Test Of Spite Dungeon Direct, Special edition [3.5]

[Saph]

They're both Detect Secret Doors.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"I detect... uselessness..."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I do have magic that will lead us out of here with some degree of protection, but I'm not quite sure where here is. Where are we trying to go?

OoC:I have Find the Path memorized, but I'm not quite sure which physical location it should lead us to or out of. Advice?

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"An urban center, town, village, or somewhere with food. In that order of preference."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I cast Longstrider on myself, then I cast Find the Path, looking for the shortest route to a town.
We only have an hour and a half before this wears off, lets make the best of it.

OoC note:I will be quite surprised if there is a town.

[Sir Giacomo]

If Tina and Jaya agree, let us follow Dok. Should we try to remain silent or sacrifice silence for speed?

[Saph]

The Find the Path spell goes off successfully, but you don't sense the direction to any town. This could be due to powerful shielding magic, or it could be because there aren't any towns to find.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

If Tina and Jaya agree, let us follow Dok. Should we try to remain silent or sacrifice silence for speed?

"I'm not going to move very quietly, and I doubt Doc or his furry friend will either... let's just get out of here. It's been days and no one's come around the only shelter in the area. I think we can conclude that this place is relatively deserted."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Unfortunately, there appears to be nothing resembling a town on this entire plane, which does not bode well. I'll look for a way off this plane tomorrow, but until then, I suspect we plan to wander?

And no, I am not very stealthy, though Dog is able to vanish into the undergrowth easily.

[mostlyharmful]

You mean you,ve spent the time since learning the very easiest magic wandering around and getting in fights without being able to identify items?

Hands Jaya the scroll of identify.

From now on I reserve the right to snigger at you whenever you use this.

Doc, why dont you and the big fluffy tabby (he's adorable by the way) take the lead and we'll be getting somewhere.

OOC: I'm away from home for the next few days, my updates are liable to get a little shakey, if someone needs to take over Tina for a while if I can't keep up then I'm sorry about that but don't let me slow you guys down.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

You mean you,ve spent the time since learning the very easiest magic wandering around and getting in fights without being able to identify items?

"Who says I get into fights? I'm an Evocation researcher for Union Carbide."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I doubt we should trust the path. Nothing else here has been safe. Of course, the forest will undoubtedly be infested by monsters as well. I prefer the path, personally. Any objections?

Assuming there is no dissent from the party, I send Dog into the undergrowth about 50' ahead of us, then lead the party in, Dog running parallel to the path. We're probably walking at this point(30'/round).

Dog's Hide +10(+4 in undergrowth), Move Silently +14, Spot +6, Listen +6
Dok's Spot and Listen +21

How do you want to handle passive opposed rolls like these?

[Saph]

For routine situations, assume you're taking 10 on rolls. You can roll actively at any time if you want to, or if I ask for it.

You head into the forest, and the trees close in around you. Within only a minute, the castle has disappeared behind you and all you can see are the shadowed trees. There are no landmarks to sight on, and no sun to use as a guide. The forest is silent except for the sound of your footsteps.

Anyone who wants, make a Survival check. A separate one for Dog, too.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"I fully expect spiders in the trees, jerkish elves in the woods, and unpleasantries all around."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Survival - (1d20+13)[27]
Dog's Survival - (1d20+1)[17]

[Saph]

You keep walking. After only a little while Dog pulls back to be closer to Dok, having lost sight of the party in the thick trees.

The path quickly grows thinner and thinner until it vanishes completely. You keep going in what you think is the right direction, but there's no way to check if your heading is the right one. The forest is unnaturally silent and you can't hear any sounds of wildlife.

It's not long before you realise that you don't really have any idea where you're going. You're in a region of dense trees with moss covering all sides of the tree trunks. A very faint trail leads across your path, heading away to the left. There's no sign of anything else.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"This is better, right? A trail indicates that there was at least some movement by intelligent beings in this area, doesn't it?"

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Does the trail resemble the path we were on? Also, does Dog scent our trail anywhere but behind us?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

"This is better, right? A trail indicates that there was at least some movement by intelligent beings in this area, doesn't it?"

No, it indicates something moved through here repeatedly at one point. Whether that was something we want to meet or not is hard to tell at this point, and as for intelligence...not easy. I'll see what I can see, however.

Survival - (1d20+13)[25]
Know:Nature - (1d20+21)[26]
What made this trail, and how long ago?

[Saph]

The trail looks similar to the one you were on, yes. Dog doesn't smell anything, though.

It's hard to tell what made the trail, as it's obviously been there a very long time. If you had to guess, you might say some sort of fey creature, but there are no actual tracks, so it's more of a feeling.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

With no better options, we follow the trail. Whichever fork leads away from the castle(at my best guess). I also mark a tree next to the spot where we met the trail, and if it dwindles, start marking our path.

[Saph]

You head along the trail at your best guess as to the direction away from the castle. After a while, the trees suddenly thin out and you can see the castle ahead of you. You seem to be approaching it at a slightly different angle from before.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

This place is likely fooling with our senses. We can go out and try again, marking our path the whole way, we can wait for tomorrow and I can prepare better spells for the circumstances, or we can explore the castle further.

If we do attampt the forest, does anyone have a way of marking the path. A simple way of making something brightly colored would be enough. I just no longer trust my ability to tell direction, and would like to be able to travel in a straight line.

[Saph]

Roll Knowledge (Nature) or Knowledge (Planes), should you want to.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Know: Nature - (1d20+21)[22]wordiness.

"I know NUTINK! NUTINK!"

[Pharaoh's Fist]

K. Planes: (1d20+22)[30]

[Saph]

Dok: The woods sound like stories you've heard about forests that have been fey-charmed; no matter how carefully you go in, you end up going in circles.

Jaya: It's possible that this demiplane, like the first one, loops back on itself. If that's the case you may have been going straight and simply walked all the way around to come up to the castle from another side.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"The non-Elucidean geometry of certain planes often results in 'looping', where the curvature of spacetime leads one in a circle despite going in what is perceived to be a straight line. To counter this, I propose that we either find exits in this plane that allow for travel outside of the loop or grab the anti-reality of this non-spacetime and tear it a new one. The first one is likely to be easier."

[Sstoopidtallkid]

In that case, the only exit is likely to be in the castle. Even if it isn't, probably none of my magic shy of Find the Path will lead us through the forest, and mundane means won't be enough. Back into the deadly demon-infested castle, then?

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"I guess if there's any planar breech to be found, someone would have had to built a castle on it. Figures..."