The Library of Last Resort is your last chance to find the resting place of Dragotha's phylactery. But you aren't the only people looking for it.
Loot Sheet.
GM Notes.
Correct. It takes about two rounds (and three Aid checks) to reach the top. Note that the ceiling in the passage is ten feet high, so you really only need to climb forty feet, not fifty.
THP: 0 HP: 155/165 (203/213), BR 27/36, APs 9/12; AC 28, T 13, FF 25; Fort +18 Ref +13, Will +13 (16, +2 ME) (+4 vs evil all saves); Perception +19, Init +5 Buff overflow: communal air walk, death ward, holy aura, haste Everyday buffs: GFL, bear's endurance, protection from evil (permanent, undispellable) Currents: greater magic weapon (+3), freedom of movement, good hope, moment of greatness, shield, greater false life, recitation
Okay, I'm leaving my old hide shirt and armored kilt with all the other armor we found and telling Spiny to guard it. Meaning one hide shirt and one armored kilt need to be added to the loot tracker.
Cuetzpalli's going to have to drop some gear. Tanith can't ferry more than 200 lbs at a time. If he weighs more than 200 lbs base, he's going to have to strip and climb himself.
After everyone's up, Tanith will do some ferrying trips to bring all the gear up.
Farrukh discovers a hidden circular door in the back of the face's mouth. It's a bit of a squeeze for the larger members of the party, but it doesn't seem to be locked—at least, not anymore.
Tanith's not going to be able to get Spiny up. He's over the weight limit by a good margin.
Incidentally—
Climb Description wrote:
Special: You can use a rope to haul a character upward (or lower a character) through sheer strength. You can lift double your maximum load in this manner.
Also, very happy to see that kilt go, just because I keep forgetting it's not on the PRD and spending ten minutes searching in vain. ;D
THP: 0 HP: 155/165 (203/213), BR 27/36, APs 9/12; AC 28, T 13, FF 25; Fort +18 Ref +13, Will +13 (16, +2 ME) (+4 vs evil all saves); Perception +19, Init +5 Buff overflow: communal air walk, death ward, holy aura, haste Everyday buffs: GFL, bear's endurance, protection from evil (permanent, undispellable) Currents: greater magic weapon (+3), freedom of movement, good hope, moment of greatness, shield, greater false life, recitation
After Cuetzpalli and Spiny are hauled up like luggage in a rope harness by Tanith and Farrukh, Cuetzpalli nods. "Thank you. How embarrassing...I'm not much of a climber." The olman motions to the door Farrukh found. "Ready when you all are."
As Tanith descended, Astraden handed over the ring. "I'm not much of a linguist, I'm afraid."
--
Astraden stays by the door, keeping an eye out for any details Farrukh might miss.
Perception aid (not factoring in distance penalties):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
When Tanith brings up the gear, she puts her mail back on and shoulders her damp backpack.
Carina's extract allows her to decipher the concise language of the orcs.
As you descend into the dark, may thoughts of my love for you light the way. As you lie in the cold, may thoughts of our child warm your heart. As you despair of making it out alive, know that if you don't, I'm going to kill you.
The body was that of a human.
As far as Astraden can tell, the ring is perfectly worthless. It might go for a copper piece to be melted down.
Farrukh and Astraden find no traps on the door. Beyond is a dark room with no floor. A three-foot wide beam of petrified wood spans the fifty foot chasm, leading straight into darkness.
About ten feet below the beam, countless stone spheres the size of large oranges form an irregular floor, but it's impossible to tell if they represent a wholly solid surface.
The northwest and southeast walls are covered in a honeycomb of geometric patterns. The featureless stone ceiling extends about twenty feet from the beam.
At the far end, Carina can make out with her darkvision a large iron door.
Male Human Monk 5 (Qinggong Master of Many Styles from the Sacred Mountain)/Fighter (Brawler) 3
Yesh. Not trying to touch them, just lookin' real hard.
Carina Viera wrote:
Carina cringes. "Um... I... think I might have a problem with balancing on that beam."
OOC to IC, she probably wouldn't think this. You're decently dextrous and it's a DC 5 to walk on a plank this thick. Nobody should really be having qualms about their ability to cross this plank under normal circumstances (Take 10 works even with a massive ACP). It's when these (calling it now) stone balls start flying around and try to knock us off that it's an issue. =p
Carina cringes. "Um... I... think I might have a problem with balancing on that beam."
The beam is three feet wide, so no checks are required unless you're heavily distracted.
Farrukh:
You aren't gonna be able to Take Twenty, but that's fine—the only things worth noticing are at or below DC 20.
Farrukh hears something moving down below, beneath the stone spheres.
He also notices a fair few corpses lying amid the spheres (the freshest perhaps ten years old). Some of them are nearly buried beneath the stones, like mock funeral cairns.
EDIT: I'm assuming Carina's fear isn't meant to be an IC, "irrational phobia" sort of deal. It'd be a whole other story in that case.
Farrukh hears a giggle as he advances. A young voice remarks, "Ooh. Not a good idea."
He hears a click.
Suddenly, stone balls start shooting wildly out of the walls. The adventurers realize—too late—that the geometric patterns on the walls were disguising countless fist-sized holes.
Though Astraden's armor cushions the blows, Farrukh is not quite as fortunate. One ball catches him in the stomach, causing him to double over.
DC 16 Reflex save or fall off the beam, taking 1d3 ⇒ 2 damage.
1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23
I need to quit forgetting that "aesthetic rearranging" has consequences if I'm moving around die rolls. I'll clarify instead: That roll is not a Reflex save.
Temp Acid Resist: 30|Action Points: 8/13|Bombs: 7/23|Female Undine (Formerly Yugoloth-Spawn Tiefling) Alchemist (Chirurgeon) 16|HP: 108/85|AC: 22(36)/14(23)/19(26)|Saves: +15 Fort (+20 vs. Poison), +18 Ref, +12 Will (+1 vs. Enchantments)|Initiative: +3|Perception: +21
Carina goes "EEK!" as the balls start flying out from the walls. She starts looking around some more, searching for the source of the voice.
Perception:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
...but it's likely she'll be damned if she can make out anything over the noise & sight of countless balls flying about.
Must've been a damn well hidden pressure plate if that earlier 25 (Take 10 for 20 to scan the room +3 for Traps, +2 Astraden's assist) didn't see it. *grumble grumble*
Can I get some sort of marching order, or are Farrukh and Astraden scouting solo?
I meant covering as in he goes on ahead and the wimpy people with projectile weapons shoot down anything that attacks him, but as long as I don't get hit.
Astraden lunges after Farrukh when he's hit. "Balls," she curses, dropping on her stomach to make herself less of a target. If the corpses start moving, she grasps her holy symbol and calls upon Olidammara once again.
Knowledge (religion):1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 to tell if the corpses are zombies, or whatever. Perception:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19 too, if necessary.
I am dropping prone, then potentially attempting to turn undead.
Do the balls continue to shoot?
She strains her eyes looking for the source of the voice. "Who goes there?"
I'd assumed you were squeezing into the mouth and scanning the door, since the room beyond hadn't even been described yet. My mistake.
Farrukh falls down amid the thousands of stone balls. Nearby, a bunch of spheres go flying as a dreadful wormlike creature bursts out of hiding.
The pallid, slimy creature is the size of a human, its mouth a sickening tangle of tentacles with a large beak at the center.
Using the old Dungeoneering check: Farrukh instantly recognizes it as a grick, a dangerous, incredibly stupid aberration near-impervious to nonmagical weapons.
Image.
Well I was about to but looks like it's too late now. Forgot we had them.
Dammit Pete, your conversation is gonna get me killed.
If you'd like to spend it, we can retcon. It wasn't my intention to penalize you for not posting quickly enough, I just assumed you didn't want to use them there.
Temp Acid Resist: 30|Action Points: 8/13|Bombs: 7/23|Female Undine (Formerly Yugoloth-Spawn Tiefling) Alchemist (Chirurgeon) 16|HP: 108/85|AC: 22(36)/14(23)/19(26)|Saves: +15 Fort (+20 vs. Poison), +18 Ref, +12 Will (+1 vs. Enchantments)|Initiative: +3|Perception: +21
Round 1: Actions Standard Action: Use Bomber's Eye extract Move Action: Move onto the beam
Carina's tail pulls out the vial of grey liquid she had been saving and puts it in her hand. She pulls off the stopper and knocks the mixture back. It tastes like a mixture of ink and glue.
It makes her gag, but her proficiency with bombs has been enhanced for a bit.
She makes her way onto the beam, a vial of explosive chemicals in hand.
Acrobatics *Action Point!*:1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (2) = 6 "Farrukh! Get ready to get clear!" She calls out.
Reflex Save (If Needed):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Bomber's Eye: This extract allows you to throw weapons farther and more accurately. While this extract is in effect, increase the range of
any thrown weapon by 10 feet. In addition, you receive a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls made with thrown weapons.
Also, I forgot Farrukh's damage from the ball itself (the 1d3 was from the fall). Very sorry about that. 1d4 ⇒ 3
Tanith wrote:
Unwilling to let Farrukh face the tentacled monster alone, the big Kordite inches forward and tries to slide down into the pit.
I'll give Tanith a +2 to his AC against the spheres, since he's barely entering the room.
KLONK:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Tanith is able to dodge the spheres with little trouble. However, when he falls into the ballpit, the 'floor' gives way under him.
Make an Acrobatics check or fall prone.
Carina Viera wrote:
Round 1: Actions
Standard Action: Use Bomber's Eye extract Move Action: Move onto the beam
Carina's tail pulls out the vial of grey liquid she had been saving and puts it in her hand. She pulls off the stopper and knocks the mixture back. It tastes like a mixture of ink and glue.
It makes her gag, but her proficiency with bombs has been enhanced for a bit.
She makes her way onto the beam, a vial of explosive chemicals in hand.
Acrobatics *Action Point!*:1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (3) = 9 "Farrukh! Get ready to get clear!" She calls out.
Bomber's Eye: This extract allows you to throw weapons farther and more accurately. While this extract is in effect, increase the range of
any thrown weapon by 10 feet. In addition, you receive a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls made with thrown weapons.
Bomber's Eye Rounds Remaining: 2/2
Stone balls fly all around. One hits Carina in the leg, almost knocking her off-balance, but she's able to right herself.
Is there any visible way out of the evil ball pit? I HAVE A PLAN but it's kinda shot if there's not. Also, I would LOVE a Channel from Astraden right aboot now.
Here's how the balls work: Difficult terrain, and if you take a strenuous action like attacking, you have to make that check to avoid falling over (max of once per round).
Tanith's move took a move action, so he can do more if he wants.
Is there any visible way out of the evil ball pit? I HAVE A PLAN but it's kinda shot if there's not. Also, I would LOVE a Channel from Astraden right aboot now.
Hm...
You could climb up the holes in the wall pretty easily, though there'd be a d% roll to see if any balls hit you in the face. An action point would negate that roll.
You could also try to climb up one of the larger mounds of balls and jump back into the beam. It'd be a DC 19 Acrobatics check, though.
Or you could try something else, if you can think of anything. There's no ladder or anything, though.
Managing to stand his ground despite the shifting terrain, the armorless Tanith looms protectively over Farrukh. "I don't know what you are but you are f#**ing ugly", the big ulfen taunts before rearing back for a big swing with his poleaxe.
'Kay. I could totes burn all my Action points to save my miserable hide, and I may need to. I don't see myself getting out of this alive otherwise.
So, theoretically, could I burn an Action Point to emulate Fast Crawl, 5 ft. crawl back, stand up, and then start climbing? Burning more points as necessary to get Nimble Moves (if I can't 5 ft. crawl in the ball pit) and negate the d% to avoid getting clocked in the noggin.
If not, I'm pretty much hosed. Another solid hit (such as from the AoO to stand up or crawl backwards 5 ft...) = Ded
"Tanith, I am GLAD to see you. I suggest we not engage this beastie any more than necessary though...it shrugs off pretty much anything that's not magic."
