Test Of Spite Dungeon Direct, Special edition [3.5]

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I shall drag the jacket back up, tie the second silk rope I have to the end of the first one, tie the jacket to the end of the second, and throw the entire assembly back down the hole.

[Saph]

With or without a light source? If without, the jacket descends 90-100 feet (or whatever) and comes back up again without incident.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Well, I figure the jacket is still lighted. (Did not know I had a bonus 0th level slot, let's say I spend 15 minutes preparing Light and then cast it on the jacket)

[Saph]

(A lot of people forget about that for some reason. I guess they figure cantrips aren't important.)

You re-lower the now-lit jacket. This time as you get to the end of the rope, you see from the light's glow that the shaft ends about 100 feet below you.

At the bottom of the shaft is an opaque, horizontal disc. With your extremely high Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (planes), and Bardic Lore, you immediately recognise it as a one-way portal. It'll transport anything that goes through it. Looks like you've found an exit.

From your nigh-obsessive study of the subject, you also know that portals do not generally conserve momentum. So just jumping straight down the shaft would probably be as good a way of going through as any other. Of course, where you'll end up is anyone's guess.

(Fifteen ranks in Knowledge: Planes? Seriously.)

[Sir Giacomo]

Do not worry, I still have 100ft of rope, if you need it.

Time to protect for coming combats
(makes some kata moves while keeping the rope firmly gripped. The kata, take length depending on how long it takes to activate the wand of lvl 2 mage armour:
first UMD roll - (1d20+5)[14]
second UMD roll - (1d20+5)[10]
third UMD roll - (1d20+5)[12]
fourth UMD roll - (1d20+5)[22]

ooc: spent the last 100gp on remaining equipment. Now, truly, , ready to go!
Unfortunately, I'll be only able to post again tomorrow night (European time zone). Gladiator will help to the best of his abilities to get down. His climb check is +7 (will use slow fall in case anything happens on the way).

edit ooc: looks like the fourth roll made it. Mage Armour (=21 AC) is up for the next 4 hours (if rod of extend is allowed to work, nothing in core contradicts this - but if not, then 2 hours up).

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Filter mask goes on for +2 circumstance bonus to save against gases, sand, dust, airbased effects, and etc if you rule as such.

"Alright, looks like we're getting out of here in style. Let's wait for the girl to get back and we'll hop on through. If you'd like to scout first, feel free to."

[Saph]

No, metamagic rods don't work with spell trigger items. Only on stuff you cast. But the chances of 2 hours vs 4 hours making a difference are just about zero, anyway.

Jaya puts on her breath mask. Gladiator, if you want to climb down, start making your Climb checks.

edit: . . . and he's logged off. Well, what do the rest of you want to do?

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I am not averse to going through in order to satisfy my curiosity.

"Is the dwarf narcoleptic or something?" Jaya grumbles, as Gladiator freezes again.

She will climb on the rope, which the dwarf is still holding, apparently, and swing to touch the wall. From then on, the Cloak of Arachnia will enable her to climb down through the portal.

[Saph]

You swing to the wall, attach yourself to it spider-style, and climb down. If you're wearing your jacket again, you can see in colour, otherwise, black and white.

You climb down easily to the portal. Up close, you can see that it's a dull, light-eating grey that swirls slowly. You also confirm what you suspected before; namely, that this portal is one-way. It'll dump you out somewhere, but you won't have any means of getting back. Once through, you also won't be able to communicate with the rest of the party unless you have access to interplanar communication magic.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

"Clearly, a note is called for."

Calligraphy: (1d20+7)[15]

Dear new acquaintances,

Have gone off to search through the portal due to the fact that chances of survival in a desert are nil. Wish me luck. Would have had the dwarf scout out ahead of time, but I have ways of protecting myself until you all arrive. He'll be a few seconds behind me, at any rate, so I figure everything should be alright until then.

Wish me luck,

Jaya


Onwards! (But will kill the light spell, though)

[Saph]

Okay!

Tell me what spells you have up. Also, I'll need skill checks for Spot, Listen, Knowledge (planes), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (arcana), and Knowledge (dungeoneering).

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I currently have no spells up, but will buff myself with one Invisibility before going through.

Spot: (1d20+2)[11]
Listen: (1d20+2)[17]

Familiar:
Spot: (1d20+2)[6]
Listen: (1d20+2)[18]
It has scent, if that helps.

K. Arcana: (1d20+25)[41]
K. Planes: (1d20+22)[33]
K. Nature: (1d20+22)[35]
K. Dungeoneering: (1d20+22)[42]

[Saph]

Gladiator and those watching from above see Jaya write a note, cast a spell and vanish, followed by a flicker from the portal as she drops through. You don't see or hear anything further.

Jaya, you drop through into a wide, forested courtyard. You seem to be within a huge, crumbling castle. Grey walls border the courtyard, and through the canopy you can see tower tops poking through above the battlements. The sky is overcast with black clouds.

The courtyard, however, is filled with grass, which your feet touch down on. The forest is light and doesn't significantly obscure your vision; the trees are young and provide only light cover. Patches of flowers are scattered around, though the undergrowth isn't significant enough to hamper movement.

Map:

{table=head]|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P
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Terrain notes: Movement is not obstructed. All creatures on ground level gain +2 AC and +1 to Reflex saves from the tree cover. Sight from ground to ground is not obstructed, but sight from ground to air or vice versa is obscured by the canopy, giving concealment (20% up to 50%, depending on location).

Key: The two Gs are ugly green four-armed humanoid things each carrying two longbows. The S is a sparkly ooze that seems to be on fire. J is Jaya. PCs are blue, OpFor is red.

The ugly green things seem to be patrolling back and forth. The sparkly ooze is just roaming around aimlessly. As you appear, the ooze instantly turns and starts heading straight in your direction. The ugly green things look up simultaneously and begin scanning the courtyard.

Roll initiative.

Extra information (Jaya Only)

Spoiler

Show

Knowledge check results:

The ugly green things are abyssal footsoldiers called Arrow Demons. They're resistant to just about every kind of damage and attack, including fire. They're extremely dangerous and a full attack from one of them is quite capable of killing you.

The ooze is a Living Spell, of a type called Glitterfire. It hits anything it touches with a combined glitterdust and fireball effect. It has blindsight, which is probably why it's detected you. It's spell-resistant, but it is not, however, resistant to fire.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Initiative: (1d20+7)[19]

[Saph]

Enemy initiative (done as group): (1d20+3)[14]

Edit: Your turn. Choose your action wisely. :)

[Pharaoh's Fist]

What I want to do: (For Saph only)

Spoiler

Show

Cast a Wall of Force between the cube and myself, then use a Persistent Image to lure the devils away. Is this possible within the courtyard? If so, how?

[Saph]

Jaya

Spoiler

Show

Seems possible, at least in theory. If you limit the wall of force to a height of 10 feet, you can fit it under the tree canopy from edge to edge of the courtyard. This will block line of effect, so neither side will be able to cast or attack through it. Also, obviously, if you take two turns to cast the spells the critters will get a turn in between, so there's no guarantee they won't do something to mess up the plan.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Alright,

Spoiler

Show

I think it would be best if I cast Wall of Force from A10 to L10. Also, I shall hide behind a tree so the devil on my side of the wall can't see me.

[Saph]

Rolls: (1d20+16)[26] (1d20+16)[20] (1d20+2)[3]

Jaya

Spoiler

Show

As you begin cast your spell the two demons heads snap around and they look in your direction. The Wall of Force materialises.

[Saph]

New map:

{table=head]|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P
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Jaya

Spoiler

Show

You do your best to hide behind a tree, but the trees are too narrow to get proper concealment. However, the nearer arrow demon doesn't seem to see you, though it obviously knows someone's there. It nocks two arrows and advances towards you, its bows drawn and readied.

The ooze bumps up against the wall of force and begins mindlessly pushing against it, moving first west all the way to the wall, then back east again.

The second arrow demon sees the ooze and advances cautiously forward, one arm out. It bumps into the wall of force and starts trying to feel its way around for an edge.

End of round. Your turn, unless someone else jumps in.

[mostlyharmful]

Well phooey, this is about the boringest desert kidnap I've ever had to go through.

Wanders back to the other two.

Oh, she's found a hole. Ok baby, finally. I thought we were going to have to cannabalism

waves hand in frount of giant dwarf.

weird.

climb down and drop down into the portal.

(d20+1)[2]

oh crap.

Iniative (d20+7)[12]

Binkie blinkie briskly baby!!! - ring to activate blink as soon as my turn comes up

quick draw bow and attack the nearest big ugly green thing

(d20+12)[14] damage(7d6)[24] plus 2strength
(d20+12)[20] damage(7d6)[25] plus 2 strength
(d20+7)[17] damage(7d6)[20] plus 2 strength

[Saph]

Wait up. You enter at the beginning of round 2, dropping into square H9. Initiative order is:

Jaya: 19
OpFor: 14
Tina: 12

Jaya first, enemies second, after that you can take your turn.

Description is as in previous post.

[Sir Giacomo]

"Quick! We can't leave her alone! I know Tina that you likely have a means to get down quickly yourself, but just in case:"

Gladiator changes his boots to slippers of spiderclimb, stows away the ropes, picks up Tina and moves down to the portal. He then puts down Tina, reads the note and puts his boots of speed as well as his hat of disguise with the previous image of an old, if tall wizard back on. He then leaves it to her to follow him or wait for the last one. Then he steps through the portal...

Ooc:
-Ok with the rod thing (I had also read this somewhere in a non-core rules update).
-am posting from my mobile-hope that works :-)

[Saph]

Gladiator, you reach for Tina, but Tina's already jumped into the hole and vanished through the portal at the bottom.

Are you really going to take all those actions before following her? I haven't counted how many rounds it'll take, but I suspect the answer is 'too many'.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

You can just drop the rope through and jump down. Your tumble+slow fall should help, right?

[Saph]

Oh, and come to think of it, the first ugly green thing's readied action triggers. He'd readied to shoot as soon as he heard or saw a target. The intended target was Jaya, but he hasn't got any way of telling one strangely-dressed female adventurer from another, so Tina pops into view and gets immediately targeted instead. The ugly green thing fires two arrows at Tina, using both its longbows simultaneously.

Arrow 1 at Tina: (1d20+15)[32]
Damage: (2d6+7)[14]
Arrow 1 at Tina: (1d20+15)[16]
Damage: (2d6+7)[11]

Flat-footed AC, though I doubt it makes a difference in your case.

[Sir Giacomo]

ooc: ninja'd- sorry guys, until tomorrow night I can only post sporadically. Will try again in approx. 11 hours...

initiative - (1d20+6)[21]

In case you wish to run the Gladiator, Saph, for this combat, please do so!
General tactics:
-grapple the demons when only 1 opponent is left
-use bless weapon when somebody tells the gladiator the demons are demons
-use trip and aoo whenever possible
-evade ooze if possible
-protect the ladies
-use obscuring mist vs worse odds and arrows

[Saph]

First, Gia, I haven't used the word 'demon' in any of my descriptions to you or Tina. Please don't read spoiler brackets that are marked for other characters. I put them in spoilers for a reason.

Secondly, there's no way I can interpret those tactics. Way too many conflicting if-then clauses.

Thirdly, you haven't actually told me you're jumping into the portal. If you climb down you're going to be out of the fight for the next few rounds. Until you actually state that you're going through I can't put you on the battle map.

[Saph]

*sigh* and he's vanished again.

Okay, now I have to figure out what to do with his character, since he's rolled initiative but hasn't actually said he's entering the fight. Let me think.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

I would assume he's still in his boots, and jumps down. The fall shouldn't hurt him, I assume. He has slow fall and tumble, after all.

From then on, I doubt he'll use a wand, so he'll probably try to trip the arrow wielder so that he can't fire from prone.