The Rod of the Seven Parts - IC

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel looks at Otho as he questions the guards, although she keeps her main focus on Lyle and the doors, but as the gnome pursues his line of inquiry, she keeps looking back at him, looking slightly puzzled in a blank way. Why did it matter if the unicorn had freed the mercenaries or the ghost's destruction had?

[BurntOfferings]

Lyle

Lyle gives the large door a good hard shove, just to test it. He then makes his way back to the others.

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Horus glances at Lyle. "Couldn't budge it, huh?"

[Maurkov]

Otho

((Since Otho wasn't interested in scorching mercenaries, I assume the Flame Strike included a chunk of the door. Any visible effect? Are there hinges on our side? Are the doors bound with metal?))

"So that we may work together effectively, I'd like to know the capabilities of your men. What tactics do you favor? I have expended a lot of power, and the only large area spell I have remaining is Spike Stones. We'll need a code word.... If I call out rowan it means I am laying down that spell; between us and the enemy, I would think. It will then be unsafe to advance. Excuse me a moment."

"Does anyone have an adamantine edged weapon with which to hew through the door?"

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel speaks up at Otho's last question. "I can get through the door. If there's no magic on it.," she adds; she's not sure what types of spell might protect it, but she knows that there could be magic that would keep her from smashing through it. She looks to the others. "Should I?"

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard steps forward to look at the door. "Let's see what we can fathom here... the ghost went through it... but of course he's a ghost." He glances around. "There are many excellent ways of sealing a door with magic or mechanics... the best way of course is to make people not see the door at all. But in a dead end room, everyone will naturally be searching for secret doors... unless of course you give them a door to puzzle over... even if it isn't a door at all." He frowns, "Then again, I could be overthinking the matter."

[Maurkov]

Otho

"If it is, in fact, a door," Otho winks, "I can assure you that there is magic on it. Nothing made of wood could survive here for so long without magical protection. Whether that protection nullifies what you have in mind, I cannot tell you. If you can attempt your method without risking injury, please do so. My own plan would be to transform into something tough and claw my way through. I only hesitate because I hate getting splinters under my fingernails.

"Lyle, would you like a lift so you can check the top half of the door for unpleasant surprises?" Otho prods Vandalin to descend to ground level.

[The_Snark]

Angel

Angel nods—she's forgotten that wood tends to decay when not magically enhanced, such as that used to make warforged. His first comment is lost on her, though; what would it be other than a door?

In any event, he seems to think it is all right. She turns to the door and moves towards it again, stride lengthening until she is moving at a near-run again as she smashes shoulder-first into the door.

Spoiler

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Strength check to break down the door: (1d20+9)[16]. Not sure if I get a bonus for charging, but if so, add a +3 bonus to that... If the first attempt is unsuccessful, nothing happens, and nobody objects, Angel will take 20 for a 29 to break down the door.

[Cogito]

The commander nods at Otho's explanation, but waits for the genral discussion to end before starting to speak:
"With our number we usually employ the standard flanking tactics, staying defensive until we have the positional advantage. Against obviously weaker opponents or a large number of foes we employ phalanx tactics. But we will adjust everything to your group, of course."

In the meantime Angel tries to run in the door, which seems to be a smooth plane except for the smallest of space between the two halves. But nothing happens except for the same dull sound that echoed through the halls when Lyle gave it a shove. After a good two dozen tries Angel gives up her plan, the door not showing a single scratch.

At least nothing unpleasant happened.

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Horus moves next to Angel, and studies the door. "Got to be enchanted. Alian, any ideas what could be on it?" He asks the mage, then turns back to watch Otho interviewing the mercenaries. The seem competent enough, and he should have no trouble adjusting his tactics to match theirs, though he isn't quite sure if they can be trusted yet.

Still, it is good of Otho to talk to them, make sure they understand /not/ to get in the way of his spells.

[Maurkov]

Otho

Once Angel stops battering the door, Otho realizes he's been staring and unconsciously clenching his jaw. Seeing that she's uninjured and can't fatigue, he shrugs and turns back to the mercenary captain.

"With our number we usually employ the standard flanking tactics, staying defensive until we have the positional advantage. Against obviously weaker opponents or a large number of foes we employ phalanx tactics. But we will adjust everything to your group, of course."

"Oh, that should be fine. Our wizard is no evoker, so I don't think you need to be concerned about mixing with the enemies' lines. Alain, do you have anything to add?"

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The Wizard nods, "Only that I prefer to use magic to enhance my allies rather than blast everything in sight. I have been using a bit of it though, so as we proceed, I must be cautious."

[Maurkov]

Otho

"...rather than blast everything in sight...."

Otho purses his lips but does not interrupt.

"Yes. Well. Do you have any you'd care to try on the door?"

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard raises a brow, then shrugs. "Best to see what we're dealing with first." He chants a short phrase and gestures in the direction of the door.

Spoiler

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Cast Detect Magic.

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

Horus walks over to Alian, watching with interest.

[Cogito]

As Alain concentrates his mind upon the flows of magic within his sight, he almost becomes blinded by the multitude of auras he notices on and around the door. Half closing his eyes, he can manage to discern 7 auras, 2 of the Evocation school, 3 of the Abjuration school, 1 of the Illusion school, and one of the Conjuration School which is the most powerful of the seven.
It might take a while to work out more information and a way to get through the door, but form Alain's experience it would be unwise to use brute force. Before Alain ceases to concentrate on his spell, the single auras seem to meld into the background and an unfamiliar script which is somehow similar to that of the Giants appears all over the door, slowly fading back into nothingness as the spell ends.

Spoiler

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Extended Spellcraft checks together with the continued use of detect magic or better spells and several Knowledge and Decipher Script checks (I did the first round of those already) could yield some results. But this takes time without a real specialist.

[Maurkov]

Otho

Otho takes Vandalin up and around and they check the bottom, sides, and top of the door.

Spoiler

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If he can find even a ~1/2" gap, his small snake form would let him wriggle through to see if the portal is more easily opened from the other side.

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

Alain describes everything he sees in detail. As he sees the script forming, he whips out his glyphbook, flips to a blank page and chants a quick phrase gesturing at the page as though he was holding a stylus.

Spoiler

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Cast Amaneunsis, attempting to copy the script before it fades.

[Cogito]

Although Alain quickly casts his spell, nothing happens; the wizard is able to decduce from the kind of failure that the inscriptions are almost certainly magical.

Otho is only slightly more successful in his search. The door is pefrectly fitted into the wall and completely undamaged. Which is not true for bits of the stone which was affected by the Flame Strike, although only to leave small, a few inch deep scratches which went unnoticed during the closer inspections of the door itself.

You might be able to work your way "around" the door.

[Maurkov]

Otho nods his head when he sees the blasted stone. They always forget that part.

"Alain, if you've got nothing for today, I think I can Stone Shape around it tomorrow."

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard nods, "Perhaps we should withdraw and rest, beginning again on the morrow."

[Maurkov]

Otho

"Very well. Before we go, perhaps we should look for the tomb of that elf ghost. He may well be back tomorrow, and it'd be nice to have more than just brawn with which to combat him. With our luck he's buried just past the door, though. Lyle, would you like to organize the search, or would we just get in your way?"

Otho takes his light and shines it up the walls and across the ceiling (trusting is magically augmented sight to note any imperfections that might warrant additional searching). Then he gives the floor the same treatment.

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard looks confused. "Wait. You said you could get us beyond the door tomorrow... with stone shape, but before we retire, you want to search for the Elf's tomb... which is beyond the door?"

[Maurkov]

Otho

"Might be through there. Might be right under your feet. We should take these ghost-free moments to check."

[Cogito]

Beside the fissures in the wall and the floor where the flame strike hit, Otho notices nothing but perfectly immaculate craftmanship.

If you want to search for the ghost's remains, the hall with all the elven slave graves might be the right point to start, although it could be quite tiresome to find the right one.

[BurntOfferings]

Lyle

Speaking quietly, Lyle says, "There's nothing more we can do here today. This door requires magic, and our party doesn't have the appropriate spells ready. If you think that finding the spirit's remains would be helpful, then we should search in the graves we passed on the way here."

[Sepp]

Horus Kiast

"So, we are heading out to prepare the spells we need? This was supposed to be just a scouting trip, so that makes sense. Plus, we can report that we found the mercenaries."

[Maurkov]

Otho

"[W]e should search in the graves we passed on the way here."

Otho looks at Lyle quizzically. "Is that what those were? That's a better idea. Lets search there."

((OOC: Oops. Not sure how I forgot passing those on the way in.))

When we get back to the elf graveyard, Otho will look around for any graves that look particularly large or ornate. "Alain, did the giants have a ranking system to these things? I expect our dutiful-beyond-death elf to have a position of honor. Or can you Locate Objects on that armor or big sword he had?"

[BurntOfferings]

Lyle

Once the party backtracks to the graveyard, Lyle spends a few minutes walking slowly along the walls, checking for traps as well as evidence of the ghost's remains.

Spoiler

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He's not being rushed or distracted, so Lyle will take 10 on his Search checks for a total of 26. He can check a 5'x5' section every round. First he'll check a 5' square of floor next to the wall, then he'll check the adjoining 5' square of wall (hopefully there's more than alcove in a 5' span of wall). Lyle will be able to search 25' of floor+wall per minute.

Otho((OOC: Oops. Not sure how I forgot passing those on the way in.))

I'm sure the fact that that was posted two weeks ago helped. Lyle only "remembered" it because of Cogito's last post.

[Wiz]

Alain Cannith

The wizard carefully looks over the graves to see if he can discern any order of ranking. "I have no spells to help here, but often the discerning eye can yield more than the best spells."