GM XaveTheNerd's Scions of Sky Key Series (Inactive)

Game Master X Hums

Herald hmppfhs in irritation.

See here now, my little scaly friend. We can take care of your basilisk for you, but you have to help us to avoid your traps and convince your tribe to fight with us.

He straightens up to his full height, accompanied by a creak from somewhere in his backbone, followed by an audible crack that indicates it's been a long time since he's done that.

You have my word, if your tribe does not hurt us, we will not hurt them.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 Ugh, painful, but worth it.

Ferdrin sighs audibly. It's a grand, rare fascination for an academic such as himself, however he finds its often better to observe such things in captivity of some sort.

What else do I know about these things?

knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, or planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
egads! using tireless logic for the once-per-day knowledge re-roll...
knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, or planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

"Ugh... a Basilisk. I don't suppose any of you have a good method to fight something that can turn you to stone. I don't think me grappling it will suffice."

The kobold, in response to the request to guide you through traps, says, "All the trapsssss are here. The wall got knocked oversss. That wasss one. The other one issss in that room there, and it eatssss the feetsssss of tall people like you!" This is the trap Orzworth triggered earlier "I promissssse there are no more! We don't put trapssss in our homessss or the temple. That'sssss why we releasssse the lizzzzard!

"Assss for my tribe, I cannot promissssse they won't attack you. They follow the will of our Golden God. Only he may make such a promisssse."

Well, this just gets better and better, Herald sighs with the weary tone that only the elderly can achieve.

He glares at the kobold.

I've had worse angry mobs than you after me. Let's go bash a basilisk.

Indeed, and as a bonus they don't have any weaknesses. Avert your eyes within 30 feet. If any of you get turned to stone, it will take a splash from some of its fresh blood to undo it.

"30 feet huh? Guess range attacks will be our saving."

It is here the scenario suggests I remind you of the rules for averting your eyes and the rules for blindfolding. Averting your eyes takes no actions to do or undo, but has a 50% chance of failure. Blindfolding yourself is a move action, as is taking off a blindfold, but there is no failure chance. In both cases, you DO attack as blind, and must make the appropriate acrobatics checks and things to make sure you stay standing.

If there are no more questions for the Kobold, what would you like to do now?

Well, in any case it appears this creature is between us and the temple of the golden guardian. Let's get going and bring the little guy with us.

Gardol readies his bow. "I have no issue with staying 30' away from it...but I'm not sure the creature will be as considerate...I'm ready to go..."

Herald grips his morningstar grimly.

Promise me this...if I am turned to stone, smash me into dust so I won't have to live to see the arrival of They/She/It.

Jerrid rips the sleeve of his shirt off and ties it around his forehead. "I'll cover my eyes with this if we have to get up close to the thing."

Jerrid readies himself to move out.

Might actually get to use the Blind Fight feat. Still have yet to use it for this character.

"...do we really have to do this...?"

Herald rips a tomato-stained strip from his vestment and fashions a makeshift blindfold, ready on his forehead to pull down at a moment's notice.

He glares at the kobold.

Well?

Which way to the basilisk?

Herald clearly intends for the kobold to lead the way, still not trusting that no more traps are imminent.

”...guess so...”

Ferdrin chuckles, places his hands at the side of his wide-brimmed hat, and demonstrates how he can easily blind himself by turning it sharply downward.

This should do.

Flip, flip, flip. He tests the "blind" position and normal hatwear several times.

Good to go! Let's do this.

The kobold refuses to go with. This little man would rather die. He does tell you where to go, but if you insist he goes first he sits down and accepts his inevitable end.

Seems he'd rather die by the blade than by being turned to stone. I don't blame him. Without him going first, I'll need a single-file marching order, and I'll need to know who's blind. Because it's a move action to put on a blindfold, no matter how it's flavored, a glimpse of this thing it all it'll take. You don't have a move action to prepare as you can't ready actions outside of combat. Scenarios would be a LOT more deadly if you could. (Eyes on you KingTrey ;) [I know you were just doing scenario as written.])

Orzworth volunteers to lead the party. "My family are miners," he says simply. "If I am to join the stone once more, so be it. I will be your eyes until then." He pulls out a length of rope from his backpack. "Hold onto this if you wish to walk while blindfolded. I will let you know if I see the monster."

"As for you," he says to the prisoner, "what name shall we call you by? And would you prefer to travel behind me, perhaps with a blindfold?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (20) - 3 = 17

[The kobold knows] that their comrade released the basilisk in that area, and no amount of persuasion can convince [it] to go there.

The kobold still sits there, quietly accepting that it dies either by blade or by creature, and preferring the former.

Ferdrin sighs audibly and rolls his eyes.

Look, we take much life while defending ourselves but we're good people. If you think you're going to choose one death over another, we're just going to tie you up and gag you so you don't cause us any trouble. I think that suffices.

He looks around at his teammates, scanning them for agreement or dissent. not in any threatening way.

Ferdrin sees that Malthus’s mind is still on the basilisk rather than the kobold. But I as a player agree with that idea, and Malthus certainly doesn’t disagree.

Jerrid nods and looks around for things to gag and bind the kobold.

Will take second spot in marching order.

To make speed things up...

Searching the area, Jerrid opens a stuck door, and the ceiling above it collides with his arm.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 damage from ceiling falling in a bit: 1d8 ⇒ 5/2 total of 2 damage

The Herald and Orzworth notice boot prints in the room, as well as a suspiciously orderly pile of rocks. As you examine the rocks, you find a satchel. Inside are a few magical items and a journal with pages signed by Sharrowsmith. Inside the journal are two notable entries.

Slides updated with handouts.

As you begin to enter the left-most room (on the map) you notice a large stone dragon face. It's at this point you realize some of the previous hallway had pressure plates, but stepping on them did nothing. The trap is in good condition and merely needs resetting to be able to activate again.

I assume marching order will be different. let's get set up in order in the left room. Single-file line.

Oh goodness. My apologies. There was a handout to start the mission. It's now in the slides as well. Sorry, didn't see when to give it to you until, well, now.

After the satchel is revealed, Ferdrin scans the items for auras and goes to work identifying the effects and properties on the items.

Spellcraft, DC16: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Spellcraft, DC18: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Spellcraft, DC18: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

He names all of the items for the group.

Ferdrin at the back, order looks good to me.

The arcanist ponders the dragon head momentarily.

I presume this is the golden guardian.

Since Orzworth volunteered to go first and lead the blindfolded, I've moved him to the front.

Malthus is fine with where he is.

Jerrid blows the loose rubble off his arm and looks at the few bruises popping up. But thinks nothing of it, as he has received punches that hurt more.

"I'll take one of these to hold on to." Grabs one of the potions of cure moderate wounds.

Looking at the dragon's head for a moment, he then turns to look further down the northern pass. "Lets move on."

Herald is ready to proceed. He whispers a quick bit of advice to Orzworth.

As Ferdrin names the found items, Gardol murmurs, "No wand or potion of Stone to flesh? Too bad...'

Gardol nods to Orzworth and will follow behind him, covering him with his bow as he advances and eyes alert...

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

As Orzworth opens the doors into the area, he notices, just five feet from the double door, a granite statue of a human woman stands in a running pose. The head of the statue is turned to look over her shoulder, her face locked in a silent scream.

Gardol notices the sound of movement somewhere in the further half of the room.

Where to? Map updated

Herald reminds Orzworth of the vision that may help him, uses his wand of Shield of Faith on Orzworth, and silently puts his blindfold in place.

+2 Shield bonus for one minute

SoF wand 49/50 charges

Jerrid lowers his blind fold and then crouches down to listen for any movement besides their own.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Shield of Faith is a deflection bonus, not a shield bonus.

Malthus, sword drawn, looks carefully ahead; any sign of movement making him gaze off to the side to avoid potential eye contact with the basilisk.

Ferdrin brings up his arcane defenses before moving to follow Jerrid.

I suspect now is the time to be fully ready...

Cast Mage Armor, boosted to CL4 with Potent Magic (duration 4 hours).

Jerrid notices nothing more than an eerie silence.

Nothing.

Gardol moves north quietly and slowly, keeping his ears peeled for the basilisk's movement and averting his eyes downward, looking for creature's tracks...

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Ferdrin continues to follow his beefier teammates, also keeping a watchful eye out for the basilisk. He whispers.

You know, averting eyes is going to be interesting after actively looking for it...

Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 6 Loud, and unaware.

The mage feels very aware of himself as he moves down the passage, unable to focus on his surroundings and keep his feet quiet.

Orzworth waits for Gardol’s signal before moving the line of blindfolded individuals forward. He keeps an ear open for the sounds of anything approaching.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Jerrid adjusts his blind fold so that he can look directly down at the floor but not in front of him, to prevent him from stumbling to badly.

With this adjustment he slowly moves further into the room.

As the party begins to move forward, everybody heres some light scampering noises coming from even further north, but as the non-blindfolded of you walk past the doors here, you notice the rooms here aren't empty, and that there don't appear to be any kobolds around.

The creature hasn't entered anybody's line of sight, yet. Where to?

are we in rounds yet? Ferdrin would like to spend a "full round" in quick study before we spring the basilisk.

Gardol shrugs and cautiously makes his way further north, still keeping his eyes averted...

Ferdrin, making sure to stand behind his teammates, sits cross legged and opens his spellbook in his lap...

Ferdrin uses Quick Study, swapping Mage Armor for Ray of Enfeeblement

He stands back up, satisfied and ready, stowing his spellbook in his pack.

Herald follows Malthus closely.

Jerrid moves further up but turns right at the pass.

As Gardol walks forward, he begins to hear the sound of his skin trying to petrify as his eyes glimpse a small, green, scaled tail.

1 says gaze succesfully averted: 1d2 ⇒ 1

He manages to look away before glimpsing the creature's eyes. As a warning sign, the basilisk skitters back a little and begins hissing. It is not initially hostile; instead, you're met with a defensive stance.

Wisdom Check (for roleplay purposes): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Intelligence Check to Remember (Also for roleplay purposes): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Oh...well those rolls kinda justify me being pseudo-meta, then.

Malthus hears what he assumes to be the basilisk's hissing and stands at the ready, prepared to move at a moment's notice. But when nothing happens after a few seconds Malthus's blade lowers slightly.

What's taking it so long? It's almost as if...

An idea strikes the nobleman. A crazy, half-baked idea from out of nowhere.

But there's a chance...

"I'll be right back."

Malthus begins to advance forward, partway down the hallway he turns all the way around so that he's walking backwards, using the reflection in his blade as a rough guide of distance.

That’s close enough.

Sweat beads down Malthus’s forehead as he stares at the brownish smudge in his sword that he hopes is Gardol—this basilisk absolutely horrifies him, but if there’s a slight chance of making it out of this situation alive…

”Gardol.” The noble says in a stage-whisper. There’s a chance this thing is as much of a victim as we are. Maybe you could…well, I’ve heard stories of druids talking to animals as easily as I would talk to you and telling the animals to…I don’t know, do their business elsewhere or something? Neither here nor there. I know it’s not an animal,” Malthus looks to Ferdrin for confirmation on that fact before continuing. ”And I know you’re not exactly a druid-type, but maybe—just maybe—the principle would still apply? Could you try talking with it? Just be sure to close your eyes!”

OOC justification: Wild Empathy can work on magical beasts with an Int score of 1 or 2, but at a -4 penalty. Assuming it will let you talk to it for at least a minute (or shorter/longer, at GM’s discretion), it could be worth it. Or you could botch it horribly and we end up fighting a more-pissed-off basilisk, which is what we were expecting anyways. Honestly, it couldn’t hurt to try (I hope).

Ferdin watches Malthus approach in an unexpected way, one eyebrow cocked with curious suspicion.

Then, once Malthus whisper's his plan he nods slightly in confirmation, impressed with the thinking.

yes, let's see...

Knowledge (arcana), basilisk knowledge to confirm/deny Malthus' idea: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

My handle animal skill isn't exactly stellar (+2)...but I can give it a shot...think I'll wait to see if Ferdrin can confirm it...

Gardol keeps eyes averted, nodding to Malthus that heard. He whispers back, "I can try, though it's not exactly my specialty. Can anyone else confirm this?"