The Grinder (Mr.Scary Solo)

[Sxoa]

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It's moon dust, so its not actually poisonous. While it certainly fits that definition of noxious, being harmful to living beings, so do swords, fire, and magic missiles. I think what the spell is going for is filtering out toxic, i.e. poisonous things from the air. The moon dust isn't poisonous, it chokes by physically occupying space in your throat and lungs and preventing you from breathing. Its as inert as sand (which it is a very tiny form of essentially).

[MrScary]

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moon dust? never heard of it.

we could get into the science of the molecular size of poisonous gases vs. the size of this "moon dust", but that could get ridiculous

we will just agree to disagree about this issue, and move forward

Wilhelm chokes a bit, noting a fine dust in the air.

He changes back into his ghostly shape. Helmut, can you handle closing that opening, to keep out the dust?

Aye, I can do that.

Good, just be sure to hold your breath, my brother.

Helmut floats down to the wall just above the opening created by Wilhelm in his beholder form.

He resumes his material form, and places his hand against the metal of the cylinder. His holy symbol glows briefly, and then his hand seems to meld into the metal.

The metal seems to shift and slide downward, forming a thin (2") covering over the gap.

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casting Shape Metal (Races of Faerun page 191)

it works just like Stone Shape, but affects metal, so he can affect up to 10x20 Square Feet of metal

Fort Save and Reflex Save (1d20+30=40, 1d20+31=51)

[Sxoa]

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Moon dust is a substance from the book sandstorm. Its essentially very fine dust (still macroscopic though) that has sharp edges.

The opening is closed without incident and the howling wind is cut off. There still is a sizeable volume of cloying dust in the chamber and it stays readily suspended in the air due to its extremely small size and lightness. However much of it gets cleared whenever it touches the still wet with ink walls or the actual (falling) surface of the water.

As the water level drops, a side tunnel becomes apparent. Your arcane sight indicates that the entrance to tunnel is a portal. The tunnel is well lit, and dry looking. The walls are masonry of some kind and the tunnel extends 150-200 feet before it looks like it makes a sharp right. The lights are recessed into the ceiling (you can't see them directly) and are probably magical in nature due to the fact that they are not flickering at all.

Noticable the dust does not seem to be crossing the portal, likely kept out by the same filter that stopped the water.

[MrScary]

I don't know about you, but that looks entirely too good to be true. Jack says to the group. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Probably with good cause. Wilhelm responds. But don't discount your "paranoia", Jack. It's saved us more than a time or two in the past.

Wilhelm mentally summons the sphere of annihilation to him. He directs it to "cut" a circle into a wall, leaving a cylinder of metal about two-feet in length behind.

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essentially, he is going to make a doughnut in the wall, but instead of cutting out the center and having a ring, he's going to cut out a ring and leave the center.

btw: everyone is material now, assuming that the dust has settled

Jacob, if you and Grotha would be so kind, how about we roll that down the hallway.


The two strong warriors slide the cylinder out and heft it up toward the portal. They position it level with the floor of the hallway, and then start the cylinder rolling along.....

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assuming a 6" diameter and 2' length, this thing should weight at least 100 pounds, given how strong the metal is, i would suspect.

if there are any traps on the floor, or movement-activated traps, i would hope this would trigger them

[Sxoa]

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the enhanced strength of the iron is magical in nature and doesn't add weight, still its a cylinder of iron and given your measurements and a density of 7.87 g/cm^3 it weighs 771.744946 pounds. Easy lifting for your strong men.

The slight breeze going into the sphere helps clear out the air quickly. I mean that both ways of course.

As the two slide the cylinder through the portal the metal pulls away from them with a quick jerk yanked down by the force of gravity. The cylinder drops like the piece of metal it is tumbling through the air (and given the supposed orientation of the architecture this is somewhat disorienting to look at). The metal slams into the far "wall" (actually the floor of the pit), the surface seems to be built on some sort of hinge, because it suddenly rotates around carrying the metal with it. You are left looking at an exact copy, as if nothing had happened.

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Spot checks please

[MrScary]

Wilhelm, Helmut, Simon, Jack, Grotha, Jacob (1d20+18=28, 1d20+24=27, 1d20+20=37, 1d20+25=37, 1d20+14=34, 1d20+8=15)

[Sxoa]

You notice just before the pillar hits the far wall it appears to be pierced in several spots by something sharp and invisible. Also interesting to note you hear no sound as would be expected from such a large crash. In the fleeting moments that wall/floor is rotating you see another room beyond, though the air is filled with something (sand?) and you can't make out anything inside of it.

[MrScary]

There are many a raised eyebrow as the metal cylinder rushes *down* the "floor" of the hallway.

"Whoah...." Jack says, followed by an appreciative whistle.

"You sure you aren't a telepath, Jack?" Simon jokes. "Because you just read my mind."

"So, egg head." Jack chides Wilhelm. "What are we going to do about this? Why was there no sound?"

"Well, Jack" he says "most magical portals do not provide the viewer with sensory input of the place beyond the portal. On the rare occasion, a portal may provide visual sensation, like this one" he points at the portal. "However, it is quite unheard of for a portal to provide auditory sensation without other arcane means. This is something you would have learned had you devoted yourself to one particular field of study rather than spreading yourself out so 'thin'."

"Sure...uh huh...but you didn't answer my question, smart guy. What are we going to do about this?"

"Elementary, dear brother." Wilhelm smiles. "Rope, obviously, will be needed."

Jack takes a pack off his back and takes out a length of rope. "Grow" he says to it, and the rope extends, slithering its way down into the end of the cylinder, coiling up onto itself.

"Well, who's going?" Jack asks casually, assuming, though, that he'll be the first choice.

"I'll go." Jacob speaks up. "Unless you can't heft my weight?" he chuckles.

"I think between Grotha and our Auromach friend, you should be easy to lift." Wilhelm says, looking the Rilmani and Grotha up and down, grinning.

Jacob allows Jack to tie the end of the rope around him. "That's my favorite rope, you know." he grins at Jacob. "I'd prefer if you bring it back in one piece."

"Will do." Jacob says. He puts his shield upon his back. Then, he sticks his greatsword into the portal. He taps each side of the corridor, making certain the walls are solid and not either illusions or some flimsy material. "Just checking." he says.

[Sxoa]

As the rope snakes through the portal the portion within the hall becomes limp. When retracted back to your side of the portal it becomes active and "lively" once again.

The sides react solidly, almost too solidly. They don't seem to be made of ordinary masonry. In fact you're not quite sure testing through a sword, but its not clear whether its made of masonry at all (there is no texture variation between the masonry and the mortar).

A bit of scratching with the sword and the paint comes off. A bright white orange glow shines through where you scraped, but the area is very solid. The walls are apparently only a painted facade on top of something else!

[MrScary]

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color me a bit confused.

why would my rope be going limp? it's just a rope...it's not animated, or moving or anything.

**edit: i understand now why you may be confused, i used term "slither"...when i really should have said "slides".

it has 50' of "permanent" rope, and then grows up to 300' more (which was piled up at the bottom of this grinder).

the rope was to be tied to Jacob, who was going to descend down the shaft.

i think you may have this confused with a rope of climbing.

but your description....that does make one wonder.....

[Sxoa]

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Ah my bad! You are correct, I was mistaking it for a animate rope, just presume this supersedes the previous text

As Jacob enters the space his blood begins to boil and the air rips violently from his lungs into the surrounding void. He realizes quickly as he tries to draw breath there is no air, and all his enchantments protective and otherwise are suppressed. He quickly scrambles back out into the main chamber, only slightly worse for wear with a bloody nose and mild bruising.

[MrScary]

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well, considering Jacob is a Warforged, i'm not sure how he can have those affects, well, affect him

A warforged does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but he can still benefit from the effects of consumable spells and magic items such as heroes’ feast and potions.

but it is good to know that it's airless in there, apparently.

[Sxoa]

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bah! I can't keep track of all you people's special affects! Yes he's actually fine I guess. Anyways yes, thats the situation.

[MrScary]

Jacob sticks his head back out of the portal to report.

"There is no air down here, and it appears that magic is dead down here."

"A dead magic zone?" Wilhelm says questioningly. "Those are exceedingly rare...and even then has only been documented upon one world that I know of."

Jacob shrugs.

"Perhaps an Anti magic zone is possible."

"Also, the walls are certainly not stone, neither are they metal." he adds "They're much more secure than that."

"Fascinating...." Wilhelm muses.

"I have a way to see if it is permanent or not." Jacob says.

He descends back down into the shaft. Focusing his martial energies, he performs a series of hand motions that, to an untrained eye, would seem as if he were swatting at flies or gnats. To a martial adept, however, his kata is designed to rid his body of impurities and harmful effects.

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utilizing the Iron Heart Surge maneuver to see if the Anti Magic field (what i hope is only an anti magic field)

[Sxoa]

His gear hums back to life as the magic flows through it once again.

[MrScary]

Jacob motions to be lowered further downward.

[Sxoa]

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sorry for the dealy! I was distracted by the real world, that cold heartless place that it is

Jacob continues to go lower, after about 20 feet his gear cuts out again as the magic is once more suppressed.