The Pyramid of Shadows (Inactive)

Game Master PathlessBeth

Mundarion drops the staff. He says to the Arboreans, "You are welcome to Medragal's staff. But I will warn you that it has a mind of its own and is not easy to control."

"In return, for now, what else can you tell us about Arsalaunooza?"

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Mundarion backs away from the staff so the Arboreans can pick it up without coming too close to him.

By now I think that Mundarion's Detect Thoughts spell should have kicked in to the point he ought to be able to pick up the Arborean's surface thoughts. They will each have to make a DC 16 Will save to avoid that.

Detect Thoughts does not seem to be able to read anything about the arboreans. They are immune to mind-affecting effects:)

"Okay, you pick it up, Shonor!"
"No."
"Hush already."
Icnor steps forwards to claim the staff, whilst Thuanor continues speaking.

"Our home plane formed millenia ago when the semi-elemental plane of wood scraped against the plane of Dothion. A pocket of the two large planes overlapped and merged into one small plane, which seperated from the two to create our home."
Shonor interrupts:
"Well maybe, or maybe that's just an old folk tale. You're too gullible."
"But Lord Camnor says--"
"Zip it, Sparcnor thinks our plane predates Bytopia--"
"Heresy!"
"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"
Icnor shouts over the other two, before speaking in a vibrating voice different from how he sounded before picking up the staff.
"It has been said that the true secret of our homeworld lies in a sentient Shadow, maybe even in the Pyramid itself, and--"
"Wha?"
Thuanor interrupts,
"I've never heard that, I think you just made it up, like, forty seconds ago when you picked up that staff. Anyways--"
"Yea, for once I agree with Thuanor," Shonor interrupts again,
"Arsalaunooza no longer has portals to either Bytopia, the plane of wood, or Sigil. It does connect to the Plane of Water, and to a weird light-filled plane called Irian. Our entire world is kept fed by planes of water and light, which of course we can also use for survival."

"There are patchworks of different tribes throughout the plane, each ruled by their own Lord. The tribes don't really war with each other, although there are rivalries, most Arsalaunooza Lords respect the sovereignty of other Lords over their subjects."
"Our tribe is the best in all of Arsalaunooza, or at least it was before we were all sucked into the Pyra--"
"So self centered of you, typical. We weren't the best tribe, we were just one of many."
The arboreans really can't seem to agree with each other on much of anything....

Can't blame a guy for trying :-)

Mundarion looks thoughtful. He says to the other members of the group, "Anybody else have anything they would like to ask or suggest?"

"How do you get the light you need here? And what else do you know of this place? Are you content to remain here?"

Yessai pinches the bridge of her nose in mild irritation. She addresses the arboreans:

"Do you have any information that must aid us in either destroying Fractures of Kravakoss, escaping this demi-plane entirely or gaining powerful artefacts or objects that might aid us in either of those two former objectives?"

To the party, she whispers -

"As interesting as their history might be, I'm....not really interested. And generally, I am interested in planar knowledge and history..."

To Gemheart's questioning, the three respond in turn,
"Light? There is light in every room of the Pyramid. Besides, no one has need of nourishment in here. "
"Our lord is content to remain in the Pyramid, conquering it and transforming it into an extension of Arsalaunooza. He might want to get back to our home plane after conquering this one, or not."
"There is some descension among the tribe, as many among us wish to find a way out of the Pyramid more quickly."
"But one side in the debate is clearly right, and the other one is just a vocal minority with no real case."
"Yea, ONE side of the argument is right, and the other is wrong. We all know which one is wrong."
"Yea."
"Yea."

When Yessai interrupts, Shonor responds
"You would have to ask our lord for aid. That was our deal, was it not? You bring us the staff, and we get you an audience with him under a favorable disposition? You did your part, now it's our turn, if you still want to beseech aid from Lord Camnor."

"Aye. We do. And which side of your debate is right?" Yessai responds.

"Oh, the right one. The side we are on is right, the other one is wrong."

The arboreans lead you south into another chamber. Someone or something has dug a deep hole in this chamber. The floor is thick, loamy soil, and a wide pit with sharply sloped sides dominates the center of the chamber. On the sides and at the bottom of the pit are what looks like several masses of vines, rocks, and soil, all pressed into 10-foot wide clumps. Across the pit stands a creature with goatlike horns, holding a set of reed pipes. A longbow is slung over its shoulder.

There are more arboreans in this chamber, as well as some large, faceless yet moving plant beasts.

The arboreans further lead you east, into a much larger chamber. As you enter this chamber, you see a huge, well-lit room that is obviously a temple of some sort. The floor here is thick, soft loam.
Large trees grow in the chamber. At the far end of the room stand a stone altar and several stone monoliths. A pool of water fills the
chamber’s southeast corner. Near the altar stand three creatures:
a strange, plantlike beast, a towering bear, and another arborean. The "normal-looking" arborean is somewhat shorter and thinner than the others you have seen, but he stands straight up as if confident in his own self-importance.

Icnor, Shonor, and Shonor all bow in submission towards the small arborean, before Icnor speaks
"My noble lord, these Outsiders have done as you bade us ask them to do, and--"
Shonor promptly interrupts
"But only one thing, and there were three things."
"But they only had to do one, and they--"
"They did the wrong one!"
"Which wrong one? I thought they were all the right one? "
"No, they--"

The small arborean snaps his fingers, and his face reveals visible annoyance with the three bickering underlings.
"Silence," he commands.
"Now, I speak to you, outsiders. You have the Staff of Medragal, I understand. What is it you seek from me? Why are you accompanied by a dragonborn and a grig from other factions?"

Reminder: Gemheart knows what a grig is from a knowledge check last page. No one else knows, unless we assume Gemheart told them off-stage.

ah, i suppose i would have. I forgot when i almost died twice. Haha

Mundarion looks at Yessai and nods, giving her an indication she can proceed.

"Lord Camnor" [bows] "We bring you the Staff of Medragal as your folk had asked. As to factions, are you not another faction? Forgive my audacity, but though you have created your semblance of [struggles to correctly pronounce] Arsalaunooza [while indicating the chamber with a flourish] is it not true that it only exists at the pleasure of Kravakoss? Who continues to reign here precisely because you and their masters [here indicates the outsider dragonborn and grig] cannot come to an accord and endlessly compete in your shallow internecinities?" [here pauses for effect].

"Verily, we are a new showing, not a faction, but a band with a set agenda of peace and understanding, or where it is merited, war with conditional bounds - trouble us, and we will bypass or end you, as we did with the Mad King of Pineapples and the Ettin of Entrance. Even an abomination Splinter of Kravakoss we bested. We are not interested in tired constraints brought about by shortsighted desire to merely exist in a demi-plane not of our control. Think on that if it pleases you."

Yessai licks her lips, not out of nervousness, but from being parched.

"As to the matter at hand. [here indicates the Staff in 'Darion's hand] We have the Staff. What have you to give us in exchange? The dragonborn gave us the mighty Hozela. [indicates Hozela] The great Thoraska this crafty Grig. [indicates the Grig] Can you equal that or better it? A henchman of yours to give? Items of power? It would be a pity to tell Thoraska and Vesh that the arborlings are... mean in their dealings, especially when we actually had something to trade..."

Yessai lets her words ring out in the chamber...

The arborean's stone cold expression flickers to life as he ponders the githyanki's words.
"Kravakoss...I assume you mean Karavakos, Gith tongues may be less precise than our articulation spores. Nevertheless, thy words are not entirely truthful. It is not Karavakos who holds thee in this plane, for Karavakos is as much a prisoner in the Pyramid of Shadows as thineselves. If thou doth truly seek to leave the Pyramid, thou should seek an alliance betwixt the tiefling and thee, for he too desires to leave. Rather, it is by the will of Shavarla, the arcitect of the Pyramid, that we are enclosed in this space. She dwells not in her own prison, but in the Nine Hells, and her power is too far beyond our reach. "

"Nonetheless, I believe we may be able to reach an agreement of sorts...what aid doth thou desire from me? Aside from thy staff, what have thou to offer?"

Diplomacy check/checks, please:)

Yessai's eyes now flicker as she learns this new information, which casts all their plans under a new light. She bows again.

"We tell no lies, but mayhap are in error. We thank you for your information."

She thinks quickly.

"We will continue to act for you insofar as we act for others toward interests that do not clash. Ask of us more tasks - with aid, we can accomplish them. We already give you the Staff, that you asked of us, and defeated inimical presences herein. You have yet to offer anything, Lord Camnor, where your rivals have given much [here indicates the dragonborn and grig again for effect]."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Mundarion remains in the background, but attempts to aid Yessai by his manners.

Diplomacy check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

diplomacy aid another: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

Gemheart does his best not to offend.

"Yessss, I shall provide you with aid. Firstly, since you seem interested in Karavakos, I shall provide you with information. You already know of the Splinter that lived in the Sundered Temple. Another Splinter of Karavakos, sometimes known as Arat Karavakos, embodies the original's thirst for knowledge and arcane power. Arat Karavakos lies in the Library of Whispers. The final Splinter is also known as Kravak the Damned, and it embodies the original Karavakos' skills for the necromantic arts. That Splinter controls half of the Pyramid's third floor, which he quarrels over with a being known only as The Shadow. I do not know much about The Shadow, but he allegedly resembles the true Karavakos."

"The real Karavakos dwells in the Sanctuary of Light, the uppermost chamber of the Pyramid, it forms the entirety of the fourth floor. The chamber has been sealed since before I was in the Pyramid. I have heard it said that Karavakos can get in and out of the Sanctuary of Light, but I have not seen him outside of it since I arrived in the Pyramid, and no one else can get in."

"More than information, you may have a follower of mine in aid. "
His voice lowers slowly, and he starts speaking into a giant fern, as if it were a microphone.
"Hathnor, your presence is required."
From a corridor to the north, another arborean enters, bowing in deference to Camnor, who speaks to the newly arrived arborean.
"These outsiders are seeking Karavakos and his Splinters in an effort to leave the Pyramid. You must accompany them and aid their journey. Obey their commands in all things, until such a time when I require your services in another purpose."

Turning back to Yessai and the group, Camnor's voice returns to normal:
"Hathnor is a skilled warrior and will aid you well. Have you additional inquiries for me?"

Should I assume that you have no further questions for Camnor? If so, you can leave the arborean's territory easily, with Hathnor in tow.

but where shall we head, i wonder?

I think we've got enough information for Thoraska. But after that I'm not sure. Maybe try the 3rd floor?

sounds good to me

Getting back to the entrance to Thoraska's cave is not a problem. As you approach, though, Hathnor makes an inquiry to the group
"Do yu wish for me to accompany yu into the Blizzard Caverns? While I have nothing against the dragon, she may judge me harshly for my affiliation with my so-called "leader," and I do not wish to hinder yur efforts in any diplomacy, much less endanger my own life. I will enter enter with yu, or remain outside, as yu desire."

"Stay by our sides good Hathnor. The dragon will understand. We are an alliance, not a faction..." Yessai replies, with more conviction than she has...

What does Hathnor look like? A medium vegepygmy?

Nodding in acknowledgement to Yessai, Hathnor follows you into the Blizzard Caves.
"Manufactured weapons must still be abandoned before entering my mistress' chamber," Sorjla reminds the group as you enter the entrance chamber. "Natural weapons are permitted, of course."

Hathnor and Hozela drop their weaponry at the grig's prompting. Assuming you all do too, you are allowed uninterrupted passage into Thoraska's lair.

Once you reach the dragon's chamber, her deep voice echoes towards you
"Sveikinu tavo grąžinti, ir naujokams, ir tavo mano Sorjla. Aš pasitiki tu atsigavo žinių apie Arboreans? Ir dar, aš matau."

Gemheart waits outside, as before.

Yessai makes the proper obeisance, and smiles plainly. She relates what the Arboreans told Mundarion about their home plane, and generally but not specifically the nature of their demesne in the Pyramid.

In Draconic
"As you can see, we have been gifted one more ally from among the factions of the Pyramid. Perhaps in time, a concord could be reached that transcends the pressures of the pyramid?"

The dragon heaves a deep breath in thought, and icy winds swirl faster throughout the chamber.
By the way: did Mundarion use protection from cold or something similar before you entered?
"Galbūt, Iš tiesų, allience gali būti suklastotas. Nepaisant to, iš to, ką tu surinkta, tai nušvinta į Arboreans patys argi ne unifikuotas. Galgi bet draugystė tarp vienos grupės Arboreans ir thineself mighteth tik įsiutinti kitas prieš tave. Ar žinai, ar augalų žmogus, kuris ėjai stovėti šalia tavęs yra tikrai veikiantis Camnor paslaugą? Arba i-tojo savo Hathnor vienas iš disidentų frakcijos? Be to, tu juk žino, ką arboreans kurie priešinasi Camnor tikrųjų nori? Iki tu žinai, kad ji būtų pavojinga tau pernelyg glaudžiai palaikykite thyselves bet arboreans. Nepaisant to, tu Dievas parodė thyselves vertas mano paslauga. Yra dar vienas svarbus trokštu tau užbaigti užduotis. Bet pirmiausia, tas tu mane prašymus dėl tolesnio pagalbos tavo paties tikslus? Jūs tikrai nebūtų baigti užduotį po užduotį man nieko mainais."

Meanwhile, back outside Thoraska's chamber, in the lobby-esk area of the caves...

Mundarion would have used his wand to protect whoever needed it. That would be Mundarion, Yessai, Hozela and De I think.

Yessai nods to the Great Worm.

"Didžiosios Thoraska - jūsų žodžiai išmintingi ! Mes stengsimės rasti dvilypumą ir jei tai pleištas gali būti pasinaudota . Kaip padėti - dabar mes turime sąjungininkų , tačiau reikmenis į daiktų forma - ginklai, šarvai ir kitų magijos padėtų mums įveikti daugiau problemų denizens . Demonas mes kovojo sako, kad didelis lobis , bet be dideliu magijos mes negalime įveikti savo valdžią ..."

Inside, everyone:
"Ak, tai medžiaga pagalba jūs ieškote. Aš turi numatyti materialinę gerovę man trūksta ne."
The dragon raises her wings somewhat, sending a gust of freezing air throughout the chamber. From underneath where she lay, Thoraska sinks an ivory claw into her pile of treasure, and allows four items to fall to the ground:
A blood-red ring engraved with the image of a white skull, a small horn carved from hemlock wood, a small dun and ecru diamond, and a viridian cape shot with threads of greenish metal.

Her voice pulsating, the dragon explains as she gestures towards the items
"Šis žiedas turi padidinti galią įžeidžiantis magija, tiems gabiems subtilių menų spellcasting, tuo pat metu šalia kitų, kai tu liesti tavo priešas su magija. Kai Yon ragas minutę tu pakviesti rūkas, kas yra miglotas mirtingąjį regėjimą, kurį laiką, ere stiprus su prisiglaudė susprogdintas aišku. Tavo kalvė gimsta, ar tavo šarvai kūnas, jei jis yra pakankamai stiprus, Tu palaikykite, kad deimantas, kuris stiprina ją. Galiausiai, šis Cape įkūnija mirtingųjų reptilijos esmė, modeliuojama po mano natūra. Nors jį dėvėti, būsi testamentu su galia prisiimti mirtingo roplių formą."

Yessai accepts the items and hands them to Mundarion to check and apportion as necessary. The githyanki makes a concerted effort to bow with proper deference, and compliments their host's largesse.

"Galingasis Thoraska išmintinga ir galinga! Mes priimame šias dovanas ir žada juos naudoti atsargiai !"

Even while y'all are rebuilding your characters, we could probably make a little in-game progress....
When Yessai, De'arv'ki, and the NPCs who now include Mundarion exit Thoraska's chamber, they find Gemheart talking to a frost-covered eladrin child. The ice eladrin recoils upon seeing Hathnor, but seems to calm down as she realizes there are no other arboreans in the group.

"Oooh, Miss Githyanki and Miss Ninja! Your golem was telling me about my brother. He was turned to stone by the snake-haired person."

Dee flicks her ears a little, and tilts her head. "How... Pleasssant..."

Dot.

For Jan and Krezen only:
The manical laughter of the spectre that brought you hear fades into nothingness, and the world spins as you seemingly loose consciousness before awakening in an unfamiliar environment.
A stench of death and blood assails you as you appear suddenly
atop a pile of bodies. Humans, dwarves, elves, halflings, and
others, all apparently recently killed but all wearing clothing
and armor of an earlier age. The pile of bodies seems to shift, as
though something might be moving beneath it.

You are in a square pit, about 10 feet below the floor of this chamber, and on top of a mass of dead bodies. There are only two living beings in sight: Jan and Krezen.

The room has four apparent exits: In one direction (which may as well be called "West," as the Pyramid is its own demiplane, the choice of cardinal directions is arbitrary), is a marble staircase about ten feet wide, leading down. To the east is a corridor splitting two ways. To the south, there is a hall leading to a green, shaking wall.
To the north lies a much longer corridor, one which you cannot see the end of.
There are no apparent light sources in the room, but the room is filled with dim lighting by whatever sort of magic created the Pyramid in the first place.

The loud, crackling voice of a tiefling becomes audible again, and the spectre of the tiefling you saw before entering the Pyramid becomes visible once more.
“Welcome to the Pyramid of Shadows. The only way
to win your freedom is to kill us—two times only now! In no other way will you escape!”

The spectre and his voice once again fade into nothingness, leaving you alone in this bizarre plane.

Jan looks around groggily, but his eyes widen as he sees the bodies piled beneath him.

He jumps up in shock. "By the Dreamer! What sort of nightmare is this?!" Jan shouts, as he looks around in horror at the mound of corpses.

He sees the half-orc rousing opposite him in the pit. He draws a long slender piece of wood, and holds it like a quarterstaff.

"Who are you?" he shouts. "Where am I? What have you done?!"

Just then he is interrupted by the strange tiefling voice, echoing throughout the chamber. He looks up, as if he might see the speaker above him. When the voice finishes speaking, he looks back at the half-orc.

"Well I suppose you are not responsible... if you were, would you be laying upon these corpses as I was?"

He looks down at the bodies. "I thought this might be some sort of mass grave for dissidents, but I don't see anyone I know here. And their clothing is strange; I've never seen the like."

Jan looks more closely at the bodies.

"Something is moving under there!" he says. "I don't think I want to meet something that makes its home in a pile of corpses. Let's get out of here."

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Jan looks around; the only way out he sees is up.

If I am 6'2" then with my arms up I could probably reach at least 7' off the ground. I don't have room for a running start, so the DC is 8 for each foot of a high jump, or 24 for a 3 foot jump. That would get me high enough to grab the edge.

Acrobatics take 10: 10 + 14 = 24

Jan stows his staff again and jumps up, grabbing hold of the edge of the pit.

"pulling yourself up when dangling by your hands" is a DC 15 climb check, so:

Climb take 10: 10 + 5 = 15

He hauls himself up and out of the pit. He turns back and reaches down, offering his hand to the half-orc. "Here; take my hand. I'll pull you up."

Is there any kind of knowledge check to have heard of the Pyramid of Shadows? In case it is knowledge:Planes, here goes:

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

He woke up to the saound of that insidious voice - "Son of a..." - he was already cursing as he tried to stood up, but lost his footing on the uneven... Ground? And came crashing down the pile of corpses - "Gods damn this all to hell" - he roared, regaining his footing and realizing where he is for the first time - "What the..?" - he stfled another curse, unable to offer anything appropriate to the dreadful sight - "What IS this?!"

Krezen is a large half-orc by any measure, but has clearly seen better days - his attire is worn out and stitched in multiple places, the chain mail around his torso has a few visible broken links and shows a LOT of recent use. His black hair and beard are disheveled, and now matted with blood from where he just stood, but they still match his sparkling black eyes.

A polearm juts across his back at an askew angle, and multiple weapons are arrayed at his belt, boot and bandoleer, as if he his coming (or going) to fight some war all by himself, and the semblance of tusks under his cowl are an evident hint to his orcish heritage.

Turning around he realizes there is another standing there, as dumbfounded as himself, and apparently speaking for some time now though he hadn't even noticed - his hand goes instinctively to the weapon at his back.

"Something is moving under there!" he says. "I don't think I want to meet something that makes its home in a pile of corpses. Let's get out of here."

The man's alert makes him spin around to confirm his words - he considers his options for a split second, his knuckles whitening around the shaft of the weapon at his back - "I DO feel like shredding something to pieces" - he growls, but then takes notice of the other man's evasive actions, and rethinks his own.

Dashing toward the wall, he follows suit, stopping for a split second to consider the offered hand, but deciding to ignore it - "Yeah, right"

His run ends at the edge of the pit, his left foot planted firmly on the wall, and assisting in the jump to reach the ledge.

Acrobatics to reach the ledge: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Once he manages to hold on, he pulls himself up as quickly as possible.

Climb: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"Do you have a name?" - he speaks to the stranger at his side without looking at him, eyes locked on the pile of corpses, his hand absent mindedly fiddling with some sort of amulet around his neck.

Sonmewhat like THIS :D

----------

Jan, I'm gonna follow your queue and:

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

"Jan," the green-haired man says. "Call me Jan. You?"

Jan looks back down into the pit, and then around the room.

"Do you know where we are?"

He takes out his staff and taps one end on the floor. He looks the half-orc up and down. "You're not from Senara, are you? It's not a big town, and I'd recognize most of the people from there... that's where I was, before I was... well, here. Wherever this is."

"I do know it was magic that brought me here. What sort of magic, I cannot say. I remember... I remember a rather crafty tiefling reading from a scroll, and then I was here."

GM: Was the Tiefling voice we heard the same as the voice of the guy that sent me here?

GM: Was the Tiefling voice we heard the same as the voice of the guy that sent me here?

Yes, it was.

Getting up out of the pit is easy. After carefully pondering all he knows about this realm, Krezen recalls nothing whatsoever.

Jan is a bit more well versed in planar lore:

However, another noise comes from the southern corridor. Slowly but surely, a large, shambling creature covered in dark moss traverses the floor towards you. It's arms resemble ferns, and its body is roughly humanoid, almost orc-shaped. When it reaches the edge of the chamber you are in, a miniscule, yellow mouth opens, and the creature speaks in a raspy and fuzzy Common
"Newcomers unto our new home, are you? Were thou recently entrapped here? To whom is thy allegiance owed, or have you none?"
The creature's accent is almost Elysium in origin, though its dialect is corrupted by that of the Plane of Earth and by Sigil.

Jan looks up at the ceiling... and around the room.

"Do you feel that? There is an energy here... I can't explain it."

"But we are on another plane of existence. I cannot say which one, but judging by the speech we heard on arrival, this may be what is known as a 'prison demiplane.' I don't think that's good."

Krezen: Jan is willing to explain what he knows, so assuming Krezen is willing to ask questions, go ahead and read the spoiler.

However, another noise comes from the southern corridor. Slowly but surely, a large, shambling creature covered in dark moss traverses the floor towards you...

Jan watches the creature approach warily. He looks it over.

I'm guessing it's a plant creature, so...
Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Jan considers the creature's words.

"Newcomers? I suppose we are. You couldn't tell us where we have arrived, can you? And allegiance? Until now, my only allegiance has been to freedom... which is ironic, considering what this place seems to be."