Hal attack roll.
Battle Axe Attack #1
Axe Damage
Battle Axe Attack #2
Axe Damage
Hmmm. Not so much as a crack, I'm afraid.
The double-whack does though make an impressive echo which reverberates throughout the pyramid's lower level.
(And it probably helps Hal let off some steam.)
Would anyone else like to attack the floor? The stone appears to foregoe it's attacks, so if not, we're on to round 2 and Hal can go at it again.
As Breach listens to the conversation at hand, Lydia's question strikes home. "How do we get out of here?" Muttering it to himself over and over, he continues his thoughts under his breath. "I've heard that before. Somethin' about gettin' 'out of here while we can' or somethin' like it. Where though?" He ponders and ponders it until it finally hits him. Meself! I know how ta get out of here! Well 'I' don't but I do. But will it work again so soon? But how 'soon' has it really been? Feels like it's been forever since I talked to meself. Ah well, what 'ave I got ta lose? The worst it could do is not work. With that last thought - and seeing how Hal is busy attacking the floor - Breach pulls out his eye patch and places it over his eye, wondering if it still works.
While Breach is wondering, he finds himself wandering and in no time at all, he finds himself drawn to a simple campfire nearby in the hills.
Never mind that he's no longer inside a pyramid, never mind that he's no longer anywhere near a desert. . .
And never mind that there's an old man sitting on a makeshift bench of stones by the fire who somehow looks awfully familiar.
"You again eh?" the elder dwarf says with a half-cocked smile. "What's it to be this time?"
"On with it then, I ain't gett'n younger. Or am I? It gets rather confusing sometimes, all these other visiting me's."
-----
Hal, condrol yerselv. Karek intones. Ye'll nodice I'm nod breaking dings.
Dere's more direcshun's dan dis. Karek points at the east and west exits from the "Pactstone" chamber. Whad do you make of dem?
Karek pauses for an answer, but then proceeds down the north hallway, reasoning that one direction is as good as another.
Grinning as he finds himself back visiting himself, "Alright! Now - by the way, you are a good lookin' dwarf if I do be sayin' so meself," he winks. "Anyway, here's our situation..." Breach explains what they're doing currently as clearly and quickly as he can. "Now what I'm needin' ta know is: how did you, or I, I guess, escape the blasted pyramid?"
“Still down below then, eh?”
“There’s no way out there. It’s got the giant stone that Lydia’s looking for, and what the human priest Donkor seeks, for that matter, but no exit. Lotsa lotsa treasure, but no exit.”
“So how did we get out? Funny story that. Well maybe not so funny if you’s still livin it, I suppose.”
The old dwarf continues. . .
Clicking Your Heels Three Times
-----
The ancient dwarf throws a fresh log on the smoldering campfire, allowing it to crackle back to life before he begins again.
“Now if I remember right – and it’s funny how the mind causes you to fill in the blanks sometimes—“
“--It all began with Moonpate, or was it Donkor? Can’t remember, exactly.”
“One of those two anyways, figured out that the damned teleporting devil was scrying on us all. “
"That’s how he was rippin into us. He always knew where we was and when to hit us. Never let us rest neither. Strong as ever with our weird pact thing, and we’re still slowly draining away.”
“So I put on my patch and journeyed to the ol’ fire to meet me to find out where the fiend was scryin from.”
“Kinda blows my mind eh? Here I’m telling you, about a time I went ta visit me, only then I wasn’t quite me yet then, was I.” The old dwarf shakes his head and stokes the fire one more time.
“Anyways, the answer was the throne room. Turns out the devil was use’n some kind of magic pool in there.”
“He wouldn’t give up that room so easy neither.” The dwarf cracks his knuckles and pauses as though remembering. “I ever tell you about the time I jumped off a ledge and fell forty feet to bury my axe into that sucker’s carapace? Oh wait – that was earlier.”
“Anyways, once we got the devil’s pool, we got ta lookin around the whole of the place.”
“That’s when we discovered what was waiting for us back outside. I remember Xaven was pretty pissed at the double-cross. Made us look around a whole lot more.”
“Anyways, so it was with use’n the pool that we then figured out that the pharaohs had built a back door into the pyramid. Gandel guessed it was so they could exit, after performing their pact rituals, without being seen.”
“That hidden back door was through one of the song tubes. They’re these stone pipes that makes weird noises when you pass through them as purple clouds, you’ll know what I mean when you see em.”
“Wait! What am I saying? If you’re on the bottom of the pyramid you’ve already come through em before!”
“That totally reminds me. One of the funniest things I ever saw. Hurgah and Karek pick up Hrokon and turn him upside down. Out spills like a dozen cloud potions. Was that before or after the devil’s pool? Can’t remember.”
“Turns out that before the half-orc and his halfling buddy came down the song tubes, they loaded up a bunch of empties with the purple pool liquid to make sure they’d all be able to make their way back. They held back that little bit of wisdom.”
“I remember that Thalia totally called us all fools for not thinkin of it first – but she didn’t either, did she now.”
“Anyways, so we all turned back into purples clouds snuck out the back exit in the dead of night. And that’s when we turned the tables on the rich chick and her devil monks, and that enabled me and Lydia to break through the lines and head back to Sothis to get proof of what was really going on to her boss man, Krenshar, but you didn’t come here to ask me about any of that now did ye, lad.”
“Lad?”
“You still here?”
“Lad?”
“Lad!”
The dwarf sighs, “Youth, they never listen to the whole story.”
“And I was just getting to the important part – what he really needed to be warned about. . .”
Karek pauses for an answer, but then proceeds down the north hallway, reasoning that one direction is as good as another.
-
Karek, and if I may take it, the Dune Squad, advances north, through the arch, up the stairs, and down the hall.On Karek and Gandel's right hand side is a door-less opening. There is no fancy arch, just dark stonework.
If they choose to proceed past the opening, they can instead turn left (west) and continue to follow the corridor.
Hal continues to attempt to break the white stone.
Axe Attack #1
Axe Damage
Axe Attack #2
Axe Damage
Gandel advances carefully with Karek shaking his head over Hal's rage at the inanimate object.
Gandel will keep an eye out for traps as this place has been a near death trap thus far.
Vanishing just as quickly as he arrived, Breach removes the eyepatch. "Blast. I hate it when that happens. Ya know, you'd think I'd help meself more." Pondering that a moment, he just shakes his head clear in trying to understand what he just said right before, "THE BLASTED HALF-ORC! Not you, Reaver, the annoyin' one with the smaller annoyin' one," he motions toward Xaven and Hrokon. "GET 'IM! He's hidin' something we be needin'! If we don't get it we'll never be gettin' out o' here!"
As the current situation plays itself out, "I talked to meself again and this is what I've learned..." Breach then proceeds to relate all that he told himself.
"GET 'IM! He's hidin' something we be needin'! If we don't get it we'll never be gettin' out o' here!"
-
Hrokon immediately starts backing away rather quickly - headed for the west arm of the Pacstone chamber.
-----
"What the hell!?"
"Beards!" he screams at Hal, "You promised!"
Xaven is already partway up the north corridor and cannot actually see Hrokon or Halstadt.
Xaven has just detached one of the many bladed instruments on his leather armor, getting it ready in his hand.
Hal continues to attempt to break the white stone.
-
This occurs before Breach suddenly sounded the alarm:-----
Hal manages to break a tiny chip off of the stone. Whatever it is, it's not indestructible after all.
But at this rate, Hal would probably need to bang on it for a few weeks straight before destroying it - and that's without knowing how deep it runs.
-
(Thanks!)We can now safely say Breach has done the relay, though it would be more like the Cliff notes version. Breach relaying the words of Breach is like a really bad game of telephone. But you can all assume you got the high points.
Gandel will keep an eye out for traps as this place has been a near death trap thus far.
-
I dunno. You haven't seen a single trap on the lower level. I think you can safely assume you have bypassed them all at this point, right?(Now teleporting fiends, however, that's a different story)
Hurgah's eyes snap to the hastily retreating Hrokon.
"Hold it, Tough Guy. I'm not in the mood to chase you, but I will if I have to. And I still owe you for the poison bolt." he growls in a tone that does not invite argument.
"And Hal, cut out that foolishness before I take away that axe and use it to shave your beard off. If you want something broken, let Karek do it." he snaps, never taking his eyes off Hrokon.
Hal turns around, "What the heck are you all doing down the hallway, get over here and help me break this wretched thing!! Fine Reaver, you break it! Can't you see this is a danger to us all?!"
Initiative
Gandel initiative
Gandel initiative 1d20+5
At all the commotion and crazed dwarven antics Moonpate throws up his hands in disgust.
"Stop it! Now is not the time to be banging on stones and chasing that brute. If he is idiotic enough to flee alone then the devil will surely take him. Hroken, get back here you fool! If Breach's vision isn't tainted by too much senility then we will all need each other to not only get out of here alive but to also win through whatever that witch Khymrasa has planned for us up top. We must see what this level holds and find the hidden song tubes out of here. And you, Hroken, WILL hand out those purple potions to all or your fate will be sealed shortly, either by us or the fiend watching our every move."
Moonpate brandishes his wand of hold person.
Karek sighs and begins to turn back to the main room. Hal, iv I crush dis floor for ye, where will ye end ub?
With the above chaos, I am a bit unclear as to whether combat is actually breaking out (or perhaps I am being lazy and should just get to it)
Hrokon is definitely attempting to bolt. That whole "Get I'm" thing has perhaps startled him.
Is there an intent to attack him?
For example, I think Moonpate means to zap him with a hold person with his new found wand. Is anyone else taking action?
If everyone is basically going to delay and wait and see what transpires, we'll speed things up.
Just let me know!
(Not at all critical - I think this is good chaos)
With the above chaos, I am a bit unclear as to whether combat is actually breaking out (or perhaps I am being lazy and should just get to it)
Hrokon is definitely attempting to bolt. That whole "Get I'm" thing has perhaps startled him.
Is there an intent to attack him?
For example, I think Moonpate means to zap him with a hold person with his new found wand. Is anyone else taking action?
Initiative:
"Ha! That's what we shoulda done. Load up on the potions of gaseous form from the pool for the return trip. We're all a bunch of fools for missing that and not thinking of it first. Now we gotta grab em off the half-orc. Somebody keep an eye on Xaven. Don't let him do anything stupid."
Flight of the Hrokon
.
.
.
-
Gandel is up first.
Gandel will use his Bardic Performance ability to Fascinate both Hrokon and Xaven, will save DC 19 to resist this ability.
It's a bit grey, a few people are brandishing weapons (Moonpate in particular) and there's the whole shouting 'Get im' thing. But frankly there's so few opportunities to use fascinate these days, let's try it! I think it's clever. One second later, and it is probably too late.
One issue though is that Gandel has to see the target and for them to see him. Hrokon is in the Pactstone chamber off to the West, whereas Xaven is up the north corridor where Gandel currently is.
Gandel can fix this by taking a move action to travel south, back into the Pactstone chamber. From there he can see both his targets.
The issue that arises is that Gandel will have to move past Xaven to do this. This risks drawing an attack of opportunity, should it be the case that Xaven is upset enough to get violent and attempt to harm the Pact. Oh wait! Xaven is still flat-footed – never mind. (Score one for High Initiative! Gandel can blow by him before Xaven even realizes it.)
Please confirm you are content with repositioning Gandel as described and I’ll commence with the saving throws. He'll wind up approximately at the back of the party with Breach and Hurgah.
Gandel will move into position to attempt to fascinate both Xaven and Hroken.
Good spot - I actually put her at 19- as she elected to delay until after Moonpate who is going on 19.
-----
Suddenly Gandel rushes to the rear of the party and back into the gigantic domed chamber.
He quickly calls out to Hrokon, delivering a recital of the names and dates of the hundreds of would-be pyramid explorers who have disappeared over the last several decades. Amazingly the flood of facts all pour out in a perfect rhyme of iambic pentameter.
Never having seen or heard such a thing before, Hrokon momentarily stops in his tracks. Perhaps there is wisdom in Moonpate’s point that a solo jaunt through a pyramid is a poor idea. What does he know of traps? He lowers his weapon and shield as he continues to listen to the Halfling professor’s bizarre recital, seemingly forgetting the threat to his person mere moments ago.
Gandel will use his Bardic Performance ability to Fascinate both Hrokon and Xaven, will save DC 19 to resist this ability.
-
I've got a DC of 16 in my book: base 10, +3 for 6 bard levels, +3 for Gandel's Cha bonus.If I'm wrong, then Xaven is also fascinated and I'll need to do a supplemental post.
But any chance you came up with DC 19 by giving Gandel +6 for six bard levels instead of +1 for every two levels?
"What the heck is that halfling doing!?", the half-orc thinks to himself.
Yes Beetle my error, apologies. DC should be 16.
Hurgah remains perfectly still, never taking his eyes off the other half-orc. Every muscle in his body is taut and primed to spring into action.
No apologies Dennis, I'm wrong at least 50%+ of the time, it seems.
With Hurgah, readied to leap, that will take us to Moonpate next.
No apologies Dennis, I'm wrong at least 50%+ of the time, it seems.
With Hurgah, readied to leap, that will take us to Moonpate next.
"Hroken, what I said is true. You will not come to harm from us if you assist us in leaving this cursed place. Come back here and distribute those potions so we may all benefit."
The Pate will keep his wand out, but lowered in a non-threatening manner, and go on delay.
"Hey boys! Go easy on poor Hrokon there. He hasn't done anything wrong. It's not his fault he's smarter than you all and thought to grab some potions."
"How about instead we do a trade. you probably don't need a backpack of gaseous form potions. Why not let me swap you some better stuff for your collection."
-
Right, he can hear Xerissa and Moonpate but he cannot respond. And Xaven, can't act until his turn comes up.Which makes it Donkor next (i.e. Flamethrower), then Hal.