Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns [IC]

[Jopustopin]

The small girl, who still hasn't said her name, smiles as if embarrassed when addressed by Ilnesh. Then with a cute smile she looks up at him and says, "I appreciate your concern. It won't happen again. After you."

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh holds eye contact with the small girl for a moment, his face carefully composed.

Only you've yet to introduce yourself. Lady of Hextor, do you know the man we serve?

[Kish]

Seva finds another secret door in the middle of the north wall.

Through the south door is a short passage that ends in an archway. Written on the archway is, "Knowledge is the purest power. Beware the burn of ignorance, but trust not sources you cannot verify."

The ground of the room behind the archway is dirty and dusty, though you can't see more from where you are. You sense a distinct drop in temperature to the south.

Spoiler: OOC

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If anyone has Knowledge: Dungeoneering, please make a roll now, but the results will show up later.

[Jopustopin]

The girl had looked at the passageway that Ixe's sunrod revealed, reading it quickly, before turning back to Ilnesh.

She shakes her head, "No. Thankfully." Smiling sadly she says, "Those I knew turned on me. This Cardinal...our master by contract and second loyalty... I had thought we were the first to escape Branderscar Prison but he was branded just like us... I've never heard of him."

With a look that you take to mean she's thinking harder than she should, she meets your gaze and continues, "I signed the contract as Jeyne Tavelyn. I suppose that's as true of a name as I'll ever have. Sometimes names are like clothes..." She looks at you like you wouldn't understand, "Nevermind. I'm Jeyne."

Suddenly she shivers and glares down the southern passageway.

[Silver Night]

Seva

"Ilnesh, would you take a look at this door for anything untoward?" She indicates the secret door on the north wall.

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh smirks as he walks towards the north side of the room to inspect and open the door
Names and clothes, expendable both. He is a strange man indeed Jayne, especially with these riddles. I suppose they mean we should be curious and explore these passages, but explore them cautiously. Feel free to light up the southern passage and search it thoroughly while I take care of this side.

Spoiler: OOC

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taking 20 (23) to search the north door for traps then open it.

[Kish]

There are no traps on the north secret door. Behind the door is a small niche containing a pedestal. On the pedestal is a jewel that glows with a pale blue light. Behind the pedestal, on the wall of the niche, are the words, "You have seen through deception to uncover a useful tool."

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh sighs upon reading the text on the wall.
What do we trust, the wall that says it's telling the truth, or the wall that says to beware lies?

[Buufreak]

Obviously, they are both lies... Perhaps we can find yet another way? Or perhaps something to expedite this ordeal?

[Silver Night]

Seva

"Perhaps we can come back for the gem if we need it, unless the way behind us is cut off. Ilnesh, I suspect you will be the one of us that works the hardest during this endeavor. It would be a good idea I think to confirm that that hallway is safe."

[Cavir]

Vosnak had kept quiet for a bit. He would have warned about opening the secret door to the south without having it checked first but his attention was on Ilnesh in the pit. His interest is piqued when the jewel is found. He goes and takes a closer look. "Between the initial archway, the pit's message, and the message here with the jewel it seems Master Thorn is trying to impart lessons. This jewel should be a boon to us somehow, else we would be frozen in inaction from here on out." He picks up the jewel for a closer inspection.

Spoiler: OOC

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Know (Gem) (1d20+5)[20] (if not Take 10 for 15 / Take 20 for 25)
Yes, a weird knowledge to have, but it is requirement for a PRC I plan on taking.

[Kish]

Spoiler: Vosnak

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It's very cold to the touch, almost like a piece of ice, though ice would have melted well before you found it. It looks like it's sealed quartz, with some kind of liquid inside.

[Cavir]

"Interesting. Quartz with some kind of liquid in it, and it's all very cold. Not worth wasting a detect magic just for it I think. We can save that for later." He puts the jewel in a side pouch of his backpack and rubs his hands to warm them up. He moves up far enough to see the writing on the next archway and to light Ilnesh's way. He smiles with the praising of knowledge, the very thing that he lives for.

[Hypersmith]

"I don't think haste will help us here Sictona." gesturing towards the open trapdoor.
Ilnesh nods towards the southern chamber."As is evident Seva, but we still need a way out of this room - I suspect the cold crystal has something to do with the cold corridor. Someone bring a light, I'll sweep for clues."

Spoiler: OOC

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going into the cold spot in the southern corner and searching for traps or gem shaped indents. Taking 20 (23)

[Cavir]

Vosnak moves up with Ilnesh, staying 10' back and keeping alert with the unseen assistance of his psicrystal. His light extends beyond both of them. "We do not seem to be in a rush. Take your time. I expect these puzzles to become deadly at some point."

[Silver Night]

Seva

Seva follows also, ready for less subtle threats.

[Ixe]

Holding the sunrod high, Ixe follows along warily behind them...

[Buufreak]

Sictona offers to take lead or side lead, depending on hallway wideness, as to try and take the brunt of any force that might surprise us.

[Kish]

Spoiler: OOC

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450 XP each for avoiding the pit trap and finding both secret doors.

Another square room is also lit with a small oil lantern that hangs from the ceiling. There is a small amount of frost on the lantern’s glass panes. There are a number of tracks on the dusty floor, and the room is cold. Closed doors are in the middle of the south, east, and west walls; they look identical from here in the dim light.

Spoiler: Perception or Survival 10

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It looks like at least a dozen people have approached the east and south doors. No one seems to have approached the west door.

[Ixe]

Sictona offers to take lead or side lead, depending on hallway wideness, as to try and take the brunt of any force that might surprise us.

Ixe follows closely behind Sictona, with one hand holding the sunrod high, and the other tightly clutching his quarterstaff. He appears nervous, subconsciously clenching his jaw. As they enter the room, he stops, taking in his surroundings.

Perception check: 1d20 +1 (rank) -2 (Wisdom penalty) = 15

Ixe turns his attention first to the lantern next to the entrance. He cautiously reaches out his hand to touch it, seeing if it can be opened, trying to turn it at it's base, and otherwise searching for any hidden catches, levers, or other secrets...

[Cavir]

Vosnak moves into the room following Ilnesh but stops short of the lantern hanging from the ceiling. His own magical light supplements that from the ceiling and Ixe's sunrod. From there he studies the room and ponders the new advice aloud while he shivers a bit. "Knowledge is the purest power. Beware the burn of ignorance, but trust not sources you cannot verify... Our ignorance is what is in here. A fire trap of some sort? Yet we have this sudden chill, from where?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Move to F13.
Perception (1d20+3)[13]

[Kish]

Frost shows on the lantern's panes. It can be moved relatively freely, though the chain suspending it from the ceiling doesn't readily break. From the center of the room, you can see a strange violet mold covering the west door.

[Cavir]

Vosnak gazes around the room. His eyes meet the door to the west and he stops. He moves his light some to get a better view. "Wait... STOP! That door is covered with mold. Mold you don't want to even get near to. More cold should kill it. Back up." He pauses as he rethinks about what he is about to do. Instead he pulls out the liquid filled quartz jewel from his backpack. "Knowledge is power." He smiles, moves to the center of the room for a more direct shot, then throws the jewel at the door.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move to F14 then throw. Was going to use Energy Ray (Cold) but let's try this first.

[Kish]

The jewel smashes on the door and the violet mold crumbles and falls to the floor.

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh watches Vosnak do his work, smiling slightly.
"... And trust not sources you cannot verify. I trust you can take care of that door now. Allow me to handle the other two."
Ilnesh steps across the room towards the other doors, inspecting them for any odd coatings before testing them for traps.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception ((1d20+3)[11]) on doors/floor, then taking 20 on the door itself if its clean.

[Kish]

Spoiler: Ilnesh

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You detect some pressure on the other side of the east door. It appears that something will be propelled through it into the room with you when it is opened. The south door is the same.

[Hypersmith]

"Seems to me the only way out of this room is the mossy door. These other two have some sort of mechanism triggered by the door being opened, and carries some force behind it. Allow me...

Ilnesh approaches the western door, but pauses just short of opening it, brow furrowed as he turns to face the group. "Seems odd, isn't every chamber meant to increase the difficulty? The danger was upped, but the solutions remain simple."

[Jopustopin]

"This room could have been difficult to overcome if we hadn't searched the northern wall in the last room", Jeyne says smiling at Seva then turning to Vosnak, "And definitely had one never heard of an... endothermic mold that feeds on heat. Serendipitous for us and perhaps evidence that our master chose wisely to free us from Brandascar. Let us not let our guard down. I doubt our true enemies will leave us hints on how to defeat them."

[Cavir]

Vosnak turns and gives Jeyne a respectful nod and smile then turns back towards the door. "Shame to destroy a nice jewel like that but I figured it better to conserve my power when we had an object that might do the trick." With curiosity he visually checks out the crumbled remains of the mold, watching for any sign of it still thriving.

[Silver Night]

Seva

Seva moves to cover Ilnesh in case the west door conceals danger. She makes sure she is not immediately in the path of either of the other doors.