Planescape: Center of All - IC

[Cavir]

Avakuss stands to the opening side of the door. "I wonder how many more copies of the key there are. If we took the only copy they had we'll be their singular focus."

[kinem]

Spoiler: Ash

Show

The door is apparently just a door, not a magical portal.

Spoiler: Ash, Eilyra

Show

The concentric circles might have been just a decoration, or perhaps a reference to the multiversal principles of Unity of Rings and Center of All.

It takes Center a few tries, but he dispels the Arcane lock.

The door does have a keyhole of the right size to try the key.

Spoiler: if you try the key

Show

It doesn't work to unlock this door.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash steps back from the door, pursing her lips.

*Interesting. It doesn't seem to be a portal TO something, but just an ordinary door. But locked. Normally, I've dealt with locks by simply moving around the locked thing. That's probably not going to work in this case.*

[Archmage1]

After giving the key a try in the lock, Eilyra looks over to Center. "Would you care to try your key? I suspect that the different keys allow access to different locks, probably suggesting that the cult was compartmentalized." She glances towards Ash, and Avakuss, before continuing. "If the other key doesn't work, I can disintegrate the door. Or use dimension door to take us past it, although that does leave it closed behind us."

[paradox26]

"I would definitely prefer that you disintegrate the door, if we cannot simply open it. If we go through and the casters are destroyed, I do not wish to be stuck on the other side of the doorway with no way back," Taric says reasonably. He examines the concentric circles that lay beneath Tharizdun's symbol, though he is not sure what it could mean.

[Cavir]

"No need to expend your magic. I can smash it open if that is our plan." Avakuss looks to the group awaiting a response.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra offers him a quick smile. "True, but it will be rather loud. Some chance of surprise might come in handy, and my supply of magic is adequate."

[Cavir]

Avakuss takes a step back to clear the way.

[Archmage1]

Not missing a beat, Eilyra smoothly makes a quick gesture, and says a strange phrase, before pointing a small black stone at the door.
A green ray strikes out, lashing at the obdurate portal before her.

(1d20+29)[31] Attack(Which probably hits, so long as not a 1)(And a 2 is NOT a 1, so hit?)

[kinem]

The ray hits the decorated door, which vanishes!

Beyond the disintegrated door is a large cavern with a roughly circular shape, about 40' across. Dust is everywhere, but the lack of air prevents stench from being a problem. It's lit by Continual Flame spells around the ceiling. A single tunnel about 10' in diameter leads deeper into the edifice, but bends enough to block line of sight after about 40'.

The cavern is furnished with three large tables, six benches, an empty bookcase, and a coat rack. Nine robes hang from the rack: Three black, three purple, and three ochre (reddish-brown).

The black robes have a magical aura of moderate divination, while the purple robes have an aura of moderate abjuration. The ochre robes have no magical aura.

A close look at the floor reveals some kind of animal tracks in the dust.

[Toliudar]

Ash

*Well done, madam and gentlemen. The dust is interesting. Without air circulating, there would be no obvious source for it. Perhaps this area once had a bubble of air surrounding it, for some reason.*

Stepping into the room, Ash confirms the absence of obvious traps. She pauses to look at the animal tracks, but then walks over to the cloaks and reports on the auras she sees there. Reaching into her shoulder bag, she pulls out a simple glass disk, the size of a coin. Placing it over her left eye, she examines the black and then the purple robes without touching them.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Trap search: (1d20+37)[52]

Knowledge Nature to identify the kind of animal likely to have made the prints. Also, where do the tracks travel to and from? (1d20+5)[6]

Ash uses her Artificer's Monocle to determine the precise properties of the cloaks.

[paradox26]

"Perhaps this place was transported whole from another realm, one which had air. That would also explain the presence of dust. Unless the dust is a magical trap of some sort," Taric suggests. He examines the robes, and tries to figure out how he, as a bariaur, could get into one.

[Archmage1]

Taking in the scene before her, Eilyra looks it over. Dust, magical robes, tracks, and a bending tunnel... Interesting. This place hasn't been outside of time forever. If this is a trap, I think I'll be glad I was persuasive enough to convince my companions to get the tuning forks. Now, those robes are the right colors for Tharizdun, and the enchantments appear to be correct, and may be worth selling. The tracks, however... ROUS seems possible? Or something that moves like a ROUS.

However, as she thinks, Ash and Taric head into the room ahead of her, and she follows. *The robes appear to be consistent with known behaviours of the cult of Tharizdun. The purple ones, specifically, may be what was once known as the "Purple robes of Tharizdun", which were notable in that they protected the wearer from cold within the temples of that god. The tracks seem to be of large rodents, which is not ideal. And the dust... this is a foyer... perhaps this is from other places? Or as Taric suggested, the entire facility was moved, which is certainly possible. If their gate needed to be in a specific spot, building elsewhere, and moving might well have been their plan. I'd suggest we collect the robes, as they may have some resale value.*

[Cavir]

Avakuss takes a look at the tracks then moves to the far side to look down the next tunnel in case they've attracted company and to see if there were tracks over there too (and which direction).

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Extended Steadfast Perception, 9PP. Lasts 6.3 hours. Immunity to all figments and glamers (such as invisibility). +6 Spot and Search.

Listen: (1d20+10)[24]
Spot (1d20+25)[39]
Survival (on tracks) (1d20+10)[28]

[kinem]

The 'rat' tracks are all over the room and head into and out of the tunnel, and the furniture has all been gnawed on.

Taric's inspection of the robes shows that they are made for human-sized humanoids, and he probably can't wear them.

Spoiler: Ash

Show

You don't find any traps here.

The black robes are attuned to something and when worn allow it to be perceived when it otherwise wouldn't be.

The Purple Robes of Tharizdun protect from the cold peculiar to temples of that god, which penetrates other protections.

Spoiler: Avakuss

Show

Looking down the tunnel, you see that it extends about 100' past the bend. At the end is a closed door about 10' across. Two side tunnels branch off, one to the left and on to the right, about halfway down the tunnel. The tracks lead into and out of the tunnel, as if the creature had been through it many times.

[paradox26]

"I will not fit into any of these robes. They are all intended for two legged humanoids, by the looks of it. So I will remain at the back of the party, to better hide my presence and hopefully give us the element of surprise," Taric says, after rifling through the robes. Fortunately, he is resistant to cold, so hopefully the lack of a robe will not physically disadvantage him. He uses his magical item to shrink down to small size once more, so that he can better hide at the back of the party behind the others.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash turns to her colleagues.

*The black robes are designed to reveal something, probably something specific. The purple robes, as Eilyra surmised, are designed to protect from a specific and supernatural cold in some areas consecrated to Tharizdun.

*While they might not be perfectly tailored for those of us with bonus legs, or for that matter more wings than the average person, we might all need to be ready to put one on in order to get through the challenges ahead. If there are no objections, I'll take one of the black robes now.*

She does just that, tucking the cloak over her back so that it trails out between her wings.

[Archmage1]

Hearing Ash's identification, Eilyra nods. "That seems to be a reasonable approach. I'll hold off on putting the robes on until they're needed. It's possible that this place no longer requires them, which could explain why they were left." Or, as holy artifacts of the god of madness, they may have some mental effects. It might explain why they are here, but... it also doesn't seem that anyone who walks has been here in a while. Or a moment. But three... As a thought hits her, she frowns. "On the other hand, if the lich and the avatarist are two, who is the third?"
While speaking, she approaches the remaining eight robes, and stuffs them into her haversack, before she approaches the passage Avakuss was peering down, carefully floating through the air, to avoid disturbing the dust.(Elemental body, Air) She stops on the other side of the passage, and looks down, seeking magic or threats.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

(1d20+19)[20] Spot
Arcane Sight should have ~14 minutes remaining, assuming it has been 30 minutes since we re-entered pandemonium for the day.

[kinem]

Spoiler: looking down the tunnel with Avakuss

Show

Looking down the tunnel, you see that it extends about 100' past the bend. At the end is a closed door about 10' across. Two side tunnels branch off, one to the left and on to the right, about halfway down the tunnel. The tracks lead into and out of the tunnel, as if the creature had been through it many times.

[Cavir]

Ash*we might all need to be ready to put one on in order to get through the challenges ahead. *

Although not wanting to wear any of the robes, Avakuss sees the potential benefit. "I'll take one of the purple robes." Whichever robe(s) he's given he'll drape them over his shoulder and wield his greatsword. The goliath then heads down the tunnel stopping short of the intersection to listen again then peer down each side passage.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Take 10 Move Silently for a 14.
Listen: (1d20+10)[14]
Spot: (1d20+25)[34]

[Toliudar]

Ash

Missing the ability to make good use of her wings in this place, Ash pulls out a short staff tinted in four interwoven colours, and there is a brief pulse of magic. She drifts up into the air again, and tucks away the staff in her shoulder bag.

*Better.*

She drifts up toward the ceiling of the tunnel and follows Avarkuss.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Ash uses her runestaff to cast Elemental Body - air

Listen: (1d20+26)[32]
Spot: (1d20+50)[68]

[paradox26]

Taric acknowledges the idea that he may need to alter a robe to make it fit as best he could. "I will put a robe over my torso should the need arise, and hopefully that will suffice for purposes of activating their magic. But for now, I will stay unencumbered," he says, as he follows the others down the passageway. He readies his weapons for a fight, which he assumes will likely be on the other side of the doorway, if not just down one of the side passages. "While the door is closed, perhaps we can take advantage of a path being blocked so we can check down one of the side passages. I will go to the left," he says, as he starts to head in that direction warily.

[Archmage1]

Passing out the requested robes, Eilyra quietly follows Avakuss, flying to avoid disrupting tracks, and to reduce the noise of movement, and when Taric, splits off, to take the left side passage, she quickly looks around, before following. Maybe I should have saved some of the eyes for scouting out the interior as well. What's done is done.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Since we get a fly speed of 5*int, Eilyra's... pretty fast. 180 feet per round.
(1d20+15)[35] move silently
(1d20+10)[11] hide

[kinem]

Taric and Eilyra check out the tunnel to the left. It leads to a large cavern - also lit with continual flames - that must have once been a communal living quarters. There are six simple beds, three tables, stools, cabinets, and empty shelves.

The middle of the room is dominated by a man-sized iron statue. Though experienced adventurers are no strangers to statues that turn out to be golems or the like, this one shows no sign of motion. Its body resembles that of an armored man, but its head has four faces, one facing each direction (forward, left, right, behind).

The only things that detect as magical in the room are an unlit black iron torch (moderate transmutation) that has a cupped head that rests in a sconce on the wall, and three cone-shaped blocks of incense (faint evocation) that give off a spicy and unpleasant aroma..

Meanwhile, Avakuss peers down the right side tunnel, followed closely by Ash and Center. There is a lit cavern that way as well. He can see what looks like vertical metal bars, as of a prison cell.

From the right hand room a sort of shouting noise begins. "Eee! Eee!" If he doesn't proceed into the cavern, Avakuss can't see the source of the sound.

[Cavir]

Avakuss grimaced with the sudden noise. He darts a look back at the others then moves forward on the opposite side of the hall from the bars. Once he can see who is in there he puts a finger to his lips to get them to quiet down.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash quickly reports mentally to Taric and Eilyra.

*We're investigating a shrieking noise of some kind, possibly from inside some kind of prison cell. Unless you've met something along your path, it may be safest for you to come join us for a moment. Your call.*

She follows Avarkuss, extending her enhanced senses to try to make sense of the cacophony.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Ash is using 100' mindsight, 60' darkvision and true seeing.

[Archmage1]

Moving warily as she investigates the room she found herself in, Eilyra collects the black iron torch and the three blocks of incense for later examination, but before she can start to properly examine the golem-like statue, she receives Ash's message, and looks to Taric. "Seems we'll be heading to the rescue then."

With that, she start back down the passage, towards the right side tunnel.

[kinem]

Avakuss enters the cavern and sees that there is indeed a sort of prison cell that's been built here. Behind the bars there are three sets of wall-mounted manacles in the cell, one of which is occupied. There's a closed metal door to the cell.

Chained to the wall is a swarthy and completely hairless man. The bald man appears human, and is wearing only a pair of tan pants. Seeing Avakuss, he hesitates, then resumes his screeching. "Eee! Eee!"

Also in the cell is a 3' long rat. It looks thin enough to be able to pass between the far end of the bars and the wall, so as to leave the cell. The dire rat hisses at Avakuss.

Spoiler: Ash

Show

Mindsight reveals that the man is a Humanoid with an Intelligence of 12, and the rat is an Animal with an Intelligence of 1.

[Toliudar]

Ash

Ash quickly sends a follow-up message to Eilyra and Taric.

*The screaming is coming from one who appears to be a prisoner, a hairless man. There's also a large rat in the cell, by choice.*

As an experiment, she weaves a simple mind spell on the man, seeing if she can, through friendship, calm his incessant shrieking.

Rather than sifting through a hundred possible languages, Ash opts to simply drop a thought into the man's mind, including Avarkuss and Centre out of courtesy.

*Calm yourself, sir. Can you tell us your name?*

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Trying Charm Person on him. Will DC 24 negates.

[Archmage1]

Taking advantage of Ash's information, Eilyra slows her return, stopping in the central passage as she formulates a response. *He may have been here for a prolonged period of time, potentially thousands of years, spent in a prison cell in a potentially abandoned temple of a god of madness. Mental stability is not likely. Do not expect rationality. Paranoia, depression, and hallucinations are to be expected.*
Considering my experiences, it may be kinder to simply kill him, especially if he lacked the focus necessary to rebuild himself afterwards. And he is almost certainly useless to us now.