Labyrinth Souls (Inactive)

Game Master Mighty Glacier

Araden continues to hustle his way up onto the next level, coming to a stop just behind the others. Double move to BC37. There, he gazes into the room and lifts his axe. "My gods... Perhaps Pahleg is right, friends. This beast seems quite fearsome..."

Round 3

Araden and Ulrich hustle to the others. Araden gazes at the dragon, not feeling comfortable continuing the chase.

The liar continues running, exiting the spacious hall and escaping the view of the party.

The dragon roars and breathes a sea of fire at the liar's direction, but the man is already gone.

Now that the chase has come to a halt and the situation has calmed a bit, one can see that one of the dragon's legs is enchained to the corner. A quick estimate would be that the chain limits its movement, but for how much can be hard to tell. The iron chain looks sturdy, but is any chain enough to make a dragon harmless?

Tannan, Elyna, Araden: you're in its line of sight.

Elyna steps back to take cover behind the wall. "It breathes fire... I'm not sure if I can do anything against it."

Move to BD 39

"Blood and ashes!", Ulrich curses. "Bastard got away... let's not risk it unless we have everyone."

Ulrich remains where he is, ready for a fighting retreat.

Pahleg ushers the group back. "A dragon is beyond us, retreat!"

Araden shakes his axe in frustration, but falls back with the others. "It seems the accursed blackguard has escaped us today. Perhaps next time, we will be able to deliver the justice he deserves." He glances to the stairs. "For now, best we should retreat far. I too dislike our chances with a dragon."

Talking while moving back as far as possible, which I believe would get me to AZ42, assuming we stay in initiative once we all beat the retreat.

Tannan stops on a dime at seeing the dragon. He face behind to drop in awe at the sight, but he collects himself shortly after. He too retreats with the others.

Oh hell no! I ain't gonna throw myself at that beast!

I wonder if I could bargain with it? It could prove useful in getting the F**k outta here?!

The group steps back, to safety beyond the dragon's sight.

Combat over.

Tannan, you can try to bargain with it. Being able to speak Draconic may be a help. Others, what's the game plan? Thinking of continuing? Turning back?

"Let's get back to the original plan- that maze. We have to keep an eye on our flanks for these bastards, though; they're going to show up when they think we'll be vulnerable."

Would like some more input from others, especially Tannan, before moving back to the maze.

"I agree. Let us try our luck with the maze."

"A maze, you say?" Araden falls back and walks with the others, assuming the group decides to do such. "And here I was thinking this place was winding enough."

Maybe I will try to converse with it later. Maybe if we free it it will help us? Hmm, maze it is than

Tannan files away the thought for later. He proceeds back down the steps, and towards the maze.

I ain't the best with puzzles, but I can scout ahead first if you wish. Hey, I can understand draconic, and could try talking to the scaled beast at a later time if we wish to get past.

Leaving the fire-breathing dragon and the escaped liar, the group descends the stairs and backtracks to the narrow path that leads to the tightly-packed maze. It is evident that without a good strategy there is a serious risk of getting lost there. Fortunately, the party may have some boons that could assist them.

Current location B17F AK31. To navigate in the maze, select one PC to lead the party. This PC rolls Survival to navigate successfully and avoiding to getting lost. (It seems that Pahleg has the highest bonus). If you have items or strategies that might assist, now is the time to mention them.

"Hmm. Let's see here... Pahleg, you're our best navigator eh? And we can unwind that robe of twine on our way, maybe tie it off to something out here at the entrance so we can come back? Any of you have ideas?"

"We should mark our path, perhaps etch marks into the ground or walls so we know where we have been."

"None of you happen to have any chalk, do you? I have this broken pickaxe, I suppose I could scratch marks with that if all else fails... but there should be a way to wind the twine from that robe through the maze so that we can just pull it back when we need to retrace our steps. What if we trail the twine behind us and we'll mark dead ends with an x scratched in the wall?"

If everyone's cool with that, I suggest we get into the maze.

Elyna pulls a string from the sleeve of her robe and holds the end up to Ulrich: "That's why I wanted to keep it. All we need to do is fasten it somehwere."

Ulrich looks around for something to tie the twine around. (Or drag out to anchor.)

"All right, Pahleg- you should direct us. Tannan can scout ahead a bit, with Araden in front and I'll take the rear guard since my shield will help ward off a knife in the back."

I'm thinking Tannan in front, stealthing with Araden clunking along behind, Pahleg and Elyna in the middle with Pahleg calling out directions. Then I'll be in the rear.

Sounds good to me. DM, feel free to roll all the necessary survival rolls for me.

Araden nods and steps forward to his place in line. He looks to Pahleg and gives a chuckle. "It sounds to me like we're going to solve this maze with..." He pauses for a moment, hoping the cleric will join in. "Cooperation." You get the sense that the knight is smiling as the group sets out through the winding halls.

Ulrich sighs heavily.

"COOPERATION!" Pahleg shouts with Araden, smiling from ear to ear. "Onward! Anything is possible if we work together!"

Sorry, no post for today. Will post tomorrow.

Pahleg's Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 + ?

Under Pahleg's guidance and assisted by the whole team and the robe of infinite twine, the party navigates in the large, narrow maze. It takes surprisingly little time and effort to find an exit. Moreover, the maze was charted thoroughly enough to say that the exit found was the only one: the maze only has a point of entry and the exit.

At the exit, the party notices that the stone walls of the maze are replaced by rows of decaying trees. The ceiling of the dark maze is now gone, and the night sky above is starry and moonless. This is not a new experience for Pahleg, Elyna or Ulrich, who had already witnessed a similar place not far from here. For Araden and Tannan, however, this might be the first time in a long time seeing the sky and breathing fresh air.

A large mansion towers ahead. A mansion, or similar building. The building has few windows, and those windows are all nailed shut so that no light comes in or out. A partly-rusted sign that is hanging above the front doors reads, "Undead Sanatorium".

Elyna and Tannan notice a suspiciously big pile of ash and dust next to a tree. A closer examination reveals an item inside.

Scroll of Animate Dead (Lesser)

A heavy sheet of paper, used to hold magical spells in written form.

Scroll of animate dead (lesser) (Ultimate Magic) CL 3. Has material costs of 125gp (5 HD of undead). Worth 28 souls.

Magic never died, and never will. The art of magic may change, but is never lost.

Followers of Miraclemaker were proficient necromancers. Here on the Labyrinth, it may prove difficult to find a corpse not turned to ash and dust.

"Sanatorium, eh? That doesn't sound promising- though what does in this gods forsaken place... What's say we take a look inside and hope there aren't any of those octopus-headed guards waiting for us?"

This doesn't look like the temple we found earlier, does it?

Temple? Chapel? Cathedral? No. But it does look like the building with the squid-face.

Pahleg gets an unhappy set to his jaw. "Let us move in, see what there is to be seen."

"Now's a really good time for scouting- we want to stay away from that thing that ate Ushio...", Ulrich says, pushing the door open.

Ulrich tries the door, and since it is unlocked he pushes it open.

The interior is surprisingly modern if timeworn. The walls are neatly painted masonry, but the paint is cracking and hasn't been maintained well, if at all. To the group's right is an ornamental wooden desk, presumably a reception desk. It has some unidentified claw and bite marks.

To the left is an open space that is presumably a lounge of sorts.

Two sets of stairs, both leading up to opposite directions, are in front.

Something is dripping from the ceiling.

(Light level is dark. Pahleg has Darkvision and Ulrich has a torch.)

Ulrich steps into the building, careful to avoid the stuff dripping from the ceiling.
"Any idea what that could be?", he says, squinting up into the dark before crouching near the puddle.

Knowledge- Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

"Hmph. Well, let's start with the lounge over here.", he says, walking to the left and examining the area.

How far can I see since I am using torch light? Should I carry the torch in my off hand or would I be too much a "beacon" guys?

Tannan, will pick up the scroll, and show it to everyone else after taking a very deep breath.

Ah, the smell of fresh air. This place is strange to say the least. We start in some sort of structure, and now wind up outside? Remind me to have a chat with whoever made this f**king place

Tannan gently sweeps his dagger through the pile of ash. Carefully he picks out the scroll underneath, I cannot read it, but it has to be beneficial somehow right?

He will hold onto it unless someone else wants to.

He looks at the looming structure and than cringes at the sign undead sanatorium.

What the hell am I doing here? Maybe the guards were a better fight than this. is the only though running through his mind as he mulls over what the creepy sign could mean. He than grabs a dagger from his waist, and gets ready for whatever is in the doomed structure.

He takes point, looking at the unidentifiable marks on the desk, than whispers back to Ulrich, what do you mean "the thing that are Ushio"?

Ulrich glances around nervously, as if talking about the thing will make it appear.

"We came through this building from the side- that forest out there meets up with a different area. When we came in, a man with an octopus for a head paralyzed one of our companions and ate his brain... naturally, we all ran for it except for Kekkle since he regenerates every few hours. So we need to be on our guard.", he whispers.

Araden breathes deeply in the fresh air, and even moves his hand to his visor, as if to open it and breathe even more cleanly. The fingers only hover before his face, though, and he drops them back down after a moment.

At the entrance of the building, though, he lets out another chuckle. "A resting place for undead, then, is it?"

Once inside, he hangs with the others, axe always in hand, and listens as Ulrich shares the fate of Ushio. "A gruesome fate, to be sure. We must be careful to stay together, lest this darkness confuse us." He sighs, as he feels that he cannot make his own light just yet--he is too strongly connected to the warrior spirit within him, and it mislikes magic.

Once Ulrich kneels and examines the puddle that formed from the dripping liquid, he can tell it's some black substance, thicker than water, almost like blood.

Tannan: As any other torch, so 40 feet radius from torch is dim light and 20 feet radius from torch is normal light. If you've low-light vision, that 40 feet doubles to 80 feet. I think? But isn't Ulrich the one holding the torch, or did Pahleg light something?

The group walks to the lounge area. Some chairs encircle the room, some withered plants are laying in the corners. There's a small table in the middle. The chairs and the table all have claw and bite marks.

Past the lounge leads to "the cafeteria", judging from a plaque next to a wall that says so. Pahleg gazes far into the dark cafeteria, and sees a skeleton sitting on a table. The skeleton seems to be dining, and doesn't seem to notice the party outside the cafeteria.

Pahleg very quietly conveys the information. "If he's sentient enough to be sitting down at a table and eating, we may be able to reason with him."

I believe Pahleg's been lighting my sword.

Ulrich looks at the rest of the group.
"Sneak in for a look around or should I just ask him for directions?"

If we decide on asking for directions.
Ulrich calls out.
"Hey! What do you know about this place?"

If we decide on stealth.
Ulrich stays put and waits until the signal to intervene.

"I agree with Pahleg. Let us see if this skeleton can tell us anything. And if it is a threat, we are much greater in number." Araden steps out beside Ulrich as the other man calls to the creature.

Ulrich calls out to the skeleton in the dark cafeteria. Its bony hand grasps a goblet, and it takes a drink. It then puts down the goblet. Ulrich's words seem to have no effect. As the group approaches the cafeteria Pahleg sees that the skeleton was not dining alone: two more skeletons come to his view in the darkness. The skeletons feast quietly. The food on their plates seems, or rather smells, quite spoiled.

(In other news, I finally got around to fixing the souls counter. Should be up-to-date now.)