GM Jhaeman's "Dawn of Flame, Chapter Four: The Blind City" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

Zharis confident manipulates pieces of the outer layer of the globe to reveal the second layer! The pieces are hot to the touch, but fortunately the environmental protections of armor make it bearable.

The check succeeds. Zharis, you take 1 F from touching the pieces.

The temperature between the first and second layers is Very Hot (over 90 degrees) but environmental protections keep this from having any negative effects.

Evaluating the second layer will take standing between the first and second layer and making an Engineering, Perception, Physical Science, or appropriate Profession skill (one of you attempts the check, but others can aid the effort if you're willing to stand in the same area).

Xylian's large armor prevents him from getting a good angle to see what's going on. "I find puzzle boxes to be more impressive the simpler they are." He states.

Engi: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
:(

Hani attempts to assist with the examination of the puzzle box.

Please note that Hani has ER (Fire) 5.

engineering: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24

Zharis hisses when she is burned, but then she steps forward to make another move.

Zharis will attempt to continue to make progress, so if Xylian and Hani were successful in getting to further layers, she will move on to whatever is next.

Engineering: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37

It takes a solid ten minutes of putting their heads together, but at last, Xylian and Hani know the next move!

Zharis does the hard work, but even her armor's gauntlets can't protect her completely from the scorching heat. The second layer of the globe slides open to reveal a third layer. Suddenly, the pahtra's radiation badge begins beeping!

Xylian and Hani succeed (barely!) on the evaluation of the second layer, but it takes 10 minutes. Zharis succeeds on moving the pieces but takes 4 F.

Now that you're between the second and third layers, the temperature has become Severe Heat (this is as warm as your environmental seals will protect you from). In addition, the radiation badge indicates there is some level of radiation washing over you, but doesn't indicate the level. Your environmental protections may help against radiation depending on the level of the armor you wear as follows: all armor grants immunity to low radiation and provides a +4 bonus on saves vs higher levels of radiation; armor of Level 7 or above grants immunity to medium radiation and provides a +6 bonus to saves vs higher levels of radiation.

Evaluating how to open the third layer will take standing between the second layer and the third layer and making an Engineering, Perception, Physical Science, or appropriate Profession skill (one of you attempts the check, but others can aid the effort if you're willing to stand in the same area).

We also all have environmentally protective clothing on (+2 to saves vs heat and +1 to saves vs radiation), just so everyone remembers if we need to roll saves.

Zharis glances at her rad badge, but she knows that they have the Ruthig Milk Tea and that she has protective clothing on, so she presses forward, hoping this won't take long.

Engineering: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18

Uh-oh. That can't be good.

Hani will give another roll here, though I know I might after we weather the effects of Zharis' unfortunate roll above.

Hani points out another solution to this puzzling situation.

engineering: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38

Zharis and Hani work together to evaluate the third level, and finally figure out what they need to do. But those pieces are glowing red hot!

We'll treat Hani's roll as an Aid Another to Zharis' check. The evaluation succeeds, but it takes a full 10 minutes.

Moving the pieces will take an Engineering check from one PC. Other PCs can assist with Aid Another by using Acrobatics, Athletics, or Engineering if they can touch a layer.

Moving the pieces...

engineering: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36

Hani correctly moves the scorching hot pieces!

Only one layer bars the heart of the globe. But the heat coming off it is incredibly intense, and Zharis' radiation badge is beeping furiously!

Hani's check succeeds. Hani, you take 3 F but your fire resistance does apply.

Evaluating this final layer requires one person to make a successful Engineering, Perception, Physical Science, or appropriate Profession skill (one PC attempts the check, but others can Aid Another if you're willing to stand alongside the main evaluator). You can probably discern the pattern by now: the better your evaluation, the less time it takes--and now, this is really going to matter. I'll ask for saves vs heat and radiation once we know how long the evaluation takes and who's participating.

What are ye doing there for so long? Like children, as if they had never stood at the crucible...

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34

Tulgram takes one look at the last layer and knows exactly what to do!

Tulgram's evaluation takes 1 minute.

@Tulgram: You take 3 F from a minute's exposure to Extreme Heat that overcomes your armor's environmental protections. Your Level 8 armor protects you against the Medium radiation.

Moving the final pieces will take 1 PC making an Engineering check; others can aid with Acrobatics, Athletics, or Engineering.

> You take 3 F from a minute's exposure to Extreme Heat
Does it hit through the fire resistance?

Athletics AID: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Zharis motions to Hani to do the honors. He seemed to be better than she was at this stuff... but she sticks around to help.

Engineering (assist): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18

Honestly, twice in a row dicebot?

Zharis and Tulgram get ready to assist Hani.

@Tulgram: Yes, resistance to fire will apply here.

Xylian sets his brilliant scientist brain to the task. "I could probably disassemble the sphere safely. That would defeat the purpose of the puzzle, but then again, I do not think the puzzle has a real purpose."

Engineering: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

We could take it back to the DCI, if you think we can disassemble it fully. I am a little worried about the radiation though. We have the tea, but I don't know how big of a dose we're getting.

Xylian squeezes into the room in his powered armor and takes the lead in moving the final pieces with help from Tulgram and Zharis. The mechanism swings open!

Inside the pivot is a small compartment that contains a luminous crystal in the shape of a shining sun.

I've put a picture of this crystal to the left of the map. Good work--I'll update the XP soon.

The scorching hot pieces deal damage as follows: Zharis takes 17 F, Xylian takes 12 F, and Tulgram takes 9 F. (fire resistance applies).

Tulgram and Zharis have Level 7 armor and thus won't be affected by the radiation. Xylian's armor is only Level 5, but the Sci-shield unit grants protection against radiation as if it were Level 7. Handy, because radiation is not fun!

Zharis takes the crystal and retreats out of the room.

Note: if you need to bot me while I am gone next week, Zharis is willing to help Xylian disassemble the thing if needed, but if she runs out of SP, she will rest and recover it before jumping in to help again... happy to do that using up 6 RP if needed, but she'll save the other 2 for the unknown third path.

The constant beeping of Zharis' radiation badge finally slows to a stop as she recovers the crystal and gets away from the globe.

I owe everyone a new batch of XP, which I'll get to soon. (everyone who took damage from the globe, please update your taglines accordingly)

Ok folks, what would you like to do next?

"A more traditional safe would have been more effective. I suspect the method in which this object was stored is largely symbolic." Xylian says. "But whether this was set up by the guards or the prisoners remain to be seen."

Guess we take it back to see if it fits within the next slot!

The crystal fits perfectly into the one of the three indentations in the door of the cube!

"One key remaining, presumably. It may be wise to return to the ship to better prepare for the opponents we have faced, but it is prudent to retrieve the last key, lest it be removed whilst we are away."

I can't move Xylian right now, but I suppose we take the East 'Squiggly symbol" hallway.

"One key remaining, presumably. It may be wise to return to the ship to better prepare for the opponents we have faced, but it is prudent to retrieve the last key, lest it be removed whilst we are away."

I can't move Xylian right now, but I suppose we take the East 'Squiggly symbol" hallway.

Agreed. Looks like we need to backtrack and then cautiously make our way down this hallway.

In his powered armor, Xylian takes the lead into a hallway, the floor of which is carved with the symbol of a long, curving flame, like a solar flare.

Stone doors bar passage into the next chamber, but as you approach, you can hear the roaring of flame and several voices singing strange hymns!

Damn cultists... Tulgram was obviously looking for a joke to hide the tension, but as a result, he just grumbles under his breath.

I hope we're all going along with Xylian. On the count of three, we are ready to break in. One, two...

Pushing through the stone doors is easy. Inside, a roaring flame to the right illuminates the room, which has a vaulted ceiling higher than the fire. The bottom of a stairway emerges from the fiery wall in one corner of the chamber.

On the same side of the wall as the entrance, a section of wall stands crooked, like a slightly inwardly open door.

Several rough stone columns rise from the floor, but curiously, none reach the ceiling.

A statue in the room’s center resembles a series of orbs stacked atop one another, with stylized fire and eyes carved into them. A few carved tentacles extend the orbs, but most are broken.

The walls in this chamber are scorched, particularly near the sheet of flame, and bear runic carvings, some matching those on the statue or depicting a figure resembling the statue. The walls also show figures donning robes, venerating the central statue, and walking through the fire.

We're not on Initiative, but I do have to keep track of your movement and the timing of your actions in this room.

You can attempt a Mysticism check to glean the meaning of these carvings.

Xylian passes a robo-hand over his robo-eyes and shakes his robo-head to clear his vision. "Do not look directly at bright lights." He warns the others. "The reliefs appear to depict a ceremony of some sort: pay obeisance to the central statue in exchange for protection from the flames. Stand back. I shall experiment." Cannon-mounted fire extinguisher at the ready, Xylian takes a tentative step into the fire room. For science!

Hani holds back as Xylian...experiments.

No mysticism here. That's a hole in our skillset. Looks like Zharis might have a point in it to try a roll.

Xylian steps into the room, and nothing dramatic happens. Zharis relates her guess that, given the wall carvings and the wall of flame, the fire is a form of religious trial of some kind.

Botting Zharis' Mysticism.

Zharis Mysticism: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

The hell with that kid! My people are hardened in the dark flame of Droskar, we die near the furnace, but we do not stop toil, and ye tell me to stand aside? I'm going first. Tulgram goes to the middle and looks around, angrily muttering as if he is going to give a ringing educational slap on the head to the statue, the fire and everything else that is here.

Tulgram walks to the center of the room and looks around.

Good news. We can fly over the wall of flame, it's not up to the ceiling. Bad news. There are fire ghosts hiding in the wall of flames, like those freaks we've already fought with. He shrugs his shoulders and goes west (that is, up) to the very edge of the light to see what's in the box room...

"We do not have the required hardware to combat the spirits." Xylian reminds the dwarf.

Tulgram examines an area to the side. The centerpiece of this almost cubic room is a trough-like pool filled with translucent fluid. Several stone pegs jut from the walls.

We'll say that three rounds have passed. Everyone else, please update where you are in the room (or if you're just talking from the entryway, that's fine too).

Tulgram quickly describes what he sees.

Xylian advances. "It appears this is where one would be 'cleansed' for the ritual to pass through the fire. The cloaks in the reliefs seem to be missing." Such superstitious nonsense is beyond the damai. Xylian draws a sample container and approaches the pool; perhaps it will reveal something useful whilst they construct more appropriate weapons on the ship. Or maybe it's just regular water. It's probably just regualr water. "We need to leave. We are not prepared to face more of the spectors. We will have to return after we re-equip." He radios to those still outside the room.

Cant move Xylian right now but He'll moove to the peg room.
Sorry I didn't post yesterday. It was a looooooooooooooooooong day.

Hani moves to the peg room to see if there are any clues for bypassing the fire. "I suppose it's too much to ask to just find the 'gas shutoff valve."

engineering check to find anything interesting: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25

Xylian dips a container into the trough of what looks like ordinary water. The ripples formed by his movement seem almost hypnotic . . .

Suddenly, the wall of flame in the adjoining chamber explodes outward in a sulfurous wave of heat! As it does, burning undead emerge from the floor and walls in a fiery mass reeking of charred flesh and burned bone!

@Xylian: I've moved your token to the pool room.

@Hani: You didn't find anything.

INITIATIVE (ROUND 1)

Zharis
Xylian
Tulgram
Lurkers
The Mass
Hani
Jin

Bold should go!

From the thick orange line all the right to the wall of fire is essentially a mass of burning undead that is 7' high. You can enter these squares, but they count as 3 squares of movement (and obviously, there may be consequences from the heat).

RUN!
Run!

Looks like we have a split party, and not sure whether I should go there, or they should come here, but my position seems a little safer (but not sure)

Zharis isn't sure which way Tulgram is suggesting that they run, but she stays outside the room, watching to see what happens. She doesn't understand what triggered the explosion, and so she holds her action unless something comes towards her, or attacks one of her friends, just trying to assess the threat.

Seeing the burning mass of undead approaching, Tulgram races out of the chamber to join Zharis.

Xylian is up.

Xylian also exits.

The horrifying mass of burning creatures shuffles slowly forward, and from somewhere within it, lances of deadly energy streak toward Jin and Xylian! Meanwhile, the sound of several voices singing strange hymns continues!

@Xylian: I did a double-move for you with the reduced speed for your powered armor; you're not quite out of the big chamber yet.

The mass moves five feet to the left (remember, everything between the orange line and the wall of fire is flaming undead.

One ranged attack vs Jin. Jin, you get hit and take 8 F (the damage ignores fire resistance). Please attempt a DC 13 Fort save vs a curse effect to avoid catching fire.

One ranged attack vs Xylian. The attack misses.

INITIATIVE (ROUND 1)

Zharis
Xylian
Tulgram
Lurkers
The Mass
Hani
Jin (*Fort save)

Bold should go!

From the thick orange line all the right to the wall of fire is essentially a mass of burning undead that is 7' high. You can enter these squares, but they count as 3 squares of movement (and obviously, there may be consequences from the heat).

*Jin, at the beginning of your turn, please attempt a DC 13 Fortitude save vs a curse effect. If you fail, you are on fire and immediately take 4 F (that overcomes fire resistance).

Hani flinches as the explosion happen, then curses. Instinctively, he makes for the door.

Hani double moves toward the door.

Hani joins the rush for the exit!

Jin is up.

Fortitude DC 13: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Jin double moves after his mates, getting cover behind what seems to be a round rock.