Pink of Doom (IC)

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

The halfling seeks refuge in the hallway, getting as far away from the coffin room as he can.

"Uh, o-o-okay...."

[Pink]

As none of the springs seem to be angled in a way that they could somehow exit the room unless by outside intervention, Oloren deems that standing outside the entrance of the room is enough to avoid a similar trap, even from the other doors.

The water elemental approaches the doors on the right of the room and begins to proceed through the order as instructed by it's master. After the first hole is pushed however, there is a slicing sound and the water elemental pulls back it's 'hand' and seems to get much thinner (7 damage). The next holw however meets with a clicking sound and the door opening. Flush to the door is a staircase descending 50 feet.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Excellent. Would you like to search that now, or after we get the third one open, Wellby?

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In either case, he'll move on to the same method with the third door; after Wellby's searching if the halfling elects to search now rather than later.

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

"I'll wait, thanks. No need to waste an elemental," says Wellby, peeking around Dances with Sand to look into the room.

[harmonictempest]

OOC: Same method with third (middle) door; summon another elemental if first one dies from button blade damage.

[Pink]

The water elemental approaches the last closed door and inserts its digit into the first hole. Suddenly, three two and a half foot steel spikes, one from each finger hole, shoot out, piercing through the water elemental and finding purchase deep in the stone of the coffin with the loud sound of stone being pierced. The water elemental splashes to the floor, no longer alive.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

The elf whistles softly, summoning another elemental to continue the sequence.

OOC: He's going to continue until every combination has been tried. IF he gets through more than four or five combinations and still hasn't found it, he say:

Well, Dances and Wellby, it may be that every combination to this door sprins the trap. Do you think there might be another way to open it?

Despite any conversation, he will continue trying different combinations.

[HellFencer]

Dances with Sand

"The name's Dances with Sand, thank you. And I'd hate to be attempting these traps myself," the dwarf said. He noticed Welby peeking around him to look into the room and smiled. "Ah, I see I've become something of a wall. Worry not, I'll stay in front," he added, nudging the halfling with his elbow.

[Pink]

The next summoned elemental goes through the standard routine that Oloren has now been able to master teaching to the simple minded elementals. However, none of them seems to trigger either the door opening, or the trap going off once again. After going through the sequence the elemental turns to look at the elf for its next command, just as the duration of the summoning runs out and it returns to its plane.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

He purses his lips thoughtfully as he walks back into the room. Well, there's a number of things that could have caused that, and a number of ways to get around it. Unfortunately, most of the useful spells require me to be touching the door for them to work, and I am not exactly keen on that, nor on teleporting through the door and hoping that it's safe, though it would be easy. And the fact that there is magic specifically preventing us from using any divinations on the door worries me greatly.

What are your preferences?

[HellFencer]

Dances with Sand

"Perhaps we should simply try one of the staircases for now?" he said, looking at his companions. He shrugged finally and added, "The watery thing was able to touch the door without further death-like effects, so I would think you'd be alright to touch it yourself. Or I could simply try to bash it down."

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Right. My worry is mainly for what may be behind the door, should I try to create a hole in it in some way. Wellby, you don't happen to have a door-opening spell, similar to the one I cast at the base of the shaft, prepared, do you?

While he waits to figure it out, he idly summons an earth elemental, instructing it to go through the door and come back, telling him if there is a passage there.

[Pink]

The earth elemental seems to only be able to stick a part of it's hand into the door, before giving the reply that Oloren has heard before, that there is metal beyond this stone door preventing the elemental from going any further.

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Right then, the elf says in annoyance. Bashing may be best after all - I can try to melt through it again, but unlike my spells, your axe doesn't have limited uses. Do you think it can break through that door without being damaged?

Regardless of the dwarf's answer, he continues I cannot help but think that the middle is the most important door - in addition to being hidden behind the stucco, it was obscured until we found an additional catch. We should be wary in our assumption of what purpose the metal behind it may be serving. Wellby, if Dances with Sand's axe does not suffice, do you think you could open the door by any other means - removing the hinges, perhaps?

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

The halfling shudders as he imagines several feet of steel sliding under his fingernails and then out the back of his hand (and probably into his face). He first examines the staircase behind the newly-opened door, then moves carefully to the last pair of unopened doors.

"I may have something, but let me take a closer look first."

Spoiler

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Searching the stairway for traps: (1d20+18)[21]
Searching the stairway for traps again, because this place is #@%#$ dangerous: (1d20+18)[24]

Searching the last pair of doors for (more) traps: (1d20+18)[37]
Searching the last pair of doors for (more) traps again (see above): (1d20+18)[23]

Searching the last pair of doors for any clues as to their nature, or how they might be opened: (1d20+18)[32]
Wellby's got 5 ranks in Knowledge (architecture and engineering), if that helps with this one.

[Pink]

OOC: I noticed I failed to responded to Wellby's initial search. Stupid me. Sorry folks.

The stairs going up: THe 'hallway' is little more than a distance of ten feet before the stairs begin up. A cursory look reveals no traps that Wellby can sense. Likewise, the staircase seems without any mechanical device or magical ward. However it is at some distance and the light only goes so far before it becomes shadowy.

The stairs going down: The stairs descend fifty feet and are flush with the door, leaving no landing. At the bottom it can be glimsped in the shadowy light of Wellby's everburning torch, at the bottom is a familiar pair of double doors with three holes barely visible in the low-light, at waist height of a human on the right door. Wellby can find no traps along this staircase as well, however it suffers from the same uncertainy.

The remaining door: Both Wellby and Oloren, upon further examination of the doors, think that something is odd about them. As Oloren approaches he feels a certain tingle upon his skin (Search check for secret doors). Meanwhile, Wellby examines the holes that had previously held the spikes which are now deeply embedded in the stone of the coffin, and notices that now he can see that there's only a layer of stone before the bronze takes over, suggesting a stone layer over bronze that may very likely not be capable of being opened at all.

[BurntOfferings]

Wellby

Examining the middle door, Wellby declares, "I think it's a fake. A red herring. My personal opinion is that the stairs leading down are the correct route, but that is based purely on supposition.

"We've been relying rather heavily on your summoning abilities, Oloren. Should we press on, or would you like time to recover your magic?"

(( If we choose to rest, Wellby will use his offensive spells to try to blast a hole through the last door, just to be sure. ))

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

The elf chuckles dryly at those words. Despite the many elementals, I have used less than a sixth of the spells I prepared this morning. All spells hold residual energy in the mind as they wait to be cast after being prepared. At my university, they have perfected techniques to draw upon this energy, techniques I have studied carefully. I prepared this morning the most powerful summoning spell I currently know, and as long as it remains uncast, I can summon smaller creatures by drawing on its energy, to virtually limitless effect.

Now, while I'd rather have as much of my magic as possible available in case of a true emergency, it would be folish to use that philosophy and leave unused the whole day long. Let's see what we can't do about that door, and if it is real or a sham.

First, he instructs the earth elemental already summoned to enter the wall to the left of the door, go a few feet in, and turn right, then come back the way it came and tell him if there is a passage there. If necessary, he will do the same from the right side of the door.

If results are inconclusive, he will cast Spectral Hand, and instruct the other two to retreat to the safety of the shaft. Then, he will cast Corrosive Grasp, Extended on the hand, and send it to melt through the door as before.

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The hand is incorporeal and thus cannot be harmed by normal weapons. It has improved evasion (half damage on a failed Reflex save and no damage on a successful save), your save bonuses, and an AC of at least 22. Your Intelligence modifier applies to the hand’s AC as if it were the hand’s Dexterity modifier. The hand has 1 to 4 hit points, the same number that you lost in creating it.

My Intelligence modifier is +8, and my save bonuses are 6/7/10.
HP lost: (1d4)[2]
Corrosive Grasp does damage as before - 1d8 acid dam/round for 18 rounds.

[Pink]

OOC: I think I'll intervene whilst Oloren is in the middle of summoning. Just because I can :P

Suddenly, there is a clicking from inside the coffin and all three of you spot from inside it a tiny mirror suddenly being revealed from a hidden compartment. Before anyone can react the mechanism, supported by a stone rod, shoots up and the light of the everburning torch is reflected by the angle of the mirror straight up into the roundel. At first nothing seems to happen, and then suddenly everything goes white.

When you can see again, for the most part things seem the same, but then you notice the differences. The mirror from the coffin and the stone rod that supported it have now disappeared. And you quickly noticed that you are no longer the only people in this room.

OOC2: Please give a moment for the introductionary post from the 1-2 people who will be joining before letting all chaos break loose.

[Kesnit]

Theresa

The humanoid woman staggers as she lands unexpectly. She flaps her wings slightly to regain her balance.

As she looks around, her eyes open with shock. I was here... But I wasn't... What happened? Her eyes fall on the one person she recognized. Gunnar, what did you do?

[Maurkov]

Gunnar

The heavily armored dwarf addressed as Gunnar looks up from the casket. He takes in the room, and one hand falls to his axe. "Planeshifted. You guys speak common?"

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Among other things, yes. May we assume you have a similar purpose here to us? The elf, clearly, interrupted in the middle of a few spellcasting gestures, speaks calmly and confidently.

[Maurkov]

Gunnar

"Most likely. Even shares?"

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Fair enough, the elf said dryly, arching an eyebrow. Let's see to this last door, then. We were just discussing methods to bypass it - unless you'd already figured it out before appearing?

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We've got the first two doors open, and are working on the middle (secret) one.

OOC suggestion - if everyone wants to link their character sheet into their next post, getting to know each other will go a bit faster.

Oloren's description, copied from the sheet:
This elf of medium height wears soft and comfortable robes of a type seemingly inappropriate for strenuous travel. A small gem is bound to his forehead by a rich band of cloth, and a well-made pack matches the several belt pouches he wears. He goes by Alan Moonwhisper to those who have trouble pronouncing the lilting syllables of his name. He has jet black hair and deep green eyes, and stands just over five feet tall. He is a devout follower of Boccob and a former student (current assistant professor) at Xiloscient (Goldpetal) Academy, whose dean was a professional rival of Evinrood's. Going on sabbatical this year, Oloren has chosen to pit his learning against the late wizard's, hoping to best his traps and stratagems, proving his and his master's learning superior to Evinrood's, and hopefully learning a few extra arcane secrets along the way.

[Maurkov]

Gunnar

"I'm Gunnar Mac Rory. This is Theresa. There were others, but they seem to have evaded the spell that brought us. My homunculus... did not. Curious. It is near."

"We hadn't opened that door yet, but even if we had, I'd want to check it again in case there differences between our planes. I should ask, does beer-- the fermented extract of malted grain-- exist in this continuum?"

"Tell me about these other doors you opened. We were saving them until all other avenues had been exhausted."

"Now then, to be earning my share." Gunnar moves to examine the revealed doors. He checks the seams and the pitch and cant. He feels for air motion and the faint pricklings of abjurative magic. He examines the finger holes.

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Character sheet is linked in sig.

dwarf autosearch - (1d20+26)[39] ignore for non-stonework
search - (1d20+26)[46] -2 for non-stonework

[Pink]

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What is this beer you speak of?

also, darn those twenties. You find the ancient red dragon waiting to eat you twenty stories below.
I'm kidding of course.

Gunnar's examination of the door reveals that there seems to be no way of opening them, as they are actually one solid false stone veneer. Examining the fingerholes, He can see that the holes go far deeper than expected, nearly three feet. What's more, through the finger holes Gunnar can see that there is a layer of metal, bronze it seems, under the stone veneer, and it is also bronze at the end of each deep finger hole. As far as he can search, Gunnar finds no new implements of death.

A casual observer will also note the malicious roundel on the ceiling has gone blank since the arrival of the new party members. ((and the disappearance of the old ones))

[harmonictempest]

Oloren

Beer does in fact exist in this "continuum", as you put it, as I imagine most things would. The top four current theories as to the physical mechanisms utilized by the magical energies manipulated by any known transportation spell or effect all predict a collapse of any possible parallel continua due to the overwhelming stabilizing effect of magical quanta on the physical probability complexes, resulting in a single instance of the Prime Material, despite any intuition to the contrary, which is a fortunate result, given the necessary subplanar interactions required to keep the Great Wheel properly balanced in its current configuration. The more likely possibility is that you have been dragged from a nearby point in the future or past. Any location in time more distant would likely have released even more energy than your arrival did. We can doubtless ascertain how large the offset has been when we return after finishing here.

With regard to the doors, we used the crude but efficient technique of summoned, and therefore completely expendable, elementals to spring the traps and open the doors for us, eschewing greater expertise in favor of speed. The left crushed the elemental that opened it between the two halves of the door, releasing sharp springs into the room that we were not entirely able to avoid. The right sent sharp spikes into the crudely formed finger of the elemental in question, but caused no further trouble. This last door sent long spikes through the elemental that tried to open it, causing the marks you can see on the coffin. After that, no combination of the holes we tried either caused the trap to be set off again, or opened the door. We were preparing to use further methods to scout past the door before deciding whether to simply break it down or not, though indications were beginning to indicate that the door might be a sham. Oloren watches Gunnar's searches with interest.

[HellFencer]

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Ok, my girlfriend is having labor induced so posting will be erratic for a little bit. I'm not sure when I'll have a chance to get online next, cause I don't think the hospital has internet. I'm only just at the house to pick up things...

Pink, can you NPC me til then? Cautious and eager to show my skills is my style. Remember, I don't use axes... I use scimitars! Dancing dwarf, ho!

[Pink]

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Dude! Congrats in advance. Go go, take whatever time you need. You'll be welcomed back and I'll try and keep Dances with Sand up and active.

Hmm...odd though...today a co-worker's niece was having labor induced...Coincidence eh?

[Maurkov]

Gunnar

Gunnar stares at the elf through the long-winded exposition. He knows better than to argue knots with a boy scout and lets Oloren's planar theory ride. "The tomb must be self-repairing, then. You would have seen the marks of our passage, or we yours. Lets not trust the traps to remain disarmed.

"This door is indeed false. Lets try the stairs."

He moves to the right staircase* and examines the first few steps, looking for pressure plates, trip wires, articulation, magical triggers, or the like.

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'Grats, Hellfencer. Kids are awsome.

*On the right as we first entered, 'south' on my ascii maps.

Stone only: dwarven autosearch - (1d20+26)[34]
search - (1d20+26)[45] -2 for non-stonework

Gunnar's Skill Enhancement infusion lasts 80 minutes. How much time has elapsed since he entered the coffin room?