The Last Paladin IC (Frosty)

[Frosty]

Seeing the small opening, Karrin decides that it might be best to leave him outside after all. If she needs to, she can always summon Trombe to her. "No, I can't, but I do have this..." She brings out a small floating stone of dull color. However, a heatless flame surrounds the ioun stone, illuminating like a torch. "This will help me see. I'd like 3 of you to stay out here with my horse, and guard the entrance. He is too big to come inside." Before they enter, Karrin heals some of Trombe's wounds just in case of trouble.

Lay on Hands (2 uses left for day) on Trombe: (2d6)[3][2](5)

[Maquise]

You pass through the entrance into the first chamber, the light of your stone illuminating the surrounding space. There are two exits to the south; an open iron portcullis(1) and a strong-looking wooden door(2). A broken stone slab lies on the east side of the room.

[Frosty]

Karrin switches her Lance for the great sword, now that the environment is more cramped. Carefully, she leads the goblins (how many are there?) to the broken slab to examine it.

[Maquise]

After you pass through into the chamber, the goblins are more confident to follow you. You examine the slab more closely.

Perception: (d20-2)[17]
You notice some writing on the stone:

Karrin,
If you are reading this, you probably killed the demon that enchanted me. Don't worry too much about me; this is the kind of stuff I'm best at anyway. I'll be back with the sword before you know it.
Lyanna

[Frosty]

Wrritten on the stone? What, with ink? Carved? Has Karrin seen Lyanna's handwriting before? It is possible that someone faked this note. It is also possible that Lyanna wrote this under duress.

[Maquise]

The writing is scratched on the surface of the stone. You cannot tell anything else (untrained in linguistics).

[Frosty]

Sighing, Karrin takes a bit of time to carve another message onto the slab. "Lyanna, coming to help you in tomb. Left 3 goblins outside with Trombe. Have goblins with me. Do not attack on sight. -Karrin"

Does the wooden door appear locked? If so, Karrin goes through the portcullis. If not, Karrin tells the goblins to step back, opens the door carefully, stepping to the side immediately, and peeks through the doorway.

[Maquise]

While the heavy wooden door does not appear to have a lock upon it, it does not open either.

Behind the portcullis, you see a long, straight hallway, mostly shrouded in darkness(almost-black squares).

[Frosty]

She asks the goblin who can speak common, "What is your name? I'd like to call you something other than 'goblin' if I can. Can you see in the dark? Can you tell me what you see in there?"

Karrin points into the dark room.

[Maquise]

"My name? Uh, Grembler." Grembler looks down the hall. "Don't see nuthin' cept more tunnel."

[Frosty]

"Grembler, you can call me Paladin Ye. Now, follow me carefully. Shout if you see anything dangerous."

Karrin starts moving down the hallway carefully and slowly. Half speed at most. She is watching for ambushes and traps.

[Maquise]

You proceed down the dark corridor, sword at the ready and goblins at your back. The walls are cover in stone carvings, but whatever they meant has been lost to time; their faces have cracked and eroded.

With care, you approach a side passage to the east.

[Frosty]

Karrin peeks carefully around the corner into the side passage. If she sees nothng special, she'll head downt hat way as well. It might lead to the other side of the wooden door, and knowing one's escape paths is always a good idea.

[Maquise]

You turn the corner, shining your light down the side passage. It leads to a dead end. At the end of the passage, however, a giant ant the size of a pony stands, chittering. It turns to face you and rears up.

[Frosty]

It's possible the ant doesn't wish to fight, so Karrin doesn't attack first. Instead, she sheaths her sword and brings out her lance once again, planning on using its reach to keep the ant at bay should the ant attack.

"Grembler, dont make any sudden movements, and stay behind me. I won't let the ant eat you."

[Maquise]

The goblins back away. The ant scurries back and forth, its forelegs raised threateningly.

[Frosty]

"It's not attacking. Maybe just defending its territory. Let's move past it quickly. Give me a shout if it starts coming closer or attacking." Karrin continues moving south.

[Maquise]

You proceed further down the corridor. Up on your left, there is an oaken door with a corroded brass knob. The corridor continues down, turning to the left.

[Frosty]

Does the brass knob look coroded from some sort of acid? Karrin isn't trained in this, but she looks carefully anyways, tryimng to see if there are any obvious traps that might spray something on anyone trying to turn the gnob. If she doesn't find any such thing, she stands back, and first pokes the gnob with her lance. If nothing happens, then she will tie her rope to the gnob, and turn the knob by pulling on the rope from more than 10 ft away.

[Maquise]

PERCEPTION (take 20): 18

The knob appears corroded by age, nothing more. Despite your prodding, the tomb offers no response.

You pull on the rope from the back, but the door is stuck.

STRENGTH: (d20+3)[14]
You do not seem capable of opening the door on your own.

[Frosty]

"Well, if this door hasn't been opened in a long time, then at least we know danger will unlikely be coming from this direction and backstabbing us. Let's move on for now. If I can't open it, then Lyanna probably can't either. Or if she did, then I'm impressed that she made it look like she hadn't."

She heads further south to explore, after retrieving the rope.

[Maquise]

The corridor twists and turns, eventually leading to an archway that opens into a sizable room. You stand outside the room, looking in through the archway.

"Umm, boss?" asks Grembler.

[Frosty]

Karrin turns her head to Grembler. "Yes, Grembler?" Does Karrin see anything inside the room?

[Maquise]

"Why you leave big bug alone? It awful-bad looking, be smarter I think to mash it real good."

PERCEPTION: (d20-2)[17]

There is a large table in the room, set with wooden platters and lined with old chairs. You see the glitter of something shiny at the far side.

[Frosty]

Karrin looks at Grembler for a moment. "Maybe you're right. Here, do you think you can use my lance? You can stand from the corner and poke at it while I stand in front of the bug." She offers Grembler her lance to let him hold and test out. Might be a bit heavy, but it's better than nothing.

[Maquise]

Grembler struggles to hold the lance. The others try to help him with it, chattering amongst themselves. It is evident they will be unable to use it effectively.

(Could you specify your plan on the map?)

[Frosty]

Do the goblins have their own weapons they can use? Basically the plan is to have Karrin at 14B, and two of the braver goblins at 13B and 15B, and try to gang up ont he ant 3 on 1.

[Maquise]

(The goblins are armed)

INITIATIVE:
Karrin: (d20+1)[5]
Goblins: (d20+6)[14]
Ant: (d20)[7]

The goblins ready to attack the ant as soon as it is in range.

[Frosty]

Since Karrin has a lower init than the ant, does the ant come before Karrin's first turn?

[Maquise]

The ant continues to hold its position.