Hungry Voodoo's Mines of Zolurket (Inactive)

Game Master voodoo chili

"Eh, not wantin' ta be flanked. Damned tricksy critters in here."

I was picturing the smithy as an open area. But let's investigate it before moving on to the palace.

Karrak approaches the forge looking for signs of use.

Karrak inspects the great communal smithy with interest, but the forge is dusty and all the tools and even what looks to have been a huge anvil are gone.

"There appears to be nothing here." He hefts his pack and begins toward the palace, ready to scout its exterior as Chitleen suggested.

A great square lies between the public forge and the palace offering no cover for a stealthy approach. From the range of your darkvision, you can make out more details. The foundation rises some ten feet above the level of the ground supporting the great domed building. A tower stands at each of the two corners that project from the back wall of the Transept and an arcade follows the wall between the towers with columns shaped like great hammers. Wide low stairs lead to the tall metal doors of the entrance.

"Waddaya think, boys? Are there any areas back there we can draw them back to an ambush? If a bunch of them bastards are holed in there, I'd to bring them in to us on our terms. No need for a repeat of them bat boys."

Chitleen grimaces and shrugs "I say we make for the door and see what lies... if we need withdraw the metal could shield us as well as it would them."

Chitleen's suggesting move in and use Perception / Survival to take a shifty around for signs of gruesome horrible nasty death.

"I am game for it. Let's do this quick and close for the kill."

All is quiet as the adventurers move forward to the base of the stairs. From here, ornate loopholes punctuate the palace wall between the columns which force attackers to stay within the line of fire when approaching the wall atop the base. The great doors are recessed about 15 feet back with more arrow slits flanking the entry. Upon the ancient metal doors can now be seen a great pale death's head messily splashed over the dwarven faces pounded in the metal. Even from this distance, a ghastly stench arises ahead.

Karrak frowns at the arrow holes. "Find another way in?"

The multiple arrow scars still shine bright red on Tararr's skin. Looking at the slits, he says,"Don't a couple of these,hehehe. If them things are dead in there, I doubt they're gonna be shooting. Seems they like they prefer the direct approach.'

Chitleen lingers slightly to the back, happy to not speak against one of the dwarven folk to take the lead and prove or disprove the presence of murderous archers behind the slits.

"They dead, but they still movin'. I ga ta knock."

Lockjaw moves into the murder ground, ready to withdraw if he is shot at.

Lockjaw bravely mounts the stairs and approaches the defiled doors between two rows of loopholes. Immediately a volley of bolts fly back and forth. The missiles do not appear expertly aimed however and only one hits though it manages to lodge in his thigh. Lockjaw-4 piercing

Chtileen sidles forward to try and gain a glimpse of what is firing from the loopholes...
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

"Oops.", Tararr says in good a natured manner.

Hissing "Skeletons within the eaves... I am loathe to waste alkahest upon them."

"They are going to keep shooting, boys. Push on through!"

The paladin shrugs as one of the arrows nicks him.

"Eh."

With that he approaches the door and looks it over.

"Prolly trapped."

With that he employs his boot of dwarven lock picking.

STR: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Karrak invokes Torag's aura of deflection (+2 ac everyone).

Chitleen hisses his warning and Lockjaw charges the heavy metal doors to kick with a resounding thud. The white skull on the door glows with fiendish runes and Lockjaw is subjected to negative energy that reopens old wounds. Lockjaw- 21 hp, DC 17 for half Another wave of bolts whiz through the hall as poorly aimed as the first. One hits the paladin inflicting another minor wound. Lockjaw-4 piercing

As Tararr cheers everyone forward, Karak invokes a protective ward and notice the sour smell of the unwashed under the stench of death. From his side a voice whispers, "Use your healing against the undead, fool."
Tararr- take a R1 action if you like.

Round 2
Chitleen
Lockjaw
loopholes
Tararr
Karrak

No action

Tararr calls on his cleric to dismiss the evil so he can retrieve there friend from anymore harm.

Round 2

SR 10 apply to trap?

Will DC 17: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Lockjaw chuckles as the door attempts to drain him, then quickly acts to stop the archers.

Channel to Harm Undead: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4) = 8

He then withdraws outside the line of fire.

"Tha be fiesty!"

SR 10 apply to trap?

yeah, thanks for the reminder. It beats SR, barely.

Lockjaw gives what he gets and there is a clattering sound behind the arrowslits as the skeletons crumble dropping their crossbows.

Combat over. Now wasn't that easy? ; )

Karrak belatedly realizes the nature of their foes. He blesses Tarrar with a Touch of Good (+2 action) and with Guidance (+1) and invites him to try the door.

"Now that was a close one, hahaha. You keep that up and you'll look just like me, Lockjaw!"

Chitleen's reticence at wasting his precious alkahest is proven valid by Lockjaw's easy dismissing of the skeletons. As the dwarves puff up their chests and attempt to out do each other by bludgeoning the door into submission, Chitleen queries "Would you like it unlocked? or are you having fun?"

Karrak...notices the sour smell of the unwashed under the stench of death. From his side a voice whispers, "Use your healing against the undead, fool."

Karrak also belatedly realizes that there is a small dark figure at his side as he moves up the stairs to encourage Lockjaw to continue pounding his head against the obviously heavily fortified door. Chitleen makes a joke to this effect when the shadowy figure whispers again, "It will do no good. It only opens for the password."

Gah - missed that, must've come in later for an edit.

Chitleen hears the shadowed figures words and spins to face it. Eyes narrow "Who are you?..."

Gah - missed that, must've come in later for an edit.

quite likely I was fidgeting with the post : )

The dark figure is shoulder high to a dwarf and bundled in black rags that are rarely changed by the smell of them. Only a large, pale gray to the point of translucent, nose poking out from black scarves provides any contrast to its light absorbing palette. "We are inconsequential, but wish you victory over the gnolls. The password is 'Shoosuva'," it says in hushed tones.

Sorry I thought that was the GM speaking to me!

Karrak wonders how the stranger snuck up on him but he tries the password.

Kn. Planes? 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 what is it?
Sense Motive1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Perception1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 upon entering

"Nah, having fun here."

****************

Lockjaw eyes the new creature, attempting to determine it's motivation.

Detect Evil

Lockjaw does not detect evil from the creature, but definitely senses it emanating from within the palace. Karrak doesn't recognize the creature, but can see that it is mortal though strange. Its advice seems honestly given.

Upon pronouncing the password from the top of the stairs, the great metal doors swing silently open releasing a miasma of carrion stink.

Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Chitleen eyes the stranger curiously "There are gnolls within? but there is the stench of death on the air."

"Gnolls, yes. But no longer living, returners, shoosuva, " the creature explains.

"Like them ones earlier?" Tararr ask no one in particular.

"Are you here with your master's blessing little one? Why does he wish the shoosuva destroyed?"

The hooded head nods, "Of course, the master commands. We do not need to know more."

To his companions more than the creature Chitleen adds "And if the master commanded, we would be on the point of your blade. Are you to stay and observe? - or just see us beyond the door?"

The mysterious figure bows its hooded head once and retreats backwards drawing darkness around it like its shabby clothes as it retreats to the fortifications in the west wall of the transept.

Chitleen mentally notes the area which the figure withdraws to "A matter for the future..." before he applies a harsh smelling attar to his upper lip. In doing so, his nose flares and he squints with pain... but becomes ever more attentive to the nuance of smell. With that he begins to step into the palace.

Keeping eyes and nose open as we move it. Scanning for traps and smelling for nasty creatures.

Falling in ten feet behind the elf ensuring he will be within striking distance, but not close enough to crowd delicate work.

Lockjaw squints at the exchange but accepts there are things beyond the ken of simple dwarves such as himself. With that he falls in at the rear of the group, wary for further attack.

Karrak enters warily with his crossbow at the ready, scanning for signs of magic. "What was that thing?"

About ten feet beyond the skull painted doors, the hall expands into a huge rounded room. The ceiling forms a dome to some 25 feet above supported by the main feature, a great column that takes up most of the room. The column must be nearly eighty feet in diameter and runs from floor to ceiling. It is covered in bas relief images of dwarven accomplishments accented my magical red flames springing from the scenes.

By the flickering light, you can see that the remainder of the room is merely a 30 foot or so hall around the monument. The opposite end of the room cannot be seen, but more loopholes line the wall through which you passed and the only other doors visible are double doors to the far left and right.

Chitleen's eyes water as the carnal stink only intensifies.
enhancing your sense of smell in stench country might be sub-optimal...

RAW there isn't any adverse effect from having scent while in areas of high stench. Having the ability doesn't RAW make him any more or less susceptible.
Essentially it's there as an early warning system and enhancement to his already high perception. If as a RAI Voodoo style you're going to assert that it's either detrimental or useless... then p'raps I'll go with something else instead.

I don't think you need to enhance your smell-o-vision to perceive there are ghasts in the house... Voodoo rules say that you'd get a -2 to saves vs. stench so feel free to nix that.

No issues with a lowered defence against stench... but Chitleen isn't trying to detect that ghasts have been there - but more pinpoint whether they are within 15-30ft of him at any given time.
Specifically: The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.
Kind of like a bit of a primitive radar - advance, look, hear, sniff... advance, look, hear, sniff... etc.

Chitleen eases his way forward before regarding the side passages to see if further skeletons await them with ill aimed missiles... or worse...
Perception: 1d20 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 4 = 19

Karrak alternates between scanning for danger and examining the dwarven carvings, matching Chitleen's pace at a distance.