Tomb of the Emperor Gods -- PbP

Game Master Tarren Dei

The druidess enjoys the camels company and the open sky as she rests...

Her spell list is updated

Tarren:

The Paracount is still there in the morning. He seems a bit annoyed at that.

Tarren:

While finishing his morningKorian smiles smugly at the Paracount. Making sure everyone is ready the young mage just waits on the return of the Druidess so final plans can be made for taking on the dragon

lol, nice Tarren.

The figure of Sykala rises from the stone floor. Her form grows and sheds the rocky veneer while taking on the color and warmth of tanned skin. She hold out a fur pouch to Korian, "This at feet of dead man. Not need fight dead lightning lizard now maybe." She gives Esteban a innocent look, "You still want go swim in gold river? You take friend with you. (her face becomes predatory at this point) Maybe this time you stay drown with gold and boat." Turning back to Korian and Ixius, "You go look puzzle away from them. I watch them." Inside the bag Korian finds 45 obsidian chips and 11 carefully cut pieces of blue dragons scale.

You do indeed have a puzzle in front of you. Intelligence check if you wish to assemble it.

At this point, Korian just shakes his head in wonder, amazement and pleasure at the usually non-verbose but always surprisingly capable druidess.

While she watches the others Korian gathers Ixus and Ovirid to another part of the room saying "Well friends, if we can figure this out we may have our ticket out. But Ovirid, before you look let make sure there are no runes and also if it looks to be forming any kind of circular pattern immesdiately avert your eyes. Of course the safest bet is not to look at all, but your keen mind would, I'm sure be of great help"
And with that the young mage spreads out the pieces and sets to solving the puzzle with the aid of his friends
Intelligence check:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Grrrr. I friggin knew that was gonna happen with this @*#%& roller that's been hating me in this game. Is there no way to take a 10 or 20 on it Terran?

At this point, Korian just shakes his head in wonder, amazement and pleasure at the usually non-verbose but always surprisingly capable druidess.

While she watches the others Korian gathers Ixus and Ovirid to another part of the room saying "Well friends, if we can figure this out we may have our ticket out. But Ovirid, before you look let make sure there are no runes and also if it looks to be forming any kind of circular pattern immesdiately avert your eyes. Of course the safest bet is not to look at all, but your keen mind would, I'm sure be of great help"
And with that the young mage spreads out the pieces and sets to solving the puzzle with the aid of his friends

"Aye, 'at 'as th' sound o' sense t' 't."

Once he's received the "all-clear" from Korian and Ixius, Ovirid will raise the blindfold and try to help out.

Hearing the lad's frustration, the dwarf has to counsel patience. "Ease up, lad. Th' puzzle 's been sittin' 'ere fer a thousand years, 't will wait fer us t' take 'r time."

Intelligence check 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

LOL, and I'm right there with you! We can't even add our scores together to get a decent result!

Ixius takes a crack at it.

Intelligence check: 1d20 ⇒ 10

"I think its gonna take us a long time."

Assuming retries are allowed, here are some attempts. I'm sure Tarren would prefer that we decide who has the primary roll and who has the aid another rolls before looking at the rolls...

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

"Oh, for Gorum's sake!" says the Paracount peaking over his shoulder from the corner in which he's been banished. "Spin that piece around and shove it in there."

"And then the one that looks like a fish riding a ferret goes under the one shaped like a half-eaten apple with a torch," adds Hrokon.

1d20+2

1d20+1

"Oh, for Gorum's sake!" says the Paracount peaking over his shoulder from the corner in which he's been banished. "Spin that piece around and shove it in there."

"And then the one that looks like a fish riding a ferret goes under the one shaped like a half-eaten apple with a torch," adds Hrokon.

Tarren:

Hey DM, as I did specofy that we were looking out for anything even resembling a circle it seems to me it would be at least fair to allow all of us a wisdom check to be able to perhaps warn our Dwarven friend, yes? So in case your answer is yes, here's Korian's roll
Wisdom:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Intelligence Check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Wisdom Check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Heh, apparently Sykala doesn't care for puzzles. No help here.

Sure, Korian makes the Wisdom check and warns Ovirid. Is there anyone else who didn't look?

Ixius certainly looked.

Hmm, think I need another DM ruling here Tarren. For Korian was certainly looking, but if he made his Wisdom check and was able to warn Orovid wouldn't that mean he and others would have a chance to look away as well?
Regardless, except for the number, based on your ruling - so two or three I think- Korian says...

"And so the last rune is revealed. That makes ___ I have seen. Has anyone else besides Orivid seen three runes?" Looking at each person in turn, to guage their reactions feel free to roll sense motives if/when necessary Tarren

After this he continues "Any who have seen three runes must be blindfolded as well. And finally, we must now deduce how to use this rune to leave this place"

"I have seen two now. Maybe just looking at the exit rune is enough, we should try to leave again. Esteban and the Paracount can have the gold and the dragon."

Ovirid's eyes are tightly closed with Korian's warning. "Couldja be kind enough t' be 'andin' me my blindfold? Ah'm goin' t' be lookin' fer a cleric t' get rid o' this curse 's soon 's possible, let me tell ye."

I'm fine with Korian's warning coming in time to save anyone from looking. You need simply to say whether you have looked. Looking means looking at the finished 'exit' rune which overlaps and contains a finished 'encircled rune of the desert'.

Ok, Korian did not look then, but honestly, and I apologize, but I do not know if Korian is at 1 or 2 runes seen

I'm fine with Korian's warning coming in time to save anyone from looking. You need simply to say whether you have looked. Looking means looking at the finished 'exit' rune which overlaps and contains a finished 'encircled rune of the desert'.

"Ah 'eeded th' mage's warnin' 'n dinnae look."

Ok, Korian did not look then, but honestly, and I apologize, but I do not know if Korian is at 1 or 2 runes seen

I'm not sure. I thought this would be your third but I can't remember. No to the telescope. No to the spellbook. Ring on the finger in the jar? Rune on the weight in the shifting room? Others?

Korian Allande wrote:

Ok, Korian did not look then, but honestly, and I apologize, but I do not know if Korian is at 1 or 2 runes seen

I'm not sure. I thought this would be your third but I can't remember. No to the telescope. No to the spellbook. Ring on the finger in the jar? Rune on the weight in the shifting room? Others?

Korian did not see the ring, but Ixius did. Korian did see the weight in the shifting room. I'm not sure who else saw that one. (Other than Ovirid, who saw, I believe, all four of those, but two of them were the same rune.)

I made the the wisdom and intelligence check to help so I am guessing Sykala looked. Not that it matters since she has seen this one already. She has seen two: Subjugation and Desert.

Sykala, not necessarily. The wisdom check can be used to look away before it is too late. It is impossible, however, to see the rune 'exit' without seeing the 'encircled rune of the desert' as they are intertwined.

Hrokon looks away before the last piece is added. "'Fraid I'm in the same boat as the dwarf here. Either that, or I've counted wrong."

What next?

"Well, now we should test if those of you who have seen the rune can exit through the force field. However that will still not solve the problem for Orivid and Horokon"

"Well, now we should test if those of you who have seen the rune can exit through the force field. However that will still not solve the problem for Orivid and Horokon"

"Hrokon," says Hrokon. "Horokon is a salad, kind of."

He looks like he wants to say more about Horokon Salad but then catches the relevance of what is being said.

"Maybe just making the puzzle will get us out."

Sykala will have looked, not because she cares about the symbol (she can already get out) but because apparently this is likely the way to get the rest of the group out of this claustrophobic tomb. At Korian's suggestion we test it out she heads toward the entrance and sees if she can leave.

Sykala can move past the previously impassable barrier.

"Well, 'at's good t' be fer knowin'. Still want t' know 'ow th' blind man got out. Th' last rune 's pretty 'ard t' find - only one, 'n 't 's 'n a tomb Ah doubt 'e ever saw... Ah 'ave 'nother idea."

Ovirid will try to make his way out of the pyramid with the blindfold on to see if the old man closed his eyes for fear of the fourth rune and his blindness allowed him to exit. No, I don't expect it to work, but the dwarf is still trying to figure out how the man made it out. It wasn't because he held the mask, we tried that already...

"Well, 'at's good t' be fer knowin'. Still want t' know 'ow th' blind man got out. Th' last rune 's pretty 'ard t' find - only one, 'n 't 's 'n a tomb Ah doubt 'e ever saw... Ah 'ave 'nother idea."

Ovirid will try to make his way out of the pyramid with the blindfold on to see if the old man closed his eyes for fear of the fourth rune and his blindness allowed him to exit. No, I don't expect it to work, but the dwarf is still trying to figure out how the man made it out. It wasn't because he held the mask, we tried that already...

Ovirid reaches the rune on the floor that reads 'point of no return' -- a rune that he looked at along with Ixius, Korian, and that even Sykala glanced at (perhaps moreso after it was revealed to be harmless) -- and finds himself stopped by the same invisible barrier.

Taren to speed things upo a bit can we assume that we all try and you let us know who makes it out and who doesn't?

Taren to speed things upo a bit can we assume that we all try and you let us know who makes it out and who doesn't?

As you may have guessed, those who have looked at the rune 'exit' are able to exit. Those who haven't, remain behind the barrier.

Esteban hesitates just inside the barrier. "I think, um, maybe I looked at too many runes too. Maybe I'll need to stay here too." He steps back beside Hrokon and Ovirid.

"Didja see th' exit rune 'r not? Yer a fool if'n ye think yer gonna go 'n steal 'nough gold from th' dragon t' make 't worth yer while. Go back t' th' jungle 'n get yer gold outta th' river."

To those that have made it out, "What 'r th' chances ye c'n bring some'un back 'ere 'oo c'n remove me curse? Should we jus' go back 'n look 't th' rune 'n 'ope th' old man's tale was jus' t' scare children?"

The dwarf becomes the target of a dark scowl from the druidess that he is completely unaware of.

"Didja see th' exit rune 'r not? Yer a fool if'n ye think yer gonna go 'n steal 'nough gold from th' dragon t' make 't worth yer while. Go back t' th' jungle 'n get yer gold outta th' river."

Esteban reluctantly steps through the barrier then turns and remarks, "Say, not to be insensitive to your situation, but would you mind trying something for me. Fill one of dear soon-to-be-departed Hrokon's knapsack with gold from that river and try throwing it through. .... It will help us to test the strength of the barrier!"

To those that have made it out, "What 'r th' chances ye c'n bring some'un back 'ere 'oo c'n remove me curse? Should we jus' go back 'n look 't th' rune 'n 'ope th' old man's tale was jus' t' scare children?"

"Entirely possible," says Hrokon. "Not even very scary if you're used to orcish bedtime tales. Wanna find out?"

Still inside with the Dwarf and Half-Orc, Korian studies the area around the doorway to try and determine what the chances and means may be to break through or dig around the doorway.
He also looks to see if there would be space to exit should he transform those stuck behind into Gaseous Forms.
Don't know if K (eng) check is needed or not but Korian's mod is +9

Determining Korian's intent Sykala touches his arm and shakes her head, "It stop you from going out all around." She then points straight down, "That only way I get out. Much rock."

Ovirid Thorvirson wrote:

"Didja see th' exit rune 'r not? Yer a fool if'n ye think yer gonna go 'n steal 'nough gold from th' dragon t' make 't worth yer while. Go back t' th' jungle 'n get yer gold outta th' river."

Esteban reluctantly steps through the barrier then turns and remarks, "Say, not to be insensitive to your situation, but would you mind trying something for me. Fill one of dear soon-to-be-departed Hrokon's knapsack with gold from that river and try throwing it through. .... It will help us to test the strength of the barrier!"

"Hmm, Ah think Ah recognize th' weight o' 'at glare. Did Ah offend th' lass? Lad, if'n ye think Ah'm goin' t' be collectin' gold t' add t' yer personal wealth, yer dumber 'an ye sound. If'n ye want t' be fer doin' 't yerself, Ah'm 'appy t' stand aside. May yer perferred god stop 'is laughin' 't yer foolishness long enough t' grant ye a quick death."

Ovirid Thorvirson wrote:

To those that have made it out, "What 'r th' chances ye c'n bring some'un back 'ere 'oo c'n remove me curse? Should we jus' go back 'n look 't th' rune 'n 'ope th' old man's tale was jus' t' scare children?"

"Entirely possible," says Hrokon. "Not even very scary if you're used to orcish bedtime tales. Wanna find out?"

"Not if'n we 'r 'avin' another choice. Lass? 'ow was 't ye got out? 's 't somethin' th' 'alf-orc 'n me c'n do?"

"Yes. You take much time knowing Gozreh's way. Teach you become one with stone." Tapping Ovirid and Hrokon on their heads, "Already got much stone here, good start."

Korian nods to Sykala's reply but still continues his inspection.

and OOC, really, this place is so tight not even Gas can escape??
And I keep wondering, is there something simple that we're missing...?

I get the impression that it is a magical barrier of some sort that even goes through the walls. So yeah, pretty seamless.

I may be misremembering but I think Sykala tried the wall around the entrance and then tried going out the bottom but didn't try phasing through all the walls. In case I was wrong, here's the scoop -- the entrance and the wall around it is blocked. Anyone capable of phasing through the other walls can get out. If you want to dig through the walls, they are about 100' thick. Digging around the entranceway may also be possible, but will require good tools for digging.

Thinking hard Korian finally speaks "In the Pharoh's spellbook I came across a spell which I have had not been able to fully analyze yet. But perhaps you casters of a more divine bent may have access to similar magic's. It seemed to be a spell which allowed one shape stone in whichever way one willed. This, combined with my spell to turn one into a gaseous form may prove to be the solution to allow these two to leave"
Metagame-wise, without bothering to do the math, one or two Stone Shape, spells should be enough to shape a narrow tube through 100' feet of stone. Then Gaseous Form and bob's your uncle, no?

Thinking hard Korian finally speaks "In the Pharoh's spellbook I came across a spell which I have had not been able to fully analyze yet. But perhaps you casters of a more divine bent may have access to similar magic's. It seemed to be a spell which allowed one shape stone in whichever way one willed. This, combined with my spell to turn one into a gaseous form may prove to be the solution to allow these two to leave"

Metagame-wise, without bothering to do the math, one or two Stone Shape, spells should be enough to shape a narrow tube through 100' feet of stone. Then Gaseous Form and bob's your uncle, no?

Hmmm. I'm not very good with volume. Would 1 inch by 1 inch by 12 feet = 1 cubic foot? If so, you could get 120' out of a single use of the spell.

Korian Allande wrote:

Thinking hard Korian finally speaks "In the Pharoh's spellbook I came across a spell which I have had not been able to fully analyze yet. But perhaps you casters of a more divine bent may have access to similar magic's. It seemed to be a spell which allowed one shape stone in whichever way one willed. This, combined with my spell to turn one into a gaseous form may prove to be the solution to allow these two to leave"

Metagame-wise, without bothering to do the math, one or two Stone Shape, spells should be enough to shape a narrow tube through 100' feet of stone. Then Gaseous Form and bob's your uncle, no?

Hmmm. I'm not very good with volume. Would 1 inch by 1 inch by 12 feet = 1 cubic foot? If so, you could get 120' out of a single use of the spell.

Dusting off the math hat 'cause this looks interesting...

A cubic foot is 12 x 12 x 12 cubic inches or 1728 cubic inches. If the spell allows 10 cubic feet, it will shape 17280 cubic inches.

So for a length of 100 feet, or 1200 inches, you could create a tunnel with a cross-section of 17280/1200 (or 14.4) square inches, which I believe comes to roughly a circle with a diameter of 4 inches.

Yes, I'm a geek, but that's cool! And I'm out of practice, so I certainly will not be offended if someone needs to correct me.

EDIT: Note that I believe Tarren is correct with his calculation, also. Interesting how much difference 20' makes to the diameter of the tunnel, huh?

Back on May 6th (section 24 of this thread) you said she ran into a force similar to the one at the entrance preventing her from leaving through the walls. No big deal either way. She can use stone shapes to form a hole either down or through the wall. Not sure how narrow a hole she can make but even in a 1' cubic foot dimension it would only take 2-3 days to bore a hole out (3 spells equaling 48' feet a day). She is definitely not a math wiz.

Sykala nods her head, "Yes. I make hole in wall if want. Take this many days. Or this many." She holds up two and then three fingers.

Back on May 6th (section 24 of this thread) you said she ran into a force similar to the one at the entrance preventing her from leaving through the walls. No big deal either way. She can use stone shapes to form a hole either down or through the wall. Not sure how narrow a hole she can make but even in a 1' cubic foot dimension it would only take 2-3 days to bore a hole out (3 spells equaling 48' feet a day). She is definitely not a math wiz.

Sykala nods her head, "Yes. I make hole in wall if want. Take this many days. Or this many." She holds up two and then three fingers.

"Excellent!" exclaims Esteban. "Then we have time to discuss how we are going to rid the world of that unholy terror in the basement! It really would be unheroic, I believe, if we didn't deal with it!"