In the Whispering Cairn, when all the coloured lanterns are lit, the stone filling the face's mouth disappears, allowing access to the next room. So what would happen if one or more of the lanterns burned out while the whole party was on the far side of the face? Would the stone re-appear, trapping the whole party there forever, with no way of escaping?
i think so.
Until some other hapless adventuring party stumbled upon their remains...
After suffering two deaths to the face trap, my party finally figured out how it worked. They retreated to town, purchased a bunch of torches, and proceeded onward. Later, they came back to fight the wind warriors. They lit the torches again, had a good fight and decided to rest inside. I was faced with the same dilemma. I figured that they must be trapped inside. They realized that they'd been a bit silly and were trying to figure out how to get out (they couldn't).
In the end I decided to have the group of rival adventurers come and light the torches to let them out (unknowingly). This provided a good opportunity for more RP with Auric et al. which the party enjoyed. I played Khellek as being mostly interested in where the other seekers were, so once the party pointed them towards the lower levels, Auric and co. went off exploring the empty and looted cairn and the party ditched for Diamond Lake.
After suffering two deaths to the face trap, my party finally figured out how it worked. They retreated to town, purchased a bunch of torches, and proceeded onward. Later, they came back to fight the wind warriors. They lit the torches again, had a good fight and decided to rest inside. I was faced with the same dilemma. I figured that they must be trapped inside. They realized that they'd been a bit silly and were trying to figure out how to get out (they couldn't).
In the end I decided had the group of rival adventurers come and light the torches to let them out (unknowingly). This provided a good opportunity for more RP with Auric et al. which the party enjoyed. I played Khellek as being mostly interested in where the other seekers were, so once the party pointed them towards the lower levels, Auric and co. went off exploring the empty and looted cairn and the party ditched for Diamond Lake.
Nice; that is a great way to have the PCs meet and interact with the free city adventurers. My characters are just about to go back after subduing Filge. I'll have to use that if they decide to rest inside.
Wow--I totally didn't think of this when my party spent the night inside the chamber after killing the wind warriors (3 party members unconscious, party cleric conscious but out of healing spells). But, my player didn't notice, so no harm no foul. I think this is one of those spots where you either ignore the forgotten realism of the torches burning down outside, or if the party remembers them, you think of a way to maintain verisimilitude without the party dying of starvation. Either Eltanin's solution or a hidden catch on the inside of the door that opens it for a few minutes to let you back out again.
Hmm... I just assumed the lanterns acted more or less like Everburning Torches that remained lit until the tomb "reset" itself.
After re-reading area #8 in the Whispering Cairn, I found that I had more questions about the mechanics of this encounter. Hopefully, some of you veterans of the AoW campaign can help me out.
1) When the trap triggers and the 'Face' animates, do the eyes emit light? The trap description states "the face's eyes spin with hypnotic illusory patterns in all of the colors of the rainbow that correspond with unlit lanterns in the chamber below." However, no where in the writing does it suggest that the eyes are actually glowing or radiating light (indeed, without the art at the beginning of the module, which depicts a party being blown away from the face and the eyes clearly illuminating the tunnel, would we not assume the tunnel was pitch black?)
2) If no light is emitted from the eyes of the 'Face' during it's wind cycle, wouldn't torches and/or lanterns be blown out and, if so, wouldn't there be no colors to see in the first place? Not only would the characters not know what colors are 'missing' from the lantern room below, but how could they be affected by 'hypnotic eyes' (and in turn, the hold person effects) they couldn't see?
Has someone else already thought of this and come up with a solution or work around, or am I just thinking too deep into this? If the eyes do radiate light, would they be considered 'Bright Light' or 'Shadowy Illumination'?
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Just to tie off my initial question, I decided that there was a way of opening the mouth from the inside - a little puzzle trigger, based on the rainbow colour theme. My players did indeed get stuck behind the mouth, but managed to solve the puzzle and get out again!
1) When the trap triggers and the 'Face' animates, do the eyes emit light? The trap description states "the face's eyes spin with hypnotic illusory patterns in all of the colors of the rainbow that correspond with unlit lanterns in the chamber below."
I think it's best to assume the eyes do emit light - the trap is connected to the light of the lanterns below, after all, and it's important that the PCs are able to get the clue that might enable them to deactivate the trap.
2) If no light is emitted from the eyes of the 'Face' during its wind cycle, wouldn't torches and/or lanterns be blown out and, if so, wouldn't there be no colors to see in the first place? Not only would the characters not know what colors are 'missing' from the lantern room below, but how could they be affected by 'hypnotic eyes' (and in turn, the hold person effects) they couldn't see?
The wind force starts at "strong" (though in my game I made it start at "moderate"), which is enough to blow out ordinary torches, but not lanterns - so there may well be enough opportunity for the PCs to see the colours of the patterns, even if you decide the eyes don't emit light. Some PCs may have darkvision, too.
Even if the tunnel was pitch dark when the trap activated, I think that anyone in the passage would be subject to the paralysis effect, as it's based on hold person, not hypnotic pattern. This would also mean they'd get a new saving throw each turn, if needed.
If the eyes do radiate light, would they be considered 'Bright Light' or 'Shadowy Illumination'?
I'd say it was like a torch or continual flame - bright light to 20 feet, shadowy to 40 feet. Note that this still means someone at the far end of the passage can see the face and eyes, as they're looking towards the light.
Thanks Callum for the response! I agree that it should be considered a light source equal to a torch or spell equivalent, just wanted to get someone else's opinion. I also like your idea about starting the wind cycle off with less intensity to give the PC's a little extra time to figure things out before being blown away. I will put your advice to good use when we get to that encounter in our game.
Thanks again!
Speaking of the infamous Face Trap, does being held affect your ability to make saves against the wind effects? Or once held, do you auto-fail and get blown back??
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Speaking of the infamous Face Trap, does being held affect your ability to make saves against the wind effects? Or once held, do you auto-fail and get blown back??
Strictly, I don't think there's any rules interaction between being paralyzed and the effects of the winds. When paralyzed, you have effective Str and Dex of 0, but as you're making Fort saves against the wind, that doesn't really have an impact. A reasonable house rule might be that, similar to flying creatures, paralyzed creatures are treated as one size category smaller for the purposes of wind effects - representing the fact that they aren't able to struggle against the wind.
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After re-reading area #8 in the Whispering Cairn, I found that I had more questions about the mechanics of this encounter. Hopefully, some of you veterans of the AoW campaign can help me out.
1) When the trap triggers and the 'Face' animates, do the eyes emit light? The trap description states "the face's eyes spin with hypnotic illusory patterns in all of the colors of the rainbow that correspond with unlit lanterns in the chamber below." However, no where in the writing does it suggest that the eyes are actually glowing or radiating light (indeed, without the art at the beginning of the module, which depicts a party being blown away from the face and the eyes clearly illuminating the tunnel, would we not assume the tunnel was pitch black?)
2) If no light is emitted from the eyes of the 'Face' during it's wind cycle, wouldn't torches and/or lanterns be blown out and, if so, wouldn't there be no colors to see in the first place? Not only would the characters not know what colors are 'missing' from the lantern room below, but how could they be affected by 'hypnotic eyes' (and in turn, the hold person effects) they couldn't see?
Has someone else already thought of this and come up with a solution or work around, or am I just thinking too deep into this? If the eyes do radiate light, would they be considered 'Bright Light' or 'Shadowy Illumination'?
I read it as;
PC trips the pressure pad,
Swirling lights switch on in the face, illuminating the tunnel,
PC saves vs hypnosis,
Mouth slab opens and wind blows PC down corridor.
Whether the lights in the face remain on during the gust of wind, they appear first, so the PC sees them before they get blasted, and their own light source extinguished.
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I think it's best to assume the eyes do emit light - the trap is connected to the light of the lanterns below, after all, and it's important that the PCs are able to get the clue that might enable them to deactivate the trap.
Considering the rainbow theme, I think it's in theme for the trap to radiate light of its own.
I also think it's important for the PCs to see the lights, so the DM can enjoy the terror on their little faces!
Even if the tunnel was pitch dark when the trap activated, I think that anyone in the passage would be subject to the paralysis effect, as it's based on hold person, not hypnotic pattern. This would also mean they'd get a new saving throw each turn, if needed.
I can't remember if this is written in the stat-block of the trap, but I granted a save each round.
The scout PC in my game failed his save vs the paralysis, but snapped out of it while being expelled from the tunnel. He'd roped himself to the chain bracket, so (un)fortunately, though knocking himself out, he didn't give himself enough rope to kill himself.
I did rule that the rest of the party, stood below, were covered in the contents of his stomach, the mouldy skeleton, and its backpack of adventuring gear (including a full score of iron spikes, which I had generously added).
Ouch!