As the discussion begins near the opened doorway, the angel appears to hear the conversation; mostly apparent as the creature turns around towards the general direction of the group. Tears stream down its sorrow-stricken visage as it picks up its greatsword while it turns, taking up a battle stance as Jebediah starts to begin to move down the corridor.
Initiative:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
I have moved tokens on the map based what I assumed from the conversations/posts about looking into the room, feel free to adjust slightly if needed; though if you mentioned looking into the room you will have to have line of sight on the angel. Please feel free to roll initiative, those that roll 25 or higher are free to act as soon as you roll.
I can only try to kill it, not free it from whatever Binding / Geas it is operating under, unfortunately, and I would prefer to avoid murdering the angel...
male Ftr 2/ Cav 6/Pal 8 HP 150 | AC 41/40; Touch 15; FF 39 | F +20; R +9; W +11 | CMB +24; CMD 40 | Speed 20 ft | Init +0 | Perc +1 | Stealth: -6 Cavalier/Ftr/Paladin
Inti:1d20 ⇒ 8
"I don't wanna kill an angel either. I bet the wizard screwed with his head." Shump cups his hand in front of his mouth and shouts towards the good outsider. "Bub we'll be back for ya later."
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
We can leave and see if it follows I guess. If it does I could try to Banish it... I have a boon that lets me recast a spell 3 times. This seems like a good use of one of those.
Sense Movtive for compulsion effects. I belief we detected some earlier.
I wouldn't say detected per se, rather that the creature's behavior certainly implied some kind of compulsion (I wouldn't really ask for an SM roll, that is how low the DC is). No one had yet performed (or had time to do) any magical inspection on the angel.
Sharton wrote:
Any additional info from my knowledge check?
I have been at work all day, without access to the creature's in-depth stat block, hence the omission until now. See below!
Knowledge Planes (Sharton):
Planetars are typically resistant to fire and electricity; while normally being immune to acid, cold, and petrification effects. Being an angel, they also enjoy a 'protective aura' that mimics both magic circle against evil and lesser globe of invulnerability spells. In terms of senses they possess true-seeing, dark and low-light vision, and the ability to detect the presence of evil and simple traps. They do not possess any particular special attacks on a regular basis.
Judging from general consensus, will act under the assumption that the group moves quickly to the next area beyond the door at the hall's end.
After spending the customary inspection of the door for traps and other magics (Sharton and Jeb do not notice any, nor hear any sounds on the other side of the door), a nose-boop on the door will reveal a barren chamber beyond. The only notable feature of this room are two vast double doors, each ten feet in width, standing in the southern wall of the chamber. The face of each black stone door is covered with tens of thousands of tiny runes carved in an eerie, spidery script. The runes seem to writhe and slither about when not under direct observation.
To save time, in the event Jebediah or Sharton sense a trap Sharton will attempt to disarm it.
Disable Device:1d20 + 24 ⇒ (20) + 24 = 44and I could add another 1d6 inspiration, but if this roll doesn't work...
If it's not trapped, or after it's been disarmed, Sharton will try to read the script.
Linguistics:1d20 + 29 + 1d6 ⇒ (20) + 29 + (6) = 55 plus Sharton speaks a bunch of languages. Two nat 20s in a row? Plus a 6 on the d6? I think my work here is done.
Edit: Or I've been blown to hell, very appropriate for post #666, lol.
Hmm...interesting. Jeb thinks there might be a trap, but doesn't know what to look for in regards to the trigger mechanism (i.e. doesn't have trapfinding ability); while Sharton can't see it with his Perception, but has the training to disable a magical trap. Jeb pointing out particular points on the door would allow Sharton maybe to make another Perception to locate the trigger for it, but in doing so would be enough visual inspection to potentially trigger the requirements for the trap to go off.
Jeb would know approximately that the trap effect is based off looking at the door itself, and since he has wild speech he would be able to inform Sharton of such. Hence, I will treat this similarly to avoiding a creature's gaze attack and averting gazes. Sharton, you can do either of the following:
1)Make another Perception to locate the trigger mechanism, but have a 50% chance of accidentally looking at the door too closely and setting it off (I will say a low roll on the Percentile will trigger it)
2)Purposefully close your eyes (e.g. blind yourself) and have Jeb guide you to where he thinks the trigger is and disable it while blind (I would give you a -10 penalty, and maybe tack on 1-2 extra rounds to disable).
In either case, I will give you discretion to keep your Disable Roll already made and add inspiration if you wish.
Male Human Illusionist/15 Investigator/1 | HP 115/115 | AC 19| T 15 | FF 16 | CMD 21 | F +14 | R +16 | W +19 | Init +7 | Perc +27 (+1 traps) | Sen Mot +11 | Greater Invis 6/15 rds | Inspiration 8/8 | Bonded Item 0/1 | Reroll 0/1 (+5) | Active Spells: Haste, Heightened Awareness, Mind Blank, Heroism, Stoneskin, Life Bubble, Resist Fire/Cold/Electric/Acid/Sonic 30, Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Endure Elements (ring), True Seeing, Arcane Sight
Since nothing in this place is just a minor effect, Sharton will give it a shot with his eyes closed. This should be fun! A story for the grandkids, if he lives. He'll definitely add some Inspiration to the existing roll.
With his eyes firmly closed, Sharton is nudged by Jebediah's humongous snoot to a specific spot on one of the doors. The dinosaur pushes the wizard to a particular grouping of runes, the push almost sending Sharton stumbling into the door as he spends a brief breathless moment regaining his balance. The wizard lightly touches the door with a practiced grace, with just enough pressure to not trigger most touch-based traps he has seen before. Sharton feels the raised runes in the area, each one feeling slimy and slippery like toad, and instantly knows that this group is what he is looking for.
Immediately upon his touch, the runes scatter in all directions away from his hand along the surface of the door like a flock of frightened birds. Knowing that he will have to slightly alter each of those runes, the wizard carefully tracks down each of them, guided by the occasional direction by Jebediah when he loses one of them. After catching each one, Sharton deftly alters the rune to inactivate it; the rune letting of an almost imperceptibly soft scream of agony as he does so.
Upon altering the last rune, all of the writhing runes covering the door shudder simultaneously. A massive sighing sound, a gurgling rasping noise that seems to be voiced by hundreds of alien creatures, fills the chamber and slowly fades away to nothing in an eerie silence; leaving the runes covering the door in somber stillness.
Congratulations! The DC was 35. The runes on the door appear to be in Aklo, and will take a full hour to completely decipher if you wish to learn what message they hide. Will proceed with what lies beyond the door when someone indicates opening it, in case any preparations are desired.
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Worried that the angel will pursue the group Ezren prepares items he hope the good creature will find repulsive. These include his Cold Iron Holy Symbol of Asmodeus, a wand of Vampiric Touch, and his Imp companion. Best to be ready. he thinks to himself.
"Well done can you tell anything about it's magic?"
Detect Magic + Knowledge Arcana DC 23:
The magic aura on the door radiates a very strong conjuration magic related to some kind of teleportation effect. Specifics about its effect possibly could be gleaned from deciphering the runes on the door, which would take a while to sort out (about an hour).
Ezren wrote:
Worried that the angel will pursue the group Ezren prepares items he hope the good creature will find repulsive. These include his Cold Iron Holy Symbol of Asmodeus, a wand of Vampiric Touch, and his Imp companion. Best to be ready. he thinks to himself.
I have a mental image of the wizard giving the imp a pep talk, while it practices scary faces for its big moment later.
This room has a long description, so will put in a spoiler to minimize space:
Room Description:
Despite the door's ominous nature, they swing open easily at the dinosaur's nose-boop. The plain walls of the long room beyond are lined by a variety of tables, boxes, crates, and cylinders. Some are made of stone, but others appear to composed of metal. Strange winding cables protrude from some to connect to others. All of this clutter seems to focus upon a large metal framework constructed at the southern end of the room, where strange currents of energy dance and shimmer within a strange ring of stone. Now and then, these currents coalesce into shapes - images startling for their familiarity and yet totally alien.
The image revealed is of a massive city of towers and gigantic monuments set in a mountain valley at the foot of a huge peak - Xin-Shalast, as it would appear from this high mountain vista. The city beyond the energy curtain is very different, however, in that its towers and buildings are ablaze with light both magical and mundane and the central road and surrounding streets teem with tens of thousands of giants and humanoids of all descriptions. The sounds and even the smells of this strange metropolis waft through the image, and image that is, perhaps, trying to be an open window.
Throughout the room about a dozen vaguely human-shaped creatures clad in twitching yellow robes, turbans, and veils clamber around and about the device; seemingly making adjustments and fine-tuning the apparatus at the far end of the room. Several of them look towards the now open door, and then proceed to completely ignore the new arrivals and return back to whatever they were working on; making no hostile action to the group whatsoever.
Knowledge Planes (DC 19):
These yellow robed creatures are chaotic evil outsiders known as Denizens of Leng. As their name implies, they are creatures that hail from the Plane of Leng; they frequently travel between the Planes in search of objects and creature to trade, or knowledge to advance their hidden goals. They have fast healing as long as they are in a place that is not blocked from planar travel, a smattering of utility spell-like abilities plus plane shift, and can inflict dexterity drain with their bite attacks. The Denizens are immune to poison, very resistant to cold and electricity, and have organs in unusual places (e.g. 50% fortification). May ask additional questions as needed.
As Jebediah starts to turn away from the odd sight of the room beyond the creepy doors, the group hears a sharp cracking sound echo from the hallway behind them; accompanied by the sound of something shattering into pieces.
Male Human Illusionist/15 Investigator/1 | HP 115/115 | AC 19| T 15 | FF 16 | CMD 21 | F +14 | R +16 | W +19 | Init +7 | Perc +27 (+1 traps) | Sen Mot +11 | Greater Invis 6/15 rds | Inspiration 8/8 | Bonded Item 0/1 | Reroll 0/1 (+5) | Active Spells: Haste, Heightened Awareness, Mind Blank, Heroism, Stoneskin, Life Bubble, Resist Fire/Cold/Electric/Acid/Sonic 30, Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Endure Elements (ring), True Seeing, Arcane Sight
"How can we get the angel to kill these evil outsiders instead of attack us? I have a dimension door ready but I can't take everyone, especially not our giant door opener here," Sharton says, fondly patting Jebediah. "Ezren, isn't teleport and the like your specialty? Think we can lure the angel in then we whisk the party away?"
Grongnar casts Divine power. "Try what you will keep it alive. But removing the metal control may be the best option. Can someone identify how it is being controlled?"
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
[b]I could carry all of us a very short short distance. Or can Dimension Door with 5 medium creatures. Grognar would count as two while Jeb 4. Better I think to try to banish it. Of course it could come right back, so be prepared for that.[/
Ezren readies an action to do just that. His range is 65 feet. When/if he sees the Planar he presents his foci and casts. The imp will stick out its tongue for more effect. :)
SR for Banishment.:1d20 + 17 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 17 + 3 = 37the +3 is for the three items Ezren hopes the Planar finds repulsive. Please adjust accordingly. Will save is 28+2 for each focus that is successful.
Since it appears the group is waiting for Ezren to take the lead here, will presume this round of initiative is mostly waiting to see if Ezren's plan is productive.
After the shattering sound, presumably of Sharton's forcecage breaking, the group waits for the approach of the planetar down the hallway. Ezren, along with a very excited imp, ready themselves behind Shump's defenses to banish the creature. Several seconds pass...but the angel does not come into view. The half-orc takes a quick peep around the corner, and sees the creature standing at the very edge of the threshold to the doorway of its chamber instead of advancing down the corridor. The angel seems to strain against an unseen bond that prevents it from leaving the room.
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
It seems to be free but unable to leave its room. I am happy with that, for now. Lets continue.
As Jebediah makes the turn in the hallway to head back to the throne chamber, he gets a real good look at the angel in the doorway at the other end as its eyes flare with holy flame. Abruptly, a column of golden fire erupts all around the dinosaur!
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
It is likely better than you deserve. Ezran adds because he is sorta a dick sometimes; Chealiax and Hellknights all all.
Male Human Illusionist/15 Investigator/1 | HP 115/115 | AC 19| T 15 | FF 16 | CMD 21 | F +14 | R +16 | W +19 | Init +7 | Perc +27 (+1 traps) | Sen Mot +11 | Greater Invis 6/15 rds | Inspiration 8/8 | Bonded Item 0/1 | Reroll 0/1 (+5) | Active Spells: Haste, Heightened Awareness, Mind Blank, Heroism, Stoneskin, Life Bubble, Resist Fire/Cold/Electric/Acid/Sonic 30, Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Endure Elements (ring), True Seeing, Arcane Sight
Sharton follows along, leery that whatever restricts the angel from leaving the room doesn't necessarily apply to it swinging its greatsword into the hallway.
In the current initiative and based on map locations, the only party member in the hallway is Jeb; with the rest around the corner or back in the creepy door room. It will take 2 rounds worth of full movement to completely leave the angel's lane of fire (3 rounds for those with 20 foot move speeds). If the group wishes to skip past these rounds, it is safe to assume that everyone except Jeb (who is already past) and Grif (who can just skip merrily down the hallway at his leisure completely undetected) will be hit by at least one flame strike on average as the angel continues to fire off its spell-like abilities. If you wish to burn a spell or weird ability that would let you bypass this hazard (e.g. teleporting away, increasing movement speed to 80 feet or more, etc.), you can avoid being damaged. People who made the Planes checks earlier know things pierced by true-seeing will not prevent it from targeting you. Otherwise, I will need a DC 22 Reflex save for 1/2 damage from everyone else.
Travel time hustling to the room with the shimmering door takes 4 minutes. Buff tracker updated as of arriving at said room. Nothing has changed with the room since your departure, reminder of room description in spoiler below.
Pagoda Room Description:
In this 50-foot high room is a 20-foot tall golden statue of the Runelord in a pose with his hands held out before him; as if it had been holding an object of some kind in them. A brazier stands before the statue, with plumes of smokeless fire churning within it. North of the statue stands a stone pagoda-like structure, with a single opening in its southern side and its contents not visible from the group's current vantage point. To the west, a massive pair of golden double doors shimmers behind a hazy screen of golden energy.
Current Party Buffs:
Time Elapsed since arrival: 57 minutes + 4 rounds
Jebediah: Barkskin (125 min), Miracled Death Ward (13 minutes), Delay Poison (18 hr), Electricity Resist 30 (EXPIRED), Endure Elements, Extended Greater Longstrider (36 hr), Extended Ward of the Seasons x 2 (36 hr), Greater Magic Fang x 5 (36 hr), Hunter's Blessing (16 Hr), Life Link, Magic Vestment (22 hr), Status (18 Hr), Wild Shaped
Ezren: Contingency (Improved Invisibility, 17 days), Electricty Resist 30 (EXPIRED), Heroes Feast (12 hr), Hunter's Blessing (16 Hr), Life Link, Life Bubble (5 hr) Mage Armor (34 hr), Mind Blank (24 hr), Overland Flight (17 hr), Protection from Fire (60 pt, 19 min), See Invisibility (139 min), Status (18 Hr), Stone Skin (EXPIRED)
-Baal: Cold Resist 30 (16 min), Deathwatch (108 min), Heroes Feast (12 hr), Hunter's Blessing (16 hr), Life Link, Status (18 hr), Stone Skin (EXPIRED)
Grognar: Divine Power (EXPIRED), Electricity Resist 30 (EXPIRED), GMW (16 hr), Heightened Awareness (103 min), Heroes Feast (12 hr), Hunter's blessing (16 hr), Life Link, Life Bubble (6 hr), Magic Vestment (22 hr), Status (18 hr), Stone Skin (EXPIRED)
Male Human Illusionist/15 Investigator/1 | HP 115/115 | AC 19| T 15 | FF 16 | CMD 21 | F +14 | R +16 | W +19 | Init +7 | Perc +27 (+1 traps) | Sen Mot +11 | Greater Invis 6/15 rds | Inspiration 8/8 | Bonded Item 0/1 | Reroll 0/1 (+5) | Active Spells: Haste, Heightened Awareness, Mind Blank, Heroism, Stoneskin, Life Bubble, Resist Fire/Cold/Electric/Acid/Sonic 30, Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Endure Elements (ring), True Seeing, Arcane Sight
Seeing that it's a long hallway, Sharton offers to dimension door Grognar, Shump, and Ezren to the throne room. He could take Griff, too, but he doesn't know where Griff is.
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Save your spell Sharton, and allow me. It is after all, my specialty.
Ezren uses one of his daily abilities of Infernal Transport to dim door. There is the briefest glimpse of Hell as the party flashes to their new location and the slightest smell of brimstone upon arrival.
Should give pause to Shump I guess if he knows what he sees, but its how the ability works. Mostly just color.
