Saga of the Sages

Game Master Nathanael Love

With the assurance of their comrades, Drea attempts again.

Disable Device Check, Guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 1 = 14

"It would seem that the winds of fortune are not with me," Drea grimaces.

"I can simply go look," Zarisha says, "While you fiddle away at your meaningless endeavors..."

The phantom fades partway into the ether and lurches through the locked doors to see what is to be seen.

Form: Incorporeal

"Shall we give it a push?"

Between Drea's ability and Zarisha crossing to the other side you would get the information in the spoiler; will need perception checks now, and Disable checks on the next door-- we can assume with a few minutes work you can break the door down

Ram busts through the broken door with a burst of splinters. He plucks bits of timber from his beard as he walks around the room.
"If they did not know we were coming, they know now."
Glancing around the room, looking for anything of value or interest.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
perception = 25 for stonework

Rogarch smiles sweetly at Ram and even winks at him as she carries her enormous hammer.

"I agree, subtlety is overrated my good dwarf."

As you examine the door to the north in (D8) you see it is scratched-- it has been recently picked!

The door to the north is locked, but the door to the east is not- which way do you proceed?

Ram lowers his voice as he examines the northern door.
"It seems someone has already been through here, if we move quickly we may be able to catch them- "

Ram tries the northern most door in an effort to bust through it;
"Drea, please see to this door..."

"We might want to follow the trail, if that is the case," Pirro suggests. "Lest they escape behind us with the priceless artifacts."

Drea, still without armor, moves as requested to the northern door. They patiently peer at the lock, seeing if any traps were left behind.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

They then attempt to open it.

Disable Device Check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"Absolutely! We need to beat 'em anyways, so let's do it first!"

Drea opens the lock, opening up on a narrow hallway with another door to the north.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"Hold!" Drea calls out in a strangely-amplified voice. "There is a trap here."

The sylph points out the scythe poised to swing down.

"I can attempt to disable it permanently, but I may need some assistance."

Drea awaits the others' responses.

Helping Hand reaches out to touch Drea. He does not see the trap but sees no reason not to head Drea's advice.

+1 bonus from Guidance.

Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Rogarch halts but sees if she can see the trap for herself.

Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

"You have keen eyes. I would have missed that one."

Just curious to see if I would have made the check. ;)

As Drea opens the opens door Ram prepares to rush forward but pauses on her command.
Perception DC20: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
"By the Ruby Prince, why are you in my way Drea, I see nothing..."

He spits angrily into the hallway, his clove-blackened saliva making a puddle on the ground. Cursing himself for not seeing the danger that Drea points out.

As Drea attempts to make the passage safe he muses to himself;
[b]"If this way is barred, perhaps we can find another way around.

Drea attempts to disable the trap.

Disable Device Check, Guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 15

"That would be unpleasant," Pirro comments as Drea points out the scythe.

"Hey Drea. If that doesn't work.. Where's the trigger? If it's just a pressure plate we could just step over it, right?"

Drea, you are unable to disable the trap and can tell you will not be able to try again.

But have we identified its trigger?

Ram turns his back on the confounded trap;
"We will have to find another way around, or attempt this impediment again."

Ram will turn to the other door, looking for traps and listening to anything on the other side.
perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

so, traps are a weak point for me on rules knowledge, but I believe where you stand is-

The trap is found
Drea failed by 5 so cannot try again to disarm it
Someone else can still attempt to disarm it
No one has found the by pass yet, so you could all still attempt perception to find it and then disarm checks against that higher DC
You can tell it has an automatic reset, so you can't disarm it by triggering it
You could backtrack and go through one of the other unexplored routes instead

"If you cannot disarm it, let us go around," Pirro suggests. "Maybe the would-be-thieves will walk into it and alert us to their presence."

Rogarch grins agreeing with Pirro.

"Yes. We can revisit this path at a latter time and perhaps they converge at another point."

There are two doors to the east, one from D8 and one from D7. I'm happy to go D8 as its right there, anyone else have a preference?

9: Rows of stone shelves fill this crowded room. Most of the books and scrolls once stored here have disintegrated over time, but a few volumes engraved on more durable materials still endure. Numerous scroll tubes litter the floor of the room amid the dusty remains of ruined paper and papyrus. A solitary door is set into the western wall.

I will also need Perception checks in this chamber.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Ram passes through the doorway into what appears to be a library of sorts. His shield is raised and eyes bright as he looks for trouble; That trap has forced us onto another path, perhaps this is path the trap...

Not seeing any immediate threats he will put his Khopesh away. Hoisting his shield onto his back, he picks through a couple of books that haven't disintegrated and begin to pour through them.

Upon finding the papyrus on the floor, holding it up he deciphers the Ancient Osiriani and begins reading out loud;
"this may be of some import- it speaks of a keystone built into the foundations of a structure. The keystone binds Ankhats to the location. Is the keystone something you are aware of? "

What knowledge checks to identify what an Ankhat is? Ram has Religion, and dungeoneering, and a bonus to identifying monster weakness

Ram continues to read out loud; It also talks about secret doors. He turns to his companions; "we must be vigilant about secrets buried within this tomb"

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 (+2 for stonework)

"I know not of this keystone you speak of."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

The little red scorpion simply shrugs at the mention of a keystone.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Ankhat are type elemental so it's knowledge planes to identify their properties

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

"Ankhat? They're some kind of elemental... Let me think for a moment..."

Drea seems to be slow keeping up with the others. Looking back at the sylph, the others note Drea holding onto the lintel of the door to this chamber, their pupil-less eyes cast back in their head as the secrets of the ruins are spelled out.

Using Ruin Reading. It takes a minute. The DC of the check is either 10 + the CR of the most powerful monster within 30 feet, or 11 + CL of the most powerful magic item within 30 feet.

Knowledge History Check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

If I succeed, I learn the layout within 30 feet of me (along with any secret doors) along with a bit of the history of the space.

Rogarch looks around wondering about the slight delay.
Ever cheerful she encourages the party to move forward.

"Shall we continue?"

Rogarch looks around wondering about the slight delay.

Ever cheerful she encourages the party to move forward.

"Shall we continue?"

Just waiting on results for a couple of skill check rolls.

Pirro searches through the disheveled library. "Interesting ritual described there, but I doubt the keystone is nearby," he says.

Perception (Scrolls): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Perception (Room): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 +1 for haunts/incorporeal

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

"Keystones fade and crumble. Bound beings are set free," she murmurs.

You find a secret panel at the back of the room (marked with the "s"). This panel is locked (DC 20 to open). It does not appear to be trapped. A quick check with detect magic reveals what you might have suspected: there are magic items inside the hidden compartment.

Drea: You get the feeling history wise of this being the temple's library, and a sense of study and contemplation.

Ankhat: you know these are size small elemental creatures that form their bodies from the structures they are tied to. They can attack with slams, and can repair the structure they are tied to (as make whole). They are destroyed when the keystone is destroyed.

"Drea, you can take your time opening the panel. We have your back."

You can just take 20 as there are no consequences for failure and you are under no pressure. It should take two minutes.

Assuming this is the path forward.

As Drea finishes opening the panel, the door slides away to reveal a compartment to reveal a tablet, 3 scroll tubes, a wand, and a fourth scroll. . . this last scroll begins to move and come to life to attack!

Turn order:
1. Ram
2. Rogarch
3. Pirro
4. Drea
5. Scroll
6. Penthesilea
7. Zarisha

Ram, Rogarch, Pirro, Drea can act for round 1

"Ah!" he exclaims as one of the scrolls in the hidden compartment comes to life.

He concentrates to bring Zarisha more fully out of the ether.

Change phantom from incorporeal to ectoplasmic.

Since I said Ram had sheathed his khopesh to search the room and put his shield on his back I'll spend this round redrawing them. Can I do both or one at a time?

Ram will draw his shield and Khopesh and activate Combat Expertise for this round.
AC goes up to 21

Rogarch flies into a rage and Helping Hand taps her for the win. She tries to bring down the hammer hard on whatever this creature is.

Lucerne Hammer, Guidance,Blood Rage: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
damage: 1d12 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

My character's icon was left out of the room so I just moved her into the room with everyone else.

Drea, unarmored as they are in order to best disable the lock, withdraws from the combat.

Drea wouldn’t have been wearing armor so as to have the best disable check. Since they have no armor on, they won’t be a part of this combat unless desperation prevails.

Round 1
Ram draws his shield and khopesh. Yes you could draw both

Rogarch moves up and attacks, striking the scroll, but doing less than full damage.

Pirro brings Zarisha to manifest.

Drea withdraws to safety.

The scroll moves into Rogarch's square.
AOO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
Damage: 1d12 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

And before it even manages to slice at Rogarch, the scroll is sliced in two!

As you finish a search of this room and the compartment you find:

Documents that once collected can sell for 1000 gold
Scrolls of: Detect Secret Doors, Remove Paralysis, Align Weapon, Halt Undead, and Knock
Wand of Lesser Restoration (10 Charges)
and a Tablet of Languages

There is also a tablet with an inscription in Ancient Osiriani (added to the new Slide 2)

I assume you'll continue to the room to the right from your current position next- I'll post that update after work tonight, but I'm figuring you pause in the library to consolidate.

Rogarch looks around.

"Time to move on then. Perhaps we should check out some of the other rooms to the East?"

Rooms East of D7 have not been explored.

Space and elevation lend a sense of past grandeur and
majesty to this large space. A large, star-shaped fountain with
a circular pool in the center sits in the middle of the chamber.
The bottom of the pool is decorated with a great mosaic eye
made from tiny colored tiles, and hieroglyphs are carved into
the paving stones ringing the fountain. Two rows of columns
support the ceiling overhead, which continues to rise to a
domed ceiling in the northern portion of the chamber. At
the far end of the hall, a massive statue with arms raised overlooks the entire length of the temple from atop a raised
dais. East and west of the fountain, two sets of stone double doors exit the chamber.

Give me perception checks are you begin to move into the large chamber.

"I fear all but this one scroll are beyond me," Pirro confesses. "The wand, I can make work, if it is needed."

Can cast remove paralysis and [i]lesser restoration.

He concentrates, releasing some of the bindings on Zarisha so that she can return to her ethereal state. He waits for his better armored companions to precede him into the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 (+1 more vs. haunts/incorporeal)

Zarisha passes through the shelves and walls into the larger chamber.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Form: Incorporeal

Rogarch looks around.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23