Ro Ap Han takes to his feet, his eyes locked on the Sooron.
Relaxed, and in common to the others: "It doesn't really seem to care what I say, as expected from the last time. Yet it claims to have a message, which I assume will be some sort of tiresome threat about Lydia."
The "it" seems to change its mind. Ro An Hap suddenly launches forward, staff somehow back in hand, and attacks
Breach:
Donkor:
Moonpate:
Hurgah:
*I don’t think anyone would have their guard down enough to allow for a surprise roll here.
Initiative Tracker
.
Ro An Hap - 17+
Breach - 17-
Moonpate - 14
Hurgah - 3
Donkor - 1 (<--- Well maybe he was surprised)
Ro An Hap races forward - perhaps even faster than before. He plants his metallic scepter on the ground, using it as a vault. He flies forward with both of his feet in front of him--
(threat!)
(confirm!)
(applies!)
--and drop kicks the wizard, sending him crashing to the flagstone floor. It's all Moonpate can do to get back to his feet and gather himself. Impossibly, Ro An Hap lands on his feet dancing nimbly between Breach and Hurgah, daring them to attack.
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"Bah! I'm sick o' ya', doorman! DIE!!!" Breach steps forward and goes into an all out blitz on the guardian, unfortunately only able to connect once.
Ro An Hap races forward - perhaps even faster than before. He plants his metallic scepter on the ground, using it as a vault. He flies forward with both of his feet in front of him--
1d20 + 10 + 2 (threat!)
Before a final decision is made, Pate will cast Mage Armor.
-
Took me a while to find it but, yes, you are quite right, we have a casting of mage armor.You are also right that it would not have changed the outcome here, those rolls are high enough to punch right through it. That would have made a cooler post though. . .
-
Maybe he remembers the tanglebolt. Or perhaps he suspects the Potentate is the power source that enabled the Dune Squad to return here.You could always ask him nicely.
"Bah! I'm sick o' ya', doorman! DIE!!!" Breach steps forward and goes into an all out blitz on the guardian, unfortunately only able to connect once.
-
Ro An Hap proves as hard to hit as before, ducking and weaving away from Breach's axe blows as though the veteran dwarf were but a farmhand wielding a garden hoe.Fortunately Breach knows a thing or two about handling dainty types, and once he's in close enough he shoulder checks the guardian with the full force of his shield.
Unable to dodge the perfectly timed blow, this time it's Ro An Hap's turn to spill to the floor. The guardian flips his feet over his head and uses the momentum of dwarf's strike to help him regain his footing.
Once again he fight his way into position next to the wizard, making it difficult for the spellcaster to weave his arcane webs of power.
Wincing in obvious pain, Moonpate brandishes his enchanted club and attempts to keep it between him and his tormenter until his defenders can break him into little pieces.
The immortal guardian's attack on Moonpate does not sit well with Hurgah at all. As the red haze of battle-rage fills his eyes, tusks and claws sprout from his jaws and hands, glittering with eldritch energy.
With a single stride, Hurgah catches Ro An Hap in a vulnerable position where he has to divide his attention between him and Breach.
With a wordless roar, Hurgah proceeds to unleash all of his fury.
Wincing in obvious pain, Moonpate brandishes his enchanted club and attempts to keep it between him and his tormenter until his defenders can break him into little pieces.
This happens!
The immortal guardian's attack on Moonpate does not sit well with Hurgah at all. As the red haze of battle-rage fills his eyes, tusks and claws sprout from his jaws and hands, glittering with eldritch energy.
With a single stride, Hurgah catches Ro An Hap in a vulnerable position where he has to divide his attention between him and Breach.
With a wordless roar, Hurgah proceeds to unleash all of his fury.
-
Ro An Hap spins in behind Moonpate, using the rotund wizard as a plump human shield. The Reaver finds himself forced to retract his claws before he slices through the Potentate's club and removes his head. It is not an easy task for one who has begun to give himself over to his bloodlust.
-
Donkor's casting is complete. He's totally bonded with Moonpate. He'll need to move 5 feet to do it, so that will solve his problem of not knowing what to do with his move action.While I'm at it, I'll update the positions:
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The guardian retaliates with snapping blow from his fist
(hit!)
(applies - but is reduced by Hurgah's damage reduction)
At the same time, he does what he can to escape the pincer-vise set by Breach and Hurgah.
Which updates us to:
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XX.BS.XX.HR.XX.XX
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XX.XX.XX.DS.XX.XX
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Meanwhile back at the ranch, Karek, Gandel, Xerissa and Halstadt are finding that their rears are starting to mold into the shape of the flagstones upon which they sit.
I know nobody likes to watch the same movie twice, but might I regale you with the tale of Anuchro Het?
---
---
"Oh no ya don't! Your gonna pay for what ya did ta Pate, and for irritatin' me!" Breach follows the guardian's step back with one of his own forward and unleashes several more attacks.
Ro An Hap whirls his staff in front of him with such speed it were as though he were an army. Breach finds the guardian repeatedly turns his blows aside.
Sooron will selective channel healing on Hurgah and Pate next round.
Selective Channel:
"Dodge this you devil!
Moonpate scythes his free hand towards their enemy and unleashes emerald colored spinning blades of arcane energy.
Casts Magic Missile.
Damage:
"Dodge this you devil!
-
Ro An Hap gives it his best, but he cannot. The bolts fly into his chest and head, rocking him like a cradle.
-
Don't worry Denis, you got yourself a pass for the next good while.
Hurgah the Reaver's blood-red eyes do not leave Ro Ap Han for a moment as he keeps pace with Breach to keep their enemy flanked.
Once more, he lashes out with claw and fang, while his spirit companions swarm around him, eager for whatever life-force the immortal guardian might contain.
From our diagram, is Ro an Hap now backed up against a wall? So if I move after I do my channel, will he be stuck, with Hurgah and Breach flanking him? If so, I will do that. If not, and you just didn't draw the spaces to the north, there's probably no point. :)
-
Wait, aren't you an accountant?Oh, right, you're a dwarven priest. My bad. (Pardon my stereotyping).
Once more, he lashes out with claw and fang, while his spirit companions swarm around him, eager for whatever life-force the immortal guardian might contain.
-
Unfortunately by this time the ancient guardian has begun to memorize the primitive timings of the barbarian's strikes. And now he has begun to exploit them, turning them aside, time and time again.
From our diagram, is Ro an Hap now backed up against a wall? So if I move after I do my channel, will he be stuck, with Hurgah and Breach flanking him? If so, I will do that. If not, and you just didn't draw the spaces to the north, there's probably no point. :)
-
Donkor reaches out with the life sparing magics of his goddess, extending the life lines of Hurgah and Moonpate, ever so slightly.
The guardian feints another attack at Hurgah, but then spins away, seeking to instead deliver a powerful smash at the dwarf to his side. True to his namesake, however, Shattershield is ready: his shield is up, in place and in time to catch the blow. There's an explosive crash as Ro Ap Han's metal arm slams into the magical barrier of dwarven craftmanship. When the dust settles, Breach has held and it is Ro Ap Han who is frozen in place from the tremor of his own blow.
(miss!)
(n/a)
Meanwhile, the guardian slowly recovers and continues his efforts to backpedal from his attackers, trying to keep an uneasy distance between himself and the pair of warriors working away at his flanks. Gradually though, he begins to show signs of running out of room, as the north wall approaches. At the same time, Donkor hungrily eyes the guardian's predicament and prepares a timing to cut off Ro Ap Han's only avenue of escape.
Which updates us to:
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Round 3
Initiative Tracker
.
Ro An Hap - 17+ [Who just went.]
Breach - 17- [Who is now up next!]
Moonpate - 14
Hurgah - 3
Donkor - 1
Breach continues following the guardian step for step, taking a little something off of his swings in an hopeful attempt at actually connecting.
Unable to connect on the elusive guardian, "Bah! Stand still!"
-
You are correct - you have the bear's endurance.(You are unfortunately also right that those rolls are misses.)
Moonpate is next!
Hal will consider the statuettes carefully scrutinizing them to determine whether there are any portions of the statues that may be removed from the rest (just in case the Pharaoh thought that a portion of a slave was as good as a whole).
Next Hal will attempt to think back and see if he has ever heard of a similar riddle being solved.
Knowledge History
“Now that we are finally here we should consider what Pharasma and Angradd revealed to us.
First – follow smoke leads to hole. It would seem that the smoke rising from the entrance solves that riddle. Perhaps that clue was more relevant before excavation began.
Second – but too far down lose thy soul. This one I am still struggling with, Ro Ap Han seems to believe that we have doomed ourselves by coming here. Perhaps his warning was not without merit as even the Gods indicate that this is a dangerous place.
Third – many eyes watch the way. The eyes we have seen around the camp seem to fit this bill. Those eyes though belong to who? The Sand Sage? The ancient Pharaohs’? Perhaps the eyes refer to guardians here in the Pyramid, beholders or something else. A grim thought as such creatures are quite deadly.
Fourth – promise of clock his hand will stay. Gandel, have you seen any evidence in the hieroglyphs of what this may mean? Do we assume the “his hand” means the Pharaoh of numbers or one of the other Pharaohs’? What clock is being referred to here? Could these scales be considered a clock or am I focusing too much on what is in front of me because this is the only thing I have seen in the Pyramid thus far? Hat is likely. Perhaps the clock is an hourglass which has been slowly counting down through the ages.
Fifth – legends of past form scarab’s wall. This vision was accompanied by a vision of Lydia. Does that mean that her disappearance was forseen? Has she been taken by Ro Ap Han to another location to become part of the Pyramid? A part of the wall itself? I cannot think of anything outside of the Pyramid that would equate to Scarab’s Wall. Though the walls of this place do have hieroglyphs, perhaps these legends form Scarab’s Wall, but why would the Gods call it Scarab’s Wall? She was never here before? Unless Lydia is a reincarnated being from the time of the ancient past should we look for images of her in this Pyramid?
Sixth – the final vision, when Suekahn’s count strikes 56. This is the only vision that seems to be concrete but we have nothing to connect it to. Ro Ap Han did not react to the name Suekahn, did he Gandel? Did we mention that name to him? While I have been picking up Osiriani the ancient dialect is beyond me. Is the number 56 significant for us here? It would not appear so there are 23 figures and five scales. I don’t see how 56 fits into this riddle. The number 56 though must have some meaning as it was the only specific vision granted by the Gods”.
“Well assuming that none of those visions will help us here the suggestion from this morning was to balance the figures in a pattern of 8, 6, 4, 3, and 2. That would equal the total number of figures 23. The fractions though are a bit different we have 7 - 2/3, 5 - 3/4, 3 - 5/6, 2 - 7/8, and a solid 2. Would the Pharaoh believe that rounding was the most favorable solution? Would he simply state that all of the slaves were his property as the heirs could not agree? Assuming this array is even correct, on which scales do we balance them? How do we on which scale a certain number can be placed?”
Many eyes wadge da way, bromise of clock 'is 'and will day. Karek intones heavily. A complede doughd. I've seen many eyes. If dey are the Sand Sage, den, dad is all 'e wanded. Dime.
Hal will consider the statuettes carefully scrutinizing them to determine whether there are any portions of the statues that may be removed from the rest (just in case the Pharaoh thought that a portion of a slave was as good as a whole).
-
From a visual inspection, the statuettes certainly appear it be solid pieces, each carved from a single block or nugget of jade. Though perhaps a manual inspection would reveal more. Care to pick them up? . . .Next Hal will attempt to think back and see if he has ever heard of a similar riddle being solved.
-
Hal knows many stories of sphinxes with clever riddles and such, but none such as this. This sounds to him more like a mathematics problem from a learning academe.
Beetle, what is the current year in our calendar? Would Gandel know the ancient Osiriani calendar, perhaps it is a date.
-
It is 4711 A.R.An expert historian, Gandel would quite likely know something of the Osirion calendar, though you would have to let me know what you are looking for.
If you are interested in the number 56, both Gandel and Karek have previously made knowledge checks which have pertained to that figure. . .
Are any scales larger than other scales which would indicate that more or less figures should be placed on a particular scale? Is there any dust on the scales which would seem to indicate that a certain number of figurines occupied such spaces previously?
-
No, unfortunately, the scales are all of equal size and shape.Now that Hal takes note of it, the lack of dust in this chamber is quite remarkable. There is only a very thin film, if at all. From what dust is there, it would seems to suggest the statues have not moved from the dais in a very long very long time. It certainly does not suggest a particular configuration.
Hal will not opt to pick up the statuettes leaving that to the professional Gandel.
(You are unfortunately also right that those rolls are misses.)
Moonpate is next!
"Sooron, is there anything you can do to make this slippery villain easier to hit?
The Potentate will launch another round of magic missiles, hoping to hurt and distract their enemy.
Damage:
The Potentate will launch another round of magic missiles, hoping to hurt and distract their enemy.
-
Ro An Hap finds the quartet of bolts both hurtful and distracting.
-
Since it has almost been 2 years, it appears I have misremembered. Re-reviewing this, I see that Gandel turned up information about the Pharaoh of numbers, but not about the number 56 per say. Karek on the other hand did.Here was the result of his Knowledge check, which he shared (albeit in his Cha 5 dump stat voice)
Osirion’s pyramids exhibited an impressive level of engineering and design that was out of keeping with the level of science and mathematics prevalent at the time of their construction.
A pharaoh known as the Pharaoh of Numbers (or perhaps his designer) was known for incorporating the numbers 11 and 56 into pyramid architecture. 11 and 56 repeated an inordinate number of times, such as the number of columns or in the measurements used by the builders.
In game time, it's only been a few days since Karek passed this tid bit along while the Dune Squad was still in the Kothi back in Sothis.
Perhaps I was not entirely wrong. There was also this post from back in September of 2012:
. . .A generation ago, there was once a well-known Chelaxian Osiriotologist named Imivus who strongly believed that an expedition into the famed Veinstone pyramid required a delegation of exactly eleven persons, no less, no more. Anything else was courting disaster. It wasn’t entirely clear why.
You might recall Karek had mentioned the number 11 before as one of the two mathematical figures that appears in Ascension architecture. (The other number being 56, a number Halstadt has inquired about a couple of times due its appearance in Donkor’s vision but now we’re really digressing.)
Based on the above, I’m going to assume Professor Trapspringer must have come across some of Imivus’ work in Absolom’s archives. Xerissa’s father, the sage Auraraun would also have likely read some of his work.
Incidentally, Imivus disappeared. Approximately 57 years ago. That would have been 56 years from the year Donkor Sooron claims to have walked away from the Veinstone Pyramid as the sole survivor.
-
Just to clarify and avoid confusion, the Veinstone pyramid is not the same pyramid as Ahn'Sehlota (the one you are currently inside). The Veinstone Pyramid is the one that appears in "Entombed with the Pharaohs" another module relating to the Four pharaohs of Ascension.
Now that I'm retro-post bombing, there was also Donkor's feverish dream on April 22 of last year (real time). Heck! He's not even with you, and I'm not sure he even told anyone about this. What am I doing?
. . .
There is an island of numbers. Donkor recognizes the Osiriani symbol for eleven and fifty-six. These seem quite familiar to him, though he cannot place them. Jumbled within is also the number 39. It feels out of place though, as though disruptive and somehow contributing to the storm.