Shifty PBP Group Delta (Inactive)

Game Master Nik B.

Crowe can go up front. Unless otherwise specified, SOP will be to 'Take 10' on Perception in corridors, and 'Take 20' on doors/small rooms.

Pushing past the initial entryway, you start to investigate the room beyond.

A pair of carved and brightly painted granite columns support the ceiling of this darkened, roughly triangular chamber. To the east, stone statues of a regal man holding a crook and flail and wearing a striped cloth headdress stand on either side of the chamber, though the head of one of the two statues now lies cracked and broken on the alabaster floor. Two more stone statues depicting winged creatures with leonine bodies and falcons’ heads sit beyond.

The smooth granite walls are decorated with hieroglyphs and faded murals that depict loyal subjects and slaves presenting offerings to a pharaoh who sits on a gilded throne, flanked by winged, falcon-headed lions. A passageway to the west stretches off into darkness.

Crowe nods in appreciation of the decorations, and then focuses on looking for traps/monsters/loot.

Valjoen carefully searches the room.

Take 20 on perception -> 20 + 6 = 26

While others search the room, Stelikara keeps watch on the passageway to the west, so that nothing will sneak up on them. She is careful not to approach any closer that 10 feet to the entrance.

Crowe and Valjoen both notice the flagstones just before the tunnel do not appear to be sitting square, indeed closer inspection reveals them as part of a large pressure plate.

Effectively a 10' square trigger

"Someone skilled with traps might want to take a look at that..."

Crowe then backs out of the building.

Mido crams out a set of lockpicks and silently goes to work taking his time.

Guess if we are taking 20 on perception I might as well take 20 to disable for 29

You can't 'Take 20' on Disable Device checks to disable traps (only on checks to open locks), because there is a penalty for failure. You can take 10, though :-)

Can someone aid another? I feel ucomfortble taking ten as that result in a 19 :(

If they are trained in Disable Device, they can assist, but they need to roll to do so - you can't 'Take 10' on an 'Aid Another'.

They will also be in the vicinity if the thing triggers - may as well give it a go though :) Or roll it, 50% chance of doing better is the upside!

What would Indiana Jones do?

When the pressure plate is pointed out to her, Stelikara leans over and squints at it appreciatively. "Fraid I can't help with that." she claps Mido on the shoulder. "Good luck!" Then she follows Crowe out of the room.

I'm +10 on DD. Want to roll assist for me and I'll take 10 for a 20 plus your assist?

Sounds like a plan Mido auto suceeds on the aid another so that nets us a 22.

Valjoen gets to work with Mido helping.

He finds that the trap has a dual function - one to drop a large pile of masonry from the roof on the unfortunate below, and also to trigger a dropping grate that would seal the front entryway.

He manages to jam the mechanism and prevent it being triggered.

The tunnel westward beckons, you know it is at least 250 yards or so long.

Target DC was 20

Alright - sounds like Valjoen is our primary trapsmith ;-)

Earthbreaker in hand, Crowe cautiously moves down the tunnel.

Perception 'Take 20' = 27.

Crowe thoroughly checks the tunnel as the party progresses, it is a slow process, but a safe one.

Shafts of sunlight shine down from slots in the ceiling of this long, straight corridor, illuminating the piles of sand that have accumulated beneath each slot. Elaborate carved reliefs, their paint now faded with time, cover the walls on both sides of the passage, depicting the legendary deeds of a great pharaoh.

Mido, being somewhat learned in history and understanding the cpntext of such works, deduces that the carvings represent Sekh‑pa‑Mefer III, the Pharaoh of Sphinxes. This IS his tomb!

After some time, Crowe halts the party, around 60' ahead he spots 10-foot square stone pyramid standing in the causeway.

Crowe pauses, and eyes the pyramid warily.

"It strikes me as odd that there is a pyramid blocking the causeway... Anyone have any idea what that is?"

I yield the floor to the people with knowledge checks ;-)

"I have little knowledge to offer about these ancient ruins, none in fact."

Shifty are you rolling Knowledge for us? Mido has this ability to reroll failed Knowledge checks 4 times per day. I assume it's something I might want to use from time to time.

Hmm that's interesting... Mido muses as he recalls whether he has ever heard of something like this before.

Knowledge Religion1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Guess now is a good time to use that ability...3 uses left.

1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 1 = 26

Didn't need to roll earlier as Mido easily passed the first knowledge check.

Aside from Crowes astute observation that the object is completely out of place, Mido is unable to place what is wrong with it...

How's your Know:Arcane? No reason...

Mido is firmly convinced that the thing shouldn't be where it is, in fact he is certain of it.

Throwing Mido a bone...

What concerns Mido though is that the thing appears to have gotten to that location by itself - indeed he believes it may have been animated at some point.

It was Know:Arcane

Untrained. Magic is the discipline of mages afterall... Is Mido really the only one with any Knowledges aboard? Murder hobos...

I must confess to my shame that this is something I am wholy unfamiliar. While I am a learned sage with much experience... I hail from the other side of the world and thus I am not wholy familiar with such things

Knowledge(Arcana): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15.

I have Knowledge (Local). That's almost like a knowledge skill. Besides, no matter where I go, there I am!

Very Buckaroo Banzai there Stelikara :)

The party hasn't come up with any further insight at this stage - it is still a mystery as to the nature and purpose of a pyramid in such a situation.

Crowe warily moves forward, fully expecting the pyramid to somehow animate, and try to kill him...

Overly suspicious/pessimistic? Nah.

As the party pushes forward, the inanimate animated object reanimates!
Sorry, that line was so bad it just had to be used.

R1
Dioneo
Crowe
Stelikara
Mido
Valjoen
Claire
PYRAMID

With a roar, Crowe charges forward, and takes a swing at the pyramid!

Earthbreaker, RAGE!: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 + 2 = 27, for 2d6 + 13 + 3 ⇒ (2, 1) + 13 + 3 = 19 damage.

Crowe rushes forward and slams his Earthbreaker down on the pyramid, creating a significant crack!

No idea what it is, but we'll have to get past it.

Clair also charges forward, and swings her scythe at the pyramid.

+1 Scythe, charge: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 2 = 23 Damage: 2d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3) + 4 + 1 = 11

Can't edit the map, so couldn't move my token.

AC 20 till Clair's next turn.

Stelikara looks at the pyramid, then looks at her whip, then looks back at the pyramid. "Don't think I'll be tripping or disarming that hunk of rock," she sighs.

Stelikara pulls out an acid flask, then runs forward 20 feet.

Valjoen advances upon the pyramid. Double move and tumble past the pyramid to get flank from behind, if possible.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

But the massive size of the monstrosity is distracting enough that he stumbles as he attempts to get past it.

Catching up! Wow, you guys have been posting 42 messages in 2 days!

Dioneo has a bunch of knowledges, but the one you asked he has are Religion and History.

Dioneo wonders if he recalls anything about this object... And acts when he does.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Mido casts bless and moves into position

Mido bids Irori to bless his companons resolve in this battle and tries to get into position.

R1
Dioneo TBA
Crowe Move/Attack
Stelikara Draw/Move
Mido Moves/Bless
Valjoen Move/Move
Claire Move/Attack
PYRAMID

"Yes, I remember, it's a construct!" says eventually Dioneo.

Then he pauses a moment.

"If you have some weapons that cut better through steel, you may want to use these instead."

Dioneo stays in delay for now.

The Pyramid picks itself up and throws itself down the hall!a

It runs over the top of:
Damage 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Claire
Crowe
Valjoen

Take damage, but make an AoO (at -4)

OR

DC18 Reflex for half (but no AOO)

TRAMPLE

R2
Dioneo
Crowe
Stelikara
Mido
Valjoen
Claire
PYRAMID

As the pyramid closes, Crowe takes a swing...

Earthbreaker, RAGE!, Bless, AoO (penalty included): 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 22, for 2d6 + 13 + 3 ⇒ (2, 1) + 13 + 3 = 19 damage.

...delivering a solid hit before it rolls over the top of him.

Utterly incensed that he was squashed by a pyramid, Crowe chases it down, and takes another swing.

Earthbreaker, RAGE!, Bless: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 19, for 2d6 + 13 + 3 ⇒ (5, 3) + 13 + 3 = 24 damage.

The pyramid is still mobile, but the series of whacks from the Earthbreaker has caused great cracks and structural damage!

R2
Dioneo
Crowe - Attacked.
Stelikara
Mido
Valjoen
Claire
PYRAMID

Stelikara whistles at all the damage Crowe was doing to the pyramid. "It's almost as though an Earthbreaker was designed for breaking rocks."

Then she moves forward until she's 10' away and hurls her flask of acid at the pyramid.

Acid Attack (Touch): 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 1 = 20
Acid Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Reflex: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

AoO, +1 Scythe, -4 penalty: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 4 = 5 Damage: 2d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 + 1 = 9

Clair takes the pyramid's attack and tries damage it as it passes, but she's thrown off balance and misses.

Own turn:

Clair moves over to the pyramid and readies an attack. She'll attack once someone's flanking with her, or when there's a clear sign no one will provide flanking before the pyramid's next attack.

R2
Dioneo
Crowe - Attacked.
Stelikara - Throws acid, hits
Mido
Valjoen
Claire (will resolve attack at end)
PYRAMID

Not much Mido can do her ebesides the bless so I'll sit out for the rest of the fight...

In fairness, that Pyramid is still careening towards you - certain you wish to stay where you are? ;p

Okay running might be advisable. However I can't edit the map...

Fixed :)

Valjoen looks to the heavens, "Desna, make my Kukri strong and sharp against this ancient construct!", then races after the pyramid to attack.

Std Action: Blessing (Holy Strike) on main kukri.
Move Action: Move up to the pyramid.