Legacy of Fire

Game Master Megan Robertson

Kellish and common

Common, Elven, Undercommon, Infernal

Map? Certainly - here you go :)

Does anyone here speak Draconic or Osirian?

Not I.

Then all you hear are incomprehensible murmurings which seem to emanate from the statues - an effect enhanced by the gusts of that mist which come from their mouths in time with the sounds.

Sonya sighs heavily in frustration before realizing how dangerous deep breaths could be in this mist.

Let us hurry, I grow weary of this place and would prefer not to find more traps.

"Lets," he mumbles.

Following the passage as it curves north, you come to what appears to be the backside of a secret door.

Silena approaches the hidden portal cautiously.

Casting detect magic to see if there are any magical wards protecting THIS side of the door.

If there are none she will approach the door and listen at the secret door to try to determine if there are occupants on the other side of the door.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Man! How many 'natural' {1} rolls is that in a row???

Jengren remains behind Calain. He, also, detects magic.

First looking to make sure there is no cat men ready to pounce from behind,
Calain nods forward and takes place on the other side of the door to Silena.
Want me to?

He readies to open on her nod.

Readying her spiked chain Silena steps to tactical position nods, and softly replies, "aye..."

When the door opens.. she moves in to the left of the door immediately to survey the room.

You are faced with a slab of black basalt that appears to block an opening... but you can find no way of actually shifting it, no mechanism or controls.

Those of you capable can, however, detect magic.

Daniel looks questioningly at the offending slab.
You wanna check for magic on it before I try an Sunder it with my hammer?

He puts away the Nodachi and steps back to bring the hammer to bear.

Silena does not touch the door but studies it closely looking for any inscription or other detail that might give a clue.

"There is magic upon the door... do not strike it... yet. Jengren can you determine the purpose of the enchantment upon the door? Is it a spell or an actual permanent enchantment?"

Percption: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

there those aren't 1's

Yay! Silena rolled well.

Calain nods his ascent.
He whispers, Well, sage. What do you make of it? Can I smash it or not?

Silena, your expertise tells you that the door will open if a spell - any spell - is cast upon it: it's the use of magic that is the trigger.

Been away, sorry for the delay in posting.

Jengren will cast breeze that will blow against he door.

Yeah, about time too! :)

Silana nods smirking slightly, "Nice try Jengren... but magic has to be cast directly at the door. Your spell creates the wind but the wind is not magical in and of itself."

Silena steps forward casting guidance she touches the door.

As the door opens she readies her spiked-chain to defend...

Not to put to fine a point on this but only Silena made the magical identification and spellcraft check to figure out the functioning of the door.

Silena didn't mean to offend and take away from your spotlight.

Silena didn't mean to offend and take away from your spotlight.

No problem.. I was just hoping I would not offend you over it! :) Its ALL GOOD! :)

The door creaks open as Silena casts guidance on it. You peer through to the room beyond... Map update, you are now entering area #8.

Reeking of dust, this ransacked room appears to have been some sort of scriptorium. Slate-topped tables and cedar-wood stools lie overturned and broken amid the cracked remains of scroll cases and rolls. Three wings lead to the east. In them, decrepit scroll racks of dry-rotted cedar lean haphazardly against the walls, their contents dumped out. Flecks of papyrus carpet the floor, a library of ancient lore laid to waste.

Silena frowns whispering, "...as I suspected. If there is a holy of holies in a temple to the 'all-seeing eye'... it would be the library of lore... this temple has been defiled and ransacked by those who despise knowledge it was not looted... it was desolated!"

Silena moves cautiously forward along the westmost wall just enough to peer into the first eastern alcove from a distance...

Kno: Religion 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

She continues to ponder aloud, "...the old man was a... shapeshifter eh? That hints at worshipers of the "Mother of Monsters"... LAMASHTU 'The Great daughter of heaven who tortures infants!'. There are Gnolls holding the great city we are seeking to liberate from their control to free up trade in this area... 'The Mother' IS their patron demon goddess!"

"Calain be sure to guard Sonya closely... there are worse fates than death for a lovely desert flower as she at these monster's cruel hands... I'll scout ahead."

Silena moves forward her spiked blackened armored shoulders set in determination her intent to not allow ANY such harm or fate to befall Sonya... or Jengren... it was already too late for herself...

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Standard Action: Total defense {+4AC}
Move Action: Move 20'ft

Sonya pauses to detect magic as they slowly proceed through the room, hoping to find some intact artifact or bit of lore missed by the savages.

Jengren steps inside the room and detects magic while his eyes gather in the scene. "This was a temple of Nethys, perhaps it was taken over by another sect." Responding in general to the drow's comments.

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

I couldn't open the map an error message stated server could not be found. I'll try again later.

Calain grunted his ascent. They DID need to look after Sonya. She had a healer's touch and he'd rather her lay hands on him than a torturers servant. That did not mean he Liked been away from the first kill.

Sorry - the server had fallen over. I'd been out shopping with the family, got in a few minutes after you posted and rebooted it.

Silena recalls that in such a temple, this chamber was the Per Ankh where holy texts were written and copied.

Looking to your rear, you see that a massive basalt plaque dominates the southern wall of the chamber, surrounded by images of the god-king Nethys on the deck of a river barque. Osiriani inscriptions on the ominous southern portal alternate between descriptions of the positive and destructive properties of magic. This is the panel through which you entered area #8.

I'm afraid that search as you might, nothing of value, not even a scrap of legible writing, remains :(

As a dedicated lover of knowledge, I find this really upsetting even in a game!

Silena asks as she moves forward, "Jengren... was this not the Per Ankh of the Temple... where all the holy texts were kept? Surly there must be even here a secret relicry where those most precious documents were concealed, perhaps not with magic but a secret compartment? See if you can locate any such bolt hold of hidden lore... I'll move onto the next alcove."

Without further word Silena stalks forward cold iron spiked chain gripped in hand her posture one of defiant readiness for whatever should seek to inflict harm... or worse upon her party!

Standard Action: Total Defense
Move Action: Move 20'ft forward - 1 square left of the {8} on the western wall peering into the the second alcove
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Sonya keeps her distance behind Silena keeping her just at the edge of her light while moving after her.

Jengren scans the floor, walls and massive basalt plaque for any magical. He will begin to look for secret compartment beginning with the panel.

"Can someone read this language?'

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

The inscriptions speak of the beneficial and destructive aspects of magic: very erudite stuff but it boils down to the equivalent of thinking that fire is a good servant but a bad master...

Nothing magical and no secret compartments are to be found. But there is a bit of a stench coming from the north - like some smelly animals were living there.

"Calain be ready it smells like an animal den in that direction." Jengren points towards the North. "Perhaps our caretaker lived there, then again it could be another beast or two."

Silena moves forward again to peer into the last alcove wary against attack by beasts from the smell of the refuse...

Standard Action: Total Defense
Move Action: Move 20'ft forward - 2 squares forward just enough to peer into the last alcove to the far east
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Calain switches back to the Nodachi , Very well Jengren, keep the light up and stay close. I will go after whatever looks meanest.

Jengren will make sure that he casts light on Calain's back once again. No need for darkness to come during battle.

Sonya will keep back with hopes of keeping someone behind her.

"Silena, Calain you see anything in there/

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Bumping this game ahead.

I've been waiting for anything from Megan.

She may be busy or have forgotten this one. Remember, this is not a game she started, she picked it up out of kindness when the first DM dropped it.

Megan has been buried in ENnies judging, but we finally completed our deliberations yesterday...

Now then, Silena pokes around in what turns out to be an empty alcove, the rest of you lurking nearby.

Are you going north now? Who's first?

With only the slightest sour smirk of annoyance at nothing being there to cpmbat... Silena again moves forward hugging the left-hand wall as she enters the connecting corridor. Moving cautiously she peeks around the gazing into darkness seeking any threat.

Still holding her Buckler high for maximum protection she retains point of the party's advance.

Detect Magic is still running if it fails she will slow her advance and cast it again... she is trying very hard to avoid anymore magical traps!

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Total Defense: {Standard Action}
Move 20'ft: {Move Action}

The passageway doglegs as it goes north, then opens out into a larger chamber. Three spacious tubs dominate this room, with large terracotta braziers placed between them. Narrow vents lead into the ceiling above each brazier, evidently the source of the sand and grit covering the floor. A rank stench emanates from a strange heap of debris in the room's northwest corner.

Jengren looks at the strange heap of debris and casts detect magic focusing on the pile. "Careful Silena," he cautiously warns.

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

The dice roller hates me...absolutely, despises me in this game.

It is being rather unkind... :(

The pile doesn't appear to be magical but there's something moving around underneath or within it...

Silena moves toward the stirring pile getting within 10'ft short of it...

Silena nods accepting Jengren's sound advice with silent acceptance, pausing her advance on the stirring pile of refuse. Silena pirouettes gracefully draping her spiked-chain around her shapely armored form.

Gesturing to Calian to move closer so he is ready to move to a flank if it presents itself and is needed. She pulls from her side a scroll case and readies a scroll...

She 'sings' and incantation from the scroll... her tone is soft but the words are harshly punctuated, subtly martial and... disturbingly seductive.

Scroll Use - Summon Monster I

Then space splits open in a ripple before her... the smell of brimestone and the faint screams of despair are heard as if from far away echoing as the ripple closes and a black feathered eagle appears... its feathers trimmed in infernal reddish hues.

A Fiendish Eagle is Summoned for some infernal realm to serve its mistresses whims... lands to perch upon her blackened steel spiked gauntleted fist. Its large smoke-colored wings flex... in its eagerness to inflict pain...on something... anything!

Softly Silena speaks, "..Kill that would you?"

The Eagle immediately takes flight to attack the creature moving under the rubbish!!!

{Fiendish} Eagle Move: 5'ft{step}
{Fiendish} Eagle 'Full' Attack-Talon 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
{Fiendish} Eagle 'Full' Attack-Talon 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
* CRITICAL THREAT!
{Fiendish} Eagle 'Full' Attack-Bite 'peck': 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Talon 1 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Talon 2 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Bite 'peck' Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

'Roll to confirm critical' Attack-Talon: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Not confirmed! :(

Silena herself pirouettes again and her spiked chain is in hand ready to defend...or attack whatever responds to her summoned fiendish minion...

Silena do you have a class ability that shortens the time to summon a monster or permits a move and a full round action? Summon Monster is a full round action. The monster doesn't appear until your turn next round.

The monster has not attacked us... so I was guessing it did not see us. So my actions are a full rounds action and effectively a surprise round. Unless Megan tells me otherwise. Yes, the eagle appears next round but since the creature has yet to notice us.. it doesn't seem to matter. Megan did not ask for initiative... I'm ambushing it as its under the refuse and can't see us as yet. Won't really change anything if it attacks after I summon the creature and before my eagle appears anyways... other than the Eagle will appear and 'may' get a flank bonus on the creature.

All Silena wanted was to draw out the monster so it does not get to surprise us.. or full attack any of us initially at least.. the eagle is expendable. Hell will make more!

[ooc] As Silena pulls her scroll Calain stands 5ft to her side, only a step to be adjacent if needed, Weapon in hand.
He nods, he is ready.

As Silena is initiating combat rather than defending herself, I'll allow the summoning and movement, and let the Fiendish Eagle have a surprise attack on 'whatever'...

Surprise Round

Silena's summoned fiendish eagle swoops down on the heap of debris with a shrill cry. The debris are scattered in all directions as she sinks her talons into a strange leathery ray-like creature that struggles up to meet her. A toothy maw on its underside opens as it screams in rage and pain. Two similar creatures also emerge from the rank mess, taking wing with long, bony tails lashing behind them...

And it is initiative time, folks! Please roll initiative, state your first combat action & make necessary rolls. As today is a US holiday - Happy 4th July folks! - I shall resolve the first round on Saturday.

Critter #1 initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Critter #2 initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Critter #3 initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Jengren's Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

RD 1:

A bluish white orb pulsates form Jengren's palm as the magic missile strikes one of the emerging critters. damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3