The Tomb of Horros Part 1 (4e) - Group 2

Game Master Rev Rosey

"Could we go back to the treasure vault, and rest there? It puts us closer to our next objective, at least."

Back to the treasure vault and rest, then. Sounds like a sensible compromise.

"I agree with Arishat, resting there is the safest place."

"I am agreeable to that."

He then pulls out his keg of dwarven ale. After taking a big draught directly from it, he offers it around the group.

Arishat politely takes a swig, and then looks around. "Everyone ready." If so, she sets off back towards the treasure vault.

@Rev: Do you want more athletics/other checks from us?

I don't need Athletics checks, but I will roll 4d10 damage for each of you from the seeping walls. If you're taking an extended rest in the treasure vault, are you setting a watch?

Atmospheric damage:
4d10=26 to Arishat
4d10=27 to Barel
4d10=24 to Kidlat
4d10=21 to Lynore
4d10=19 to Thom
4d10=28 to Tavar.

Spending a surge to get back to full before the rest, in case of trouble 2 surges left, I will take first watch.

Barel stows the cask back into his bag of holding after all partakers partake and follows with a slightly lighter step than before the drink.

Arishat will plant her Battle Standard of Healing (the one I always forget about) before spending a healing surge. "The only question is, does Thom want to cast his ritual again, or do we keep watch here? I know we haven't seen enemies wandering around, but it would be risky not to have someone alert."

"Yes I can cast the ritual again, no problem."

And which ritual was that?

Secure Shelter. You used it back in the room with the archways when you first arrived.

The undead maskign ritual was Tavar

Good point. I don't know which one Arishat meant. Tavar can cast that too if you want.

Secure Shelter was the one I had in mind.

Barel looks at Lynore. "Wake me when you are done. I will take second watch. I feel sure I wouldn't sleep soundly here anyway."

And when appropriate, Barel will lay out his stuff and sleep like a rock until awakened.

"I'll take third watch, then." And I can make breakfast. A good chance to practice my cooking. Eggs are forty minutes, I'm sure.

"One Secure shelter coming right up!"

Deducted 200 gp for cost of ritual.

Rested and restored, the group backtrack to the turning they ignored earlier. The dark and unpleasantly oozy tunnel lies before them.

Extended rest. Powers/hp/surges all restored. 1AP each.

Hard boiled eggs courtesy of Arishat's attempts at breakfast sit heavily on the stomach as you contemplate the slimey path ahead. So heavily, that nobody feels inclined to move.

I have no prob with you NPCing them Rev.

Thom waves Arishat and Lynore ahead of him, "Nice breakfast, Arishat. You cook better than Lureene does, he he."

[with an Australian accent from a Foster's commercial] Absolutely! [/with an Australian accent from a Foster's commercial]

"I... Sorry. I think there might be something wrong with the eggs. At least the toast was the right colour." After I scraped the black bits off. Arishat heads down the passage. "And the bacon."

Lynore whispers to Thom, "Which was the bacon? I do not remember seeing it just lots of toast."

Fine with Tavar and Kidlat being played by you

Lit by Thom's minor cantrip, the group wind through oozy passages, unable to completely avoid the necrotic seepage.

1d10=6 necro damage each.

At length, the passage widens into a corridor of finely worked stone and a pair of double doors. These swing back to the the touch and reveal a spherical chamber covered in runes that give off a silvery sheen.

MAP

You are approaching from the left side.

"There was bacon?" Thom replies to Lynore.

On reaching the chamber, Thom peers in with his arcane senses.

Arcane take 10, total 30.

Thom recognises the purpose of the runes easily enough. This chamber was designed as a prison and passing through it is going to hurt.

DC10 Athletics check per square to move from your side of the chamber to the central green line. DC20 Athletics per square to from from the central line to the far side. Passing the purple line requires a DC20 Thievery check. Any character starting their turn in the chamber takes 5 ongoing damage (se).

MAP

Anyone know the rules for carrying another person? I'm sure I've seen some somewhere. My idea is for Arishat to carry Lynore over to the purple line, so she can do the Thievery check. I expect she'll need to drop her gear to avoid being encumbered, but Arishat is athletic enough to make it across fairly easily.

I should be able to make the first one no problem, and once you are to the purple one I can teleport 4 squares to you

Makes sense. And I'll admit even as I was typing it seemed rather undignified. Is that our plan, then?

Tell me if I'm getting this right :)
Arishat will pathfind her way across to the purple barrier while Lynore follows behind and teleports as soon as she can to join Arishat and make the Thievery check.
Then everyone else suffers their way across?

I think Arishat and I were thinking that maybe we could figure out how to turn off the field/traps once we were across

OK. Work out what you're doing and let me know.

I think Arishat and I were thinking that maybe we could figure out how to turn off the field/traps once we were across

I'd like to try. If nothing else, at least we can get the purple barrier down. Also, if we're across we might be able to set up a rope and pulley so people are off the floor.

I like that idea, however for the teleport to work I have to be standing next to someone from where i leave and for where i am going, so it would take 3 of us

Barel noticed nothing wrong with breakfast...he was just happy that he had something warm to eat. As such, he volunteers to go across if that would help.

He has hit points enough for right now. Barel cannot fail to get to the mid-line, but will need some luck to get to the other side.

So Barel goes to H9, Arishat to G9 with a move action and then three squares of DC20 to F12. Lynore moves up to Barel and teleports the rest of the way so she can deal with the ward.
First athletics check (to move to G10) 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Second athletics check to move to G11 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
Third athletics check to move to F12 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Can you keep moving if one is failed?
Fourth athletics check if one fails 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
Fifth is two fail 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Sixth if three fail 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

Arishat forces her way across the room, wincing at the strain.

Yes, you can keep moving if you fail one of the checks, it just eats movement points.

Arishat winces as the unavoidable pain hits her, but gamely makes her way across the torturing sphere.

Arishat takes 5 ongoing damage (se)

DC10 Athletics check per square to move from your side of the chamber to the central green line. DC20 Athletics per square to from from the central line to the far side. Passing the purple line requires a DC20 Thievery check. Any character starting their turn in the chamber takes 5 ongoing damage (se).

MAP

+11 base athletics check so I can make it to the first line then once Arishat gets to the purple I will teleport to a square adjacent then Thievery check 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24 add +6 if it is considered a trap, add +2 if it is considered an unlock
1d20 ⇒ 3 vs ongoing after taking the first one

Lynore crosses the chamber effortlessly enough, but cannot prevent the runes from biting into her. In pain though she is, she has no difficulty in clearing the path for her friends and the barrier falls away. It has no effect on the runes in the chamber however.

Arishat and Lynore both taking 5 ongoing damage (se)

DC10 Athletics check per square to move from your side of the chamber to the central green line. DC20 Athletics per square to from from the central line to the far side. Passing the purple line requires a DC20 Thievery check. Any character starting their turn in the chamber takes 5 ongoing damage (se).

MAP

Barel moves to H9 and then attempts to proceed past to F13.

First move action to H9, cannot fail. Second move action to F13, via G10, F11, F12:

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
extra in case of fail: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

If too many failures, I will take the 5 ongoing and try again.

edit: made it to F11, now trying to continue two more squares to F13.
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
extra in case:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
extra in case:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
extra in case:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Barel makes his way across the chamber and is out the other side before the runes can activate.

Arishat and Lynore both taking 5 ongoing damage (se)

DC10 Athletics check per square to move from your side of the chamber to the central green line. DC20 Athletics per square to from from the central line to the far side. Passing the purple line requires a DC20 Thievery check. Any character starting their turn in the chamber takes 5 ongoing damage (se).

MAP

Thom steels himself against the pain…

Move to I10.
Athletics check #1 DC 10 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 J5
Athletics check #2 DC 10 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 I6
Athletics check #3 DC 10 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 I7
Athletics check #4 DC 10 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 I8
Athletics check #5 DC 10 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 I9
Athletics check #6 DC 10 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 I10

Athletics check #1 DC 20 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 H11
Athletics check #2 DC 20 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 G12
Athletics check #3 DC 20 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 F13

Arishat moves further back into the chamber and attempts to help Thom along.

Move to H10. As soon as he's close enough, Aid Another.
Pulling at I10, athletics check to aid another 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
At H11 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
And a push into G12 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
5 damage, and no point saving since Arishat is still in the chamber. 77/86 hp

Flickr isn't playing, which is a pain.

Arishat drags Thom bodily across the floor, hauling the wizard to safety.

Kidlat makes little of either the danger or the pain, losing his footing only briefly as he struggles up the sphere.

He can't fail the DC10, so rolls for the second part of the crossing only.
1d20+14=23
1d20+14=15
1d20+14=32
1d20+14=33
1d20+14=20
1d20+14=30

Tavar follows at a more sedate pace, passing easily to the centre of the chamber. His feet betray him on the upward journey, slipping disoncertingly from under him, and the runes batter at his nerve endings.

1d20+6=18
1d20+6=25
1d20+6=10
1d20+6=14
1d20+6=20 - safely to middle

and to the other side ...
1d20+6=10
1d20+6=9
1d20+6=21
1d20+6=19
1d20+6=22
1d20+6=16
1d20+6=15
1d20+6=18
1d20+6=10
1d20+6=15
1d20+6=26
1d20+6=16
1d20+6=21
1d20+6=18
1d20+6=16
1d20+6=18
1d20+6=24
Urk. That's ... not great. Tavar takes 3 rounds to cross and loses 15hp. Let's hope he saves a bit better than he crosses rune-filled spheres.

Lynore shadow steps to G14
1d20 ⇒ 9 5 dmg
1d20 ⇒ 4 10 dmg
1d20 ⇒ 16 15 dmg
Is everyone across now, and did i calculate that right?

You did. Only Arishat, Lynore and Tavar took any damage. Lynore has saved. I'll roll Tavar's saves now - hopefully doing a little better for him than I did on the crossing.
1d20=17.

Arishat needs to make her save and you're all clear.

5 damage
5 damage Saving throw 1 1d20 ⇒ 9
5 damage Saving Throw 2 1d20 ⇒ 6
5 damage Saving throw 3 1d20 ⇒ 18
20 total damage
Arishat would use Aid Another to help Tavar across.
Athletics check 1 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17
Athletics check 21d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26
Athletics check 31d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Arishat moves briskly back into the chamber and helps the struggling cleric. Tavar seems temporarily lost in a world of his own, possibly traumatised by the blatant abuse of his goddess in this godless place.

Thanks!

Worked stone corridors lead onwards.

Spends a healing surge, and back to full health, then creeps forward weerily

Arishat looks slightly grey, and then seems to pull herself together a bit Spending a healing surge. She holds a hand out. "Let's give Lynore a chance to scout it out."