[IC] Crestfallin' - The Land of Magical Adventure!

[OrchestraHc]

"I say just force it now or forget about it," Badgerbeard adds. "The job was never 'Find the box and bring back what's inside,' and we were all prepared to do the job without whatever was in the box. We can carry it out on our ways back, if we can or want. Meanwhile, there could be survivors in need."

[Macros]

"You're right indeed. We cannot waste any more time."

Despite his misgivings, Rowan stepped forward and, gesturing to his companions to step aside, he stuck his blade in the joint of the chest, before trying to pry it open.

Spoiler: Brute force is the solution to all my problems?

Show

Strength check : (1d20+3)[23]

[Dexam]

"Did you find anything strange with the room Syviraux?" He asks, wanting to know if her tapping on the walls alerted her to anything.

Syviraux shakes her head. "I thought maybe the writing may have indicated hidden spy-holes within the room, but there is nothing that I can determine. Best be wary as we progress further, though - we might be being observed."

[3drinks]

Rowan's huge blade easily pries the hinges off of the chest, popping the lid wide open. A brief, thin cloud of gas wells and begins to fill the room with a light purple fog (everyone should make DC 14 Fort saves or be unconscious for (1d4)[1] rounds).

Spoiler: If You Make The Save...

Show

Peering inside the Chest, you'll find a black cudgel with red bands wrapped around it. If you take it out, you'll see a message sprawled vertically from the top to the grip, in red ink, that reads "Cross The Line".

Spoiler: If You Didn't Make The Save...

Show

You're unconscious for the d4 rolled above, but no other adverse effects are present.

[Macros]

The last thought of Rowan before having the gas blown in his face was that there were some days were he really should stay at home.

Spoiler: This is looking like a bad day...

Show

Fortitude : (1d20+5)[20]
Unconscious ? : (1d4)[1]

[3drinks]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Nice, thus far half the party has passed.

[Enyalius]

Reaven had many things, wit, skill with a blade and good combat training among them, what he didn't have however was strong fortitude so when the gas filled the room Reaven was out like a light before he even had a chance to question what the gas was.


*Thump*

And the was the sound of an unconscious Reaven hitting the ground.

[OrchestraHc]

"Absolutely lovely," Badgerbeard muffles through the sleeve he lifted up to his mouth. "Hang on friend, I have you," he adds as he walks over to Reaven to check on him. Picking Reaven up by his shoulders, he attempts to drag him out of the room.

[3drinks]

Badgerbeard manages to drag Reaven close to the door before the thin cloud of purple smoke begins to dissipate. Slowly, Reaven just starts to open his eyes as he comes to. Luckily, the gas did not seem to have any long reaching or lasting effects -- it almost seemed like a warning of some sort.

[Enyalius]

"Okay... what the hell just happened? Reaven asks as he wakes up and moves to pick up his sword.

Once his blade is in his hands one again he asks, "So... two questions, first what's in the chest and second, can we move on now... I'd rather not be rendered unconscious again."

"...Or worse." He adds in afterthought.

[Macros]

Rowan scratched his head.

"Well, apparently, someone thought it necessary to trap this chest to protect... a stick? Ok, probably a magical stick, but still..."

He showed the rest of the group the cudgel, before noticing the words inside the chest.

"And there's something written too, but it... doesn't make much sense."

Well, the whole day didn't, really, so that was par for the course, he supposed.

"As for your second question, yes please."

[Dexam]

Satisfied that her friend is okay and the gas has dissipated, Syviraux crosses the room to the chest and picks up the strange club.

"Just give me a minute," she says, as she grips the club in one hand and makes a series of arcane gestures with the other. Syviraux stares intently at the weapon, brow furrowed in concentration.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Invoking Magic Insight to Identify the club.

[3drinks]

Syviraux focuses intently on the Club for a number of minute or so. In it, she manages to determine the following of it;

Spoiler: Club Stats

Show

Club of iMPACT! +1 1d6, Bludgeoning, 19-20 x2
However versus Undead, the Club of iMPACT! becomes a +4 weapon and, on a confirmed critical hit, the Undead must succeed at a DC 17 Fort Save or be obliterated completely. All that remains of that Undead is a pile of fine diamond dust (1 oz worth).

[Enyalius]

After watching at Syviraux stare intently at the club for a few moments, Reaven asks "So what is it?"

[Dexam]

"Against most foes, it is a simple enchanted club. However, against the undead, it is an extremely powerful weapon with the chance of destroying one utterly with but a single strike. It was probably left here by the miners, in case they stumbled upon some undead that are attracted to dark and subterranean places."

She holds the club out, offering to to Rowan, Reaven, and Cassie. "I think this would be best served in the hands of a warrior. Any takers?"

[OrchestraHc]

"That sounds almost worth trouble," Badgerbeard says mostly sincerely. "Roaming dead are rarely a random occurance, so it'll prove useful down the road. Someone take it and let's be off. Rotting buggers won't surprise me twice."

[Macros]

"I think I'll pass. I'm more used to swords anyway."

Though Rowan supposed using a club couldn't be that hard either. But if the weapon could help another more than him, he was more than happy to let him or her have it.

"Anyway, would you like me to lead the way?"

[Dexam]

Syviraux hands the club to Cassie.

"At the very least, it will make a useful back-up weapon."

She nods to Rowan and Reaven. "Lead on. Time may be precious if lives are at stake."

[Macros]

"Let us move on, then."

Without another word, Rowan turned back to the dark pathway, sword drawn, before resuming the walk.

[3drinks]

The group gets everything situated before finally continuing onward to solve the "mystery" of the Theodicris Mine. Traveling straight from these two rooms, there's a bend in the right-hand side of the corridor about thirty-five feet out. You note the temperature is noticeably warmer as you follow the bend. Also of note, the creepy crawly insects, bats, and other assorted subterranean dwellers seem to cease to exist -- probably an after-effect of the warmer climate, but I digress. The walls along this section don't appear to be the same though. From the dirty masonry you previously noted, this part is a clean stonework (like the concrete of a sidewalk), you'd think that would make things cooler, but alas, that is not the case. Anyway, another twenty feet past the 1^st bend, the corridor bends again, this time to the left. The floor is no longer dirt, as it has now taken on the same appearance as the stonework walls.

To say "Something Definitely Lives Here" would not seem out of the ordinary.

If you keep going another ten feet, you'd find a single, very muscular Orc, standing in front of what could be a door of some sort. He is holding a large Axe in both hands above his head, but all of his attention would seem to be on what would in all likelihood be a door. Maybe he was waiting for something -- or someone?

The corridor you're currently in stands fifteen feet long (from bend to bend) and ten feet wide. Turning the corner to the Orc puts you in a corridor ten feet long and ten feet wide. The creature is completely unaware of your presence, of course that may change depending how you approach it. Unlike the beginning of the Mine, there is no faint torchlight in this portion -- it is completely dark. Darkvision or a Light source is needed to see.

[OrchestraHc]

"Orc ahead. I can give you a light source in a heartbeat, but I don't want to give us away just yet, badgerbeard whispers to his human companions. "Is there anyway we can determine if he is friend or foe first?"

[Enyalius]

"Great, I'm useless in the dark... and any attempt to determine it's allegiance would remove our surprise advantage." Reaven pauses for a moment before adding, "And just to inform you... every orc we've encountered so far has tried to kill us... I sincerely doubt this one will be any different." He then finishes speaking pointing out the pattern the previous meeting with orcs had fallen into.

[Macros]

"I'm not sure surprise is a viable option right now", whispered Rowan. "Reaven, you're the only one able to stay hidden for long, but you'd need to see where you're going..."

He was a bit reluctant to just assume the orc was hostile, but his weaponry didn't incite to optimism. At the very least, he wasn't a prisonner here, this looked more like a gate-keeper. Of course, if undeads were crawling in this mine, having a weapon close a hand only made sense...

"Perhaps we should try to bluff him? If we're lucky, we might get some answers, and one of us might be able to sneak past him while his attention is drawn."

[Dexam]

Syviraux shakes her head sadly at Rowan's words.

"The orc we encountered earlier implied that they are engaged in some kind of religious crusade against the kobolds and the human miners. I fear our best and only option is to subdue or kill him as quickly and quietly as possible, before an alarm can be raised."

She looks at Badgerbeard. "If we ready ourselves, then you create a light so that the others can see, we could perhaps rush the orc before he has a chance to react."

[Enyalius]

"Either way we should be ready for the worst." He says drawing his blade and getting ready for what ever happens next.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Sorry guys, I went to dragoncon and got sick... I just got over it so I'm posting on everything now... again sorry.

[3drinks]

Spoiler: ooc

Show

No worries Enyalius! I'm just glad you're OK. :)

[Macros]

Rowan held back a sigh. There were times where only bad options seemed available.

"Very well, we'll go with this plan. Try to take him alive if possible, though, he might give us informations. I'd like to know what's going on around here."

Clenching a fist, he readied himself to spring into action at the wizard's signal.

[OrchestraHc]

He lets his friends ready themselves before pulling out a gold coin. Saying some magic words and waving his hand over the coin, the underside of his ring glows faintly red. He grabs the coin and holds out up in the air as white light fills the corridor.

Spoiler: Magic

Show

Light has a twenty meter radius for the record so there shouldn't be any problem.

Also how long have we been walking? Because my mage armor lasts two hours.

[3drinks]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Your Mage Armour is fine, it hasn't been close to two hours yet. It's been barely four rounds or so (judging a 20ft/round speed), and you've traveled ~80ft.

The Dwarf unleashes a sudden beam of light, filling the corridor with a sudden illuminated brightness! You hear the grumbles of crude Orcish language (that sounds roughly equivalent to a smattering of curse words, if you had to guess).

This is the Surprise Round. The Orc is currently blinded from the Light spell (that happens when you spend a long time below ground in the dark). Everyone is up, and then the everyone plus the Orc is up. The Orc is just around the corner, and that corridor is ten feet wide by fifteen feet long. You could move from your current location to the end of this corridor with one move action, with ease.

[Enyalius]

The second the lights go up, Reaven charges to orc, deciding to put the special techniques aside for now and just go with an old fashioned stabbing.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

since most times the fancy stuff doesn't work, I'm just going to run up a stab him.

To hit, (1d20+2)[9]

For crit (1d20+2)[17]

And damage [1d6+1[/roll] and double if crit.