"I will go with you Umbrato!" Lia says excitedly. "A shopping trip before sailing is a lovely idea! I can't wait to see all the others on the Sterling Sapphire."
Once out and about, she quickly grabs the rogue's hand, happily walking along side him, smiling and looking at everything with her bright silver eyes. She lets her smoked goggles rest around her neck, and despite the brightness of the day, presses on as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
A strange little white blur appears out of the corner of everyone's eyes. Fur and all sorts of pouches bounce as the little person rushes into the room.
Upon pulling back her fur hood, a light dusting of sand falls to the floor to reveal a most curious sight. A small white gnome, with wide silver eyes.
"Did I hear wedding? Craggark and I will be getting married one day too! I am sure of it! But that is not today, nor tomorrow, but one day yet to come." come her words in a rush, faster and faster until she turns her wide, and now that you notice it, unblinking silver eyes toward Umbrato. "I just came from the desert as well! It was terrible! I never want to go back! Unless of course the Society needs metobecausethenIwould..." and even as the speed of her words begin to blend into one rapidly vibrating sound they suddenly stop. So abrupt is her silence, that it is actually louder than her speaking had been.
She stares at the group around her, eyes still unblinking. Then, slowly, as if realizing something for the first time, her eyes widen, as if that is even possible.
"I am sorry. Where are my manners? I find that most people from the south lands introduce themselves when they meet someone for the first time. A strange custom, but I try to oblige. My name is Lia Snowsparkle, a twilight speaker from the elves of the Ice Gate. It is my pleasure to meet you all. I know, I know, I am small for an elf, but my family says I am just special that way."
And with that said, she slowly blinks her eyes once, and smiles broadly at the group.
For all intents and purposes, Analia is a gnome, but despite her white appearance, she is not a bleachling. She is a vibrant white, and her silver eyes shine with light and curiosity. When upset, her eyes take on a reddish tint, flaring with fiery passion when forced to combat as her bloodline comes to life. She is dazzled by bright lights, but despite that she doesn't squint, and when actually adventuring she will wear her smoked goggles.
She has all knowledge skills at 8 accept Arcana and Religion at 9.
Know Religion:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 Lia shakes her head as she inspects the statues. "I should know this, but these statues confound me. I imagine Jawhar will be better suited to tell us about them."
She look inside the compartment, and seeing a magic scroll she casts read magic to determine its nature. If anyone else needs her to read magic, she does so as well.
I would normally want to continue, but given the situation, I vote to end it. If we did the majority of things, and it is really mostly done, I would love to be able to free up Analia.
She has some games from the last game day that she will finally be able to apply (the We Be Goblins series) so she will catch up to the group.
"I don't see why not. I mean after all we've been through, how bad could it be?" Lia says with a shrug.
"Every room, and even one very long hallway, has been fraught with danger. We should expect no less from this last chamber...Ohh what if it leads to a lower level...no we already found the Pharaoh so that's unlikely." she thinks aloud.
This will certainly be our doo...
She casts another spell, the last of its kind prepared today, to once again replenish her innate magic. Being low on her other daily magic options, she fingers her last alchemist's fire for comfort.
”Could I make use of that shiny crown?” the half-orc asks shyly. ”I’d feel more comfortable up front if I had that thing covering my butt. Plus,” he adds with a wink at Lia, ”it goes well with my skin colour.”
With a tilt of her head and her wide eyed unblinking stare, Lia quietly waits for Craggark to say more, but when nothing else comes from him she replies in a deadpan tone, "Normally crowns go on your head, but if you really would feel better with one covering your butt, I won't stop you."
She finally breaks into a wide smile and winks back as she enjoys the look on everyone's face, especially Craggark's. "Besides, it really does go with your skin tone."
They are all so very wonderful. I am so lucky to have found them all.
If I was mistaken and you were referring to the periapt of wound closure(the green gem), it goes in the neck slot like an amulet or necklace.
"That is one of the most disgusting magical items I have ever encountered! How desperate for power would you have to be to wear a mummy's hand as a pendant just to be able to use a third magical ring?"
Lia tries the hand on, completely oblivious to Jamir's comments. She looks around, then takes it off, and offers it to Jawhar after hearing his interest in it.
"It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, though you would have to get used to the smell."
Torvald Stonecask wrote:
"And just think of the potential for 'need a hand?'-related jokes"
Hearing Torvald she lets out a snort, nearly causing Craggark to jump.
"That was easily the funniest joke I've ever heard from you Torvald... Hands down." she replies, her eyes twinkling with mirth.
"I assume that his hand has at least some spark of magic that has kept it preserved. Our ever efficient Jawhar has the right of things searching for magic. Perhaps we will uncover its mystery this way."
With that she also casts a cantrip and searches for magic and studies the items...
Even with my terrible roll, it is versus flat footed touch AC, and a bunch of old skin and bones wrapped in rags isn't my definition of hard to hit with a touch. Fingers crossed regardless. ;)
The rest of you though, wow! Great blitz attack. Even the zombie sphinx got blasted a bit.
Torvald's bomb won't worry about DR since it is fire, and what a fire it was!
Lia feels the fear creep over her soul, but somehow manages to overcome it and act. She throws the flame in her palm at the mummy, letting out a little squeal as she does so!
"Yes! What he said!"
Produce Flame vs Touch:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 fire damage:1d6 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
With an uncharacteristic frown, Lia fishes out the last vial of antiplague she has and stares at it with intensity before tucking it back in her belt pouch with a sigh.
I really hope we won't need this.
"I have one more vial of antiplague should something happen to me and you need it." she says to the group, her eyes turning steely.
Lia took one antiplague just recently and it lasts an hour. This second one is good for a additional save roll if you become infected, but it might be better for the +5 bonus it gives if someone wants that now. I don't see anyone else having them on the spreadsheet, but if someone wants this one, it's yours.
So to recap, Lia has Mage Armor, Heightened Awareness, Antiplague, Protection from Evil, and a Produce Flame(CL4) running. The Produce Flame will have about 2 mins left after all our prep and movement(she would help with the prot evil wand buff just before the door as she would cast the recharge spell while moving to get here), which means she will have only 2 rounds of attacks with it before she needs to cast it again. Her plan is to dismiss HA for the +4 to initiative at the start of combat, giving her a +9. Before combat, she will also make a knowledge religion check with her enhanced skill to see if she knows any more about mummy's (since that is what we think the Pharaoh is). I would take 10 on the knowledge check, but due to the intense nature of things, I think a roll is more appropriate.
"Yes!" Lia says as she ignites a flame in the palm of her hand. "I'm ready."
Produce Flame(CL4). Lia will instantly dismiss her Heightened Awareness to gain a +4 on initiative(making her total bonus+9) when that is next called for.
"Vinegar? That certainly is possible and I would even go so far as to say likely, but I understand our friends prefer to think in a more romantic vein... especially one frosty blue tall drink of water that I know. Come to think of it, I am a bit thirsty. Just not for wine."
She says the last with a wide eyed and eager stare at Craggark, which she holds for several seconds before she finally lets it drop.
"But now is not the time for pleasure, or leisure of any kind for that matter. We have work to do and a Pharaoh to find. I only hope there is more lore with him, and treasure of course, to bring back with us for further study."
Lia wiggles her fingers and chants in elven, casting detect magic once she sees the silver necklace with the blue gemstone, silently berating herself for not thinking to do it before hand.
Spellcraft if anything is magic:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
I would love to but I don't know if I can manage the AP right now, and that is why I haven't started up the Mummy's Mask yet. I wouldn't want to hold up the group at all.
Once we are ready to go to the next unchecked door, Lia will drink an antiplague(ee do think we are dealing with a mummy afterall), then strike up a continual flame and cast heightened awareness before anyone tries to open it.
Quickly searching the smoldering wrecks that were once living women, Lia hopes she didn't ruin anything of value in her haste to destroy these creatures.
"The poor things must have been sentenced to undeath when the Pharaoh was entombed. Their existence must have been torture. I hope they are at peace now... and I hope they had some treasure here."
What? You think looking this adorable comes cheap?
Lia wastes no time upon hearing the hiss of the ancient undead.
She rushes forward, ducking under Jawhar's outstretched arms, "Excuse me..." and slipping between Jamir and Torvald standing in the doorway, "Coming through!". Her red and gold amulet flares crimson as she calls out an incantation with strong elven words and fire erupts from the tips of her fingers.
Burning Hands(using her arcane bond to cast it since she used it already today). I put the spell template out in red to catch both women. Let's hope at least one target fails its save because then it will catch fire as if hit by an alchemist fire in addition to normal damage. GM's choice on which one it is if they both fail their saves.
Burning Hands(CL3) DC 16 for half:3d4 + 7 ⇒ (2, 1, 3) + 7 = 13
Know Religion:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27If somehow she knows that the undead are resistant to fire and weak against another energy type, she will use her versatile evocation ability to change the damage from fire to the best type, and she will communicate what she knows to the group.
"Lia! Quick! Hit me with that wand that teaches me how to talk with people!"
Lia quickly makes as if to grab the wand Jamir mentioned, but she hesitates as she wonders if that is the best option. She instead grabs for an alchmist's fire from her belt so as to power up a fire spell should the moment come when she needs to.
Lia comes in behind the group, somewhat sad that she is slower than the others.
Hearing Torvald's comment, Lia sees the sense of it. "It is very doubtful anyone would or could be alive after being entombed for so long. I wonder what sort of creatures they are? It might not be an illusion, and they merely have a form that closely resembles humans."
Thank you for the healing Jawhar! Having so few HP to start with, Lia needs all she can get. One charge off someone's wand will top her off without a need to roll, since she is only down 2. Everyone should top off if we can. I will be buying another full wand after this game.
Lia nods as she notices Jawhar casting his spell and then casts her own to match his. "The more eyes the better."Also Cast Detect Magic
Don't forget, under normal circumstances the four-armed skeleton isn't immune to the fire damage of the burning skeleton. It didn't start its turn there so no damage this round, but next it might. Lia will delay till after the orange and blue skeletons act.
Lia run's back in at the last minute, grasping at Craggark's jerkin.
"I can't let you all go in there alone. Let's go to the boat room and continue our explorations from there. I am sure things will be alright as long we bring the boys inside out of the weather."
She looks to the others, smiling, her eyes wide as ever. She slowly blinks once before addressing the group.
"I am sorry for causing you to fret. I am better now, really. We will be fine. I am sure of it. Lead on my loves."
Great job on botting her and thanks for keeping it moving as long as you did. You guys are the best!
"Well I am glad that is over and everyone is still in one piece." Lia says with relief.
She nods along with Torvald's suggestion to rest, "I agree with Torvald! We really should rest and recover our resources. I know there are more trials ahead and I have nearly exhausted my spells, and if we continued now I would need to rely on only my simple cantrips. In fact, I think with a rest I could prepare a slightly different spell assortment that might be more useful based on what we have encountered so far."
Lia nods in emphatic agreement with the suggestions to move rooms and to check the boys watching the camels.
"You are all such clever men. I am really very lucky to have found you all."
Once the group finally comes to a safe place to rest and they finish setting up their precautions, Lia takes out her spellbook and looks for the spells she plans to prepare after her rest. She places a few thin strips of cloth on the selected pages so she can quickly prepare her spells upon waking.
Then, with very little prompting, the littlest Snowcaster closes her eyes, leans back into Craggark's waiting embrace and quickly falls asleep.
Replacing Color Spray for a second Recharge Innate Magic which she can use to get another Produce Flame. If anyone has a request, feel free to look at her spell list at the bottom of her character page and I can do that. She can also always use her amulet to cast a spell from her book that isn't prepared(1x/day) for some flexibility.
Ok I am back. Sorry for the delays, and grats on the great Science Fair experience with your kids Jamir! That is really cool!
As to game stuff, I did indeed think it would be good to rest, as going in fresh is going to be much easier than trying to deal with whatever else remains mostly on our looks...though there are some fine looking folk here, don't get me wrong. ;)
In character post coming up shortly! I will be switching at least one spell, but I will make that apparent in character.
Sorry to everyone for my lack of posting recently. Life has really ticked up much more than normal; and it really has been impacting my ability to post for the last few days. I should be able to catch up Sunday, but I do still want to apologize. Feel free to bot me as needed so as not to delay the group.
As Lia finishes the incantation for her spell, the magic envelops Craggark which causes him to rapidly grow to twice his normal height!
+2 size bonus to Strength, a –2 size penalty to Dexterity, and a –1 penalty on attack rolls and AC due to its increased size. That said, your reach increases to 10', and your base weapon damage increases too(see This Chart)
Lia moves behind Craggark and quickly calls on the power of her amulet to cast an unprepared spell from her spell book. The spell is long and seems quite complicated, but after much arcane chanting, somewhere in the mix those that speak elven can make out a few slightly familiar words.
"Beleg vanimelda gorgûn!
Elven:
"Big beautiful and beloved orc-kin!"
She is casting enlarge person on Craggark, and it is a full round to cast so it won't come into effect until her next action. BTW, after this encounter, I was going to suggest we head to a previously cleared area and secure it so we can take a rest and to recover spells before we continue.
The flanking rule states that if you draw a straight line between two threats that goes through opposite sides of the target, then flanking applies...while I thought that applied in this case, I could be wrong...y'all are more experienced with this than I...
Here is the full rule for Flanking in case anyone doesn't have their books handy.
While Myth has the right of the rule, his position is out of alignment for flanking.
I drew a red line from the middle of the Myths's square to the middle of Jamir's square, as the rule suggests for when in doubt, to show that it doesn't go through opposite borders to make it more apparent.
Lia moves into the room with her friends, but seeing what they are up against, she knows there isn't much else she can do so she tries to damage the statue with a ray of fire!
Ray of frost, changed to fire via Versatile Evocation.
Ray of fire/rng touch:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12Target=Black Fire Damage:1d3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
I was hoping for a crit, because otherwise she won't damage these things with a cantrip. If I had the movement speed, I could have closed to Craggark and enlarged him(maybe next round).
"Be careful! These things are just as tough as that first construct we battled."Hardness 8, and this time there is two of them! They are some kind of animated object with construct traits.
"I seem to recall something to confirm your thoughts Jawhar." Lia says with excitement. She then begins to tell what she knows, hopping to aid Jawhar in recalling more details about the jackal headed being depicted here.
If you allow the Aid Other on the knowledge check, we get the information in the spoiler, but if not, I won't spoil it here.
At first her curiosity compels her to resist his pull, but then Lia just smiles as Craggark picks her up protectively and moves back from the trap.
"Thank you." she says softly as she looks up and over her shoulder to the frostkin.
Then she says to the group, and Myth in particular, "I agree that it is highly likely the most powerful would come first, and the rest would align behind it in order, from left to right since that is the way they read."
Take 10(for 18) on all the knowledge checks gives her all the different types of creatures that are represented and the details on how the puzzle/lock works.
"Hmm...that could be it, but I think to be a more challenging lock it should be more difficult, and somehow specific to the Pharaoh himself..." her voice trails off and she narrows her eyes as she ponders the lock.
Suddenly her eyes go wide when Myth mentions hierarchy,and she blurts out, "You are correct. They are all sphinxes, and perhaps there is some hierarchy among them that would explain the lock!"
Not sure if it's from weakest to strongest or strongest to weakest, but if she knows the HD or CR of the different sphinxes that could give us a starting point. We can't expect it to be alphabetical to us because they are not using our alphabet, as it's all in hieroglyphs and ancient osirian.
Still scribbling in her journal, trying to capture important details to return to the society and the venture captain, Lia marvels at the carvings much like Craggark.
"More of Pharaoh Sekh-pa-Mefer III’s deeds and accomplishments in life are mentioned here..." she says pointing to the specific sections of glyphs.
Tilting her head while chewing on her quill, she utters, "Then these carvings depict his death, funeral, and interment in his pyramid."
As the corridor continues to the south, she says, "Ohh... These scenes show the dead pharaoh rising as a deity, and continuing his rule over his subjects as a god-king."
