Rannik's Crypt of the Everflame (Inactive)

Game Master Patrick Levasseur

Tamora scans the room for the guard when there is no more attacks.

Perception (Take 10) - 19

She sees Roldare cowering behind one of the crates and gestures to the others to not approach him.

"Roldare, we are not the undead that tried to kill you. We have eliminated the ones we saw on this floor. It is safe to come out now. We are the ones from Kassen that was chosen to undertake the quest for the Everflame this year. Captain Wisslo asked us to save you if we found you."

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

Nice!

"Kassen? Wisslo? Need to warn them! Don't send any one. Too late now... it was just too strong..."

He seems to be calming down, but you can sense that his mind isn't all there anymore. Whatever happened to him must have traumatized him past the point of sanity. Bringing him to the Temple at the village would be the best way to bring him back to his old self.

"What was too strong? Garrik asks. "The rest of it really doesn't matter much, as we were sent and we are already here."

Can a remove fear spell help him?

@Tamora: No, he's beyond that point. You need stronger magical aid that the group just doesn't have at the moment.

Roldare looks at Garrik. "That... That thing! It was unstoppable. Even the door didn't stop it. But I tried... I swear I tried! I use it to block the door. But it still came."

"The shadow? Or is there something else?"

Tamora shifts a crate to one side and sits down.

"I think it is not a shadow otherwise he would dead a long time ago and had became one of them. Is a juggernaut of some sort?"

Roldare looks at Garrik. "Shadow? No, no, not shadow. It was high in the sky... then... then it came down... Swishhhhh.... Boom! Then it was death... death everywhere!" As he his talking, his hands mime the movements. "I... I ran inside. I managed to use this... " He pulls out what look like a wand. "To block the door. They were dying... outside... But it still came. Breaking the door!! The roar!!! I ran again... Came here. Safe here! Block the door again. Safe..." He just mumbles at this point with his eyes out of focus.

"What did the creature look like" Garrik asks, assuming that the group would have to face Roldare's fear before leaving.

Hoga remembers he has a small bottle of brandy, and gets it out.

Here, he says, proffering the bottle to Roldare. This will calm your nerves.

Intelligent speller and grammar checkerflagEnglisharrowgif
Roldare look at the bottle. He takes it and drink a few sips. Then look back at Hoga. "Were you there? Outside? You felt it, right? The crushing need to flee." He looks back at Garrik. "Sorry... I just had to run... Didn't really look. It landed... on them" He points at Hoga. "As big as the town hall... and the roar... I can still hear it."

In a rare show of self-control Kakrish stays back and lets the others in the party interact with Roldare. The story he tells is interesting and it reminds him of all the damage that they saw at the entrance. "Guys, remember all of the signs of that large battle at the entrance?"

"You don't mean? So that's why..."

Tamora brows furrow then she shrugs.

"We defeated everything in this floor so far. Still no giant undead. It must be ahead of us, behind the door that we have not access to. Somehow, its priority is not the guard but elsewhere in this crypt. Perhaps, a vendetta against the person that the town was named after. What other things do you remember, Roldare? Aside from setting the traps and the monster that tried to kill you?"

Roldare seems to be lost in silence. Or at least that's what Kakrish thinks. He storms up to the man. "We need that information. Don't go all quiet on us now."

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (9) - 2 = 7

Roldare turn to Tamora. "Traps? No, no, no! No traps. Just lock doors." He raises the wand again. "Traps deadly... Don't want that. I... I don't know. The orcs..." He looks at Hoga. "The Dead... People! There were people with the dead. Magic! Magic was used. Don't remember much more... Don't want to..." Again, he looks at Hoga without really focusing. "The roar... The loud roar... Never have I heard..."

Tamora holds up a hand to the dwarf.

"Kakrish, stop. Don't rush him. We don't him to panic again."

She points at the wand.

"Can this wand be used to unlock a door other than locking them?"

When Tamora points the wand, Roldare look at it, then back to Tamora. "Lock... it only lock. To keep safe..." He points at the door. "Safe in here." With that, Roldare move back in a corner of the room and sit down hugging his legs as he rock back and forth.

"I see. Thank you, Roldare."

Tamora turns to the party.

"This is a good place to rest. I am going to check out the trap room for clues to the remaining door before I treat you. If anyone wants to accompany me, feel free. But some of us should stay and give our guard some assurance of security."

If there is no interjection, Tamora will go to the room south of the entrance and order her eagle trigger all the traps by double moving. She will also order it to pick up anything below or make a sound to alert her if there is something it can't lift. Arrows indicates movement for the round; round 1 - red, round 2 - blue, round 3 - lime & round 4 - orange.

"Ah yes. I'll come with you. I'm sure you can use some good strong muscle in case you get into trouble." Kakrish volunteers to go with Tamora.

Btw, forgot to add small details on how she have her eagle trigger each trapdoor. Tamora will first summon the eagle on the first trap she sees. The eagle will on the ground instead of the air. When the trapdoor opens/give way, she will have it fly and land on another trap door. She will then have it repeat the step as she points it to the next trap. The double movement via flight is per round.

While the group stays with Roldare, Tamora and Kakrish head back out to the room with the trapdoors in the floor. Tamora uses her summoned eagle to trigger the traps. One after another, the trap doors open, but release the second after. Tamora and Kakrish moves closer and notice that the trap seem to have a counter weight system that reset the trapdoor. An effective trap, it would mean that anyone falling in wouldn't be able to climb back out. With a bit of teamwork and effort, the two manage to block the trapdoor in the open position. Most of the pit is empty. A few have some long dead giant vermins. One has the corpse of an orc. From the state of the body, he's been in there since about the same time of the rest of the corpse outside. He doesn't seem to have anything valuable on him.

Is there only one counter weight or does every trap has one?

Each trap as its own counterweight, but I might have been a bit vague, but you and Kakrish already disable them.

Do we find anything in Roldare's room?

"Quite deadly traps if we were to stumble into them. It's over now. There is nothing to scavenge or note except corpse that are starting to rot. Let's head back."

Tamora returns to the room where others are resting. She cures herself with her spell before treating those who had their strength sapped.

CLW on self: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Heal (Take 10) for long-term treatment - 21

Everyone who took strength damage is healed 4 ability score points & 4 hit points after resting a full day.

Thank you, my lady. That's much better.

"Well I'm feeling whole." Kakrish turns back to Roldare. "You keep talking about this gigantic monster but we just haven't seen it. Are you sure you're not making it up?"

Are you camping for 8 hrs or 24 hrs? To heal the 4 hit point per level is 24hrs. Also, what are the rotation for guard duty, unless you don't set up any...

I don't know if we're going to do 24 hours, but I will stand a watch.

24 hours to get the 4 AP & refresh Tamora's powers. She will stand watch after 8 hours (duration for long term treatment). Also, can I have the answer to the previous question about any items in Roldare's room?

More than happy to take one of the watch shifts.

The group set up to rest and renew their strength. Tamora goes around the room, inspecting the crates and barrel. They are filled with dried food, drinks and some trade good. Most the supplies are bearing the mark of "Silas Gribb, Supply Caravan. Destination: Belhaim." There is enough supply here to last the group for a few months if they wanted. While the group is setting up guard duties, Kakrish sit next to Roldare and try to talk a bit more about the incident. Roldare looks at the dwarf. "Outside... it's outside, don't go there." More prodding from Kakrish doesn't turn up more info. For the next twenty four hours, Tamora make rounds to treat everyone's wounds. Making sure everyone is in peak condition before continuing on with the quest.

Tamora gnaws on one of her rations the next day.

"I believe we are all in peak health. Now we can continue. The only thing that stands between us is the remaining locked door. Let's think of a way to get the door open before we break it. It would need a phrase of some sort if the door shares the same nature and abjuration with the armory's door. I think the only clue left is the picture of the man fighting Kassen and holding identical amulet to the one (Kassen) he is engaging. Does anyone know who that man in that picture was?"

Asking for others who have ranks in knowledge (local) cuz she has only planes, religion & nature.

Some of you remember that in the room with the shadow there was a magical dagger and another magical item in the boot of one of the dead orcs. Might be a good idea to go back there.

See spoiler

Hoga will go get the stuff.

So what do we find? We took the dagger already.

While discussing the next move, the group realise that they might have left important loot in the room where they fought the shadow. Hoga volunteers to get it and soon come back with the stuff. The loot is actually two things. A magical dagger and, from the look of it, a key about the same size than the magical one the group found in the fountain. With a quick divination, the key seems to have the same magical aura then the first one. Maybe it would unlock the second lock on the door from the pillar of arrows room.

Who wants the dagger? I don't.

Tamora sees Hoga returns with the key and dagger as he deposits them on the floor.

"Well, this saves time. It seems that there is no need for a painstaking search."

She hovers her arm, eyes glowing with power. (casts detect magic on dagger)

"As for the dagger, if no one wants it, I will take it. Though it is best to identify it and change your mind if it turns out to be useful."

"Hey, look at that. A key. Probably fits that other door." Kakrish begins gathering his stuff. "I'd say we're ready to get going. But what are we going to do with Roldare?" He looks at the man who is still cringing in the corner.

No Knowledge(local) for me so I can't help with that.

"He survived up to this point, did he not? As long as he continue what he is doing previously, he should be fine. Although we need a way to assure him of our identity on our way back to escort him back to town after we retrieved the flame. How about this?"

Tamora lights her spear and holds it out to the cowering guard.

"Roldare, we will be going for the Everflame now. If you see this or hear our voice again, then you will know that it is us that came back for you to get you out of this crypt. Until then, keep yourself safe."

She turns to the entrance after she is packed.

"Before we open the door, I might need to grab some pebbles that I discarded carelessly in the arrow room. If the first floor already proved to be dangerous, they might be useful for studying the next floor."

After the actions, Tamora is ready for someone to open the door. If no one response, Tamora will unlock the door.

Roldare just nods as you explain to him how to identify you. The moment you step outside the room, you can hear him replacing some of the crates to reblock what is left of the door. You walk back toward the last door of this level. Just as Hoga and Kakrish are about to enter the trapped room, the rest of the group stops them just in time. The room is clean out. There are no arrows of stone left on the floor. Even the dead Orc used to set the trap up last time is missing. What's more, the pillar seems ta have been refilled during the rest period that the group took.

Are two doors still disabled or do we have to kill the mechanism again?

Still disabled.

Tamora bends her head and clasps her hands as if in deep prayers.

"Must we complete the maze to find sanctuary. Perhaps Roldare's intuition was truer than our eyes."

She lifts her head and stares forward into empty air.

"I will deal with this. Take cover behind the door but leave the door slightly ajar. Not enough for the arrows to slide in but enough for a peek. But if you want to repeat what we did, I will let you do so first. Fling one piece of heavy armor onto the trigger. This time, drop down when the arrows flies and brace yourself. "

The only female walks back behind the door.

Tamora will get everyone behind the door and summon something (pref eagle if its size is heavy enough or others if it is not) to trigger the trap. Once the arrows flies, the summon will drop prone+total defense (free/readied standard) for +8 bonus to AC. Tamora suggests the others (including herself) to do the same (prone+total defense) if they want to trigger the trap. She will let them do it first before she summons if any one of them volunteers.

Hoga will go along with that.

"Ok. So you want to use a summoned creature to set off the traps? I'm ok with that! Better your creatures than me." Kakrish chuckles as if he had made a joke then he follows Tamora's instructions.

Red Raven will be glad for the rest and recovery of his drained strength.

Tamora's mouth draws a thin curve line as she peeks through the narrow inlet.

"They are the goddess's companions. Not pawns to be used as I see fit."

She begins her prayers, her eyes fix on certain trigger plates.

She will summon a dolphin that will land on multiple trigger plates. At the same time, ordering it to drop prone as a free action and readied standard action to activate total defense to ramp its defenses to 21 AC. If small creatures can trigger them, she will instead summon dog and order it to do the same as the dolphin (prone+readied standard for total defense).

Sorry, the dolphin's total defense is a normal standard action, the dog is the readied standard action. And the dog will not land on the plates. It will run and jump on it. When the arrows come, it will fall prone and triggered the ready action.