Agni covers Don, weapon at the ready, as they walk into the room.
Etgar looks over at Niu and raises an eyebrow before turning back to scan the room.
Agni notices the dressmaker's dummy move and is pretty sure the dressing screen moved as well. Etgar does not notice any movement as he scans the room.
"Whoa! Donavan jumps back an puts his shield between him and the dummy.
"Careful," Agni says as she points out the movement. "Seems literally anything could jump out at us."
She calls out a little more loudly to the room in general, "Hello? We'd like to talk, if possible."
There is no response and all remains still.
Etgar
Donovan
Niu
Agnimitra
The dressmaker's dummy twerks for a moment.
Niu sighs. "I suppose it was too much to hope that this one spoke Taldane. Still, I suppose it could just be hiding. I am loathe to get to close to it, if it wants to stay hidden, but we must reach some resolution if we are to be granted our passes."
Addressing the dressing screen, he calls out. "Hello, are you Prince Uspid's mother? You should know that he asked us to kill you because you refused to recognize him as the rightful ruler of this castle.
We are not overly fond of his proposition, though. Perhaps you have a counter offer?"
The dressing screen moves forward 10 feet right up to Don and Agni.
Etgar
Donovan
Niu
Agnimitra
Dressing Screen
Round 1
Agnimitra 22/22 Donovan 24/24 Etgar 18/18 Niu 10/13
Niu, Don ✔
Dressing Screen
Etgar, Agni
Donovan steps forward, remembering a trick his father showed him, he attempts to hook a foot behind and shove with the shield. With out the training however it leaves him open to a counter attack.
The dressing screen does not budge.
Don's foot and shield are stuck to the screen.
Trying to see what is behind the dressing screen, Niu move around the dummy to the back of the room.
Niu gets a good look at the other side of the screen. The screen slams at Agni but misses.
Niu, Don
Dressing Screen
Etgar, Agni ✔
"Does everything in this place want to either eat us or wear us for decoration?" She attacks the screen, hoping to get it off Don, if possible.
Agni slams her mace into the dressing screen.
Need a reflex and strength check, Agni.
Etgar, Knowledge Dungeoneering to identify.
Don, two strength checks. One for the shield, one for the boot.
Agni's mace remains stuck to the dressing screen.
Don is able to pry his boot and shield off of the sticky dressing screen.
Agni let's go of her mace, cursing her luck.
"what is this thing?"
Donovan steps back, tosses his hammer to Agni and draws Silver Fang.
Etgar knows this dressing screen is actually a mimic. While weapons can usually be pried off with strength, a creature stuck to it from a slam cannot get free until the mimic is killed or a strong solvent is used on its natural adhesive. Mimics constrict creatures they grapple with their adhesive. They move slowly and can be easily outrun.
Etgar, you have a turn and are up.
This is a problem! This thing is a mimic; our weapons will stick to it, but in most cases we can pry them off. The real danger is if it touches you...don't get close! These things are slow, should we run?
He takes a step back, stows away his spear, and draws out a javelin.
Round 2
Agnimitra 22/22 Donovan 24/24 Etgar 18/18 Niu 10/13
Don takes a step back, offering Agni his hammer.
Niu ✔
Dressing Screen
Etgar, Agni
Niu heads toward the door, looking for an avenue of escape. He draws the strange magical rod as he moves preparing to defend himself.
"Yes, run! I'm going this way, maybe the queen will call it off."
Swinging open the door, Niu heads to the next room.
LOL. If you believe it is a weapon can you draw it while moving? Niu opens the door which is surprisingly unlocked and not trapped.
This lofty hall has two alcoves to the east, each bearing a standing suit of spiky armor. Several teeth are affixed to the armors’ visors, forming a grin on one armor and a scowl on the other. A large throne stands between them, with mounds of tattered pillows heaped upon its seat. A door leads out to the west.
plus adhesive
The mimic slams Agni. She is grappled.
Niu, Don
Dressing Screen
Etgar, Agni ✔
Before Agni can grab the offered hammer, she is caught up in the creature's grip. "Like hell!" she cries out. Rather than reaching for the weapon, she instead turns her efforts inward to lash out with fire.
Etgar hurls his javelin at the thing.
Etgar's javelin pierces the mimic.
Round 3
Agnimitra 22/22 Donovan 24/24 Etgar 18/18 Niu 10/13
Niu, Don ✔
Dressing Screen
Etgar, Agni
Seeing Agni get grabbed don drops his shield and brings down the hammer in a mighty 2 handed swing.
Don lands a good blow to the mimic. Reflex save DC 17 prevents the hammer from getting stuck. If so a DC17 strength check will remove the stuck weapon.
Niu sees the queen and her guard esobok. The queen issues a command to the esobok at her side in sylvan. "Skritcher! Nche!" It moves directly in front of her and snarls at him before vanishing. The monarch appears totally calm and confident.
"Queen! We mean you no harm. Please, call off your mimic so we may talk"
"Well, what have we here? As noisy as you are, you did not slip past my defenses. One can only surmise that you have defeated them. State the purpose for your incursion and how you plan to repay me for my losses."
The mimic releases Agni and her morningstar falls to the ground. It reverts to its amorphous form. As it withdraws it says "No fight, please."
Niu, Don
Mimic, Queen
Etgar, Agni ✔
"We have made no attempt at stealth, for that was not our intent. In fact, we have been calling out for you since we entered the tower.
We four are attempting to move along the Dead Roads, and have been told that we need a mark in order to pass. Your son offered to give us this mark in exchange for killing you, but it seems unwise for us to get involved in whatever politics take place here.
As for payment, it seems that you were locked into this tower by your son. We offer you your freedom. Your necrophidius and several fairies have left the tower. I assume they will return when you summon them."
End initiative. You may begin that again at any time with an offensive move.
" Uspid lied to you. He would need this in order to stamp you." She produces a stamp that is carved from an old jawbone empty of teeth, but it contains a number of magical sigils. "Only I have that power. My freedom you say? Do you not see the wings upon my back? I am no prisoner in my own castle. The lock you speak of was obviously meant for a creature without wings. And my necrophidius is on a mission to kill Uspid. It is an assasin without fear or need of nourishment. It would never flee but would fight to the death. Kill Uspid and any tooth fairies loyal to him or verify the necrophidius has done so and I will give you the stamps you desire. I will ignore your destruction to my palace and guards." She motions for you to go.
Etgar nods stupidly in agreement with Niu.
He then shakes his head stupidly as he considers this insane family dynamic. He whispers under his breat. Kill mum...no, kill my son...what did we get ourselves into? He moves over to pick up his javelin and stow it, then draws out his spear as he heads towards the door.
Well...one more try at this then everyone? It would be nice to rest so that I could brew some more concoctions to help us, but I fear we'd be sealing our doom to rest in this place. What's the plan?
"Your grace, would you allow your champions a chance to rest? Your defenders where mighty and we wish to be at our best when we face the Prince."
Donovan takes a look at the two suits of armor in the alcoves.
Agni looks disgustedly at the mimic as it lets her and her weapon go, but doesn't stand around to give it the chance to change it's mind.
She heartily agrees to a period of rest. "It's been some time seen we've rested, and we have seen a lot of combat."
"Take your rest in the salon if you please. There is no rush."
Niu, in an uncommon expression of Wisdom, remains silent.
If our lives did not literally depend upon a resolution, I would simply walk away. Yet, it does. So kill the mother or the son? The mother already possesses the stamp and seems trustworthy, while the son does not.
Etgar is happy to move into the salon and set down his gear as he collapses to the floor to sit. He keeps his back to the wall and eyes on the surroundings, which consistently seem to want them dead.
Donovan takes a look at the two suits of armor in the alcoves.
The suits of armor are full plate with armor spikes. They appear to be of superior quality. The teeth could be removed in about an hour.
"Your highness, this armor is magnificent, if your champions where to wear it that would shake your foes. May I make use of it?"
He looks around the room to begin to get ready for a rest.
"By all means you may wear it."