DM Delmoth's Planescape (Inactive)

Game Master Delmoth

Vaascht raises an eyebrow at the whole encounter.

Jek glares uncomfortably at the ladder. He had learned long ago to suppress his pure inner revulsion for humanoid feet for the sake of being good company, but anything specifically made for their useless poorly designed boney flesh flippers still gave him the creeps.

"I'm not sure I can climb that." He could. "Let's see if there's another way in."

"Oh, quit being a baby, Jek. There's just the one hole to come up here so-
...
Actually, maybe you don't need to come up anyway, not much in here..."

She then looks between Nik and Vaascht, grimacing lightly at Vaascht before turning to Nik again and asking, "Hey can I see your spellbook real quick? I want to write this down."

When Rinika asks about Nik's spellbook, he gets a worried look.

"Hey, I have something even better that also I won't necessarily ever want to see ever again. Here." He holds the letter, presenting the blank side to Rinika.

"Sorry I'm a bit overprotective of my book and its margins." he adds with a nervous smile.

Do wizards always have writing materials on them? I feel like the bonus spells from the class feature might include handwaiving stuff like that...

Akrynn peers over Rinika's shoulder to better read the inscription.
Reflex: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 2 + 1 = 23

Probably, should have seen that coming!

He traces a Guidance Rune.

The spell expended Arkynn safely reads the poem lancing the Dustmen.

"That works too! Thanks."

There were a few desks so there may have been writing materials in those, if not I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find some soot or charred sticks somewhere on the plane of fire.

Rinika scribbles down the poem and sticks the whole note in a pocket.

Then she climbs up the ladder, looking to stealthily take a peek at whatever lies beyond.

stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Works for me

Peeking above, Rinika finds a white marble temple with frescoes on the ceiling depicting a celestial choir and other upper planar beings. In alcoves along the walls are statues depicting various good deities: Lathander, Saint Cuthbert, Apollo, Isis, Baldur, Paladine. An altar sits under a domed ceiling with powdered silver spilled on the floor next to partially burned incense. A bright light blue gem is inlaid in the altar.

For the sake of TV-tropes leave that alone!

Rinika carefully places the cover back over the ladder and whispers down, "There's been some good stuff to steal in the rest of this place but up there is the best stuff."

Did there appear to be any other ways into the chapel? If so, Rinika will tell the others.

"An entire library of spellbooks?" Nik inquires.

"More like a gem bigger than my head, and a bunch of statues of random people and paintings of bird people. Maybe angels? There's another door in though, if Mister Jek wants to avoid the ladder."

Did there appear to be any other ways into the chapel? If so, Rinika will tell the others.

There is a set of double doors, that lead back to the tower.

"Ugh, you had to tell him about the other doors. Here we go 'round the long way, again. I hope at least you're happy, Jek. Also, before we go stealing anything, we should at least check if there's any magic involved. We still don't know how this place isn't cooking us all alive."
If we're unlucky, our choice is between our heads and a head-sized gem...

Vaascht nods, "Yes, let's not steal the gem that fuels the spell that's keeping us all alive. At least not until we know how to leave."

"If it's fueling the spell that's keeping us all alive. It might be coincidence that it's at the center of the fortress-isle."
Nik interjects hopefully.

"There were some stairs going up in roughly the same direction back there. Do you think they connect?"

"As far as I could tell, yeah. I'm not sure why this is even here, maybe a bolt-hole?"

Nik shrugs in response as the group continues towards the other way in.

Nik spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Nik determines that the gem has a strong abjuration aura but he's unable to determine the precise enchantment.

Rinika hops up to sit on the altar next to the gem and looks at Nik expectantly while fidgeting with her paws.

Gazing into the gem is like gazing into a clear morning sky on some pristine prime world. A cool gentle breeze blows from the altar making the room a relief from the heat you have become inured to. Upon closer examination the decorations in the room look cheap and rushed. The style of some of the statues don't match and clash. The fresco is amateurish.

After both examining the magical aura and feeling the cool breeze from the gem, Nik gives his verdict.
"I'm afraid I can't identify the kind of abjuration on this thing. Definitely something protective. Between that and how nice the air is in here, I'd say this has got to be the thing keeping this place safe. It'd sure be nice if we could just jump to safety and snatch the gem on our way out...
Hey, think I should start searching for portals here?"
Nik says, entirely too hopeful for a nearby escape route.

Vaascht smiles thinly, "That certainly would be convenient but too easy for the likes of us, considering our luck of late."

"Is this hallowed ground? We should be careful not to anger..."

Jek squints at a statue plaque.

"Saint Cuthbort."

"Well, here is as good a place as any to start looking anyway, even if it doesn't have any doorless doorways. Last chance to object before I use one of our two chances to start finding a way out."
Nik pauses a moment before he begins casting Warp Sense.

The minute per level duration could let you walk around a bit. We haven't explored everywhere yet, so there may be a spot that makes it obvious. Room 11 was suspiciously bare, so perhaps we can get there on the same cast.

So a portal just needs to be in a bounded space, it can be in a doorway with a door in it, you just need to open the door before you open the portal.

After scanning the room for a couple of seconds Nik finds no portals in the temple.

Nik sighs as he heads towards the secret shortcut back into the fortress.
"Couldn't have been that easy. Skellington, follow me!
...
Actually, maybe everyone can follow me? Sorry, Jek..."

Looking at the map, I estimate only 15 rounds to do a quick scan of rooms 15, 14, and 11 after looking around this temple place.
I think we can just make it to rooms 4 and maybe 5 too :3
(that's only using 1 move action per round, since I'll need a standard to concentrate)

Vaascht frowns and follows Nik, "Yes, too bad it couldn't have been that easy." he grumbles as he watches the necromancer's back while he explores the fortress for portals.

it looks like there's only one spot we haven't explored on this map yet

A look of horror draws on the guard's face as Jek asks the question, "I don't know the dark of it. Green Marvant set it all up. We have to get out of here. There's a portal to the Lower Ward on one of the balista platforms. Only the spellslingers could use and only if Marvent gave them a piece of vellum with writing on it I couldn't read what it said, even though I sneaked a peak.

it's been 15 RL days since this conversation but only 1 IG day. So here's a reminder.

Well, I only get one check per day anyway, and it's not like I need more than half a minute to look at the portal...

remembering int check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

"I feel like we're forgetting something here. Something about the platforms....the ballista! I forgot to finish stealing a ballista, we need to go back! Or, and I think that guard said something about the portal being on one of the platforms too?"

Vaascht snaps his fingers, "Yes! You're right! But we still need the key, whatever that was. Some scroll I think."

Haven't had any updates for this game...weird.

Akrynn follows along. He examines, explores, and experiments along using Detect Magic.

A scroll? Dear Rinika; you haven't by chance found one?

The youth winks.

"Let's see what was up those stairs by the gargoyles."

Is that another door to the left of the double doors on the landing?

Rinika raises an incredulous eyebrow when Akrynn winks. "Umm..don't think so. Was it shiny or a ballista? Then probably not."

She follows along with Jek as he approaches the new doors.

Tracing a Guidance Rune, the druid searches the door.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Nik finds no portals before his warp sense runs out.

Is that another door to the left of the double doors on the landing?

No but there should be! I added it to the map.

Through the double doors lies a wide open terrace ringed by stone battlements overlooking the flames that rage around the citadel. Standing at the far end of the terrace is a huge stone statue of an armored man looking out over the battlements. The height of the open courtyard allows you to see three platforms each of them equipped with two large ballistas. One of the platforms has a glassy obsidian archway over the path to the platform.

Arkynn detects the statue as magical.

"Hm, that archway looks very suspicious. Do we want to investigate that last door back there before we leave?"

"Yep. If everything starts to go up in flames, we may also need to rescue that kitchen goblin."

Akrynn looks at the Statue, Archway and flames.
This would fit in with the Labyrinth. Yes, let's check that door also; although I suspect that the Arch is our way out.

There are 9 stone cells carved into the walls with what appears to be a guardroom between the outer door and the cells. A simple stone table sits in the guardroom with a set of keys splayed there. Four bashers are in the cells:

A human woman in a white overcoat, she has a prominent nose and light blond hair, she eyes you warily. A gnome woman with hot pink hair done in dreadlocks and mint colored skin, she waves cheerily. A completely bald human man who is pacing back and forth. And a half-elf man who is staring off into the distance at nothing.

Vaascht looks over the prisoners, "Well, who do we have here?"

Nik steps forward towards the stone table.
"Well, anyone who doesn't like the people in charge of this place can't be all bad. Any of you people know anything about this place or why you're here?"

The druid eyes each of them; wondering if he recognizes them.
knowledge(local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Rinika will see if she recognizes anyone as well.

Local: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

As she eyes them, she asks "You lot got anything worth a damn you can trade for...probably not, locked up like that."

As she looks at them some more, her expression softens a little bit. Then she stares for a few seconds at the cells they're being held in. With an annoyed "Gah!" she steps forward and sets to work unlocking the cells with her claws and mutters under her breath, "No one deserves to be boxed up like that, especially here."

Taking 20 on the locks without tools gives a 20+9-4=25 to open the locks.

I appreciate Rinika's devotion to picking locks.

Rinika remembers the gnome wandering around the Hive over a week ago making notes in a book and furiously shaking her hands at random people, who were desperately trying to ignore her. The rest of them are unfamiliar.

The gnome speaks rapidly looking at each of you in turn,

The gnome switches languages when she spies Jek,

The man who's pacing back and forth says angrily to Nik, "Waiting for Pharasma to judge my soul, no thanks to you demons sent to tempt me! Begone!" The woman in a doctor's coat rolls her eyes, "You'd think that you psychopomps would think to give us some water if you were going to allow departed souls the pleasure of feeling thirst."

Rinika opens each lock in turn.

Akrynn looks for a bucket. He then traces a Create Water Rune, filling it with 4 gallons of water.
Help yourselves, please.

I know, right? She picks those locks xD

As Rinika starts picking the locks, Nik repetedly gestures to the table while failing to start a sentence:
"Hey, uh-
You know-
Keys...?"

Eventually he gives up and lets her do her thing, deciding that it's best to talk while they have a captive audience.
He wrinkles his nose at the mention of Pharasma, but manages to hold his peace.
"Psychopomps? Far be it from me to do something as awful as remove your soul from its body. I might be the opposite of a psychopomp. Hm... what do you think, guys? Are the other ex-prisoners barmy?"

Arkynn traces his rune in the air but fails to conjure any water, not a single drop. The human woman merely raises an eyebrow, while the bald man laughs at him.