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Tapping his chin, Jawhar considers the locked grate.
"Normally, I would agree. As Pathfinders, picking locks to continue exploring is what we are required to do.
However, this locked grate seems to lead back into the room with the shaft going down.
We've already seen that room. Though we have yet to explore the shaft, I don't see what picking these locks will gain, other than potentially exposing us to poison dart traps and the like.
I suggest we look through these doors to the south instead."
Jawhar walks up to one of the doors and examines it for traps.
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Gudule follows happily.
"This adventure has been more pleasure than most! I imagine already how to describe it: The webs burning, the spider blinded and, through the obscuring mist, pierced to death by the booming thunder of a musket and the silver slash of a sword."
He pauses as his face displays elven features.
"It seems a lot of our bloody encounters end with the musket. You are a remarkable fighter, Regnum!" he says on an admiring tone.
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Calmly listening to the banter as he examines the door, Jawhar is glad to see the personalities of the team coming to the front.
"You are right, of course, Barm. We are going to be together for a long time in this spire, I think. Moving in a forward direction will make the job go a bit quicker, I imagine.
In the mean time, knowing each other's abilities and preferred strategies is a good thing, and will help us to work together more efficiently. I think that we can talk while we walk."
Jawhar keeps his head on a pivot, attempting to watch both the grate and the opening door for signs of danger.
"Where are you from, Barm? What led you to the life of a Pathfinder?"
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"You can call me a marksman. Like a ranger or others that favor the bow, I pride myself on hitting a target from range. Now, yes, a bow is more quiet, and faster to shoot. But, I get much further range and a deadlier projectile with a bullet than I can ever do with a bow. Also, and this is the biggest difference: it takes years to become decent with a bow, months with a crossbow. I'm not just talking about the ability to aim at a target and hit it or whatnot, but I 'm talking about being able to actually use a high powered bow that is suitable for taking down large targets, targets meant to kill you reliably. With a musket? With as little as a couple of days anyone can shoot a musket with relative ease."
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***The Gate***
When Regnum goes to pick the lock on the gate he feels a cold, ghostly hand reach out for him.
but Regnum pulls his hand away in time before he could be touched.
Regnum returns to the lock and finds that it is an extremely difficult lock to crack. He knows he could get it, but it would take some time.
Regardless, there is nothing of significant importance on the other side of the gate, as you have already been over there.
***The Room***
The heroes continue onward, opening the south door closest to the gate.
Shabby, mold-covered tapestries hang from ceiling hooks, cloaking one wall of this chamber in faded forest hunting scenes. While probably of decent quality when new, they look sad now.
A plain wooden chair of massive construction stands centered before the tapestries, facing into the room. A large stone table stands against the eastern wall. Weapons and other items are neatly laid out on the table, as if displayed for sale in a shop.
You notice a moon spider, as well as a skeleton sitting in the throne, flanked by two other skeletons. You hear it speak, "Who dares come into MY sanctum? Why does the living disturb the dead?"
You realize that none of the skeleton's mouth's are moving when you hear the voice.
You realize that the voice is coming from directly behind the throne and the large tapestry. Someone or something is hiding behind it and you know the exact square.
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Under his breath, to the others, he warns.
"The monsters are probably real, but someone hopes that we will pay no attention to the man behind the curtains."
He also adds a warning.
"I don't like this room. This whole level has been trap after trap, and this room looks like a place where there would be lots of traps.
We would be much better off letting these things come to us."
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Jawhar reaches into his pack, and retrieves a scroll.
"Here, I'll check to see if there are any traps by attempting to trigger them. If I'm lucky, I'll also be able to flush out whomever is hiding behind the throne."
Jawhar is grabbing his Scroll of Summon Monster I. He will summon a Pony directly in front of Barm and have it run around the skeletons and behind the throne.
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When Jawhar calls out the "man behind the curtain", Saint Gudule and the "man" begin casting spells, starting combat.
Initiative Order, Bold May Go!
Map Slide
Regnum
Trutzburg
Jawhar
Enemies
Saint Gudule
Talondreal
Barm
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Regnum fires his gun at one of the skeletons.
The skeleton gets blasted to pieces.
The man behind the curtain casts a spell at Trutzburg.
Trutzburg manages to shake off the evil magic cast at him (hold person).
The remaining skeletons rush at Trutzburg.
But they both miss with Trutzburg's defensive posture.
The moon spider skitters off the to corner.
Initiative Order, Bold May Go!
Map Slide
Regnum
Trutzburg
Jawhar
Enemies
Saint Gudule
Talondreal
Barm
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Finishing with the scroll, Jawhar concentrates on the image of his favorite friend from the herds on the steppes where he grew up.
A celestial pony appears in the entrance of the room, and rushes in to do combat with the skeletons, while calling a Smite Evil down upon the orange one.
Looking up, he realizes that the entire party has already entered the room and anything he was trying to do with the pony was likely misguided. Ah well, too slow again. Let's see if I can make myself useful
Drawing his scimitar, he double moves toward the back of the throne.
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Barm smashes a skeleton to pieces, but overswings his wide cleave arc, missing the orange skeleton. At the same time, Regnum's bullet sends shards of bone flying off the skeleton.
Jawhar summons an inaccurate pony that misses the skeleton next to it.
Trutzburg tries to shield bash the skeleton, but is unused to using his shield as a weapon and misses the skeleton.
Saint Gudule moves forward to taunt the spellcaster.
Talondreal is up!
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Talondreal's ray finishes off the skeleton damaged by Regnum.
The caster isn't a fan of anyone getting too close to him, so he casts a spell targeting Saint Gudule.
Saint Gudule takes off running away for three rounds, "And goodbye, fellow "trickster". the creature says.
Initiative Order, Bold May Go!
Map Slide
Regnum
Trutzburg
Jawhar
Enemies
Saint Gudule, running away for 3 rounds
Talondreal
Barm