A Balancing Act

[Solo]

Wouldn't it make more sense to stop on the scorpions? You're immune to poison, aren't you?

Anyways, I'll follow you for scouting.

[lord_khaine]

fine, then use whatever magic you need, and lets go though the portal

[Solo]

I'll take a moment to cast another Greater Invisbility on myself, then off we go.

Torc and Ozymandias step through, I guess.

[lord_khaine]

ok step though the portal, ill give you a count of 10 and then follow, so if something is lurking on the other side step back fast

btw, have mccleric healed the wounds we got from the golems?

[Rachel Lorelei]

McCleric can't heal them in an AMF (even though technically, it should be possible). Anyone who wants to step back through the first portal can get some healing. How much d'you need?

[Rachel Lorelei]

McCleric can't heal them in an AMF (even though technically, it should be possible). Anyone who wants to step back through the first portal can get some healing. How much d'you need?

[Rachel Lorelei]

McCleric can't heal them in an AMF (even though technically, it should be possible). Anyone who wants to step back through the first portal can get some healing. How much d'you need?

[Talic]

In the last combat, one golem hit the monk for 18 damage. That was the total party damage sustained. If you want to assume average roll for healing, that's 1 CMW or 2 CLW. Since we're not in combat, dismissing the wall of force should allow full healing in 3 rounds (4 for CLW).

Spoiler

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Round 1, both run to portal.
Round 2. Cure
Round 3. Cure (if CLW), otherwise Run back to position.
Round 4. If not back, run back to position.

Count of 10 is 2 rounds?

As for Oz, you attempt to walk into the portal, and go nowhere. The runes around the edge, clearly visible, glow red for a moment.

Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+23)[29]
EDIT: Having beaten the DC 25 check, the runes clearly outline a key, required for passage. The required item is a small chunk of hardened clay.

[Solo]

Ozymandias goes to a clay golem, picks up some clay, and offers it to the portal.

If it opens, he'll go through.

[lord_khaine]

count of 10 is 1 round, torc is impatient and counts fast.

[Talic]

And Oz vanishes into the portal, which glowed briefly with a pleasant blue at the approach of the clay.

And Oz sees:

Spoiler

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Very little, actually. The room you're in is remarkably large, as big as the last room... However, it's very, very dim. The light, while uniform throughout the whole room, is low enough to force squinting to see very far. Ahead, you see a chest, faintly glowing with runes (too obscured by darkness to accurately read at this distance), and beyond that, the portal to the next area.

The air in the room is stagnant, as though undisturbed for quite some time. The ground is rough and unworked, though the walls are smooth, as is the ceiling. Other than that, the room appears to be completely empty. And deathly silent.

Round 1 of the third challenge has begun. (2nd combat challenge)

[lord_khaine]

one.....

picks up something that used to be the head of a clay golem

[Solo]

Ozymandias will have his bat familiar, with Blindsense, to locate anything around him.

Spot: (1d20+8)[27]

Having an ominous feeling about this room, Ozymandias will stay quiet and ready an action to cast Timestop if the excrement meets up with the ventilation device.

[Talic]

Ozymandias will have his bat familiar, with Blindsense, to locate anything around him.

Spot: [roll0]

Having an ominous feeling about this room, Ozymandias will stay quiet and ready an action to cast Timestop if the excrement meets up with the ventilation device.

Within its 20 foot blindsense? Nothing. However, that ominous feeling is echoed though your familiar's empathic link. It's nothing your bat can place definately, either. Spot check also reveals nothing.

Note: Readied actions can only be taken as standard actions in combat. Thus, you have to be aware of the foe you're facing to get them. You may take them if you have actions in a surprise round, but do not get the benefit of them while flat footed. I will take your statement to mean that you fully expect a hostile encounter, and every sense you have is considerably on edge. Low chance of being surprised.

EDIT: Round 2. Torc the monk arrives on scene at top of the round.

Other EDIT: Mechanical effects for illumination level: all attacks in the room have a 20% concealment. Vision is possible to the entire room, however, since there is concealment, so is hiding.

Room dimensions: Same as last room, with the exception of the ceiling being 30 feet overhead.

[Solo]

Hi, Torc. It's pretty dark in here, isn't it? I suppose it'd be a good idea if I tried to brighten up the situation?

Ozymandias is offering to cast Light in order to illuminate the place better.

[lord_khaine]

it might be an idea to wait with that, it can easely be that whatevers hiding around here will be attractet to the light.

i suggest we get the rest of the gang inside first, then we can try to sweep the room for whatever might be hiding around here.

torc leans in though the portal and call for the rest of the group to join them.

[Talic]

Group on Anitmagic side of portal has actions and then it's round 3.

Map for this area.

Designed by yours truly. Entry portal is 10x5x10, ejects to any of the 4 squares it occupies.

Exit portal is 10x10x30, entry from any of the 4 squares it occupies.

(that's width x length x vertical height)

Also, full screen the image, or it looks like poo.

[lord_khaine]

hmm this would be a great hiding place for some sort of nasty soulsucking undead shadowghost.

well i suggest we try and do this the usual way, where i run out and try to find whatevers hiding out there, and you then blast it to kingdom come while its chasing me.

[Solo]

hmm this would be a great hiding place for some sort of nasty soulsucking undead shadowghost.

Wouldn't that be a little... obvious? I mean, it seems every time undead are involved, there's gloom and doom about. It's getting to be a cliche by now... but good plan, I suppose.

I think, however, something like Protection from Evil would make it better.

I shall drop the readiness to cast Timestop and buff the Monk with Pro. Evil before he heads out.

[lord_khaine]

well think about what we have seen of this guy so far, he seems to be very... "traditionbound", and i doubt he could walk by a room like this without planting at least a couple of undeads.

oh and btw, a couple of rocks enchantet with light should also help me seach the room and spread some joy.

[Solo]

Ok, Ozymandias can do that too.

Cast Light on two rocks.

[lord_khaine]

they are sure taking their time, do you think they missed the part about needing a hand from the golems to pass though the portal?

[Talic]

You will get the Protection from evil in round 2, no problem. However, I want to give the other players an opportunity to act, or decline to act, before going into round 3, and ESPECIALLY before going into round 4.

[Worira]

Gragthor steps through the portal, listening carefully.

(moving in, taking 10 on a listen check for a result of 33. Oh, and does my darkvision help at all?)

[Solo]

Ok... we'll just say that each round, if there is nothing better to do, I'll light the rocks. Obviously I wouldn't do it during combat.

[Talic]

Gragthor steps through the portal, listening carefully.

(moving in, taking 10 on a listen check for a result of 33. Oh, and does my darkvision help at all?)

Even to your finely tuned ears, the room is as silent as death itself. Not so much as a drip of water anywhere... The only sounds any of you have picked up so far, are the echoes of your own voices.

And darkvision most certainly does not help. The difficulty seeing, and miss chance due to concealment extend to darkvision as well. Which lets you know the effect is magical, at least.

[lord_khaine]

does taking 10 on a spot check, for a final result of 30 reveal anything?

[Talic]

does taking 10 on a spot check, for a final result of 30 reveal anything?

Nothing at all. All your senses tell you this room is empty. Still, there's something that you can't quite place.

We'll give Gen a bit longer to get in the thread again and get an action in, then we'll move forward with round 3.

[lord_khaine]

hello grag, nice of you to drop by.

heh, ill bet the bill from our last drinking contest on there being some sort of nasty shadowmonster in here..

[Solo]

I don't see why you would say that.

Actually, I can't see much of anything right now.