The Pyramid of Shadows (Inactive)

Game Master 137ben

The harpy drops her melody and speaks in recitative:
"Not long ago the guardians of the Grand Staircase were far deadlier. Something has happened in the Pyramid to weaken them. I was trapped up here, unable to return to my friends and cousins on the first floor, due to the Gargoyles which you have slain, for which you have my gratitude."

"What lies beyond this door is at once less deadly and more terrifying than anything in the first floor. The inhabitants of the Sundered Temple have been warped by the natives Limbo, and by interlopers from The Cavern of Thought. Ever since a piece of Karavakos tried to open a portal to the realm of llsensine...."
She shudders, before commenting
"But I have gotten ahead of myself, I know not even you thou art!"

Knowledge: Regligion and Knowledge: The Planes can both give you information about what she has referenced, Knowledge (Nature) can tell you more about this kind of harpy and/or harpies in general.

my knowledges are engineering and psionics, so no help here

I don't have the needed skills either.

Mundarion says, "I am Mundarion. I guess that you are one of the group of harpies that are sharing a room with the sahuagin on the first floor?"

Only History and Arcana here...

Yess bows low in the manner the other have become accustomed to.

"Vassekh-Arokh Yessai at your service."

No knowledges...
"I use the name De'Arv'Ki. I am De, of the clan Arv, and she of the shame Ki."
De'Arv'Ki flicks her ears slightly as she says the final part.

"Yes, my cousins. Are they safe?"
She inquires to Mundarion.

Mundarion replies, "They were fine when we last saw them. Two or three days ago I think it was."

"Oh, that is relieving to hear indeed! I was scarred they would be harmed in a battle with the horrendous band of dragonborn that entered the Pyramid recently."

She smiles, before changing to a darker tone:
"I do not know what thou art after in the Sundered Temple, but I advise thee to be very careful. There is an abundance of secrets and magical material, yes, but the power of Ilsensine the illithid god makes it impossible to truly rest. It's long-time inhabitants have all partially insane. I do not wish for friends of my family, as you seem to be, to suffer the same fate."

Mundarion asks, "How easy will it be to leave the temple once we enter? Were the gargoyles out here the only thing keeping you in there? And do you know of any places on this floor where we can rest?"

De'Arv'Ki's fur bristles at the mention of the Illithid.
"The mindflayerssss...? Hmm, thissss trip hassss ssssudden... got that much better... I have a ssssmall... dissssagreement with thossse.... /Thingssss/..."

Yess' ears prick up at the mention of dragon born. She relates the simultaneous entry of the dragonborn couple, and wonders if the harpy has heard of them by name.

"We have not seen them for a while - is it possible your kin disposed of them?"

FOrgive me if we know this, but they just seemed to disappear…

FOrgive me if we know this, but they just seemed to disappear…

You aren't forgetting anything. They stayed in the sahuagin's chamber when you went to fight the Charnel Lord, and when you came back, they were gone. The sahuagin claimed that the dragonborn went to look for the rest of their group (who they thought had been drawn into the Pyramid a few weeks earlier).

This floor of the Pyramid is mostly divided between the Sundered Temple and the Blizzard Caves. You could rest in the Caves if you do not mind the cold, but this floor is both smaller and not as friendly as the floor my family lives on."

At Yessai's question, the harpy explains
"A tribe of dragonborn came to the Pyramid recently, more than a month ago, and they have been waging brutal raids on our territory since then. I know nothing of more recent arrivals. "
Although, as Yessai purports to have arrived with the dragonborn, the harpy narrows her eyes in suspicion.

Mundarion says to the harpy, "Yes, it's true we came to the pyramid with two dragonborn. But that was by accident, not design. We all just happened to be in the same spot in Sigil when Karavakos scooped us up."

Turning to the rest of the group Mundarion says, "After dealing with the gargoyles I would want to rest before we fought again. Our two main choices seem to be to find a spot in the corridor somewhere or check out the blizzard caves. What say you all?"

"Where lies the way to the next higher level of the pyramid?" Gemheart asks of the harpies, breaking his typical silence.

Yessai frowns at the harpy's comments. She listens to Mundarion and Gemheart speak, then whispers to her companions.

"I do not know whether we can trust the harpy and I would that we seek some kind of resolution to at least one of the tasks set before us by the Arborlings. Mostly I agree with you 'Darion. Let us rest. This place is fraught and dire."

[spoiler=Harpy's perception]1d20 ⇒ 14
The harpy, without revealing whether she heard Yessai, says to the group
"Now that I have been released I shall return home to my companions. I wish you all the best of luck."

She flies down the stairs and back in the direction you came from.

Mundarion says, "We need to rest. We may as well do so here."

"That issss... acceptable to me... assss well"

Sleep comes easily enough, even in this strange environment. You get a chilling feeling of uneasiness as you rest, and Karavakos appears in your dreams, his spirit continually leaving its body and jumping into other bodies. But it is all a dream.
You gain the benefits of a full night's rest.

That helped, but we're still somewhat dinged up. It would take me three more days resting normally to get back to full hit points. I assume most other characters are similarly damaged. I would prefer to save wand charges until they're actually needed. Suggestions?

Gemheart doesn't sleep and can repair himself. He is a patient sort and can wait for you to heal naturally, as he can see the tactical value in saving the wand charges.

Well, you could rest here another day, although I can't guarantee something unexpected won't happen.

Unless somebody objects, let's try resting another day.

Yay! wondering monsters! lets do this!

Sounds good and probably dire to me!

The night starts out normally. There is no haunting of your dreams by Karavakos or anyone else.
However, five hours in, the door from the first floor opens. [ooc]If you were already awake, like Gemheart probably was, you have an easier time hearing the following than if you were asleep:

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
YUS!

De'Arv'Ki suddenly vanishes from her resting place(Ninja vanish) upon hearing the discussion of an attack. Invisble, she'll climb up the wall, ready to rain bolts down on the attacks, if attackers they be.

Swift action: Ninja vanish
Move action: Climb 15ft and move 5ft

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Any bonuses for surprising them?

Perception check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Mundarion, overhearing the conversation, starts quietly waking people up and whispering very softly about a possible threat coming up the stairs.

perception, although by now the others stirring has probably alerted me: 1d20 ⇒ 7 good thing they noticed it. worst sentry ever!

His hammer at the ready, Gemheart prepares to attack the oncoming threat.

readied attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 +2 if my readied attack can be a charge
1d12 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 3 = 16

Perception - asleep - DC 20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Yess slumbers soundly...

@DMB:Do I awake?

You should get up when I wake you up. Which should be happening now. :-)

Yessai is not immediately awoken by the noise, but is quickly awoken by Mundarion.

Upon awakening you see a green dragonborn and an elf, who have come through the same door as you originally did (from the south). The dragonborn is carrying a greatsword, while the elf is holding a spell component pouch.

They are whispering to each other

Perception check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

Mundarion checks to make sure everybody else is awake and ready. He also nocks an arrow in his longbow. Then he yells, "If you two down there were any noisier you would be waking the dead. Now either attack us, flee from us, or just shut the heck up and leave us alone. By the way elf, if that's your idea of sneaking up on people you are a total embarrassment to the entire elven race. I can understand a dragonborn being too loud and clumsy, but that sort of nonsense coming from an elf is just beyond the pale. Does your mother know where you are and what you're trying to do?"

Oops, that was supposed to be perception DC 15. It didn't matter for Mundarion, but others do need a 15 to see what is inside that last spoiler.

"Oh no, I shall not be insulted in such a manner!"
A ball of energy sizzles on the elf's hands as he readies a spell. The dragonborn, almost reluctantly, assumes a combative stance from which he appears to be able to move easily.

Initiatives:
Mundarion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Yessai: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
De: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Gemheart: 1d20 ⇒ 2

elf: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
dragonborn: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Initiative order:
Mundarion--23
Yessai--19
De'arv'ki--15
elf--9
dragonborn--6
Gemheart--2

Here is the map of the room again..
Since you didn't specify going down, I am assuming you are all still at the top of the stairs, or at least on one of the landing steps. Please tell me which space your character is on (probably in either the A1-D4 landing step or the K1-N4 landing step).

And I explained the map back here, in case you forgot.

Mundarion is in square D-4.

Mundarion shoots his longbow at the elf. He says, "Then you shall die as stupidly as you have lived."

Mundarion uses his arcane strike ability to increase the damage done by his bow.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Crit confirm: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Regular damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Critical damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11
sneak attack damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 6) = 12

I keep forgetting you have different critical confirmation rules. At any rate the die roll of 15 + 20 + 7 for the modifiers to it comes to 42. That ought to do it. Though looking at the map again the elf isn't in range for a sneak attack.

did i get my readied attack on them? i'll take C4

did i get my readied attack on them? i'll take C4

No, because you readied a hammer (melee) attack and are not in a position to reach either of them in melee.

"Ahh!"
The elf cries in momentary pain as Mundarion's arrow strikes him right in the knee! Critical hit! Yessai's turn.

hehe, arrow to the knee >_<
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Welp, no whispers for me this time.

What space on the map is De on?

better make it C1, so I can see down the stairwell.

Yessai?

Sorry for delay. Will post in a few hours....

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
If I had not just awoken I would choose F1 (unless we know it is trapped as well as steps k5n9) otherwise it looks bad that I'm apparently "watching" the lower doorway while asleep. ;P
I'll take D1.

Yessai awakens, her companions shifting, hears conversation. With grim awareness, she stretches her neck out to see and what Dee and the others are spying.

Yessai's grim rictus appears - "Yenetessiim!" she snarls in exultation and recognition - tensing at the arcanist's movements.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 if I can notice the merest scrap of intelligence from his motions before he was gimped

and flinching when Mundarion shoots the elf Nice shot 'Darion the githyanki stares for a blank moment processing

this:

Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 so has Yessai ever[ooc]
Knowledge (arcana) (Int): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18 [ooc]seen
Knowledge (planes)(Int): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 this elf's like anywhere?

Yessia scans Mundarion and grimaces.

"You did warn them… [turns to watch the incomers for a briefest of moments longer, then shrugs again with the tight smile that is not joy] They are in poor position. I try something else."

The gaunt dark figure stands and screams across the yawning void of the chimney - resonating throughout and down the epic stairway,

in Elvish
"Elf - unless you have hidden friends lurking you are outmatched in number if not power - we may not be those he thinks you seek yet we may be greater! Your friend seems unsure we are your foe. Is that not right Draconic?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

she waits for the echoes to build, then continues

in Draconic
"Draconic - What of this place and those in it - DO you oppose the arborlings and if so why bother? We oppose none except those that threaten us. What is your cause - who do you aid? How many knees have you got?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Yessai's off color aside notwithstanding, this would be much easier with Intimidate, but I'm not trying to make enemies here

Feels like Knowledge (local) would be the only true aid in this place - you either grok the alliance feel or you don't. And partly, there isn't that much difference in wartime.

"You oppose no one?" Growls the dragonborn, "are you not the new arrivals in the Pyramid going to soften up the monstrous plants' rivals? Didst thou come here with my tribesmen who were left in Sigil whilst our group came into the Pyramid? We each have two knees!"

While she is not obviously attacking, the dragonborn does not seem to entirely calmed by Yessai's words.

Anyone can speak out of turn. It's De'arv'ki's turn now, and she is the only one who can take a non-free action before the elf finishes casting his spell (or stops casting it, if he changes his mind).

I would think that somebody is going to have to make a concentration check before he can cast. That was the main reason to shoot him to begin with.