He shakes his head, "I ran down here trying to escape a man and woman who were chasing me. I have been stuck down here for hours too scared to come out. I don't know which way to go."
Fishing for anything I know of Sir Balin.
Using the others as a distraction, I will saunter over to the interrogation table that Kana pointed out and take a closer look.
Sir Balin is a knight of the Alerion order and is personally famous for hunting followers of Asmodeus. The knights of Alerion are the same military force that captured each one of you. He may have had some personal hand in your capture also.
There is only one thing in this room – a torturer’s rack. This cruel implement is functional and ready for use but currently empty. The chamber is lit by an oil lantern that hangs from the center of the room. There is nothing else obvious here.
So Sir Balin, the famous knight of Alerion is down here as well. Whats your name boy? You see we were disguised as cultist trying to move among them. Sorry we took you by surprise. My name is Cole. I am a lowly knight from the north. I fought the invading orcs and goblins with my father. I too want to be a knight of Alerion one day. Let us see if we can find Sir Balin. Maybe we can find this man on woman that chased you after we find him.
"Sq... Squire Timeon. Yes lets get out of this madhouse. We should find Sir Balin then escape. If the man catches us he will kill us all."
You all walk back through the mists room and down the other passage till you come to the next door in your path. The inscription above the door reads “The chosen are revealed by their might. The weak deserve no sympathy.” Timeon cowers behinds everyone else.
In whispers to Cole out of earshot of the boy. Is it likely that this Balin will be another trial further on? Even behind this door perhaps? We could always...force...information out of the boy. Perhaps weaknesses or favored tactics of this Mitran?
These "lessons" are just too vague to be of much use. Are we supposed to torture the boy and reward him by sparing his life? Or is it just a forewarning of what is to come? Namely that we hunt a knight of Alerion?
Timeon, you serve your master well. I will be sure to tell him of your bravery when we find him. Give us a moment to discuss how we are to get out of this. Balin could help us turn the tide against those cultist. Wait here a moment Timeon.
Cole gathers the others just outside in the hallway. He listens to Fletch and then replies.
Are disguises are set. Lets use this to gain the upper hand. If we have the boy convinced then yes I believe Balin will be a test and is alive. We can maybe full him as well. If h lowers his guard when seeing his squire again then all the better. If he fails to see us we can be upon him and gain the advantage. As long as he is not a paladin and checking he won't be able to see my aura. So lets protect the boy until we meet his master.
Cole looks upon the others waiting for any objections.
Good, Timeon come here. We are going to make our way out of here now. So you know nothing of any of these other rooms? They all seem to be some crazy maze or test the cultist set up. We have had a trial in each one. You stay back and watch yourself.
Cole opens the door once gathered.
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When Tim cowers "Father Willhelm" pats him on the back In a show of solidarity in keeping with the role that he plays when the others pull off "be just a moment dearie, " he says with a kindly smile
He whispers to the others"when this is over I will have to be instructing you fools in how to properly lie, you are terrible at it
To be fair I've only ever practiced the art of obfuscation on the criminally insane...and an inspector or two. Your tips would be appreciated, Wade.
"Ah, well, I think I heard him say something to her about metal snakes, but I think he was just trying to scare me into coming out. I don't think such things really exist. He said something about some drowned men being woken by a shrieker and a secret passage. I can't remember anything else..."
Another chamber almost identical to the others is revealed, bare and with a single lantern in the centre as before. There is only 1 door visible to the south but it is heavily barred.
The room is occupied however. Two metal cobras are in the centre and at the sound of the door opening they are roused and hiss at the first person they see. These are no ordinary snakes, these small sized 'cobras' are covered in Mithral scales.
These are constructs and their mithril armour protects their construct parts from both spells(SR) and physical attacks(DR).
Such constructs can possess a paralytic poison reservoir which is injected after a successful bite attack, dealing ability damage.
Snake2 surges forward before anyone can react and attacks Cole seconds after he opens the door. It's head flashes forward to strike but the fangs meet only Cole's armour and several sparks fly.
Cole lets out a sigh of relief as the first snake misses the mark, awaiting the second to come at him as well. After weathering both attack he strikes back at the first snake that charged hoping it left an opening in its clumsy movement.
After the strike Cole steps back allowing the snakes to come into the room where we can surround them. (5ft. Step)
Seeing the vicious attacks from the snakes...
My list of combat spells is limited. I really should be at range if I want to be of any use.
Why do I always go first?! Curiosity killed the bat and all that...
I will 5 ft. step southward and use the Total Defense action, bringing my AC to a whopping 16. (Reduced because I am not currently benefiting from my +2 Dex Score from Change Shape)
This is a construct made of mithril, likely resistant to magic and attacks! Beware!
Kana stays in the back, knowing she is not of much use here.
From the back, but searching for a clear view, Kana mumbles and splashes some acid into the direction of the snake.
Snake1 also advances towards Cole, getting a mouth full of chainmail as Declan steps around and fails her grapple on snake2. Fletch steps south next to Declan and Kana's bolt of acid burns a mark in the ground next to the snake leaving it unharmed. At the same moment Cole's swing finds its mark. A heavy clang denting its armour though not as much as he expected. The snake hisses back and Timeon cowers uselessly down behind Wade.
Quick movement from Cole puts his armour between him and the snakes fangs a second time.
Cole will step 5' to the top right. So he can start working around for a flank and continue his assault on snake 1.
I take a 5' step diagonally again and then throw an alchemist fire at snake #2.
Kana repeats her chanting, sending a splash of acid through the room, but steps out of danger afterwards.
Declan lunges out at the snake2 just after it strikes Cole's armour and successfully grapples it. Wade waits ready to be needed. Snake1 continues to attack Cole and this time it's fangs almost find a gap in his armour. Fletch throws his alchemist's fire slightly too high and it lands near the other snake instead, splashing them and Cole with the fire. From the distraction of the fire Cole misses his attack. Timeon continues to cower as Kana misses her acid once again.
Snake2 doesn't seem to be very phased by the grapple and strikes out at it's grappler but misses.
Snake1's square. Cole and snakes roll Reflex
As the sticky fire splashes and burns Cole deeply he screams at Fletch.
Are you fighting with them? Watch your aim.
Cole then 5' steps back to the wall to get out of the splash zone.
ok, took 6 damage, healed 8
Ok well apparently twisting the vial mid air does NOT indeed work like it does with my homemade stuff. Good to know. I'm sure Wade'll heal them up fine.
Subjects Cole and Declan not resistant to flames. Subject Wade requires more testing...
Kana keeps on slowly dissolving the metal snakes.
Constant dripping wears away the stone. she says smilingly.
Declan pins the snake but fails to do anything but the smallest dent to the creatures armour. As Wade heals Declan, snake1 continues to stike furiously against the armour of Cole which continues to save him from it's fangs. Cole's strike is equally futile as the snake is fast enough to avoid his swing. Snake2 is not able to dodge the acid sent its way and the acid splashes over its armour damaging it and causing it to become lifeless in Declan's grip.
Declan - Wade - Snake1 - Fletch - Cole - Timeon - Kana
Thanks for the flank Declan.
Cole pressed the attack.
Round Three
Round Four
Only if the final snake is still up...
With the directed flame of Fletch's bomb remaining the snake is motionless. You have managed to pass this lesson also. Once the noise of battle dies down Timeon looks from around the corner and comes forward after he sees the snakes destroyed. He kicks the head of one for good measure. "You did it. We might get out of here after all." The bar on the door can now easily be lifted with two people and the hallway behind it leads to yet another door. This time the inscription says “Suffer
not the fool. Stupidity is our faith’s cardinal sin.”
A test indeed Wade. Let us open up and see what awaits.
Cole will open the door.
Kana scowls at the snakes, the new door and Timeon.
We should torture and kill that coward. He´s one of those who branded us.
I choose NOT to be in front this time.
Wade picks up the mithral carcasses of the destroyed constructs. You estimate they weight roughly 15 lbs each at best guess.
Through the next door is another stone room with a podium in it's center and is lit by another hanging oil lantern. Upon the podium lies a pendant of silver. A dragon with sapphire eyes. This looks like the pendant the Cardinal wants returned. There is a stairway to the east leading up and no other visible doors in the room.
the sapphires are merely cheap costume jewelry. Little more than cut glass. The pendant is silver though of no great craftsmanship and
worth 5 gp.
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"hmm... This is just too easy, this is supposed to be a test of wits, where's the test," he looks closely at the pendant. snaping his fingers "there we go, it's a fake, I mean the silver is real of a sorts, but look at the craftsmanship, this trinkit is junk, I wouldn't expect more that around 4-7 gold pieces for it, and the gemstones are colored glass, perhaps the real one is somewhere neerby"
Hmmm indeed...
Obviously a fake. But where is the real one?
Remembering that Tiny Tim is in the room, ...because finding the real pendant probably disarms some sort of trap later.
Curse this runny-nosed whelp. Just when I need to use my "special gifts" I have to play the "normal" person.
Uhm...Father, might you take a look for traps or secret compartments. Seems my...uhm...back is acting up again. All that throwing back there really did a number on it. I hunch over as if my back is twinging.
I agree and good eye on seeing it as a fake Wade. If the amulet is a fake the door up must be as well this is only the sixth room there will be three more, and Tim told us of drowned men and something that calls them. I have heard no alarm yet, so I suggest we spread out and search for a bit surely there will be another way out of here to the next room.
Suggesting we spread out and all go wall section at a time taking 20 we should clear the room in about 10mins. It only gives me a 23 though so I may not find anything or be of help :)