Rise of the Runelords IC

[Erloas]

After looking over the rooms for a minute Lebwen looks over the scrolls and books, seeing if any are magical or in a language he can read, using Read Magic if practical. After finding the stairway down Lebwen says "Well it looks like there is more to this complex after all. See if there is anything here that seems to stand out, I'll go fetch Adalbert and Lizuga so we can head down and see what else is there."
Then he heads to the south to find them. Upon finding them he says "We found another stairway down and it looks to be some archeology work being done. If you're done checking these rooms lets head down." Lebwen will carry the books for Adalbert.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga

"Something smelly and hairy that eats birds. Oh joy.", Lizuga mutters to herself. She follows the others to the secret door once Adalbert is ready.

[u-b]

The papers and the stone tablets are almost all written in dense spiky runes that Iris does not understand. The one book filled to about a third in Common, with the remaining pages currently blank, seems to be a kind of inventory of everything else and is clearly fairly recent, which is indirectly confirmed by an inkwell with ink being present along with some pens. A further check of the inventory leads to a preliminary conclusion that it lists considerably more items than is currently present, including a lot of books, some full-sized statues, etc. You think you might be able to find a corresponding description for some of the present artifacts, but it is certainly going to take some time. Your general conclusion is that the artifacts are, beyond any doubt, ancient thassilonian. Their craftsmanship is beyond reproach.

There are faint magical auras on all three thassilonian books and all five thassilonian scrolls. Also the torch on the wall bears a faint aura. Lebwen does not have a foggiest idea what magic is on the books and the scrolls except that is all seems fairly similar. The torch, though, is definitely everburner.

Trying to Read Magic on the books of scrolls is mostly no good, except that one of the books seems to be a spellbook. Lebwen positively recognizes some of the symbols and thinks he recognises some of the other symbols, which are written differently, but probably have the same meaning that their contemporary counterparts. But he does not recognize any of the accompanying text, without which it would take some research to determine what each spell is supposed to do, and double-check on the casting procedure to avoid the mishap.

The goblins seem neither surprised, impressed, interested, or useful, but they clearly tend to shy away from the books and scrolls.

Spoiler

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Lebwen know arcana: (1d20+9)[10] vs the books
Lebwen spellcraft: (1d20+9)[10] vs the books

Lebwen know arcana: (1d20+9)[16] vs the torch
Lebwen spellcraft: (1d20+9)[25] vs the torch

[DrK]

Justin

Warily watching the car Justin moves to shoo it out the way as he approaches the patch if wall and investigates it looking for a concealed catch it any lever.

Spoiler: take 20?

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Take 20 for a 26 perception if allowed?

Then he shouts to the others, "I've found another concealed door. This place is riddled with them. Let's get the others before we move down."

[Spore]

Ah yes, funny thing. Goblins believe books steal their thoughts forever. the halfling goes to his pirate buddy. A short evaluation has failed but you are a smart man, Master Lebwen. Can you make something out? We can always discuss this with a nice cup of tea, or rum, or tea with rum afterwards. the halfling smiles.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga

Lizuga peers into the darkness ahead. "I brought torches. But I don't really have a free hand".

[Spore]

I found an everburning torch. It is handy if we ever have to hide our light source. Adalbert waves a stick where one end glows a faint blue.

[Erloas]

"I've got dancing lights prepared", Lebwen says as he casts the spell, sending the balls of light down the stairs a bit ahead. Then pulls out his sword and says "Lets see what they've been finding down there," leading the group.

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

Iris scoops the books and scrolls of note into her pack and prepares to descend. With the way dark she utters an incantation and casts light on her knocked arrow.

[u-b]

One by one you walk down the stairs, carrying the lights with you. As you desend, following the turns of the stairs, those walking in the back are unable to see those in the front and can only see those closely ahead and reflections of light further down. After some time the descent stopped. Then it resumed. Those walking in the front are first to see a stone door leading east from the stairs. It is open and badly damaged, but still bears some carvings recognizable as books, stacks and heaps of coins, and bars of what could be judged from context to be precious metals. The floor here is slanted downward toward the west. The room behind the door has two pillars along its center. Alcoves in the north and south walls contain partially damaged statues of a man in robes clutching a book and a glaive. The entire room is canted toward the west, and whatever ancient upheaval caused the complex to tilt knocked the statues from their bases so that now they lean against the western walls of their alcoves. There are many scratches everywhere on the floor, the statues, and the wall roughly up to seven feet height (though less above roughly four feet). There is a stone door leading east from the hall. It is closed.

Spoiler

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Four Dancing Lights ahead and around Lebwen not shown.

[Erloas]

"I would imagine the goblins have scoured this first areas pretty well, but lets take a quick look around, we can each take a corner." Once that is done, assuming nothing of great interest comes up then Adalbert and Lebwen will check out the stone door and see how it may be opened.
Lebwen will take the north east corner to check.

Spoiler: OOC

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perception
(1d20+2)[15]

dungeoneering
(1d20+8)[17]

[Spore]

These claw marks indicate a few medium sized beasts. Adalbert looks up And one or two massive ones.

He turns to the goblins. We are about to kill your god-beasts. If you interfere and do not aid us, the only thing I can guarantee is that you will pay. Despite his heavy words and rhetorics training, Adalbert's voice becomes shakey. He had seen too much this day.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga looks over the claw marks and frowns.

[u-b]

A quick look around the room reveals nothing new that would be of real interest, save from one thing: Lebwen suspects this level had different builders than the level above. Sort of normal for a lot of dungeons, so just a thing to note. The stone door, bearing a lot of claw marks over an elaborate ornament, seems like it is to be opened by pulling. There is a key hole. You don't notice any traps anywhere around and try all of the keys from the key ring. None fits. Before Adalbert starts to thinker with the lock using lockpicks, Lebwen tries to pull it and finds out that it easily moves.

Behind the door is a 20-feet corridor rising in a slope leading east, and ending in an alcove with a partly collapsed statue. The top half of the statue is missing, leaving behind a ragged stump of a torso. Before the alcove are two door, leading north and south. Both are open. The light shines from the one leading north. Midway between the two doors near the far end of the corridor and the door you've just opened, in the northern and southern walls of the corridor are two more alcoves, where stand two statues of stern men with glaives. The floor between them is polished and shiny, unlike the dusty floor elsewhere. Lebwen moves the dancing lights a bit further east to look at it better when you hear a spell being cast in a female voice somewhere to the east.

Spoiler

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Assume Lebwen and Adalbert are in L41, L42, and the rest of you in same positions as in #940.

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[Spore]

What is she incanting? Adalbert asks the crowd. Then he himself casts Detect Magic.

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

"Beware!" Wary of catacomb-dwelling spellcasters, Iris invokes a quick prayer and brushes her hand across Justin's back, imbuing a sense of divine guidance. She ducks to one side bow at the ready.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: Cast Guidance on Justin (+1 competence bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check within next 1 minute)
Move: Move to I43 and hide (take cover in the alcove if possible, otherwise adjacent). Stealth (1d20+9)[11]

Immediate (if needed): Agent of Chance (one adjacent ally to reroll a skill check)
Immediate (If attacked): Adoration - immediate sanctuary (Will DC13)

[CasualViking]

Lizuga rushes forward to find this mystery caster.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move 20' East.
If I can see the enemy and hit her (15' reach with a Piercing Strike, 10' normally): (1d20+7)[21], (1d12+4)[13].
If I can see the enemy but not hit her, move up to threaten, adjacent if possible, willing to take an AoO for a good position.
If I am not sure which way she is, move left through the northern door, shout out if she is in there.

[u-b]

Lizuga rushes forward. When she steps on the polished part of the floor between the statues she hears a click under her feet and some unidentified sound coming from above. She does not stop to find out what exactly it is and just makes it out of the area when two heavy iron portcullises slam into the floor behind her back. Lizuga continues to the end of the corridor and stops there, looking north.

Spoiler: Lizuga

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Wide stone ledges of red marble line the curving walls of the room to the north, which is well lit by four burning skulls that sit in each corner. Three chairs rest in the room, and both stone ledges are covered with old books, scrolls, teeth, bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, taxidermied animals and limbs, and other strange objects. To the north, a large round fountain filled with frothy blue water fills the room with the gentle sound of bubbling. A strangely armored woman with white hair and a clearly unnatural left arm is standing near the center of the room. The way there is blocked by a now-familiar demonic hound.

To the south is a short corridor ending in a closed door.

Spoiler

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Adalbert senses some magic, but that's no surprise given the party's usage of it.

I painted Iris near the alcove, but you can treat her as being inside as long as you don't try to actually do something while in there (it is sort of cramped).

Lizuga reflex: (1d20+2)[15]

There are two portcullises blocking the passage into and out of N41.

=> Lebwen, Justin and maybe a short speech from Lizuga

[CasualViking]

"What ARE you?", Lizuga demands of the enemy to the north.

Spoiler: Defense, AoO etc.

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Spoiler: Attack of Opportunity #1 (reach)

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Lucerne Hammer (1d20+7)[11], (1d12+4)[8] - or shield bash (1d20+6)[18], (1d4+4)[7].

Spoiler: AoO #2 (Combat Reflexes)

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Lucerne Hammer (1d20+7)[13], (1d12+4)[5] - or or shield bash (1d20+6)[22], (1d4+4)[6]

Spoiler: AC and other defenses

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AC 19 (+1 Dex, +2 Shield, +6 armor). Counter: Oaken Shield (+4 AC)

Spoiler: Fort save

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(1d20+4)[17]

Spoiler: Ref save

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(1d20+2)[5]

Spoiler: Will save

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(1d20+6)[11]

Spoiler: Resource tracking

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Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield, Encouraging Roar, Curates Strike, Piercing Strike.
Triage: 3/3
Hit Points: 24/24

Sheet link

[DrK]

Justin

Justin looks at Lizuga as she shouts down an unseen corridor, "Lizuga, get back here!" he looks aruond at the portcullisses and runs forward. "Help me lift it, you can't be there on your own..."

Spoiler: OOC

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Justin moves to the gate and waits to assist Lizuga's strength check

[Erloas]

Lebwen tries to figure out what she is casting, giving a warning if the spell is a direct threat. Moving into the room he tries to help Justin open up the portcullises.

Spoiler: OOC

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spellcraft to identify spell
(1d20+9)[13]

Had a hard time figuring out what the actual situation is and what options are available to me. I have one ranged spell but doesn't seem like I could use it to help.

[u-b]

Lebwen and Justin lift the western portcullis. It is heavy, maybe a bit under 100 pounds by your estimate, but slides up fairly easily without any jamming. The problem is, it does not want to stay there, and Justin feels he would not be able to hold it alone. In any case, that leaves the eastern portcullis ahead of you. You hear another spell being cast. Lizuga even sees the caster, but, being not trained in arcane arts, that does not give her a clue as to what the effect would be... until it happens. Lizuga feels more than hears a loud ringing noise coming from the breastplate she wears as it shatters into numerous pieces, some of which fall to the floor and some remain somewhere around their proper places, but mostly hindering instead of providing any real protection. As Lizuga raises the shield to protect her chest, the yeth hound goes for the leg, biting deep for 10 damage and dragging the woman down on the floor. "I'm your doom." says the female caster "So glad to meet you."

Spoiler

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It's lift over head enterprise, limited by your total max load (including the gear). You can change it to lift off ground enterprise, but the mode of movement through would be crawling (too low for crouching, except for Adalbert and the goblins).

spellcraft to identify spell

...you must be able to clearly see the spell as it is being cast...

So nope.

No AoOs against the caster because of soft cover.
Lizuga will: (1d20+6)[11] vs shatter - failure
Yeth hound bite: (1d20+7)[21] for (2d6+4)[10] trip (1d20+7)[17] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round
Lizuga will: (1d20+6)[15] vs shaken - success

There are two portcullises affecting the passage into and out of N41. The western is now held up.
Lizuga lost her breastplate for protection purposes (but not yet for ACP purposes) and is prone.

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[CasualViking]

Lizuga

From her position on the floor, Lizuga glancesback at her comrades, wide-eyed and pale. A radiant glow covers her wound, but as she gets up, the hound savages her, splattering more blood everywhere as it shakes her leg. She fends it off with the edge of her shield against its skull and limps back to the eastern portcullis, then stands up straight. She spares a moment for another glance back over her shoulder.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Swift action Triage to heal self. Move action to stand up. AoO from doggo: (1d20+7)[17], damage (2d6+4)[12]. Can't trip because I'm already prone when I provoke.
Standard action Curate's Strike - AC 22 for 6 damage(rolled in ooc), then 5' step to the portcullis.

Hit points 24 -10 +9 (triage) -12 +4 (stance) +10 (strike) = 24.

Spoiler: Defense, AoO etc.

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[Attack of Opportunity (reach, combat reflexes)]Lucerne Hammer +7, damage 1d12+4 - or shield bash +6, damage 1d4+4.

AC and other defenses: AC 11 (+1 Dex, +0 Shield after a shield bash (+2), +0 armor). Counter: Oaken Shield (+4 AC) (still usable afer shield bash)
Fort save +4, Reflex +3, Will +7 (includes +1 ref and will after using a strike)

Resource tracking: Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield, Encouraging Roar, Curates Strike, Piercing Strike.
Triage: 2/3
Hit Points: 24/24Sheet link

[Spore]

Adalbert pulls out a scroll from the scroll container on his hip to heal their first line of defense. He then slips under the first porticullis, incants the healing scroll and barely touches Lizuga through the gate. He then presses his body against the wall to give the others more space.

Spoiler

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Move to M41, cast Cure Light Wounds via Scroll (1d8+1)[3] on Lizuga.

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

"Adalbert, can you see a lever or anything to lift the gates?" Iris shouts in a panic.

Spoiler: actions & status

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Standard: Cast Sift. Perception (1d20+3)[22] looking for any reset mechanism in the area immediately around the portcullis'. I don't have Disable Device though, so might at best be able to aid with another's check?

Move: Move to M41 (if clear) or L41. Ideally to be outside but adjacent to the trapped square so that Agent of Chance ability is available to anyone there.

Also hold the portcullis up to free others if that is allowed in addition to the above actions.

Immediate (if needed): Agent of Chance (one adjacent ally to reroll a skill check)
Immediate (If attacked): Adoration - immediate sanctuary (Will DC13)

I presume I can fire a bow through the portcullis' on subsequent rounds? Friendly Fire Maneuvers lets me shoot through past friendly soft cover.

Iris of Shelyn
F NG Human (Varisian) Inquisitor (Urban Infiltrator), Level 3, Init 6, HP 17/17, Speed 30ft
AC 18, Touch 14, Flat-footed 14, CMD 18, Fort 1, Ref 5, Will 4, CMB +4, Base Attack Bonus 2
MW Composite Longbow (+2 Str) +7 (+2 BAB, +4 Dex, +1 weapon) (1d8+2, x3)
Morningstar (two-handed) +4 (+2 BAB, +2 Str) (1d8+3, x2)
Dagger +4 (+2 BAB, +2 Str) or ranged +6 (+2 BAB, +4 Dex) (1d4+2, 19-20/ x2)
Mithral MW Chain Shirt Armour (+4 Armor, +4 Dex)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 18, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10
Condition
Lucky Number [16] (24 hours): reroll or +2 Luck bonus if number [16] rolled
Indomitable Presence (Justin): All allies within 30-ft. of Justin gain the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and +2 morale to Fortitude saves versus death effects, fatigue or exhaustion effects, or poison effects
Spoils of War Stance (Lizuga): Allies within 30' heal 4 hp when they hit with an attack (once per round).

[Erloas]

With the portcullis up Lebwen tries to find a way to block it up. Using the tools he picked up from the goblins earlier he tries to find some point to stick something in the track to hold it up. If he can get it blocked he'll move up to the next portcullis and start trying to lift it.

[u-b]

Lizuga is savaged by the demonic hound as she stands from the floor. She hits the hound back in the nose for 1 damage and steps to the portcullis blocking her way out of the mess. Adalbert rushes to help and casts Cure Light Wounds from a scroll only the note that Lizuga's wounds are already closed by the time he does so. Iris moves in to help hold a portcullis, meanwhile using magic to help her quickly asses this whole trap thingy. Lebwen thinks quickly of ways to jam the portcullis' movement to hold it up there, but it seems like it would require taking the backpack off, rummaging through it to get the right-shaped tool, and, most importantly, sticking that tool just right to jam the portcullis, which, Lebwen is sure, will require some fumbling for lack of practice in that sort of thing on the ship. With these thoughts, and Iris right there to keep the portcullis up, Lebwen steps east and raises up another portcullis instead. It's heavy, but moves up as smoothly as the first. It also does not stay up there by itself.

Spoiler: Iris

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Also hold the portcullis up to free others if that is allowed in addition to the above actions.

Yep. It uses up both hands (you are not strong enough to hold it with one), but not much time since the portcullis is already raised.

I presume I can fire a bow through the portcullis' on subsequent rounds?

Not if you hold the portcullis.

Saying that, you did not find any lever or other normal pre-designed feature that is there clearly for the purpose of keeping the portcullis up. What you did find:
1. The whole section of floor between the portcullises looks as much as a top of pit-trap as a pressure plate. Funny thing that it did not try to open when Lizuga walked over it, nor later, when Lebwen stood over it.
2. Also, the arms of the statues holding the glaives do not seem like they constitute one piece with the rest of the corresponding statue. They rather seem like they could be movable, along with the respective glaives.

Spoiler

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There are two portcullises affecting the passage into and out of N41. Both are now held up.
Lizuga lost her breastplate for protection purposes (but not yet for ACP purposes).

=> Justin

[DrK]

Justin

With Iris holding one and Lebwen raising the other Justin waves to Lizuga, "Come on Lizuga, dive through the gate".

With no space to move and nothing he can use to help Justin can only make space for Lizuga when she tries to scramble away.

[u-b]

The demonic hound follows Lizuga and bites her again, taking a sizable chunk of meat from Lizuga's side for 9 damage, but failing to take the woman down this time. To Lizuga, the prospects of standing and fighting look less and less appealing by the second. This is when the woman with the white hair, demonic left arm and a scar on her exposed belly adds her effort to that of the hounds. She appears close behind the corner and casts a spell. You see no apparent effect of it.

Spoiler: Adalbert

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It's Doom.

Spoiler

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Yeth hound bite: (1d20+7)[18] for (2d6+4)[9] trip (1d20+7)[11] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round
Lizuga will: (1d20+7)[9]
No AoO because the caster is behind the corner.
Lizuga will: (1d20+5)[7]
Lebwen spellcraft: (1d20+9)[13] - fail
Adalbert spellcraft: (1d20+7)[26] - success

Lizuga is now frightened. This time, Adalbert can react as soon as he can see her face overcome with fear, which is before her turn is resolved (we haven't rolled the initiative, and I think I am not doing it mid-fight; let's say he has expected something like that as soon as he recognized the spell).

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[Spore]

It worked last time, so it might just now. Stay calm Lady Lizuga, and follow my lead. Adalbert reveals his flute again and plays a calming tune he learned from freed halfling slaves. He pours his very talent into that, hoping it breaks the fearsome grip on Lizuga. He knows it is hopeless to break the magic but maybe he can ease the tight grip of the yeth hound's baying on her.

Spoiler

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Perform (Wind): (1d20+3)[15]