Tomb of Horrors (4e) - Group 2, Part 2

Game Master Rev Rosey

Your saves are somewhat non-awesome, I have to admit.
Sorry to continually be messing you about folks, but I still have computer issues and am posting as and when I can. With, I must add, an increasing sense of frustration.

"Well now, I'm not so sure what I'm going to be wanting so I'll make you no promises about the exact favour. You surely see it has to be a mighty thing to ask you. That place is kinda special and I'd be telling some almighty lies if I said it's an easy task to get you there. It's my risk too, sugar," she adds for James's benefit. "Y'all might get killed out there and how do I get paid then?"

Returning to James's, resting up and heading back to Lu for lift-off?
Note that you do indeed get an AP, but as you're taking the extended rest option, it might not be that relevant. Depends on how tetchy Arishat is feeling.

"Well we'd best not get ourselves killed then." he replies lightly with a wink. 'Yeah, we'll probably die upon a different plane; but hey-ho...'

James nods; "Deal with the aforementioned terms."

Yep, back to my place and then an extended rest. There should be just about enough beds/couches to rest upon.

Hester is wearing a determined expression and an apron when she wakes everyone.

"There's coffee. There's croissants. Eat, drink, go. I don't know what you did last night, but someone needs to take the bottles out and it isn't going to be me."

James wears a chastised expression, but there is a naughty gleam in his eye. "Of course, I wouldn't wish to place such an onerous task upon thy svelte form." then ol' Jammy gives her a wink.

With a graceful poise that belies the efficiency he goes about his tasks; James is quickly about the tasks at hand. The loft is spotless, cluttered but clean after the nights revelry. Whilst he himself is dressed sharply and all his portable and adventuring belongings are safely stowed away.

"How is everyone else? Ready to go onwards into the unknown and achieve a historic victory." despite his bravo and confidence there is just the merest of hints of bluster. It seems he is glad to be with the rest.

After careful weapon and armor maintenance, and a few scant hours of freedom and sleep, Guardian Iatos has rebuckled her armor, hefting the last strap into place. As she slings her shield over her shoulder, she murmurs to herself as her pennant gets caught on something. "Blast, I took it off, and now I can't get it all fitting properly again."

Continuing the muttering, she puts her pennant flag in her bag of holding, sighs, adds her shield, and then straps on Ruinblade. "There. Alright, I'm ready to go, I'd feel better if we had a way to ensure our return, but that's what adventurers do. Rush headlong. Angels treading and all that."

Raya also buys 5 more glowstones before she leaves. I humbly propose that if someone around has a free hand, that they use them for her. Her general first turn is to plant her Pennant which slows and draws in opponents. Then someone can throw the glowstone to make the undead in the same area take radiant vulnerability.

"Everything seems to fit perfectly, to my eyes at least." James winks to Raya. Having fitted all his alchemical items in his bag of holding.

Unfortunately James holds his Pact blade in his off hand; so that if any body hit him in melee they take 2HP damage. I also have lots of alchemical items.

Temp HP: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Maybe I should give them to Lanthair to see if he can use his sling/flurry of blows ability to shoot them, that'd be awesome.

"Have spear, will travel." Arishat looks relaxed, leaning against the wall and smirking with her pack at her feet.

"Precisely, we are all looking good. Rested, relaxed and well fed; let's be off to Lu's. We don't need to pick anything up?" James says confidently, as he brushes a stray lock of hair from his fore-head. His hand lingering slightly over where Vecna had placed his mark.

"Nope, I am as ready as I'll ever be." Thom replies as he checks his gear making sure nothing is out of place.

Lanthair has a good ranged basic. If he can sling it, that's even better. Plus he's usually empty-handed, so he seems like a good choice.

Lanthair has stowed his few belongings and has a look of determination on his face.

Ruling from Rev if Lanthair can load glowstones into his sling?

James waves goodbye to Hester for a second time, though on this occasion he gives her a small hug. A cold sensation grips his heart as if he will never return to this place, he pushes it away with a smile.

As the group leave his abode, their serious attire not drawing too much attention from the various multitudes that live in the vast Metropolis of Sigil. "They have seen stranger, I suppose." James quips as they move towards Lu's tobacconists.

Hmm. I don't actually see why Lanthair can't use a glowstone in his sling. I'm ruling that he can, but because it's a slightly unusual missile, he'll have to use a minor to load it.

James is not entirely correct about the battle-ready look he and his friends are sporting, but the effect is enough to cause a few optimists to back off on closer inspection. The side-streets of Sigil seem to be oddly packed with would-be muggers suddenly changing their minds.

Possibly Ruinblade's running commentary is off-putting as well. The blade seems to be in chatty mood as you head to Lu's establishment, not troubling to lower its voice.

"The company you are keeping is incompatible with serious intent, Paladin. You should use your personal charms to urge them towards better behaviour. The wizard consorts with evil beings. I can smell them on him."

Lu smiles as you arrive and swiftly opens a door into the nether regions of her emporium.

"Step right through here. I got things set up nice for y'all, but we need to move right along. This isn't exactly legal."

Ruinblade quivers in Raya's hands.

This one is old in evil.

'And I should lecture Thom on his deeds, is that it? Possibly I could convince him, Ruinblade, that such things may not be best for him, but that is not how the Heartwarders work. If I browbeat Thom into submission, I would have convinced his mind, but not his heart. What is more worthwhile is to quietly show him that he can do amazing things, or enjoy ladies without having to summon them. Teach a man to fish, and all...'

Later at the shop, she regards Lu quietly, still apprehensive about this 'debt'. Ruinblade speaks again to her, 'Indeed. Still, one cannot slay the greater evils if one slaughters the lesser evils. Lu is...unsettling, I agree. Any agreement made with her must be made with caution and prudence. Her focus appears to be that of debts, of manipulation. Here in this plane, such a thing seems more accepted. Perhaps what wicked ways she has traveled are but mere dabbling nowadays. It is impossible to tell for sure, as she is a wily one.'

Raya adds with a hinted smile, 'You are quite chatty today, you're excited we're getting close.

James quirks an eyebrow in disbelief at the talking sword. 'Ho-ho, I would suspect that only someone so pure of heart could not be corrupted by a dark-blade like that.'

"I thank you for your kindness; assisting us in such a manner." James says smoothly as he moves to the back of the shop, squinting his eyes to let the adjust quicker in case of ambush. His cane taps before him, ensuring the ground is solid and of his gentlemanly air. Moving quickly towards the back room, as a slight chill curls up his spine before he suppresses it. He knows, or at least believes, that this will keep his brother safe from the 'Secret One'.

He looks around the room, waiting for Lu's instructions.

Lu goes to work, muttering, chanting and drawing her symbols. The language she uses is unintelligible, her runes unrecognisable and the effort is clearly great. Sweat starts to bead on her forehead as the portal judders into life in the centre of the room.

It does not look promising. It flickers and jolts as though it is fighting hard to stay open.

"Don't keep me waiting, sweethearts, and try to come back alive. Y'all owe me a mighty fine favour, alive or dead."

Beyond the stuttering opening, all that can be seen is crumbling courtyard built of reddish stone and a sense of bitter chill.

Had to produce baseline exam scores for students I first met two weeks ago based on writing they mostly haven't done. Joy.

"I thank you, I will repay you." James says with the tip of his hat as he tries not to leave the struggling tiefling opening the portal for long. He boldly steps through; to the court-yard (?) tapping his cane before him and pulling up his collar with his other hand.

Thom mutters "Once more unto the breach..." as he pulls up his cowl of his cold weather jacket and steps through the portal.

Raya ponders for a moment how even when the world is ending and it is up to a rag-tag group of adventurers, someone's always trying to get favors or money from them. A pensive frown crosses her lips for a moment. She strides through quickly with but a murmur for Sune's guidance as she enters the area, her pennant in hand, her other filled with Ruinblade.

"If I have to pay when I'm dead, expect certain people to complain about it." Arishat smirks, and steps through the portal.

See the spoilers above, Arishat.

I cannot imagine circumstances other than a tempting bath that would make Raya take her kit off.

A dashing warlock can dream, plus there is another lovely lady and some handsome Gents.

I cannot imagine circumstances other than a tempting bath that would make Raya take her kit off.

But you have no doubt about Arishat's willingness to remove articles of clothing in exchange for money, eh. Well, she has a mercenary streak.

I suspect Arishat of being a little more morally flexible.

Well that's the polite way to put it.

Paging Barel and Lanthair, assuming they've recovered from their time-off excesses.

Lanthair looks warily at Lu before stepping through the portal.

I'm guessing that unless Barel wants to hit Lu over the head before stepping through (not a great idea, she'd either drop the portal or kill him and possibly both), he's with you too.

The companions look at the inhospitable landscape and shiver.

"So that Endure Elements Incantation...." James shivers looking to Thom. Holding his flickering torch he looks around the area, "Then it's down the stairs? That's where we wish to go?" he queries slightly as his breath comes out in white plumes.

Depressing though the thought may be, James sees no alternative the treacherous staircase and whatever lies beyond.

I assume Thom needs some Arcana rolls to work with for when he posts? James, Arishat, care to help speed up that process?

James keeps an eye upon the stairway; although they might be attacked by gargoyles from the sky or wraith's coming through the ground. James looks to Thom and tries to recollect some of the random little facts he picked up whilst on the road; about the best way to craft such ritual for a large group.

Arcana Roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Now, my dice have been on fire the past few days...

Pulls out his old 4e PHB...
.
OK according to the rules on rituals no skill check is required here. Thom simply performs it and 5 of us are protected against the cold for 24 hours. However we have 6 of us here. Rev, can Thom roll Arcana here to try including another person in the ritual? If OK then here is his roll: Arcana 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (16) + 23 = 39. Also up to 4 people can assist Thom here.

not it!

James nods; "Last in, first out." He doesn't mind if he's excluded, especially since he might get to cuddle up later (if there is one). And he works best when bloodied.

If we need to speed this up.

I'll allow it. You're all weather-proofed, but you'll need to renew the ritual in 12 hours rather than 24.

The stairway is slick with black ice, but it is navigable. It ends abruptly in another, lower courtyard, but this one is if anything less appetising than the first. Shreds of black bone and clusters of blades dot the ground. From the position of the bones, it seems likely that the blades are the cause. Three large piles of shattered blades, ten feet high, are clearly visible.

More promisingly, the staircase continues into the darkness on the opposite side.

Map impending. You are presently within 15 squares and on the stairs (i.e. difficult terrain, it will take you a few turns to descend.

Equipment note: Raya holds Ruinblade in one hand, her pennant in the other. Lanthair has 5 glowstones, each one is expendable, does damage equal to radiant vulnerability, burst 3 I believe, until end of encounter. The Pennant draws in nearby monsters and slows them, removing the pennant if unguarded is a standard action and provokes. These two items should work really well together.

James walks carefully down the stairs cane in hand and the other holding his knife along his arm in a reverse grip. "Wouldn't like to fall down these."

Most of James alchemicals tend to be smoke!

MAP

Things to note:
A red mist pervades the whole area. Arcana or Religion will reveal more about it, but you can probably already guess it isn't nice.

Thom eyes the mist uneasily...

Arcane 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (14) + 23 = 37

Long ages of blood-letting have left their mark on this place. It is quite clear to Thom that entering the mist will be devastating to the living.

DC16 Endurance check at the start of each turn or take 2d10 psychic and necro damage. Living creatures only.