[PFS] Nebten's Tangle (Inactive)

Game Master Nebten

Jarlgur looks to Eadie and Mella. If we can't get it after this next try...break it down.

With the water up to her neck, Mella looses what little cool she had left and smashes her sword into the door/puzzle!

Str Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Maaarv gives the calculations a shot, but to figure out such a complex problem in such a short amount of time is almost not fair. Almost.

Eadie pulls out her potion sponge and places it in her mouth.

Mella appears to have done something right, as some of the gears slow down, thus closing a chute.

The water continues to rise, covering both ears and eyes. So please stow those shields in their upright and locked positions, for now everybody will need to make Swim Checks to stay afloat.

Round 6

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The wall has transformed once again. This time the surface is flat with a basic design. One puzzle appears to be an order of buttons: red, blue, green, red, blue, ???. Another one shows a palm print for a right hand.

Swim checks at DC 10 to move around. 2/5 chutes closed. Maaarv, Jarlgur & Mella are next to the door.

All Heroes Go!

~Under the sea, the birds have scales for feathers. I know. I know. I know.

Jarlgur closes his eyes and prays to all that is holy and profane that he and his fellows can solve a puzzle he remembers from his childhood.

Int. check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The dice like to mess with me.

Shaking his head, Jarl swims backward, making room at the door.

Swim: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Mella presses her palm frantically against the plate...

Int check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

One more success...no pressure Maaaaaaaaaaaarv! Though I think with that critical failure on the doors' part Maaarv's got it in the bag.

Rackle swims forward, seeing an opportunity to contribute.

Swim take 10, Wisdom check 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Maaarv tries not to think too hard about the color pattern.

INT Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

All while trying to stay afloat.

Swim: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Jarlgur debates back and forth between the three colors finally. With his eyes closed, Jarlgur picks the green square. A chutes closes.

Mella pushes the plate with her . . . right hand. The plate sinks in and another chute closes.

Finally, Maaarv. Maaarv, the poor soul who was so close to death on the streets of Sedeq many times. Maaarv who now screams for the guards when passing through a spider web. Maaarv, the ever vigilant alchemist.

Maaarv presses 2. Two, which is the sum of 1 + 1.

The final chutes closes and water stops pouring in.

Cracks and creaks rumbles through the walls. Then gears turn and the sound of metal dropping echoes through the cavern.

The water level rapidly decreases, exiting through unseen drains. Everybody is on their feet with in a matter of moments.

After the water has dissipated, the puzzle door become a solid piece of bronze. The sound of locks unlocking and bars being removed followed by the door popping open ever so slightly into the next room.

I don’t know if you can go through something like that WITHOUT bonding with the people you go through it with.

Once the door opens and the waters subside, Eadie tries to grab the two nearest people (Mella and Rackle?)

CMB if they resist: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 … to plant a kiss firmly on their beaks.

She then steps back, wipes any wet hair out of her eyes and draws her greatsword, before saying.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I am very keen to meet the entity responsible for what we just went through.”

Jarlgur sits on the ground, silent for a moment, as the water drains away. At Eadie's words he stands up, nodding his head. Yes, I too am keen to meet such a person. As he walks off with the party, you him mutter softly to himself. Drowning, what a terrifying way to die. I hope I never have to face that again. The Ulfen then flexes his wrist and a wand appears in his hand. He quickly touches it to himself before replacing and rewinding the spring in his wrist sheath.

GM, Jarlgur will continue to replenish his Mage Armor if the party travels longer than an hour.

Rackle splutters as he comes up for air, only to find the water receeding already. The look of relief in his eyes turn to shock when Eadie kisses his beak. He pauses a moment after, then with a quizzical look, he manages to say, "Uh, thank you?" He leans over to Mikhaere and says, "Are we married now or something? I've never understood Human mating rituals."

Maaarv does his best to dry himself off. As the bronze door creaks open, he pokes his head through the opening to try and catch a glimpse of what new terrors await the party in the next room.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

While he tries to get a good idea of what lies ahead, his nerves, still frazzling from his near-death experience, don't allow him to focus enough.

"Uh, someone else take a look. I - just need to... tie my shoe." Maaarv then feints tying his shoe - even though the boots that he is wearing have buckles - no laces in sight.

Mikhaere floats around in the water with Tiddalik as the group is finally able to solve the godforsaken puzzle door and save them in the nick of time from drowning. He enjoys the swim for as long as the water remains high enough, confusedly watching Eadie's bizarre reaction to the end of the crisis as he does so.

"No, no, I don't think so," he replies to Rackle, staring at the warrior-woman with some trepidation. "But she might lay eggs soon. You'd better be careful."

Momentarily surprised by Eadie's action Mella leans in, her strong hand closing around the back of Eadie's neck and kisses her with an unrealized passion and intensity. "When I leave this world Eadie, I hope it is with you at my side." She shakes her head, "But that is not today."

Looking beyond the bronze door, her shield once again ready and her longsword in hand, Mella watches her companions recover and prepare themselves. "This tangle is indeed deadly, but no floating minotaur corpse gives us some home of success yet."

Mella begins reciting a battle prayer, commonly known as the Sixth Act, in which Iomedae herself caused her shattered sword to reforge itself so that she could fight on against the Whispering Tyrant.

Rackle slips silently up to the door and peeks through.

Stealth 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Those that peak through the cracked door see a large lit space on the other side.

Once-cheerful mosaics of smiling children and adults running through the streets of Absalom paint the walls, but age and water damage smear the faces enough to make it seem as though they weep. Sturdy work benches and bookshelves line the room.

An intricate mess of bronze chains, plates, pendulums, and gears that form a sort of astrolabe dangle high above the room. Catwalks spin out from the walls in three places, curving on a horizontal plane and meeting in an open circle in the middle of the room. Between the catwalk circle dangles the body of a desiccated elf, ragged and dusty scraps of clothing barely covering his thin, bony body. He seems to be dangled in a maze of chains connected to the massive astrolabe above and the chains clank silently as he lolls his head from side to side.

Jarlgur follows closely the group into the room, eyeing the hanging elf warily.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

I will have limited/no internet access for most of the day.

Eadie enters the room with the others. Her blade is drawn and she is looking for threats. Like Jarlgur, her attention is also drawn to the elf tangled up in the chains. Without getting to close to the chains, she will try to determine what caused its death.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

What could this chamber have been used for? Any sign of Nuar Spiritskin?

Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Rackle lets the others go first and then tries to sneak into the room behind them.

Stealth 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Mikhaere follows the others inside, likewise immediately suspicious of the dessicated (and possibly dead?) elf. He too tries to lurk on the outskirts of the room, moving as quietly as he can in case danger should arise.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

Pointing with her sword, Mella says "I'll need to cut him down from there. Col. Maldris believes it will be a gesture of good faith to the Kyonin Embassy."

There are 3 sets of ladders at the base of each cat walk on the north, south and eastern walls. Also near by are exits from this grand room as well. Maaarv follows inside as well.

After Mella's proclamation, the desiccated elf’s head lolls to the side again and his eyes flutter open. He stiffens and tugs at his tethers, screaming with rage. (think Crypt Keeper)

“You! You ungrateful, short-lived insects! I was betrayed and dragged on this altar of pride! Mortality is all you crawling beasts deserve!”

Suddenly Abysiel's eyes begin to glow and the astrolabe starts to animate. The clockwork gears whirl to life and bronze chains chime in with their familiar rattle.

The Abysiel & the catwalk is 20' up. There are no side rails. Crossing the catwalk at full speed may be dangerous.

Round 1
Eadie & Mikhaere go!

I was beginning to think this entire maze was some sort of living clockwork. Now it appears we have stumbled upon the mainspring. Jarlgur muses to himself.

Knowledge: religion or arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Maaarv's concentration is broken severely by the screaming elf. His head snaps back and forth as he searches for the perceived threat.

"Insects!?! Did he say insects!? Watch out!"

Maaarv deduces what the elf actually said, but he is still shaken. But not in a game mechanics way, unless you want it that way, Neb.

Eadie drops her sword onto her shoulder on the way to Z8, while drawing a vial of Holy water.

She addresses the elf-thing. “Oh, dragged to the altar were you? How ironic. I assume you are the one that forced me to marry a Tengu?”

She prepares to throw her missile at the first sign of a hostile action by the creature … especially if it starts casting a spell.

“Jarlgur, what is that thing? Do you think it would like alchy’s fire?”

Prepared Holy water Ranged Touch Attack -2 -2 from 30’ range (10’ range increment): 1d20 + 2 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 - 2 - 2 = -1
Pot Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Character Folio Reroll

Prepared Holy water Ranged Touch Attack -2 -2 from 30’ range (10’ range increment): 1d20 + 2 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 2 - 2 = 2

"Excuse me, I'll have you know that there are some rather nice insects out there that live for quite a long time," Mikhaere quips dryly. Ditching stealth now that the clockwork room seemed to be whirring into action, the tengu decides to make for the nearest ladder and climb up to the top level.

"Why are you chained up there?" he asks curiously. "Mella, you know anything about this?"

Moving to the ladder at AB-5 and then climbing as high as I can with my remaining (double) movement.
Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Mella says, "Frankly I was expecting to find an elf corpse. "

Mella scans for signs of Nuar Spirtskin as she hurries toward the ladder at the southern end of the room.

"Abysiel Greensummer I have come in search of a missing companion, lost to this tangle. Lost, apparently as you are to it as well. I bare you no malice, by Iomedae I swear it. Allow me to help you escape this prison with us, but harm my friends and you will be forcefully freed from your mortality!"

Double move to AB16

Sometimes this format will have random lines appear. Everybody should be seeing a T of dotted lines with is to represent the cat walk. I think I got it cleaned up.

It looks like a desiccated elf yelling and screaming at you. Nobody has ever seen or heard of anything like this before.

Eadie makes her way up just below the dangling elf while pulling out her vial of holy water. She tosses the flask and files backwards out of her hand.

Mikhaere makes his way over to the ladder and climbs up 15 feet.

Abysiel's eyes glow as he then calls out, "Cast away your weapons, you don't need them!"

2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

Eadie Will Save: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 2 = 20
Mella Will Save: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8
Jarlgur Will Save: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 = 24

The chains begin to rattle near Mikhaere. They then shoot out at him while he's on the ladder.

Ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Mikhaere dodges out of the way while hanging on to the rungs.

Mella finds Abysiel friendly and agrees with his request. After all, swords are sharp and pointy. They could hurt someone! Mella then walks over to the ladder.

Everybody BUT Mella can go!

Let’s have another go.

Eadie draws alchemist’s fire this time and checks that Mikhaere and Mella are not in the danger zone before launching the missile at Abysiel.

Ranged Touch Attack +2 -4: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 4 = 16
Pot Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

She will then take a 5’ step under the platform to AA9.

Mikhaere continues to climb up the ladder (somewhat rattled by the chains attacking him, to be fair) until he reaches the top. He then moves s~l~o~w~l~y (half speed) across the catwalk, headed for this crazy elf. "So... if you expected him to be dead, you don't mind if he becomes dead now, right?"

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Climb (if the one above is a failure and I need to retry): 1d20 ⇒ 14

I'll leave it to you to determine how far I get, depending on the results of that Climb check.

Eadie draws an alchemist fire. She is able to correct for her last toss and hits the husk. It lets out a high pitched scream as it catches on fire.

Mikhaere makes it to the top of the cat walk and slowly makes his way right next to the entity. Its head lolls in Mikhere's direction and cackles madly. (double move)

It's actually an Acrobatics check to cross the catwalk. But the 14 you rolled on the d20, so you are good

Jarlgur points at the elf, casting a spell.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Cast Disrupt Undead

Maaarv draws and drinks his mutagen of dexterity. He feels much more nimble, but also more foolhardy.

He shouts at the paladin, "Hey Mella! You forgot your sword!"

Maaarv gets +4 to his Dex score and -2 to Wis for 20 minutes.

Rackle, staying silent and out of sight, tries to move towards one of the ladders.

Double move, stealth 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Jarlgur's shot comes up short of the entangled mechanization. (The shot would have missed with the roll, but Jarlgur out of range to utilize that spell)

Maaarv drink's his mutagen and now has the mentality of a Parkour runner.

Rackle stays in the shadows and slinks his way south bound.

Round 2

A large pendulum swings from the ceiling in the direction of Mikhaere.

Pendulum Attack vs Mik's Touch AC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d8 ⇒ 3
Climb Check: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Pendulum blind sides Mikhaere and is knocked off the catwalk. Tiddalik's eyes budge out looking at the rapidly approaching ground. Mikhaere reaches out and is able to clinch onto the wire mesh with his talons. Mikhaere now dangles off the edge of the cat walk.

A fiery bolt launches from Abysiel's eyes in the direction of the exposed druid.

Bolt vs Mikhaere: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 61d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Mikhaere swings out of the way, still hanging on to the catwalk.

All Heroes May Go!

Jarlgur moves closer and tries the same spell.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Move to Z10

Maaarv rushes to Jarlgur's side. As he closes the distance between himself and the dangling, decrepit elf, he mixes up a Frost Bomb and lobs it at the strange creature.

"I think it's time you cooled down!"

Precise Frost Bomb Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 2 - 2 = 21 The +2 is the Dex bonus from the mutagen. The -2 is because the elf is out of range.

Cold Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Also...DC 14 Fort. save or be staggered for one round.

Note: +2 to AC and Touch AC, 3 more bombs left for the day.

Mella shakes her head, awaking from some far off place. Seeing her sword across the room, she curses in polyglot and begins climbing the ladder.

Not sure how far a double move gets me up the ladder and towards the elf moving 1/2 speed on the catwalk. Yeah on the catwalk. I do my little turn on the catwalk.

Eadie clasps her open palms to either side of her mouth and shouts. “Hang in there, Mik!”

Then to the alchemist with double pistol fingers. “Maaarv, that was so cool!”

… on the catwalk. Yeah on the catwalk. I do my little turn on the catwalk.

She’s too sexy for her sword.

Alchemical Fire Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

This time Eadie draws a javelin while rushing 5 feet away from the platform to Z8. She stops, bends and raises her left knee and both fists, before turning her body 180 degrees towards the target. As she transfers her weight onto her front foot, her back arches as she brings her throwing arm forward, launching the projectile at Abysiel like an orange-and-black rune giant.

Javelin: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Pot Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

**Predator** "Stick around!"

If it hits, she will take note whether the creature shrugs off any of the damage.

Jarglur misses again with his ray.

Maaarv moves up next to Eadie and tosses his bomb. A piece of paneling from the astrolabe moves into position. The frost bomb breaks open and freezes upon the sheet of bronze.

Mella climbs the ladder and by the end of her turn, she reached the top of the catwalk.

Eadie twist and throw is like poetry in motion. The javelin travels strikes the burning husk of an elf through the neck. Abysiel tries to let out a death scream, but instead just burns until it no longer moves. The pendulum stops swinging and the chains stop rattling as the gears come to a halt.

Not quite trusting that the thing is dead, Rackle climbs up to the catwalk, as quickly and quietly as he can.

Stealth 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Mikhaere lets out a pained caw as the pendulum whams into his side and knocks him off the edge, and he clings for dear life onto the side of the catwalk. He sees explosive casks and pointy javelins fly overhead, and suddenly all the clockwork grinds to a halt, just before another pendulum decided to send him flying even further this time. Mik waits a while, just to be sure, before pulling himself back onto the catwalk and carefully approaching the (dead?) body of Abysiel. He gingerly pokes the corpse with one outstretched claw before seeing if there's anything odd or interesting about the elf's person.

Taking 10 on Perception for 22.

"Still want him unchained, Mella?" he asks.

Mella cautious approaches Mikhaere and the elf with the clockworks stopped, "I'll need to lay him to rest, yes." Looking down at Maaarv, Eadie and Jarglur she calls "Very well done! Eadie, I believe you've made your point!"

From her high vantage point, Mella looks for the minotaur Prince.

Maaarv's countenance darkens a bit as his frost bomb misses the target, but he immediately cheers as Eadie's javelin ends the wretched elf's life.

"Eagle-Eye Eadie! Well, now that this, thing, is dead - what is this thing, by the way?"

Maaarv climbs up to the catwalk and carefully examines the dead body and the machinations that it seems to be fused to.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Thinking the hanging elf reminded him of two things, marionette shows he watched as a child and a book about a wizard behind the curtain in a strange land, Jarlgur pads over to the southern room and peers in. Let us check thoroughly before we rest easy.

… a book about a wizard behind the curtain in a strange land ...

“Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead.”

Eadie holds her chain mail coat out to the side as she curtsies and then does a ridiculous little pirouette in self-mockery while blowing the occasional kiss.

Think one of the hippo ballerinas from Disney’s Fantasia.

She sheathes her own greatsword before retrieving Mella’s blade for her. “I think you’re too high up for me to pass it to you, Mella. Just grab it off me when you’re ready.”

She will otherwise watch vigilantly while Mella and Mik complete their task, lending any assistance asked of her.

Take (10) Perception: 10 + 6 = 16

“Let’s not forget Izryen’s Hourglass and the Minotaur.”

When the group is ready, Eadie will remain close to those scouring the chamber for the Minotaur, the hourglass and loot.

Take (20) Perception: 20 = 20

Those upon the catwalk high above a sure the group that the limbless elf is now finally dead. When Mikhaere pokes it, the entire corpse decays quickly before his eyes before turning into ash. The ash outline of the the elf slips through the bronze chains and drops down to the floor below with a thump in a pile.

Within the core of the clockwork near by is large hourglass. Its casing is that of bronze while the glass shines and sparkles. Removing the hourglass safely will take some time.

Abysiel’s chamber contains many of his ancient tools and earlier experiments in manipulating time. Jarlgur searches the southern part of the room and finds all the lewtz.

Eadie investigates the northern alcove and finds a large, albino minotaur chained to a dusty couch. His body is covered in wounds and he’s quite confused, rambling on in common and giant.

Jarlgur moves to the minotaur, and tells him calmly. Easy there big fella. We're here to help.

Jarlgur casts a quick spell and make sure the minotaur is stable