Stormcrow's Return of the Runelords

Game Master stormcrow27

"So shall we 'brave the door' or let barricaded doors be?" Koshon asked.

Ideally, we could seek to gain some insight on what could be behind before opening Eric speaks as he moves to listen in behind.
perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

"I vote we knock it down." Lorel's voice doesn't hide her greed.

Eric hears nothing but the sounds od his companions and the creaking of the house.

"There doesn't seem to be any traces of magical signatures present around the door so it's purely being kept closed by mundane means.", Morelda helpfully pipes up from her position in the rear echelons.

"It might not be too far out of our way to give a quick peek to whatever's behind that blocked door. We might not even have to go inside, depending upon what's actually there."

A second vote here for opening the barricaded door. ;p

"I vote we knock it down." Lorel's voice doesn't hide her greed.

"It might not be too far out of our way to give a quick peek to whatever's behind that blocked door. We might not even have to go inside, depending upon what's actually there."

The gregori, seeing the door issue as an impasse, attempts to break the barricade on the door. "Greed is not an attractive look for either of you", Koshon says as he shoots Lorel and Morelda a look.

It is not greed that motivates me, what may be trapped here is either in need of aid, or it is a threat to local communities.
In either case, we must discover what it is, and then deal with it accordingly.

Readying himself for a possibly deadly battle, Eric intones

Into our Motherland
Deskaris armies march!
Heroes stand side by side
to stop the Demons charge
Balors above our soil
a thunder in the east
10.000 men at war
we'll slay the vile Beasts!

Eric performs to boost strength and constitution, evoking the ferocity of Sarkoris, and also hits the door with his lucerne hammer.

Smash: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 Literally cant hit a door rofl
damage: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 At least Koshons damage increaes by 1 I guess, Eric stops to perform, it will linger for 2 more turns

Having enough sense to have a sheepish look of embarrassment upon her face at Koshon's admonishment of greed, Morelda does offer a half-hearted statement of, "A bit more in the way of curiosity as to what could be behind that door for myself..." but doesn't really bother to hide her occasional grimacing at all of the loud pounding from the frontliner's in their attempt to open up the barricaded door.

Those much closer to the rear echelons could faintly hear the Young Wizardess of the Twilight Academy muttering something to the effect of, "If I'd only had known that it would be this noisy to get that silly door opened up..." under her breath although she seems unable to suggest any alternative course of action at this time...

A mere acid splash cantrip would do very precious little to help in opening up that kind of door..., Morelda thinks to herself while she watches on as the others bash against the door with their weapons.

Koshon and Eric's polearms smash through the barricaded door. Suddenly,a rush of sea water flows out from the door, inundating Eric and Koshon.

Eric and Koshon, please make a Reflex save.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 NICE!!

reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19 Not bad

In the waters outside the home, Stormborn feels the ocean suddenly sucking him towards the house, as if someone had opened a door and water was rushing through... Strong as he is, he could just swim away, but he decides the let the current carry him for it would be far more interesting...

Countdown until Eric gets hit by a surprise Dinosaur to the face is here, 10,9,8 ... :)

That's one way for Stormborn to meet up with the party without having to trail after them. ;p

Morelda instinctively moves back a couple of feet once the waters from down below start to pour in after Eric and Koshon.

So that's what the door was holding back; it is a real pity that I've no Prestidigitation memorized though...

"Are you both okay, Koshon, Eric?"

The water rushes out of the closet with a ghostly wail, and continues to gush. Does the party widh to do anything?

Koshon attempts to reclose the door using his body to prop it shut.
Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Koshons roll is actually a 19 because Eric was performing and has lingering performance, so +2 STR for Koshon

Strength: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 HODOR!

Merde, get something to block this while we keep it at bay! Une Table perhaps?

"I doubt we'll have any luck blocking this! Better to retreat!" Lorel scampers up the stairs.

Eric and Koshon's efforts to hold the door against the rush of water fail. Koshon and Eric, please roll another Reflex save.

Ref: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

If a 24 isnt working we are not gonna do it imho

Eric buggers offs up the stairs.

Suspiciously good dice, Paranoia increases!

Unsure if Stormborn made it inside, though he probably was some distance away from the flood door...

Morelda will follow after Lorel in heading up the stairs, though she'll look to Thurin and Grandfather Mossbeard and ask them both, "Thurin and Grandfather Mossbeard, could you both lend Koshon and Eric a hand?", as she does so.

A tall Forest Giant and a stout Duergar might be able to help get that door closed...

Naturally, being part of the group that had initially suggested towards opening up said flooding doorway hadn't really crossed Morelda's somewhat flighty, magical-thinking mind just quite yet. ;)

Reflex save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Koshon and Eric manage to avoid the flow of water once again. Mysteriously, it eventually stops. A pair of slippers seems to have been washed out of tye deluge. Strangely, the floor doesn't seemed soaked....

The gregori bends down and holds the pair of sodden slippers between his thumb and forefinger. Koshon then gives one slipper to Morelda, and the other one to Lorel.
"Your spoils", the angelic paragon said in a flat tone.

Interesting

Eric casts detect magic, eying the door and the slippers.

Are vou aware though Misseur Koshon, that there are several interesting cultures where handing a slipper to a female is regardez as une beginning of a connection de la romantique? This is especially frequent with certain denizens of le first world, as well as some of Elysium.
Interestingly enough, it is said to increase survial rates even with the more rapacious females hailing from the Midnight Isles, which I always found curious because these would have hooves, and thus would have little practical use for slippers, but it may be due to the strange and very chaotic principle of "Fash-Ion", which I do not profess to truely understand.

Eric starts rambling as he witnesses the slipper giving.

The gregori, soaking wet from the ocean waves, stares blankly at the skald's buffonery. "Why are you like this?"

Some people deal with stress and fear by humor, laughter is a more commonly available remedy to terror then bravery.

Eric awnsers.

Heh, Koshon's splitting the connection de la romantique between Lorel and Morelda, mischievous instigators of the flooding waters from that doorway... wait, did Stormborn ever make it thru to inside the room? ;)

Noting the oddity of the ground remaining dry despite all of the earlier deluge of water coming from the doorway, Morelda moves down from her earlier position upon the staircase once Koshon and Eric have shut the barred door closed and starts using her Detect Magic to see if some type of magic is keeping the floor dry.

Spellcraft on dry flooring: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20.

Morelda's short attention span at determining the cause of the uncharacteristic dryness of the floor is cut short once Koshon abruptly hands a respective sodden slipper each to both the transformed Pactmaker and the Twilight Academy graduate with his flat-toned- and presumably unamused- remark about their spoils.

Absently taking the soaked offering in hand, Morelda starts focusing her Detect Magic cantrip upon the slipper in question.

Spellcraft on Slipper: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13.

Once the Young Wizardess determines if the slipper is indeed magical or not, she looks up towards both Eric and Koshon as they're bantering away, both very much soaked to the bone from all that flooding waters... with the Angelic Paragon of the pair holding a decidedly unamused, blank look upon his face compared to the Sodden Skald's ever-conversational countenance.

Recalling that she doesn't quite have access to her Prestidigitation cantrip handy at the moment, Morelda does have the sense to seem apologetically abashed as she says to Koshon and Eric, "I'm afraid that I've not have Prestidigitation memorized this day, Eric and Koshon."

If there's anything at all that she could explain about the floor and/or the slipper, Morelda would proceed to do just that. ;)

Not on moix list, so I believe you may suffer the "wet hide armor" look for a bit longer madmoiselle.

Eric smiles, not missing a beat.

Not sure if any of the flooding reached beyond Eric or Koshon? Morelda definitely was in the back row for the entire door stuff. ;)

Smiling back to Eric, Morelda looks back over to Koshon before leaning in and whispering in a lowered voice, "I think it'll be more for your Superior's... sake than anything about my own personal discomfort."

If not Prestidigitation, then Fastidiousness would certainly do the trick- but that has to be casted upon somebody beforehand as a preventative measure...

Taking one last glance over in Lorel's direction, the Young Wizardess of the Twilight Academy gives a light cough before addressing her apologetics towards Koshon and Eric [maybe just a slight bit more emphasis on her attention towards the Angelic Paragon comparatively].

"Now I do realize that my seconding of the suggestion in opening up that barred door might have resulted in some ineffectiveness upon my part, somewhat, in helping towards having that door reclosed- at the very least though, we now know that any likelihood of attacks coming from that direction is highly unlikely to occur. So you both have my apologies and thanks in that regards, Koshon and Eric."

Who knew that having to offer formal apologetics to Father Marphan about my family's past misdeeds and infamy would so helpful in this regards towards smoothing things over.

Superior, Inferior, Equal...
I do not believe in such Hierarchies, jockeying for Status has wrought great pain upon my once fair Gault
The Skald replies..

It is le same with organizations, one day, you are une Card carrying member of le "actione directe de la liberation gaultese", and fight valiantly to rid your country of le Chelish influence infernal, and the next day some "supreme directorate" declares your entire organization "enemies of the people", before le "supreme directorate" is overthrown by le "council supreme" which reinstates your "actione directe de la liberation gaultes" but only if your organisation agree to persecute and murder members of le "front populaire de Gault" for unspecified "crimes against the people", presumably and most poigniantly including a member of said "front populaire" sleeping with the wife of a higherup in the "council supreme"... all of these purges and executions, une grande mountain de merde, I prefer to see only individuals, if I cannot bear to see the face of one I strike with my weapons, then maybe that someone does not deserve to be striked down.
He pauses

I have in a way shaped my own well, psychological structure, to make it incredibly unlikey that I would ever participate in another purge...

again... not even for vengeance He finishes mentally.

Oops, had a bit of a delay in seeing Eric's following lament and gripes about the old country/Galt.

"Now I do realize that my seconding of the suggestion in opening up that barred door might have resulted in some ineffectiveness upon my part, somewhat, in helping towards having that door reclosed- at the very least though, we now know that any likelihood of attacks coming from that direction is highly unlikely to occur. So you both have my apologies and thanks in that regards, Koshon and Eric."

"Apology accepted", the gregori answered flatly, then began to look around for other possible 'traps'. Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Politely listening to the Former Galtan Exile turned Guardsman as he recounts some obviously painful recollections of the Past, Morelda is unable to offer much commentary in response to slightly incoherent but still striking events that had occurred over some distant borders, far away from here. Still...

By Ashava's Guiding light, Audrahni would've known of just the right thing to say to all of this. I only wish she had chosen to accompany with us alongside to this place..., the Young Wizardess thinks to herself.

Opting instead to offer an apologetic to help smooth over some hard feelings between the two town authorities- and by extension, to at least two other fellow members of the party, mostly including herself.

After finishing apologetic that up with the names of, ",Koshon and Eric", Morelda will lean in towards Eric and say in a low whisper, "For what it's worth, those earlier experiences of yours sounded really... unpleasant. Perhaps either Father Marphan- or maybe even Miss Audrahni- they might be able to impart some words of comfort for you." after hearing Koshon's spoken acknowledgement.

Koshon's keen eyes find nothing around the room. Morelda's memory, perhaps stirred by Eric's recollections of recidivist revolts or his stirring commentary on legends of magic slippers, tells her that these slippers allow the wearer to step light as a feather amongst difficult terrain for up 10 minutes, once a day.

Stormborn has not made into the room, nor is anyone other than Eric and Koshon covered in water. Even more interesting, the closet is bone dry....

So if someone was to open up that barred door again, they'd see just an empty closet inside or is there anything else inside that closet? ;p

Glancing excitedly at the slipper in her hand, Morelda exclaims aloud "Why, this slipper happens to be enchanted with magic; if I'm correct about it's capabilities, it should allow a person who is wearing both pairs to step lightly as a feather upon the ground- thereby moving normally against uneven flooring as if it were unobstructed."

Suddenly remembering that her apologetics was very much in the singular and that Lorel also got the other half of soaked slipper, Morelda hastily adds in with, "And while I can't really speak for Miss Lorel's own thoughts on the matter, I'm sure that she may possibly feel the same way, Koshon?"

Suddenly remembering that her apologetics was very much in the singular and that Lorel also got the other half of soaked slipper, Morelda hastily adds in with, "And while I can't really speak for Miss Lorel's own thoughts on the matter, I'm sure that she may possibly feel the same way, Koshon?"

Now the psychic wizard takes full brunt of the gregori's blank stare. "My romantic life notwithstanding, may we progress in our investigation of this wild goose chase. I'll leave to you ladies to decide ownership of the slippers."

It does not appear that anything is actually in the closet, as nothing else is wet...

Technically, the slippers would work best for a secondary melee character to use in actual combat... although Morelda is smart enough not to turn down use of a free magic item. ;p

Now the psychic wizard takes full brunt of the gregori's blank stare. "My romantic life notwithstanding, may we progress in our investigation of this wild goose chase. I'll leave to you ladies to decide ownership of the slippers."

stormcrow27 wrote:

It does not appear that anything is actually in the closet, as nothing else is wet...

Apologies in advance for the creative contrivance...

Looking up towards Koshon's otherworldly face, Morelda's pendantic insistence that someone more suited towards maneuvering around the battlefield would be a far better candidate for the slippers gets prematurely choked-off in a strangled "eeep!" as the Neophyte Wizardess of the Twilight Academy bears the full brunt of the Angelic Guardsman's nonplussed mien of displeasure as she reactively flinches backwards- and hits her back abruptly against the barred doorway, causing the door to suddenly open ajar once more.

Instead of another deluge of cold river-water pouring forth from the opened doorway, it merely opens up to reveal an empty closet, nay- a completely dry empty closet- with nary a single drop of water to be found anywhere.

Goggling dumbfoundedly at the improbable sequence of events, Morelda hastily scoots back from both the open closet and Koshon before squeaking out, "Wh-where to next?"

Any other parry members wish to weigh in? ;)

knowledge Fey: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 1 + 2 = 14 Koshon is relatively sure he heard the tale before, nonplussed unromantic knight and his sorcerous Damsel.

He takes out a suspiciously dry notebook and starts making a sketch of Koshon, drawn in Shojo-Anime-style, kneeling and handing a pair of slippers to Morelda who is also drawn appropriately, while making sveral artistic licence adjustments, such as both of them blushing.

He takes great care that Koshon does not see how he got painted.

"Well, the further we go in, the darker it is likely to be", Koshon surmised. "I can see in the dark, but I doubt our human companions can. I keep a few torches in such a case. Shall I light one up?" The gregori asks the others.

Knowledge shall brighten the darkness Eric intones as 4 dancing lights come into existence around him.

The lights are shaped like long tasty looking loafes of white bread.

Eric casts dancing lights, creating 4 illuminating Baguettes

These have some tactical utility, as I can send them ahead without having to venture alongside them, nor do I need to hold them in hand. I need to recast every minute, but it is a cantrip so I can maintain to do so indefinitly. On the other hand, torchs are useful against possible other swarms, my dancing lights are incapable of harming anything, other then perhaps an incredibly light sensitive entity.

"Thank you, Mr. St. Cyr", Koshon smiles with a nod. "That will do nicely."

At present a door to the west and a stairway going up. A door in the hall you came to also lies unexplored.

If nobody else puts in a claim for the slippers, then Morelda might as well use them; will have to add in and account for any additional encumbrance for them at a later time.

With the additional lighting provided by Eric's dancing baguettes, Morelda uses her Detect Magic upon the nearest unopened door- the one to the west, perhaps?- although the likelihood of detecting any magic upon it remains slim.

"Shall we try the west door then? I think there was another door that we passed by out in the hallway; to say nothing of the stairway upwards, as well. Those stairs could probably wait though."

The Young Wizardess still has her crystal out, just in case... but doesn't bother to use crystal light upon it again if it had already gone out at this juncture.

Koshon nods at the wizard and approaches the west door, ear to the entrance, listening to hear beyond it. Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

If the door to the west in non-magical to her detect magic, Morelda will assist Koshon's perception instead of spellcrafting the door.

Perception assist attempt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24.

if Spellcraft happens due to the presence of magic: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18.

Looks like Morelda assists on perception. ;p

Let us go west then
He whispers, listening in as well.
perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23