Three Goddesses (IC)

[Toliudar]

Dot becomes visible again while examining the second door, and opens it to reveal the next cups room. While others examine the inscription, she does a routine search of the west and east walls and doors, just in case.

"So, either nine or ten whatevers in total, depending on whether the least is or is not special/not special. Hmm."

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Search: (1d20+27)[34]

[Telasi]

"The three that arent special that are the most used/The five that are special cant be refused/The one that is both is hard to define/The one that is least is the end of the line," Taleira muses aloud. "I wonder if the rhyme might refer to the cups? Three that aren't guarded by anything special, and so are the easiest to retrieve, like the last one and maybe this one. Five kept by some obstacle that must be solved to gain them. The one that is both could be the one with the scales. The least is the tenth, perhaps, though I wonder what it might be least of." Taleira shrugs. "It's a thought, anyway."

[Kalirren]

"Where are you getting ten from? I count only seven," asked Melinda. "4 of which are special, two of which are not, once of which is both, and one of those seven is the least. Hmm, I've got an idea..."

" 'Special' has seven letters," she began. "The three that are vowels are e, i, and a, and are the most used - vowels are used more than consonants.
The five that aren't, s, p, c, l, and j (because i and j are the same in writing). 'Special' can't be refused them, because you can't spell 'special' without them.
The one that is both, 'i', is indeed hard to define, ('I' or 'eye', she explained with gestures,)
and the one that is least is the end of 'the line'; so that's 'e'. But what does that mean? That we should open the western door because 'E' for East is once again 'least'? "

Melinda shrugged. "That's my first guess. But I don't see how that means anything, so I'm probably wrong." She wrinkled her nose. "Plus, I don't -like- it.”

[Telasi]

"You do realize that that makes no sense, right? The problem here is that we have no real clues about what the rhyme might refer to. It could be entirely meaningless. We'll just have to think about it as we go. Now then, back to the task at hand. Taleira tries to push the pedestal out of the field with her sword. If that doesn't work, she'll resort to the proven method of smashing it with her adamantine blade.

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Strength check, if needed: (1d20+6)[25]
To hit: (1d20+20)[25], (2d4+20)[24] damage

[Toliudar]

Dot watches impassively to see if Teleira's sword does any damage to the pedestal. Then, remembering the previous room, she tries very hard to focus on whether the pedestal is in fact real.

Meanwhile another part of her brain continues to turn over the riddle like a two-headed coin.

"I suppose it could refer to letters, Melinda. But there may be a simpler cipher, if that's the case. It references the three most used of the ones that 'aren't special' - perhaps the three most-used consonants? The five 'special' would be the vowels. The one that is both would clearly be 'y', and the one that is least could be either 'z', as the end of the alphabet, or 'i', the smallest of the letters. Perhaps it's an anagram of some kind."

Juggling the options in her head for a moment, she calls out: "ARISEN YOU I!"

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Will save vs any illusion: (1d20+24)[34]

[Kalirren]

"I think you've got the right idea, Dot," Melinda said with a determined spark in her eye. " 'Y' makes a lot more sense for the one which is both," she conceded. "And the three consonants which are most used...S, definitely, but you're missing T, and I'm not sure about R..." She pondered for a while. "And it's got to help us get this Cup out of this box...OUT? What about the Z? Z...Z...Z...Zany...Zit...Size?"

"ANY SIZE OUT?" Melinda shook her head in disappointment. "Oh, it sounds like I'm talking about dress sizes now." That can't be right.

[MikelaC1]

As Melinda speaks R, S, T, and Z. the field surrounding the Cup drops.

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The three that arent special that are the most used RST
The five that are special cant be refused the vowels, because you have to have one in a word
The one that is both is hard to define Y, because its both
The one that is least is the end of the line Z, last letter and least used

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Its hard to say whether or not you solved this faster than any other group, in terms of time, because of the play by post nature, but you certainly didnt go down all the other paths that groups have before coming to the letters answer

[Toliudar]

Dot nodded and smiled, the songstress' agile and perceptiveness having impressed her all the more.

"Well, you're the mistress of language. I'll take your word for it with the consonants. Hmm. And with a 'z'.

She completed her examination of the east wall, and shifted over to the west. She shouted out at the cup as she passed it.

"ZANIEST YOU!"

[lostsole31]

LILDORRINENE

Lildorrinene looks admirably at Melinda. "Excellent job, songstress. I'll have to remember for later what a cunning tongue you have."

[Kalirren]

Melinda's jaw dropped. "...What...but...I didn't do anything..." She raised her hands up to her shoulders, elbows at her sides. "I..." she stammered, clearly disappointed at the anticlimax of not having found any definitively witty anagram to finish the job off. A long wince with clenched teeth culminated in Melinda pouting at the Cup. She gave it a long, wronged stare.

Abruptly she grabbed the chalice by its flute and stuffed it into her bag. She looked over the pedestal at Lil. "Okay, no one takes this one from me unless they pay me all the other letters of the alphabet. C'mon, let's go." With a sigh, the laugh had been restored to her face.

[lostsole31]

"Okay, no one takes this one from me unless they pay me all the other letters of the alphabet. C'mon, let's go." With a sigh, the laugh had been restored to her face.

LILDORRINENE

Lildorrinene laughs in a higher pitch that makes it sound like the tinkling of ice cubes in a glass, but it is sincere. "You know," she says to Melinda, "it wasn't until now that I had a reason to carry a cup."

"Peridot, she gets the honor of holding a cup; but for your efforts, you have named our next door. To the east ..."

[Kalirren]

With a quizzical look on her face Melinda pulled the Cup out of her bag and did her ring-muffle trick on it. She then offered it to Dot without a question. Dot had refused the first one she'd earned the right to carry. She would have caught Melinda by complete surprise if she insisted on taking this one.

"Really, this should just go in someone else's bag, I've said this before," Melinda offered. "I'd give it to Taleira, but none of us should carry two if we can help it. Does anyone else have a bag without an enchantment of convenience on it?"

[lostsole31]

LILDORRINENE

The stately succubus shrugs her shoulders. "I have a simple satchel for the portage of small, light goods. It isn't big enough to carry something like that. I do not prepare myself for the carriage of large goods. I usually leave that to a 'friend' I might meet in my travels."

[Toliudar]

Dot shrugs and heads over to the east door.

"East door is as good as any. Let's have a look."

She goes through her standard examination of the door, and the passage beyond.

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Might as well assume taking ten for search checks from now on, for a result of 37. Continuing to try to see any magic auras, blah blah blah.

[lostsole31]

LILDORRINENE

Lildorrinene aids Dot on her searches.

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Taking 10, with Lil's +16 search mod (or +18 w/ secret doors) yields a standard result of 26/28. This provides a +3, vice a +2, to Dot's total for an even result of 40 on the Search check.

[MikelaC1]

The door to the east is free of traps, and opens easily, revealing a passage that heads east. The passage goes for about 40 feet, and then makes a T, north and south. When the party reaches the T, they see that each passage goes about 30 feet in each direction, and end in doors.

[Kalirren]

"Two choices in a row," Melinda commented. There being no takers for the Cup, the bardess stuffed it back into her bag. "Unusual. Dot, any writing on the wall? If not I say we go south so we're less likely to run into the monks again."

[Toliudar]

Dot nods at Melinda's advice, and goes to do a quick examination of the wall where the path T's. Unless she sees something there, she proceeds to the door to the south.

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More of taking 10 on search checks.

[MikelaC1]

Dot is not able to find anything special or out of the ordinary at the T, nor is there anything of note on the south door.

[Ryuuk]

Lystara

She had to admit, things turned out much better then expected with the monks. Odd that the suggestion came from a demon, but it was the best outcome possible. Likewise, Melinda's quick wordplay was amazing, odds are she'd have been stumped there for a while.

Still, the goal were surviving the Koteps, defeating the Sword and finding the cups. The others seemed to have things figured out she wasn't too keen on her current role of 'grunt', but it was for the best. They'd have to get through her to get to the rest.

"South then?" If no one needs any preparations, she'll take a deep breath* and open the door.

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*Refreshing Divine Vigor if the 8 Minute Duration has ended

[Stormwind]

Lia has been quiet for a little while, assessing her companions whilst the opportunity is still there and the situation is not so dangerous as it will undoubtably become.

As Lystara begins to open the door, Lia, as she has done several times before, focuses briefly in that direction and tries again to locate the captain of the Rohdan team.

Spells & Effects

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Effects active

• Disguise (w/ help from Lil): (1d20+24)[43] (mundane disguise - same as previous night)

Spells active (I presume that more than 15 minutes and less than 2.5hrs has passed since we met the monks)

• Freedom of movement [150 min]
• Glibness [150 min]
• Locate creature (Captain of the Rohdan team) [150 min]
• Magic Aura (on every piece of magical equipment) [14 days - cast previous day]
• Magic Aura (on 1st Cup) [15 days]
• Mass Conviction (+4 moral bonus to saves) [150 min | Leanne]
• Misdirection (aura detected as if she was mirror) [15 hours]
• Resistance to Acid/Sonic [150 min | Dot]
• See invisibility [150 min]

Spells remaining: 5|7/6/7/6/7/7/4

[MikelaC1]

The door to the room opens slowly, revealing what appears to be a plain and empty room. Suddenly and without warning, the room seems to expand in size, and the party is now standing in the middle of it. As well, the room is no longer empty, in fact, there are 7 large and angry looking fire giants in it.

Well, well, what do we have here?
Looks like a bunch of wenches to play with
Nah, theyre too small for us
Then I guess we're just going to make a bunch of more cuts in them.

The giants advance, with murderous intent.
Roll initiative in OOC thread please.

[Simba]

Szer Elem

With a shout of rage, Szer starts shooting at the giants, her feet planted wide, not moving at all. 4 arrows leave the string of her mighty bow to streak at a giant.

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Using: Rapid shot for the 4th arrow (-2 to attack for each arrow), Close Combat Shot to avoid AoO should the giants close before she can shoot, Favored enemy bonus of +8 on both attacks and damage.

attack 1: (1d20+33)[52] damage 1: (1d8+20)[25]
attack 2: (1d20+33)[47] damage 2: (1d8+20)[26]
attack 3: (1d20+28)[43] damage 3: (1d8+20)[26]
attack 4: (1d20+23)[42] damage 4: (1d8+20)[22]

[Telasi]

Taleira intones a quick spell as she darts to intercept the giant nearest her group. A pale grey sheen hovers about her blade as she glides under the giant's weapon, never giving him an opening to strike her in her advance. As she enters her reach, she slashes viciously at both of the monster's legs, and darts past to end her move behind the thing.

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Karmic Strike active. Swift: cast Wraithstrike. Standard: initiate a Bounding Assault, designating the target and nearest other giant, Power Attack full. Move: move up to the nearest giant, attack him twice, and finish the move behind him if possible, to allow easy flanking (45 ft. land speed).

Attack 1: (1d20+10)[14] vs. Touch AC (15-20 crit range, confirmation (1d20+10)[19], (2d4+40)[46] extra damage), (2d4+40)[45] + (1d6)[6] damage.
Attack 2: (1d20+5)[13] vs. Touch AC (15-20 crit range, confirmation (1d20+5)[23], (2d4+40)[46] extra damage), (2d4+40)[46] + (1d6)[6] damage.

[Stormwind]

Lia sways sensuously as she speaks, her words soft and suggestive, and reinforced by magic "Why don't you boys drop those big nasty weapons and get out of those restricting clothes .. you might be surprised at what we can do for you".

[Cast Mass suggestion: target all giants, DC28 Will save]
[I'm expecting that combat might put a damper on her suggestion, regardless it's still what Lia would do]

Spells & Effects

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Effects active

• Disguise (w/ help from Lil): (1d20+24)[43] (mundane disguise - same as previous night)

Spells active (I presume that more than 15 minutes and less than 2.5hrs has passed since we met the monks)

• Freedom of movement [150 min]
• Glibness [150 min]
• Locate creature (Captain of the Rohdan team) [150 min]
• Magic Aura (on every piece of magical equipment) [14 days - cast previous day]
• Magic Aura (on 1st Cup) [15 days]
• Mass Conviction (+4 moral bonus to saves) [150 min | Leanne]
• Misdirection (aura detected as if she was mirror) [15 hours]
• Resistance to Acid/Sonic [150 min | Dot]
• See invisibility [150 min]

Spells remaining: 5|7/6/7/6/7/6/4

[Toliudar]

Dot's mind raced. Ordinarily, she'd be tempted to put up a barrier to the giants and make them come to her, but Taleira was already in the thick of things. Lia was already doing an admirable job of befuddling their opponents. Perhaps Dot could best serve by making it easier for the others.

Dot weaves a spell to energize her colleagues, sending a jolt through each. She then scurries away from the giants, preparing to find another way to contribute in the next round.

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Casting haste on the group. +1 Dodge to AC & reflex saves, +30 movement, extra attack on a full attack routine.

Move action: move 40' back away from the giants, look around the room with Arcane Sight to look for other magic auras.

[MikelaC1]

Szer Elem

With a shout of rage, Szer starts shooting at the giants, her feet planted wide, not moving at all. 4 arrows leave the string of her mighty bow to streak at a giant.

Copious amounts of black blood pour from 4 holes in the giant as he screams in pain, but does not drop. Szer knows he will soon feel the bite of his axe.

Taleira intones a quick spell as she darts to intercept the giant nearest her group. A pale grey sheen hovers about her blade as she glides under the giant's weapon, never giving him an opening to strike her in her advance. As she enters her reach, she slashes viciously at both of the monster's legs, and darts past to end her move behind the thing.

Taleira's blade strikes true twice and likewise black blood pours from this beast. He pivots as Taleira goes behind him, readying to strike at the vicious woman.

Lia sways sensuously as she speaks, her words soft and suggestive, and reinforced by magic "Why don't you boys drop those big nasty weapons and get out of those restricting clothes .. you might be surprised at what we can do for you".

One of the giants drops his weapons, and starts to remove his armour
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?
But boss, she said she could do...
GET YOUR WEAPON BACK AND GET IN THE BATTLE YOU IDIOT
The giant stares stupidly, not quite sure what to do next.

Dot's mind raced. Ordinarily, she'd be tempted to put up a barrier to the giants and make them come to her, but Taleira was already in the thick of things. Lia was already doing an admirable job of befuddling their opponents. Perhaps Dot could best serve by making it easier for the others.

Dot weaves a spell to energize her colleagues, sending a jolt through each. She then scurries away from the giants, preparing to find another way to contribute in the next round.

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Casting haste on the group. +1 Dodge to AC & reflex saves, +30 movement, extra attack on a full attack routine.

Move action: move 40' back away from the giants, look around the room with Arcane Sight to look for other magic auras.

Every ally in the group feels the rest of the world slow down, their reactions and actions now even faster than before. Dot sees no other auras in the room.

Lil is up.
Leanne on deck.

[lostsole31]

LILDORRINENE

Lildorrinene, seeing that the bloodletters in the group are getting their gore on, understands that they need this release after having been denied battle. Even though its not a powerful spell, her sense of mischief is such that she wants to have a little fun with the giants and she uses deceptive movements to cast a spell. She then steps back (with a 60' speed) to a point of safety.

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Sheet updated for haste as well. Thanks, Dot!

SwA: Surprise Casting/ Improved Feint, Bluff = (1d20+33)[45]
* If giants fail opposed Sense Motive check, that/these giant(s) must save against DC +2 (as below). Just in case, CL is +2 as well to overcome SR.

SA: Cast glitterdust ... targeting high to try to get both giants, but sure enough not to get too low for friendlies. If she can only get one, she'll target the "boss."
* Will save DC 27 (29 if failed Sense Motive). Failure means blinded for duration. Also, just in case, it outlines the invisible. Duration = 15 rounds.

MA: Move to safety, mid-ranks. If she has to, Tumble = (1d20+23)[36] for half-movement (60' total movement).

This wasn't a powerful spell, but mischievous and effective bang-for-buck.

[MikelaC1]

The leader giant howls in frustration as the glitterdust from Lil blinds him, he paws desperately at his eyes, trying to clear the effect from them. Even blinded, his flailing does look dangerous, that huge axe might just hit by accident.

Leanne is up
Pauline on deck.

[crowe]

Leanne casts a spell in the midst of the giants and a thin mist begins to form.

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Casting Mind Fog in area to catch as many of the giants without affecting any of our own. DC 23 Will save to a 20ft radius, those that fail are -10 on Will saves and Wisdom Checks