Dusk Eclipse's Eyes of the Lich Queen IC

[Kish]

A wide hallway stretches away from you into the darkness. As you advance down the hallway, you see a portcullis ahead, its iron bars preventing further progress. Beyond the portcullis, you make out a flight of dark stone steps leading down. Closer to you, a lever is set into the wall next to the iron grate.

Spoiler

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Map updated.

[CWater]

"Well well, does anyone have the knowledge to figure out if that lever is there to open the door, or drop a load of acid on our necks?", Kaarna asks and looks around. "Or would your spell open that thing too?", she asks Athard, pointing towards the portcullis.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Athard shakes his head. "It's too heavy for my spell to work. Even the well door was pushing it."

"I'll take a look," Soren says as he heads forward and inspects the lever. He's been quiet, taking in this dark dank cavern which he and only he couldn't see the entrance to.

Spoiler: Search

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Take 20 for 29 for traps? Can Soren do this in Pathfinder even though he's not a rogue?

[Kish]

Spoiler: OOC

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If you were willing to take 20 rounds, you could take 20 to search for traps, though you'd still find nothing if it was a trap a nonrogue couldn't find. That's not immediately applicable, however, because:

As Soren approaches the lever, the floor under his feet sinks slightly with a click. The floor rumbles and a grinding sound rises from beneath the stones. With a resounding boom, the revolving wall at the hallway's entrance slams shut. The sound of stone grating on stone fills your ears, and you realize that the wall is moving toward you.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Soren leaps back, practically into the arms of the group behind him, but it's too late.

"AAHH! AAAAAHHH! AAAAHHH!!!" Soren races up the hallway, Athard behind him. The lever's almost certainly trapped but they're screwed anyway if they can't get this gate open, so unless he sees another trap Soren yanks on it, then races back and forth searching the gate and the area around it for any weakness, any secret locations or even key placed on the other side. Athard looks with him, muttering something about not dying again pressed up against the wall. As Soren hops back and forth there's an odd flourish to it that inspires everyone who sees to help him out!

Spoiler: Soren's Actions

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Aaah!!! Ahhh!! Aaahhh!!! Soren yanks the lever unless it's obviously, and if that doesn't open the gate searches (turns out it's perception) the gate and all around it. He also dances: Inspire Compentence for +2 to all related skill checks. Athard perceives too.

Soren's perception: (d20+11)[31]
Athard's Perception: (d20+15)[33]

Does anyone have ranks in disable device? What do we do?

[Kish]

Yanking the lever seems to have no effect at all. Both Soren and Athard see a panel in the wall left of the portcullis, and note that the stone to the right of the portcullis seems weak, a great deal weaker than the metal of the portcullis. As you search, the wall moves inexorably toward you.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Yanking the lever seems to have no effect at all. Both Soren and Athard see a panel in the wall left of the portcullis, and note that the stone to the right of the portcullis seems weak, a great deal weaker than the metal of the portcullis. As you search, the wall moves inexorably toward you.

"There's a secret panel here!" Soren shouts over the grinding stone as he tries to pull it off and chuck it aside.

"And this stone is weak; we might be able to tear through!" Athard doesn't even finish his sentence before he takes the oversized club--a trophy from the defeated blackscale high priest--and starts bashing his way through the crumbling stone.

Spoiler: Kish

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How much time do we have left? And what do I need to roll for both the stone and the panel?

[CWater]

Kaarna lets out a long litany of curse words, ugly enough to make an ogre feel ashamed.

"There's a secret panel here!" Soren shouts over the grinding stone as he tries to pull it off and chuck it aside.

The witch hurries to Soren's side to also take a look. "Can you get it loose?", she asks in a frantic voice.

"And this stone is weak; we might be able to tear through!" Athard doesn't even finish his sentence before he takes the oversized club--a trophy from the defeated blackscale high priest--and starts bashing his way through the crumbling stone.

Spoiler: Kish

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How much time do we have left? And what do I need to roll for both the stone and the panel?

"You two!", she points at Adrianna and Raphael, "Help him, will ya!"

[Silverraptor]

Adrianna is already near the loose stone and attempts both prying it and breaking it down.

[Kish]

Spoiler: OOC

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I've added the moving wall to the map, though it just looks like a regular wall. It seems to move two squares a round, meaning that it will be six more rounds--36 seconds--before there's no longer room for all of you to stand at the end of the hallway, if it keeps moving at its current rate.

Breaking through the wall is a Strength check. Two characters at a time can stand close enough to try it, either both trying independently or one Aiding Another. Athard and Adrianna should go ahead and roll for this round--more rounds too, if they won't change their action.

Soren pries open the panel and reveals a mass of gears and levers. Someone who was trained in such things could likely figure out what to do to them to reset the trap, but to you, they look dizzying.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Soren stares helpless at the gears and levers and mysterious metal plates and springs. Somewhere, someone knows about this but to Soren it might as well be Dwarven. He whimpers even as he sways back and forth. "...Help?"

Meanwhile, Athard struggles with the stone. "Scholar if you could make one of us stronger I'd really appreciate it! And Kaarna do you have any spells?" his words come out in a grunt, a rush between gritted teeth as he slams his shoulder against the wall.

Spoiler: actions

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SOREN HAS NOT GONE YET. I'm Holding off on Soren's actions and Athard's further actions until I learn more about ooc questions and Kaarna or scholar do something, since their spells might alter his modifiers or maybe even actions. note that Soren is still inspiring competence.

Athard's Strength: (d20+5)[10]

[CWater]

Spoiler: OOC

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I've added the moving wall to the map, though it just looks like a regular wall. It seems to move two squares a round, meaning that it will be six more rounds--36 seconds--before there's no longer room for all of you to stand at the end of the hallway, if it keeps moving at its current rate.

Breaking through the wall is a Strength check. Two characters at a time can stand close enough to try it, either both trying independently or one Aiding Another. Athard and Adrianna should go ahead and roll for this round--more rounds too, if they won't change their action.

Soren pries open the panel and reveals a mass of gears and levers. Someone who was trained in such things could likely figure out what to do to them to reset the trap, but to you, they look dizzying.

Soren stares helpless at the gears and levers and mysterious metal plates and springs. Somewhere, someone knows about this but to Soren it might as well be Dwarven. He whimpers even as he sways back and forth. "...Help?"

"So much for that..." Kaarna curses again. "Based on your expression, I guess you don't know this stuff either?", she says to Soren beside her.

EDIT:

Spoiler

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Ack, missed your post!

Meanwhile, Athard struggles with the stone. "Scholar if you could make one of us stronger I'd really appreciate it! And Kaarna do you have any spells?" his words come out in a grunt, a rush between gritted teeth as he slams his shoulder against the wall.

Spoiler: actions

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SOREN HAS NOT GONE YET. I'm Holding off on Soren's actions and Athard's further actions until I learn more about ooc questions and Kaarna or scholar do something, since their spells might alter his modifiers or maybe even actions. note that Soren is still inspiring competence.

Athard's Strength: [roll0]

"None that would be of any help", Kaarna growls, "Unless you want something burned or frozen or electrified."

[CoffeeIncluded]

"No I don't!" Soren screams, frantic. He tears away from the gears and looks at where Athard and Adrianne are bashing at the walls, and pauses as an idea springs to mind. He stamps his foot and twirls, a frenetic dance as he kicks up and brings his fists down in a manner reminiscent of a horse beating at a door...

And indeed, two celestial horses (one, followed by another seconds later) suddenly appear on the other side of the grate and immediately start beating at the rubble.

Spoiler: horses' actions

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one horse is here for five rounds, the other for seven because of arcanist gloves. Hopefully I'll roll well on at least one. Soren will keep up the dancing until we're all safe. Note that Soren himself has only acted for two rounds.

Horse 1:

Strength: (d20+5)[19]

Strength: (d20+5)[8]

Strength: (d20+5)[13]

Strength: (d20+5)[14]

Strength: (d20+5)[13]

Strength: (d20+5)[25]

Strength: (d20+5)[23]

Horse 2:

Strength: (d20+5)[21]

Strength: (d20+5)[9]

Strength: (d20+5)[13]

Strength: (d20+5)[18]

Strength: (d20+5)[16]

Athard looks back at Kaarna in fury. "no geyser or ice spikes? Nothing?!"

[Kish]

Athard whacks the wall with the club, to little effect, but Soren's celestial ponies manage to break through the wall. You all push your way through the crumbling wall. On the other side, you see the moving wall reach the portcullis, touching it lightly and precisely, and then stop and slowly begin moving back down the hallway.

Spoiler

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You gain 250 XP each.

[Silverraptor]

Once they were all through the opening and the wall started retracting, Adrianna stared at the opening for a moment before turning to Soren.
"Good job and Dammit Soren!"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Soren's the last through, his scarf nearly snagging and tearing on the twisted metal and rubble as he squeezes through the stone, dismissing the horses as he scrambles to his feet. He stares open-mouthed as the revolving door approaches the grate and almost anticlimactically taps against it (utterly crushing a spider that was resting on the bars against the metal grate) before returning to its prior position.

Once they were all through the opening and the wall started retracting, Adrianna stared at the opening for a moment before turning to Soren.
"Good job and Dammit Soren!"

"Uh...I...Ah..." Soren's lost for words and simply hangs his head. "Perhaps someone else should go first. Not me. I wouldn't trust myself after that..."

Athard shakes his head. "If nobody else wants to scout, I suppose I shall."

Spoiler: Kish

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How many rounds did it take for the horses to break through, since that's when Soren would drop his Inspire Competence? Also, what are the rules for Athard to inspect as carefully as possible."

[Kish]

Spoiler

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Breaking the wall started at a DC of 20, but whenever someone attempts to do it the wall was damaged enough for the DC to be reduced by one, so the ponies broke through the wall on the first round they both hit it--the round after Athard hit it, since it took Soren one round to summon them.

Just say what Athard is inspecting and roll a Perception check.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Athard inches forward, not going a step without inspecting the floor and walls and corridor itself.

Spoiler

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take 10 for 21. And four rounds then--thanks!

[Kish]

The stairs curve around as they descend. You proceed down them slowly, Athard pausing to look ahead before each step.

The stairway widens as it opens into a wide chamber, but the floor ends precipitously after 10 feet. A deep chasm splits the room, with three massive metal platforms suspended above it by chains hanging from the ceiling. The nearest platform is perhaps 10 feet wide and 20 feet long, like a bridge that crosses only half the distance to the central platform. The chains it hangs from are pulled toward you, as if some unseen force holds the platform in place. The central platform is much wider but only 10 feet across. The third is another half-bridge stopping short of the far wall.

From the bottom of the chasm 80 feet below, molten lava illuminates the platforms with a dull red glow. At the floor's edge closest to you, two draconic-looking humanoid statues stand sentry, their cold eyes seemingly watching you. Two identical statues stand on the opposite side of the chamber. Above you, sparkling in the dull red light, a crystalline shard is set into the ceiling in the center of the chamber. Four chains hang at regular intervals across the ceiling.

Spoiler

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Map is updated. Sorry about the delay in posting; my posts are likely to be sporadic for the next week or so.

[Silverraptor]

Adrianna looks down over the side at the molten lava down below.
"I don't remember the briefing covering the fact we'd be so close to an active volcano."

[CoffeeIncluded]

Adrianna looks down over the side at the molten lava down below.
"I don't remember the briefing covering the fact we'd be so close to an active volcano."

"...It did not." Soren winces and shields his eyes; looking at the lava too long is like staring into a glowing forge. And would probably more painfully lethal if anyone fell in.

"I'd really rather not jump from platform to platform, at least not without a rope. But there could be a trap that cuts that rope, or dispels magic if we fly across. Or climb across--does anyone know Spider Climb or anything like that?" Maybe we could make the platforms swing and then walk from platform to platform as they swing?" Soren looks around at warily, particularly at the statues and the shard in the ceiling. The half-elf paces back and forth until his feet brush against a chunk of rubble. He picks it up, bouncing it in his hand, then hurls it across the room between the two suspended platforms.

Spoiler: Soren's actions

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For Now Soren looks at the statues, crystal shard, chains, and platforms, detecting magic to see if he can pick up anything. He also throws a rock between the two platforms to see if anything happens (such as something zapping it out of the air, or an invisible platform stopping it from falling, or even if the lava is real."

[CWater]

"...It did not." Soren winces and shields his eyes; looking at the lava too long is like staring into a glowing forge. And would probably more painfully lethal if anyone fell in.

"I'd really rather not jump from platform to platform, at least not without a rope. But there could be a trap that cuts that rope, or dispels magic if we fly across. Or climb across--does anyone know Spider Climb or anything like that?" Maybe we could make the platforms swing and then walk from platform to platform as they swing?" Soren looks around at warily, particularly at the statues and the shard in the ceiling. The half-elf paces back and forth until his feet brush against a chunk of rubble. He picks it up, bouncing it in his hand, then hurls it across the room between the two suspended platforms.

Spoiler: Soren's actions

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For Now Soren looks at the statues, crystal shard, chains, and platforms, detecting magic to see if he can pick up anything. He also throws a rock between the two platforms to see if anything happens (such as something zapping it out of the air, or an invisible platform stopping it from falling, or even if the lava is real."

"Perhaps", Kaarna walks up to one of the statues and stares at it in the empty eyes. "I don't like these!", she announces.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Perhaps", Kaarna walks up to one of the statues and stares at it in the empty eyes. "I don't like these!", she announces.

Soren ducks behind Kaarna as she mocks the statues. It's not worth risking his face over.

[Kish]

Spoiler

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Back, and sorry about the break in posting.

The rock falls into the lava far below. Soren detects a moderate aura of conjuration around the shard in the ceiling, nothing otherwise. The statues appear unmoved by Kaarna's criticism.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Spoiler

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Back, and sorry about the break in posting.

The rock falls into the lava far below. Soren detects a moderate aura of conjuration around the shard in the ceiling, nothing otherwise. The statues appear unmoved by Kaarna's criticism.

Soren cautiously peeks out from behind Kaarna. "There's a conjuration Magic think on that shard up there." he points at the shard hanging like a chandelier in the middle of the room. "It's definitely a trap of some kind but I don't think it'll blast us out of the air or stop flying magic or anything. We're just going to have to eat it, aren't we?" He trails off, inspecting the chains and platforms.

[CWater]

Soren cautiously peeks out from behind Kaarna. "There's a conjuration Magic think on that shard up there." he points at the shard hanging like a chandelier in the middle of the room. "It's definitely a trap of some kind but I don't think it'll blast us out of the air or stop flying magic or anything. We're just going to have to eat it, aren't we?" He trails off, inspecting the chains and platforms.

Kaarna removes her gaze from the statues and walks to the edge. "I'll go take a look", she takes flight and glides to the next platform.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Kaarna removes her gaze from the statues and walks to the edge. "I'll go take a look", she takes flight and glides to the next platform.

"Wait!" Before Kaarna flies off, Soren takes a rope out of his bag and hands one end to her. He ties the other end around a statue. "so you don't fall into the lava. Just in case I'm wrong."

[CWater]

"Wait!" Before Kaarna flies off, Soren takes a rope out of his bag and hands one end to her. He ties the other end around a statue. "so you don't fall into the lava. Just in case I'm wrong."

"Eh?! Sure, if you insist..." Kaarna takes the rope and ties it around her waist.

[Kish]

As Kaarna walks out onto the platform directly in front of you, before she can take flight, a spark of orange light traces an edged sigil on the ceiling over the center of the chamber, and you hear two distinct popping sounds. Two massive armored quadrupeds, larger than mastiffs, now stand on the central platform, sniffing the air and scraping the floor with deadly-looking claws. One of the creatures turns its eyeless head in your direction as it lets out a barking growl.

Spoiler

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>> Soren initiative: (1d20+4)[20]
>> Raphael initiative: (1d20+3)[17]18
>> Kaarna initiative: (1d20+8)[13]
D2 initiative: (1d20+4)[13]
Athard initiative: (1d20+5)[8]
D1 initiative: (1d20+4)[5]
Adrianna initiative: (1d20+1)[3]
Scholar initiative: (1d20+1)[2]

Map is updated. Soren, Raphael and Kaarna can act before either of the new arrivals does.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"A summon!" Soren's ready for it, and so reflexively draws his bow and runs to duck behind the statue to the right. Once he has cover he breaks out in song.

Spoiler: actions

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Soren draws his bow and runs to take cover behind the statue to the right. He then begins to sing to inspire courage (+2 to attacks, damage, and saves). I've got my anatomy final in half an hour--wish me luck!