The Rod of the Seven Parts - IC

[Maurkov]

Otho

<mutter mutter chant; touch.>

"So warded. But be careful anyway."

Otho sets the lantern so as to give Lyle plenty of light, then he and Vandalin move back past the bonepile.

[Cogito]

Lyle begins his handiwork, taking rather unusual tools for disarming a trap, using only what seems to be an overly long needle to trace difficult and delicate paths through the air, right where he knows the traps activation spell must be. It takes several minutes and quite an amount of sweat before... nothing happens.

At least nothing visible. Lyle has managed to break the enchantment around the path in front of them, it is now save to go onwards.

Spoiler

Show

OOC: You know, rogues disabling magical traps surely is a tad strange.

[Maurkov]

Otho

"Thank you, Lyle." Otho hesitates only slightly before crossing the once-trapped area. "You know, there's still a few minutes left on the death ward. If we run into wights or something, don't be afraid to get in there," he deadpans.

"Alain, should we take turns detecting magic so that we don't stumble into the next such trap? I've got two for today."

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard ponders. "I have but one... perhaps our scouting should not go past the limit of such spells?"

[Maurkov]

Otho

"Very well. I hope that there are not too many lingering sorceries to confound the spell."

<Mumble chant.> Otho stares off into the middle distance. In a detatched voice he says, "Let's continue."

Spoiler

Show

casting Detect Magic and concentrating until further notice.

[Cogito]

The first thing you notice is the very faint aura of magic everywhere you look. Then you notice the remains of the disarmed trap which still gives off a quite powerful bit of magic. As you go on you notice no other auras, and even as you come to the end of the hall and descent into the deeper crypts nothing seems to happen. The hallways down here are almost as tall as the great hall you have passed, and statues of marble giants line the walls, which means quite something as the stone must have been brought from rather far away. As you marvel at the ancient grandeur Lyle and Otho, who has been busy following the tracks, see something glint white at the end of the hall, shrouded in darkness.

Spoiler

Show

Otho's spellcraft reveals the omnipresent aura to be of the universal type, but he can't place the stronger aura into any category. Otho also notices that his companion didn't seem to notice the glint. The others are rather unknowing at the moment

[BurntOfferings]

Lyle

From behind Angel, Lyle says quietly, "There's something ahead." He pulls a normal bolt from his quiver and readies his crossbow.

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel halts at Lyle's warning, staring ahead into the gloom for several seconds. "Can someone light it? Up ahead?" she asks, not moving further. She needs to be able to see the threat before she acts on it.

Spoiler

Show

Anyone have a torch or Light spell they can toss?

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Horus peers into the darkness about them, then shrugs."Can't help you with that, Angel."

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard smiles, "Beggar Dane says to hide your silver when copper will do." He reaches for his belt, "Sometimes we rely on magic too much, when simple alchemy can suffice." He reaches a thumb and forefinger into his belt and pulls out a short rod that could not have possibly fit there. He strikes the end upon the wall raising a shower of sparks until the end of the sunrod begins to burn in ernest. He then offers it to Angel. "Perhaps you can throw this farther than I."

[Maurkov]

Spoiler

Show

I posted in the OOC thread, but will repeat here: Otho's everbright lantern shines much further than his detect magic detects. If he senses an aura he should very clearly see its source.

Edit: Reading comprehension would be a good thing. Ok, the auras are from before. Otho's lowlight must be revealing something beyond the others' range-- so the glint is between 120' and 240' away, (and beyond the range of his dancing lights).

Otho

"Yes, there's... something. Go ahead and throw it."

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel takes the sunrod, hefting it for a moment to get a sense for its weight, and throws it, the brightly glowing end of the iron rod clattering as it rolls on the stone floor.

Spoiler

Show

Um, should I treat this like a grenadelike weapon? She's aiming for a spot about 70 feet away. (1d20+10)[28]. AC for a square is 5, but range penalties probably apply... oh, well, it'll probably be close enough.

[Maurkov]

((70'+30'/60'? That's not much extra illumination over the 120' supplied by the everbright.))

Otho watches the sunrod arc forward, bounce, and roll.

"Did you want that a bit further out?"

[Cogito]

Angel puts a bit too much strength into her throw and the sunrod lands about double the intended distance away after rolling and bouncing onwards. You can now barely see that the hall ends in a circular hall and a huge wooden door. As the rod has stop rolling forward you can see something humanoid slipping into the remaining shadows, those with Low-Light vision see a semi-transparent, glowing ghost of a Dark Elf.

[Maurkov]

Otho

"I see an elf spirit, just left of straight ahead." He points with his lantern arm. "It's still beyond Flamestrike range. Ready for battle."

Init (1d20+2)[18]

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Horus mutters an oath, and draws his blade, peering into the darkness ahead. "Spirits... nasty, hard to hit..." He trails of, but is clearly ready for the attack.

Initiative (1d20+3)[20]

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel likewise readies the stave she carries, moving cautiously forwards. She halts once and looks back to Horus and the others, making sure that they're following. "Watch the walls..."

Spoiler

Show

Initiative (1d20+1)[16]

[Cogito]

Spoiler

Show

As the majority seems to want to switch to turn-based posting, please post your initiative (roled at the beginning of the encounter, only), your current hp, your AC, your Saving Throws, and the name of any spell effect upon you together with its remaining duration in rounds (the Deathward spell in effect has 3 minutes = 30 rounds left) with every post inside a spoiler. Makes it easier for me to run this, thank you.

As you move forward you can see that the ghost is hovering totally still, waiting for you to come nearer to where he now is. You now can see that the Drow wears a similar armor to those of the giants' statues, together with an oversized longsword, again similar to those of the giants'. Even those of you who don't knowthat much about the ancient giant culture do know that this must be an honor for the Elf.

Only now you notice the dozen other figures standing along the circular wall. These must be the Deneith mercenaries, each of them having a somewhat blank stare about them, each of them with their longswords drawn and their shields ready.

But all they do is waiting in silence for you to come nearer; a silence so complete that it makes you shivering mentally.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D
1   _ _ _ d d d d d d _ _
2 /    M   M     M   M    \
3|                         |
4|M                       M|
5|    G                    |
6|M                       M|
7|                         |
8|M                       M|
9|                         |
A|M                       M|
B|                         |
C|                         |
D \ _ _ _             _ _ /
E       |  A         |
F       |       H    |
G       |   VO       |
H       |   VV    a  |
I       |  L         |

Spoiler

Show

Well, just imagine it is somewhat circular and the depicted map only shows the parts you can comfortably fight in. Each of the wall parts mean 5 ft. which means each row is five feat vertically and each second column are five feat horizontally. The other stuff is rather self-explaining, 'a' is Alain, 'A' is Angel. Feel free to exchange positions before the first rounds or move your character up to 5 ft. in any direction. As for notation, the ghost stands on field (5,3). I hope the map is good enough to play with. As your opponents are doing nothing, post your actions using the map for reference.

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Spoiler

Show

Inti:20 Move: 40 HP: 119 AC: 27 Fort:12 Ref:8 Will:8

Horus grips his sword, wary but confident and ready. He scans the room, ready for movement, but doesn't advance. "Lyle, Alain, Otho, can you see or detect any traps on the floor or walls? And... are those mercs enthralled, or possessed, or what? An undead elf, honored with giants armor.... well, that just bodes unpleasantness." He waits, not wanting to step into a trap and have to fight undead or possessed mercs at the same time.

Spoiler

Show

Talking is a free action, usually, so I will post his movement and attack (if applicable)when he gets his answers.

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel halts, glancing back once at the others to ensure they are not going in ahead of her. No, they were smarter than that. The odd warforged's statue-like eyes glow white for a moment as she examines the auras present in the chamber. The mercenaries were probably dead, she thought. Living things couldn't stay that still. And they needed to eat, too. But it was best to be sure.

Spoiler

Show

Initiative (1d20+1)[3], Detect Evil. Scanning to include the ghost and several of the mercenaries.

[Maurkov]

..000000000111111111..
..123456789023456789..
18######++++++######18
17##..M..M..M..M..##17
16#................#16
15#................#15
14#M..............M#14
13#...G............#13
12#M..............M#12
11#................#11
10#M..............M#10
09#................#09
08#M..............M#08
07#................#07
06#................#06
05##..............##05
04######..A...######04
03######.VO.H.######03
02######.VV.a.######02
01######.L....######01
..000000000111111111..
..123456789023456789..



Otho

"Horus, I think they're still alive."

Otho shouts at the ghost in Giantspeech, "Release these humans, slave."

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Spoiler

Show

Inti:20 Move: 40 HP: 119/119 AC: 27 Fort:12 Ref:8 Will:8

Horus curses. "Can you free them, or do we have any options but killing them?"

[Cogito]

The ghost answers you, probably in an ancient variant of giant, as you can barely understand him: "Who are you to call me slave? Release them of the spell yourself. You should be able to if you dare to call me a slave."

Dhe Drow's voice is loud and clear, but where your shouts echoed through the halls, everything falls silent again the moment he stops speaking.

[Maurkov]

Otho

"I call you slave because it is the word for your kind in the giant tongue. I call you slave because fifty thousand years after the fall of the giant empire, you still wear their livery. If it is not as a servant, why does your spirit linger in this realm and this tomb?"

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard watches this exchange while his eyes rove about the walls, carfully considering what effects he might be able to achieve.

[BurntOfferings]

Lyle

Spoiler

Show

Init: (1d20+5)[14]
Current HP: 88
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +6
Spell effects: death ward (30 rounds)

Lyle scans the room, looking for obvious traps as well as any place where he might hide and snipe at his enemies from the shadows. He keeps his crossbow ready, aimed at the closest mercenary.

He whispers, "We shouldn't endanger ourselves to save these incompetents. They knew the risks. I should be able to take out two, maybe three mercs before they even know what hit them.

"What is the drow spirit babbling about?"

[Cogito]

"I... I cannot think of any reason why I should tell you my history. Now turn back and leave these halls or step forward and engage my minions."

While Otho and the ghost are speaking Angel has focused her mind on the ghost, detecting a strong evil aura of undeath with the ghost and a moderately evil aura form the leftmost mercenary.

Knowing exactly how the kind of trap he encountered earlier looks, Lyle scans the room but can't find any evidence for a trap, although the ghost's behaviour is suspicious. Areas to hide in or things to hide behind are nowhere to be seen, that is until you look upwards into the dark. A fly spell would be handy...

The first thing that springs into Alain's mind is to try and dispel the magic that possesses the mercenaries, although he is not sure if the trap's spell was far to powerfull to try it.

[Maurkov]

Otho

[Giantspeech]"I see no reason to fight your minions."

"Don't waste time on the Denieth. Destroy the ghost and later, if it's possible, we'll free the others." Couching it in a way that might appeal to Lyle, Otho says, "Earning favors from that House is never a bad thing."

To the group he says, "Cover me."

Otho begins to cast.
spellcraft DC19:

Spoiler

Show

Airwalk, shared between Otho and Vandalin

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

Toward the back of the party, Alain also begins to make some arcane gestures and work a spell.

Spoiler

Show

Cast Greater Invisibility on Lyle.

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Spoiler

Show

Inti:20 Move: 40 HP: 119/119 AC: 27(31) Fort:12 Ref:8 Will:8

Horus moves forward and left 40 feet, and takes a defensive posture, watching the drow ghost with a sneer.

Spoiler

Show

Moves to 07,07, and uses Total Defense. +4 Dodge Bonus to AC.