Good stuff.
Breach looks thoughtfully at the statues. "I say let's have a look at those statues. That way, if they decide to move an' kill us, we'll have room ta run. Instead o' us runnin' into them if we are discovered while investigatin' the dig site. Gandel?" He turns to the halfling, awaiting his thoughts.
"I'm intrigued by the statues as well," Gandel whispers. "But be careful. As you suspect, it wouldn't surprise me if they're some type of construct - possibly designed to raise an alarm."
-----
Really nice post Moonpate!And your math is superior to mine, +12 it is!
So why don't you go ahead and roll a 1d20+12 for us then and we'll adjudicate the results. It may be an impoverishment of our playing experience that none of you will have line of sight to what is poised to happen.
"Alright, let's get over there and take a look. Once we are close I can determine if they have any magical properties. After that we can decide if we should get much closer to the dig site".
"I'm intrigued by the statues as well,"Gandel whispers. "But be careful. As you suspect, it wouldn't surprise me if they're some type of construct - possibly designed to raise an alarm."
-----
The infiltration team advances northwest, following the well tread path. On the right-hand side of the road is a pair of stone statues. As the trio approaches the statues come into better focus, but they wonder if perhaps their eyes are paying tricks on them in the night. The statues appear oddly familiar:
The first is of a tall but rather portly merchantman dressed in baggy pants. He has a bald head with distinctive lamb chop side burns. He carries a mug in one hand. His mouth is open as though his image was captured in the act of speech.
The second statue is an even larger hulk-like figure. He is clad in an armoured kilt, his naked upper torso covered in strange tribal tattoos, clearly not of Osiriani origin. Scars cover this man’s body and you suspect the artist meant to portray that he is of orcish or perhaps some other foul blood-line. His arms are outstretched as though he were seeking to tear at something with his unnatural claw-like hands.
The likeness is uncanny, though the statues have no color, only a pale natural hue of light grey stone.
A stone slab inbetween the base of the statues contains some writing, but it is too dark to make out. The vertical lines suggest the stone carving is in Osiriani. A light source would be required to read it.
"This is downright bizarre. If I provide the light can you read the language Gandel?"
The infiltration team advances northwest, following the well tread path. On the right-hand side of the road is a pair of stone statues. As the trio approaches the statues come into better focus, but they wonder if perhaps their eyes are paying tricks on them in the night. The statues appear oddly familiar:
-----
Really nice post Moonpate!And your math is superior to mine, +12 it is!
So why don't you go ahead and roll a 1d20+12 for us then and we'll adjudicate the results. It may be an impoverishment of our playing experience that none of you will have line of sight to what is poised to happen.
Ok, here we go: Black Tentacles of the Potentate
-----
Yes, it certainly appears that way. Unless they suddenly veer off the path, the crew should pass by you with their bug and head to the check-point which blockades the path to the dig site further up the road. I suppose though, it is also possible they could stop and interact with you instead.
"My friends perhaps we should simply mingle in with this crew to bypass the guards and get a better look at the site. We can always check on these statutes later".
Gandel gives the statues a bemused look. "Now why do they have statues of Master Moonpate and Hurgah?" he wonders aloud in a soft whisper. "Of course, if they'd wanted to truly capture Master Moonpate's likeness, they would've placed a sandwich or turkey leg in his other hand..."
"This is downright bizarre. If I provide the light can you read the language Gandel?"
"Here, let me use a tindertwig. It won't be as bright," Gandel replies, reaching into his magical pack to instantaneously retrieve one of the small, alchemically treated wooden sticks. The halfling scholar steps up and strikes the stick against the stone slab between the statues, shielding the sudden illumination with his body as best as he can as he quickly scans the writing before snuffing out the tiny flame.
...a larger group of workers are slowly making their way up the path behind you. They appear to be ushering a build beast up the path. The creature has been outfitted with a massive tank, presumably filled (or to be filled) with water.
Breach has to stifle a chuckle at the halfling's perfect depiction of Moonpate. In response to Halstadt, "Aye, lad. Sounds good. Let's just hope we've got our best 'minglin' shoes on."
-----
Actually, now that you mention it, yes. The tank-like cistern is mounted on top of the Build Beast. In theory, one could jump or climb up on to it. It might even be possible to lift the lid and climb inside the cistern and hide completely inside it, though if it's actually completely full of water that would involve getting very wet and possibly holding one’s breath quite a while. Where's Donkor and his waterbreathing ways. . .It seems less likely you could mingle amongst the crew and then suddenly jump up on the Build Beast without your absence being noticed. But perhaps this could be achieved by hiding in the nearby dunes or behind the statues and clambering on as the beast passes by. Once again you would need a pretty significant stealth check.
Hmmmm, sounds like once again you guys have multiple plans in mind. . .
You know, there ought to be a Concentration check of some kind considering Moonpate is performing this casting while taking an arrow shower. If only one of these bad guys knew how to take a readied action. . .
Noorulahn's warning snaps Moonpate's attention away from attempting to parlay with the invisible Sand Sage to the more immediate threat from below. Always a quick thinker, Moon realizes what must be done before they have uninvited guests on the palanquin to deal with. Mentally multitasking, he commands the golem to come to a abrupt halt while reaching into a small pocket to quickly pull out one of his dried octopi tentacles he had saved from a delicious wharf-side repast in Sothis. He flings it overboard and performs a quick kata, his arms undulating in a precise pattern, that ends with his thick, wiggling fingers thrusting upwards as he utters the arcane words to transform the sand below into the terrifying black tentacles of the Potentate, "Akht'boot haakim ur!"
A thicket of jet-black rubbery tentacles rip out from the sand and silently snake up the golem making their way to the palanquin. You hear a disturbing “whap, “whap” as the appendages flitter around the underside of the great stone slab you stand upon. Whatever it is, you are glad it is not you underneath the palanquin.
.
.
.
.
The Sand Sage: 19
Violated Asmodean Monks: 14
Master Soan: 9
Osirion’s finest: 7
Moonpate, Noorulahn, Hurgah, Karek (w/ whip), and palanquin golem: 6
The good news is it appears as though the major foes are hanging back to let the soldiers do their work.
If the Sand Sage - as you have presumed the flying spellcaster is - takes an action, you don’t see it. Indeed you don’t see him at all. Perhaps he did not hear Hurgah’s cordial reply, or perhaps he is engaged with something else.
The unusually dangerous monk, remains a non-factor, not having been seen since he temporarily toppled the golem and took off.
And if the four evil presences under the palanquin do anything you don’t hear it. Perhaps they are having their breath chocked away by the black tentacles. Perhaps they know better than to come aboard the top side of the palanquin when it is being showered in arrows. Perhaps they are no longer there at all, but you saw no sign of any flight.
When the palanquin golem comes to a halt, the soldiers are emboldened. The first group continues to race forward, closing the gap even faster. The second group advances, but much slower. A grouping sets forward and fires, then another then another. They rotate using the arrow fire from their comrades as cover to reload and advance in a repeating wave. The effect creates a coordinated continuous pounding of arrow fire.
The arrows continue to crash down on the palanquin, creating a constant thundering rumble.
(“miss”)
(“miss”)
(“miss”)
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(“miss”)
(“miss”)
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(“hit”)
(“hit”)
(“miss”)
(“hit”)
(“hit/threat”)
(“miss”)
(“miss”)
(“fails”)
(“applies”)
(“applies”)
(“applies”)
(“applies”)
While the armored Karek and arcane armored Potentate remain protected, the barrage is slowly finding the Reaver's unprotected flesh. Hurgah howls ignoring the tiny nuisance, but his allies begin to worry that he will soon resemble a porcupine.
When the palanquin golem comes to a halt, the soldiers are emboldened. The first group continues to race forward, closing the gap even faster. The second group advances, but much slower. A grouping sets forward and fires, then another then another. They rotate using the arrow fire from their comrades as cover to reload and advance in a repeating wave. The effect creates a coordinated continuous pounding of arrow fire.
Moonpate's master would be choking on his dinner if he could see his prodigy now, atop a golem in the desert with a shower of arrows raining down. Surely this will make a fantastic tale to tell him and their gen friends at the next conclave...assuming he survives this disaster of an expedition.
"Friends, surely it is time to go!
His hand grasps his precious mug, the arcane bond flowing through it a reassuring sensation in his sweaty fingers, and he looks to his companions for confirmation before invoking its power.
Karek keeps his hammer up and ready to deflect a last minute assault.
"This is downright bizarre. If I provide the light can you read the language Gandel?"
"Here, let me use a tindertwig. It won't be as bright," Gandel replies, reaching into his magical pack to instantaneously retrieve one of the small, alchemically treated wooden sticks. The halfling scholar steps up and strikes the stick against the stone slab between the statues, shielding the sudden illumination with his body as best as he can as he quickly scans the writing before snuffing out the tiny flame.
In the pale light Gandel is able to read the vertical columns. It is the language of Osirian, the every day language common to these lands.
Enemies [! - an enlarged glyph for emphasis]
[of/pertaining to]
Khymrasa, the Exemplar [a high nobility title]
[and/conjunctive]
Osirion [the nation]
Reward [! - an enlarged glyph for emphasis]
[for]
Information
[of/pertaining to]
the whereabouts
[of/pertaining to]
these dangerous foes.
Treasure, honor [and/or/conjunctive/disjunctive] freedom
Report to Slave Master
Warning [! - an enlarged glyph for emphasis]
[of/pertaining to]
These two enemies are dangerous,
[and/conjunctive]
violent,
[and/conjunctive]
magical.
Beware, beware, beware. [a x3 mathematical multiplier is applied]
Awesome - yeah, we've got three different time lines and I'm hoping to stabilize them. Right now, Donkor would still be wandering east in the desert, still hours away from getting clubbed.
(Yeah, then it's off to the beach for sure.)
-----
Climbing aboard a slow moving Build Beast to board the tank does not look that daunting, there's lot's of stuff to grab a hold of. However, doing it without being seen does look pretty tough - especially if the Build Beast reacts while being climbed upon. Your Stealth checks would need to beat everyone on the crew. Normally pretty impossible, but for you guys, it's conceivable. But I am not suggesting this is in anyway preferable to the 'mingle' plan which might even have less risk, as it stands, both look viable to you. Though if it is to be operation 'mingle', as it sounds like, I could go for some more details as to how it works. . .
Karek keeps his hammer up and ready to deflect a last minute assault.
The plan then is to dim door is out of this fire (and probably into the frying pan--knowing how that Beetle seems to enjoy such a turn of events). Once clear to the maximum range of the teleportation, Moon will cast Summon II and bring forth a mighty....celestial horse, Clip Clop, to help carry them nor'east until sufficient darkness descends.
The plan then is to dim door is out of this fire (and probably into the frying pan--knowing how that Beetle seems to enjoy such a turn of events). Once clear to the maximum range of the teleportation, Moon will cast Summon II and bring forth a mighty....celestial horse, Clip Clop, to help carry them nor'east until sufficient darkness descends.
-----
Just to clarify, so I have it exact, on his turn, which comes up right now, Phrip will cast dimension door, taking Hurgah and Karek with him, traveling 680 feet to the northeast - correct?It looks to be a nice empty patch of dunes.
I can't recall if Hurgah is still enlarged, but if he is, he'll need to cancel it in order for Moonpate to have enough power to take both him and Karek.
The word is given. Let's skedaddle.
Hurgah mutters a few words in draconic, and his massive frame shrinks until he is his usual size.
He steps next to Moonpate and prepares to let the wizard whisk the trio away.
-----
The infiltration team lingers at the two life-sized replica statues, waiting for the Build Beast crew to go by. Once they do Breach, Hal and Gandel fall in behind them, hoping their expert disguises of ratty blankets will hold. Remarkably, so far so good.
The three members of the work crew seem to chatter amongst themselves. Every so often one of them glances back, making sure the Build Beast isn’t getting ancy or hacking up a mouth full of acidic spittle in their direction. The Build Beast seems to flicker its segmented tail at Halstadt with increasing regularity, but since the tail doesn’t seem to have a pincer, so far it is not a significant problem. The more dangerous business-end of the Build Beast seems to be at its front, where it’s mouth pincers lie.
“Well I dunno – now that the pyramid is finally dug up, this detail just gets easier and easier, yet the pays still the same. Seems wrong to skip out now that the worst is over.”
“Worst is over!? That assumes she ain’t gonna send you inside the pyramid.”
“Well no monies worth that. Surely you’ve noticed the pyramid’s invisible.”
“Of course! I ain’t blind.”
“To me, that means the Four Pharaohs never wanted this pyramid to be found. And that means they won’t take too kindly to anyone who tries to go inside.”
“Yeah, but as long as that ain’t us, I don’t see the problem. Let’s just keep everyone hydrated and let the nobles worry about that stuff. Nobodies asking for volunteers.”
“That ain’t what I heard.”
“I kinda figured the Chelaxians would be going inside. That’s what they is here for ain’t it?”
“Nope. I bet they’d like nothing more than to go running around inside, but the Exemplar’s too smart for that. I hear she won’t let no foreigners in. Bet the Sand Sage has counselled her against that too.”
“Then who is going in?”
“Not me – that’s for damn sure.”
“I dunno. Some things are best left undisturbed. Nobody should go in, if you ask me. Asking for nothing but trouble.”
“Bit too late for that. . .”
“Shut-up you two - here comes the guard post.”
-----
Appreciated - I'll do my best to close the gap for you.
The arrows continue to rain, smashing against the palanquin of the now unmoving golem. Beneath the palanquin dark shapes flitter grotesquely, hinting at some manner of tentacled horror buried in the sand below.
Calling upon an emergency reserve of power grounded in his magical stein, the Potentate summons yet another inter-dimensional rift. This time though, rather than pull some vicious creature out from it, he means to leap through it.
Just as the rift begins to appear, yet another of those liquid-filled eyeballs floats on to the palanquin at about shoulder height. It seems to give the three of you a knowing wink before slowly rising higher into the sky.
The rift irises open, swiftly becoming larger and larger. As soon as the fissure spans the wizard’s height, Moonpate grabs ahold of Karek and the Reaver and dives through.
If Noorhalan had arms, he would salute the wizard and his comrades as they depart. Instead, the flying archon turns to face the monks on his own – at least for the few seconds Moonpate’s magic will enable him to remain here.
At the same time, with an unceremonious thud, the Distraction Team finds themselves instantly transported across the desert, far from the scene of battle. They land in a soft bed of sand.
Having no reasonable method to link creepy little floating eyeballs to their tentative ally, and no reason to give any quarter to creepy little floating eyeballs, Karek swings for the fences.
Attack roll: for damage.
If Noorhalan had arms, he would salute the wizard and his comrades as they depart. Instead, the flying archon turns to face the monks on his own – at least for the few seconds Moonpate’s magic will enable him to remain here.
Karek salutes the brave little archon in turn, before the magic takes him far away.
Karek brushes off the dust from the battle, and snarls. I will neber be use'da dad. Leds moob. We could use a dibersion ourselves.
"Looks like they're looking for Moonpate and Hurgah. They're offering a big reward, too," Gandel whispers in Dwarven, summarizing his translation of the stone slab between the statues for Breach and Hal.
As Gandel and the dwarves shuffle along behind the Build Beast crew, he translates the workers' conversation in a soft whisper for his friends. "The've finally dug up the pyramid... and it's invisible. Khymrasa won't let any foreigners go inside, so the monks haven't been in yet. Not sure if she or the Sand Sage have been inside, though."
The arrows continue to rain, smashing against the palanquin of the now unmoving golem. Beneath the palanquin dark shapes flitter grotesquely, hinting at some manner of tentacled horror buried in the sand below.
Calling upon an emergency reserve of power grounded in his magical stein, the Potentate summons yet another inter-dimensional rift. This time though, rather than pull some vicious creature out from it, he means to leap through it.
Just as the rift begins to appear, yet another of those liquid-filled eyeballs floats on to the palanquin at about shoulder height. It seems to give the three of you a knowing wink before slowly rising higher into the sky.
Drawing upon the boon of Akaymarandi and finding inspiration in the sudden audience of the floating eye, the Pate quickly recites a parting haiku and returns the wink just before Karek unleashes his own parting shot as they dive through the arcane rift:
"Devil monks hide in dunes
Flay them, splay them on the sand
Smiling Moon rides forth"
"Invisible? How are we suppose to get inside the blasted thing then?" Breach just shakes his head at the predictament.
Hal whispers to Gandel, "I think we are both on board with this idea of yours my friend. Let's get close and see what we can. Then we will head back to the area Breach saw earlier and see what there is to see".