Tomb of the Emperor Gods -- PbP

Game Master Tarren Dei

Ixius takes the last watch.

Ixius, Ovirid, and all light sleepers: The dwarf thrashes about in his sleep, and then wakes, letting out a raspy, stifled cry.

Sykala leaps to her feet ready to fight but calms down quickly upon seeing that it was just Ovirid having a nightmare.

Figure she wakes pretty quick usually with her +15 perception.

Korian is sleeping like the dead. Only the slight rise and fall of his chest indicates that he has not, in fact, passed beyond the veil once again.

Ovirid's nightmare leaves him restless and unable to sleep for the rest of the night. He feels certain it was more than a nightmare and that the creature has singled him out for some special pain.

Ovirid will wait until everyone else wakes up to share his experience. If he can't sleep, he will join Ixius for the last watch.

Ummm ... wakey, wakey.

Did Ovirid fall right back asleep or something? Been waiting for him to share his experience like he said.

"What happend?" Refina asks

Ovirid was waiting for everyone else to wake up. I didn't know if Ixius' watch was over yet. Will have to post the rest in a bit, though, sorry.

That took longer than expected, sorry again.

The dwarf seems unusually shaken before he finally speaks. "Th' croc-thin' fro' th' shaft," Ovirid pauses, trying to figure something out, "'twas 'n me dream. Ah was dreamin' 'at Ah was still 'n watch. 't rose 'p 'n came t' me. Ah yelled t' wake ye 'p, but n' words come out. 'e was n' movin' quiet, but Ah couldna 'ear 'im."

A deep breath, "'e was t' fast fer me. Ah 'as goin' t' shake ye awake, but 'fore Ah could move, 'e was 'n me. Stung me wit' 'at tail o' 'is, 'n Ah couldna move. 'en 'e started t' peel me open." The dwarf cranes his neck to the side and points at an area. "'twas a dream, but 'twas real 'til Ah remembered 'at Ah 'ad laid down t' sleep after me watch - 'at 'is 'ad t' be a dream. 'at 'as 'en Ah woke 'p."

With more than a little concern, he asks, "D'ye see 'ere 'e was carvin' 'n me? 'n me neck?"

Seeing the normally unshakable dwarf so out of sorts puts the druidess on edge, "Is just bad dream? You go more sleep?"

"Nay, lass. Ah'd 's soon stay 'wake fer now."

Unless the DM rules that I am fatigued or exhausted as a result of recent events...

Waking from his long sleep and seeming marginally improved, any slight cheer he may have had is evaporated by the Dwarf's recounting of his disturbing experience.

Leaning against the wall where he sits and closing his eyes, Korian sighs deeply, and is quiet a moment more before opening his eyes and saying in a defeated voice "Ovirid, my old friend, I am so sorry. I am so sorry to you all, for dragging you all into this hell pit of a cursed Orisian pyramid! I scarce even recall what our reason for coming here was. Whatever the reason was though, it obviously shant be accomplished with our deaths."

Sighing again, he stands and continues "This cursed pyramid has already killed me once, and left me half-alive, and I can't escape the feeling that it shall soon become my final resting place. I suppose there's worse places to be entombed than in the burial pryamid of the most fabled Pharaohs of one's country, is there? Ha. I shall continue on as far as I can, if for no other reason than to seek some small revenge on whatever malicious force is behind all that has happened to us. But I ask you, all of you, to leave me to it. For I would not have all of your deaths upon my conscience. All I ask of you is that you take Jinx with you when you leave" this last directed mostly at Sykala.

As his speech concludes the ferret in question begins chittering furiously at his forlorn master, but for his part, Korian seems to completely ignore the tiny furious predator.

"I'm coming with you. It seems like the only way to get out of here is to keep going down."

The dwarf blinks, shakes his head and looks at the mage.

"Bah! Ye 'r still walkin' 'round wit' 'alf yer wits if'n ye think Ah'm lettin' ye go 'n 'lone. Ah owe 'at critter fer stealin' a good night's rest from me. Let's go find 'im."

So, where are you headed? Have you memorized your spells?

I will rework my spell list. Thanks, I was just waiting for the word that we had fully rested.

Sykala gives Korian an angry look that plainly says she thinks he is an idiot and says in elvish, "The pack sticks together. Your not sick, dying, and a danger to the pack are you?! If you were than I would be the first to chase you off. If you keep talking like that than Jinx will probably eat your eyeballs to save you from yourself." She gives the other men the same scathing look as they comment, "Why go down?! It not come up. We look for seed... not fight. We get out. We make Korian better!" Her short hair whips around agitatedly in the invisible breeze.

[Poc]Am away this weekend, please DMPC Korian as necessary. Have a good one![/ooc]

"Okay first things first we need to figure out what to do with the Crocodile thing that is patrolling this place. What do we know about it so far?"

"Lets stay up here then and go through the double doors. That thing will find us when it's ready I'm afraid. Unless we can think of a way to fight it on our terms, there is not much we can do about it now."

"'tis a mage 'r 'as magic 'n 'is blood like Ixius. 'n 'e knows 'is place better 'n we do. 'n 'e thinks 'e's 6000 years old. 'n 'e be confident."

Sykala's angry look turns to one of exasperation, "No, no, it not come. It stay den. If wanted come, could come. Not want. Maybe...not can. We weak. Not hurt much. No reason run."

Thoughtfully, "Ye might be right, lass. If'n we leave, we 'ave t' deal wit' Korian's lady friend outside. C'n we float out like puffs o' steam wit' 'at potion? Mebbe after dark?"

Hey Gang, just got back, Korian will be happy (even if he barely shows it) that he will not be dying there all alone. But just to confirm first, is Ovirid now saying that he wants to leave the temple, by using the gaseous potions?

Ye have t' keep up, lad. ;-)

Looking back, I see that she was talking about completing the mission to find the seeds and leaving the pyramid to get Korian healed the rest of the way. Ovirid interpreted her remarks to say that we should leave and get Korian healed up now. Ovirid really cares little one way or the other about the mission - he's down here because we made a deal with the devil that required us to enter the pyramid.

He's not advocating leaving, but he's wondering if we could get away with it using the gaseous form, yes.

Spell list updated. A few spells from APG and Ultimate Magic.

Sykala makes herself ready to further search for the seeds.

Ready to go :)

ready to go as well

Refina casts magic vestment on herself. "Okay so it's been here a long time and it seems to ocaasionaly count something down. It also seems to be less than happy with being stuck here."

With a grin, "Mebbe we need t' 'elp 't get out. Korian's girlfriend 'p top 'd love t' meet 'im..."

"I'm sure she would, Esteban is not man enough for her."

Ixius casts mage armor on himself.

"Shall we explore the rest of this level?"

Isn't there a set of double doors we have not gone through yet?

I think your right Ixius. Wondering if there might be a map of some sort in the cards for us to look at.

There are a pair of double doors on this floor. I'm sorry for not having yet provided a map of this level.

No apologies necessary mate. But, it really shouldn't be too hard. I'm sure none of us need anything fancy. The spreadsheet on google docs seems to work pretty well for making maps that are easy to share. Or even something crudely drawn and scanned?

Sighing at the inevitability of all their deaths, the depleted young mage is nevertheless clearly not entirely unhappy with the fact that he will not have to die in this pyramid all by himself.

With a small smile at the corner of his mouth he pushes off from the wall and says "The only way I'm leaving this pyramid is with what we came here to get. So, if you're all as insane as I am, what are we waiting for?" as he motions to the door leading out of the room.

@Refina: Seems pretty clear that the infernal dude is counting down deaths. Wonder if Korian's still counts?

The dwarf stands looking thoughtfully in the direction they came from, hand in one of his pouches. He finally nods and pulls his hand out, displaying four finely-wrought rings that each appear to be a tiny circle of golden feathers laid along and beside each other.

"Got 'ese off'n a bunch o' orcs 'at attacked me 'n some lads 'long a cliff. 'ey 'ad n' fear 'bout th' 'eight 'cause if'n 'ey fell, 'ey would float down. Th' cleric wit' 's said 'ese rings did th' trick, s' Ah wear one 'n Ah took all Ah could find off'n th' dead orcs." He grins with the memory, "'ey shoulda worried 'bout th' dwarves more."

He holds his hand up to each member of the party. "Anyway, Ah been 'oldin' 'em fer a rainy day 'r if'n Ah found a weapon 'at took me fancy. 'ey do none o' 's any good 'n me pocket. Take 't, wear 't 'n good 'ealth, 'n if'n ye c'n pay me back fer 't later 'r return 't, so much th' better."

Four rings of feather falling from a previous adventure that I usually forget I have. Gives us another option if we return to the firefly shaft...

Wow! That's handy!

Korian takes a ring, a look of complete surprise on his face "Even after all this time, you never cease to amaze me old friend. These shall prove useful I am sure."

"Thank you" Refina takes a ring as well before moving over to wait at the door

Four rings of feather falling from a previous adventure that I usually forget I have. Gives us another option if we return to the firefly shaft...

I remember those. Weren't they on the fingers of the orcs I tried catapulting over the walls of Kerrigan's Keep. I want to catapult more orcs! No, wait. I remember. You guys caught the orcs before they could reach the keep and spoiled my fun.

I disavow all knowledge of orcs being launched via catapult. It's a great idea, though - Ovirid wouldn't give them the rings...

Double doors? Back down the shaft? I vote double doors.

Double doors is fine with me

Aye to the double doors.

Ovirid will check the doors again for traps. He will take 20 (for 34) unless the party wishes to move faster. Aid another checks are welcome - he's had his pride beaten out of him recently.

If the party wishes to move more quickly, Perception check vs traps: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Take your time Ovirid, no reason to rush into traps.

Finally, the double doors.

Ixius helps Ovirid look for traps.

His +12 bonus auto succeeds on the aid another.

Sorry. I've been away. Here are two maps to make it up to you:

Level 1

Level 2