggest this; First, Talia, You fasten yourself by rope and piton at the mouth of the hole, ready to catch me if I fall down, that would be my third line of defense. Second, use rope and pitons to form a web over the hole forming a second line of defense and lastly; I anchor myself with rope and pitons, with a 10 foot line to allow me room to manuver, by the face and try to get past it."

"So fasten myself to the walls with maybe four anchors by the wall, make a web over the mouth if my anchor fails and Talia ready to catch me if the web fails as well."

Sounds good to Istvan, who will be waiting down below

@Garish: With rope and aid, you can be lowered to the ground with out a climb check.

@Elvar: Seems reasonable.

"Since it's not safe to stay in the hallway because of the range of the spells I'm goint to suggest this; First, Talia, You fasten yourself by rope and piton at the mouth of the hole, ready to catch me if I fall down, that would be my third line of defense. Second, use rope and pitons to form a web over the hole forming a second line of defense and lastly; I anchor myself with rope and pitons, with a 10 foot line to allow me room to manuver, by the face and try to get past it."

"So fasten myself to the walls with maybe four anchors by the wall, make a web over the mouth if my anchor fails and Talia ready to catch me if the web fails as well."

"Let's do it." Talia sets to work anchoring all the ropes and pitons.

When Elvar is alone in the corridor he gets a sinking feeling in his stomach, suddenly not so sure if this was a good idea. To willingly be subject to a hold person spell and an unknown spell of air. Sighing at how bad this idea is he tries to find the latch for the secret door.

Activate Archaeology's Luck for +1 to all skills and saves, not added in statistics above.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Man I can't wait till I can up that pesky skill.

Just before Elvar reaches the stone face, it seems to come alive and a terrible wind begins to blow from its wailing mouth. At the same time, the face's eyes spin with hypnotic illusory patterns in all the colours of the rainbow, except for green.

Everyone still in the hallway make a DC13 Will save or be paralyzed

I did state I was going to wait till the hallway was clear, unless somebody is suicidal Elvar should be alone.

Will save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Elvar freezes in place under the gaze of the stone statue. The wind blowing from its mouth increases in strength.

You may make another will save to try to break the enchantement.

The luck bonus is out 'cause I can't maintain it while paralyzed.

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Feeling the momentary paralyzation fade away Elvar scrambles into action in trying to open the door praying to any good listening to lend him luck and haste.

Activate Luck again, that's 3/8 rounds so far.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

The wind increases in strength and Elvar begins to have difficulty keeping on his feet.

@Elvar: You don't find anything. In the interest of progressing, I'll let you know that there is no way to open the the secret 'door' in the face itself, but it is openable and you can get through it. It's a puzzle.

Crawl through the mouth then?

Just below the mouth of the tunnel, Talia hears the wind picking up.
"Elvar, are you all-right? what is going on?"

"I hope Elvar is ok. Unless his magic is more powerful than I thought I don't think he can control the wind."