The Pyramid of Shadows (Inactive)

Game Master PathlessBeth

"Hmm, so who do we want to fight?"

I would personally wish to liberate the temple first.

"I have no great desire either way. "Liberating" a temple? Sure. For your god, Thomas?" Yessai appears to be making some kind of pointed comment, but her smile is evidence enough that she is merely jesting.

im trying to imagine that thing smiling... I am failling...
XD

Mundarion comments "We don't know who is in the temple now. It may not need liberation. A better short term goal might be taking out the Ettin. However, if we do that then we may need either to ally with or take out the plant creatures. For right now I would vote for simply taking out the Ettin and then contacting the plant creatures to see what the story with them is."

Thomas snorts and looks at Yessai.

Better mine then whatever fiend the heathens living here worship.

Thomas seems to be trying to make a joke but he seems to be failing.

Yess agrees with Mundarion again.

"Yes. Remove the Ettin, we have a base of operations…and a possible equipment haul."

I'm fine with the Ettin.

Thomas brings out a small copy of what looks like scriptures, reciting the words under his breath without really looking at the pages. He mumbles to himself They will all pay for their sins eventually

Sighing to himself

Are we sure we can take the big guy? We barely scraped by with our tumble with smelly back there. Granted, even with both those heads, he's probably isn't THAT much smarter. We should probably form a plan of attack beforehand. I agree with Mundarian on this one. Check to see if the Pintsized tomato people want to help us out.

"Dont get between him and the pit. Also I don't imagine he is tougher than the creature that fed off magic and was immune to weapons. "

Mundarion says, "I think if we can all surround the Ettin and pound on him that it should work."

Hmmm. Another thing to consider is that the pit itself seems to be the doorway into this prison. Do we really want to have our base of opperations, or at least our safe point to retreat to, to be a point where others could potentally and randomly appear behind us. However, i dont think we have really found a good place yet, so we may as well secure that room.
As for the ettin, heres my plan.
At the very first, i will create a slick under his feet, i imagine the large creature is none too nimble and he might even fall down if we are lucky.
Next have Gemheart charge in screaming, make lots of noise and draw its attention and allow the rest of us toget into position as we wish.
Actually De, you should try and go invisible and get behind the creature first. I imagine you and Mundo would enjoy an off balance and surrounded foe.
After that i will keep trying to debilitate the foe, although i can teleport you guys as needed. Does anyone else have something to add to this? Or is this good.
Midioto is open to suggestions.

Mundarion replies, "That's not a bad idea. I'd just want a little time to cast a couple of spells before the fight started. If the Ettin happens to be watching the door we come through we might not have too much of a surprise on our side and your getting him to fall down could be key."

"After you grease the floor, do you have a spell that pushes? I'd try to push him but he'd probably try to slap me silly in the process, and I imagine he's no pushover in a fight."

Why yes i do have a spell that pushes! And it is especially hard to resist. Is there a specific direction you would want me to push him, or just to try and keep him on ice?

"Well, i mean with the grease and the push, into the pit, I'm just kinda on guard duty. Then just try to keep him from climbing out while we kill him."

Yess has little to add to the tactical planning. As much as she wishes to stay alive, the simple planning of what amounts to murder leaves her somewhat cold. Regardless of her inner turmoil, she keeps such musings to herself.

The creature is a dumb brute, it is true. Yet are we not all seeking solace and succour of one kind or another? If only I could have convinced it to work with us.

Mundarion looks thoughtful. He says, "The problem with getting the Ettin in the pit is that giants like to throw things. If he gets in the pit he's got a whole bunch of bodies he can throw. We might be better off keeping him down while we all beat on him outside the pit."

"Well... maybe the little guy can pop down there and set some spears up so the giant falls on them. And how good of an angle for throwing is he gonna have?"

As you chat about strategy, Vyrellis nods along in her crystal.
Quietly, she mutters to herself
"When will these people get moving?"
She is apparently unaware she is speaking out loud.

Some people may still be recuperating from the holiday. Part of the problem in my case is the temperature is through the roof and I don't have a working air conditioner in my apartment. Be all that as it may I think I'll keep Mundarion's current spell selection and just go for it.

Mundarion stands up and moves into position to take point as the party moves back through the Sahuagin's room.

Gemheart moves out with the others.

Thomas moves with the others, his blade at the ready.

Yess prepares herself as she did the "morning" before, with a moment's meditation and some kata and stretches. Then she again dons her outlandish armor, straps her buckler to her arm and draws her oversized bastard sword, carrying it low and flat in two hands. She is adamant she will make a better showing this "day".

The harpies greet you as you return to their chamber:
Ah, your mixed up group has come back
Your scaly friends left already to seek their pack.
When we heard from that room a deafening crash
did you encounter the keeper of trash?
Or perhaps you found still further yet
The Arboreans and their garden set?
This time there is no enchantment in their music, they are simply communicating.
One of the sahuagin raises her head out of the water
"Back, I see?"

Nice rhymes DMB!

Mundarion says, "Yes, but don't worry, we are only passing through."

Is the door between the Sahuagin's room and the Ettin's room open or closed?

"Keeper of trash, hah, yeah... i'd say we encountered him. Tough bastard."

The door to the room with the entry pit is closed, but unlocked.
The sahuagin replies
"Indeed, he is quite strong. The Arboreans are afraid to even enter his chamber out of fear."

"Maybe best to leave him alive, then."

For now... Thomas mutters.

Louder
Who are the Aborians?

Mundarion moves up to the door to the Ettin's room and waits for the rest of the party to move up with him before he does anything.

"The Arboreans," she says, "are an influential tribe that controls most of the southern part of the Pyramid. I think they want to transform the Pyramid to resemble their home world, but they haven't been expanding their territory lately, I know not why."

"From the name, I would imagine the Arborians are the plant folk."

Yessai moves up to the door with Mundarion.

" I believe we an overcome the Ettin with the requisite amount of tactical acumen applied. To whit - disable or otherwise hamper the creature. Perhaps a distracting conversation whereby certain members of the party move to flank/surprise it. If murder is to be our aim. Let it be quick and at no cost to ourselves." Yess' mouth curls into a disconcerting rictus.

Mundarion turns to Yessai and says, "Well, if you think you can seduce him, be my guest. But I don't see too many other ways to handle him."

"I kinda thought we already tried to play it nice with him, and it didn't work. He seems the sort to be content with his sadistic playthings."

Are you guys ready to move back to the entry room?

I'd want to cast a couple of spells first. I was waiting to see what everybody else was doing. Also waiting for an indication that Midio was good to go.

After checking her equipment's state of readiness, De'Arv'Ki flicks her ears and indicates that she is ready to move.

@DMB - yep, ready to go.

Yessai considers Gemheart's reply.

"Well its curiosity, even for a moment, might be useful. The mere fact I can talk to it may assuage its loneliness. Any creature that can talk usually wishes to, even if only to impress upon others its primacy."

"I've got nothing personal against the guy. If you can get him to let us move about through his area freely, I'm willing to hold off on attacking until you parley with him."

Mundarion says, "The problem is that the spells I would like to cast are of short duration. If we're going to parley first they may end before any fight starts."

Mundarion shrugs. Then he says, "To heck with it. Let's just go for it and see what happens. If Yessai can charm him somehow there won't be any need to waste him."

Mundarion waits to get some sort of nod or confirmation from the other group members and then opens the door to the Ettin's room.

I doubt this will work, but peace should always be the first approach. Go for it Yessai

Note that Yess isn't trying to make friends with the Ettin, that seemed not to work last time. She's merely trying to distract it with conversation. But she might well roll high...

was just playing off of your desire not to kill it.

As the door opens, the ettin spins around. He cannot see you at the bottom of the stairs from where she is, but he calls out.

Given that we had decided to parley Mundarion would not have a weapon ready.

Whelp. Looks like conversation may not work. ;)

Yessai sheathes her blade and walks up the stairs toward the large creature. Her hands are up and out, signalling an attitude of peace.

"The head was not yours, but its own being. If you like, I can show it to you again and you can hear it talk. Would you like to see the talking head?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Lowering her weapons, the ettin grunts out

Yessai keeps walking closer to the Ettin, her blade still sheathed. She pulls herself up to her full height and stares the ettin full in the eyes...

"We managed to placate the harpies and sahuagin yonder, and then slew the garbage monster. Have you done else since we were here but sit and mope? Now we wish to assess your enemy, the Arborian menace. You would do well to join us."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Fantastic. Draw your weapons boys and girls...

Gurrak grunts, bracing himself slightly, gripping his weapons, and responds is a rather irritated tone
"You can go soften Plant Things. Gurrak will not go with you. But first, give me the head back!"