The Underground Railgun

[KaganMonk]

Feldas jumps off of Aukan's back as soon as the teleport is complete.

Well, I guess it's time for me to do my job. I'll scout ahead a little bit and let you know if anything comes up.

Feldas activates his ring, becoming invisible. Then he moves up the tunnel as quietly as he can, keeping his senses alert for anything at all.

Spoiler

Show

MS - (d20+18)[19]
Listen - (d20+10)[24]
Spot - (d20+7)[8]

Moving 70ft per round, though not getting more than 100ft ahead. Stopping if I sense anything suspicious at all. Being very careful.

[Townopolis]

The tunnel out of the cavern slowly but surely descends deeper and deeper underground. There are occasional side paths, but they each dead end shortly in, or narrow too much to be passable. Eventually, however, the tunnel opens up into a much larger cavern. An underground river runs through this new passage, gurgling gently ever downward. The air in this cavern is moist and even cooler than in the previous caverns. So far your passage is undisturbed, nothing is growing or moving in here, until the river brings a rich crop of fungus to its shores, and the accompanying odor.

The cavern stretches into the darkness upwards and downwards.

Astrum

Spoiler

Show

In the river cavern, you catch sight of a single set of tracks heading deeper downwards into the caves. A small set of footprints, they seem to be in a fair bit of hurry, and have clearly taken no measures to hide their passage.

[NobleSavage]

Aukan

Crunching to the edge of the river, the goliath looks about, peering into the dark recesses. "Where to? Wasn't expecting to be popped into the heart of the fortress, didn't think we'd get dropped off so far from the action, either. Anyone know which way to go?"

Spoiler

Show

Spot (1d20+3)[11]
looking into the darkness (won't attack it quite yet)
Know Nature (1d20+10)[16]
for... stuff to know about the area

[Shular]

Astrum

"Nothing much to note," Astrum says, standing up straight after investigating the area. "A set of small footprints heading out, but no indication of its creator's purpose here, except that it was in a hurry to leave. Perhaps later clues will give a hint as to what was here."

As the group walks along the passage, Astrum tries to keep his senses as aware as possible, while at the same time examining the ground for signs of inhabitants.

At the river, he pauses with the rest. Once again examing the ground more closely, Astrum attempts to determine a path that creatures have been following. "I can try to figure out which way to go," he says, "but my skills are more suited towards the outdoors."

Spoiler

Show

Blindsense 30'.
Tracking (1d20+26)[31](if just base survival roll, subtract 2, which I forgot to include in my previous roll) to find a commonly used path,
What's the layout of the new cavern? Does the river block our path, or run alongside it?

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis keeps his mind open, ready for intruders and minds. He searches for thoughts in the direction of the footprints...

[Townopolis]

The river and the new tunnel follow each other, with a path of relatively dry stone on either side of the water.

Slowly, everyone begins to feel a slight impetus to head upward, in the direction the tracks came from. This builds into an urge, and then a strong gut feeling that that direction leads to your goal.

Astrum

Spoiler

Show

You find the path you are looking for, wear and scuff on the stone floor show that many have traveled along the river, there appears to be a slight preference among tracks for going deeper downwards. You also notice that at a certain point in the trail, the amount of wear drops of dramatically. The side with less passage is on the deeper end of the path.

Xessalis

Spoiler

Show

The gut feeling suggesting you head upward is not your own, but emanates from the direction the small footprints went.

[Shular]

Astrum

Not quite sure where this urge to go upwards stems from, but having no reason to mistrust his instincts, Astum attempts to rationalize his findings. "The path is heaviest in the downward direction," he points out, "and it seems obvious the creatures would be moving away from the greatest danger, so I suggest we move up the tunnel, in the opposite direction of the heavier traffic."

When he discovers the part of the trail with much less wear, he warns off the others. "In my experience, undergound lairs tend to equate to traps, and I'd expect that lack of traffic would equate to some form of danger. If anyone has any skill in discovering traps," he adds, raising an eyebrow at Feldas, "I'd recommend beginning there."

Spoiler

Show

Astrum will search the area as well (Search skill +10), but without trapfinding cannot detect traps with a find DC greater than 20. How wide and deep is the "gently gurgling" river?

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis

Xessalis sends a quick thought to his allies, careful not to let his telepathy get beyond them. "That urge you have? It isn't yours. Something- someone- is compelling us."

A moment of thought, then he continues, "I could go ahead and find it- I can remove myself from a creature's perceptions. I will be wary, don't you worry..."

[KaganMonk]

Blasted mentalists, messing with my mind. I'll most certainly go ahead and look for traps, but I'm not particularly skilled in finding them. Only avoiding and disabling them.

Feldas reactivates his invisibility and creeps slowly forward despite his gut feeling, searching for any traps and steeling himself for anything to come.

Spoiler

Show

Sorry, all my sneakiness is focused on the enemies and not my surroundings, unless I missed something with my ninja side.
Search - (d20+5)[14]
MS - (d20+18)[31]
Listen - (d20+10)[28]
Spot - (d20+7)[8]

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis

Just before Feldas leaves, Xessalis chants a few mystic words and reaches out to touch his forehead with one hand.

"That spell will let me keep track of you- we may need to come and help if you get into trouble."

Spoiler

Show

Status cast on Feldas.

[Townopolis]

Feldas disappears and embarks down the tunnel, following the flow of the river, and against the gut feeling.

The remainder of the group is left to await his report at the crossroads. The caverns echo with the sounds of water.

Xessalis

Spoiler

Show

Feldas slowly moves about 50' down the tunnel, then creeps closer to the riverbank, turns back, goes forward again. and stops there for a moment.

Feldas

Spoiler

Show

Heading deeper into the cave, the gut feeling continues to grow. You find no traps, and trip none, but after a while the urge to turn back becomes difficult to push aside.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch a yellowish glimmer near the riverbank, among a cluster of mushrooms. As you approach it, a sudden danger sense causes you to jump back. Approaching the glimmer again produces the same effect, except this time you resist. Another step forward, and you can see a small, yellow crystal, about the size of your thumb, secured onto the cavern floor with thin metal bands. The crystal glows faintly and tries to mentally push you away the closer you get to it.

[KaganMonk]

Not knowing what the crystal is, Feldas returns to the group.

There's some sort of crystal down there causing this gut feeling, and I don't really recognize it at all. There's no traps, just the feeling of danger. Xess, could you take a look and tell me if I should disable it or just go past it?

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis

A quick nod signals the Illithid's willingness.

"Before I go, are there any traps I should know about? I can easily avoid pressure pads-" at this point, he levitates slightly,m before dropping back- "but it's much easier not to do that."

[KaganMonk]

Nothing that I tripped or detected. Only thing I possibly could have tripped and didn't is anything based on seeing me, which I doubt. I'll go first anyways with complete visibility.

Feldas leads Xess and anyone else who is interested down the path to the crystal, still keeping an eye out for anything dangerous.

Spoiler

Show

Spot - (d20+7)[27]
Listen - (d20+10)[11]
Search - (d20+5)[16]

I'll come back and color my words when I get on a computer that doesn't break the controls.

[MorkaisChosen]

"I shall keep my feet on the ground, then..."

Xessalis will go forward with the others to check the crystal- first things first, checking for thoughts within it...

Spoiler

Show

Will get some spot/listen etc. when I can get at my sheet.

[Shular]

Astrum

Astrum looks at Aukan, "I think we should follow them, just so we can all be aware of what's going on."

Spoiler

Show

Assuming he can resist the repelling compulsion, Astrum will follow at a distance just close enough for the other two to remain in the light of the sunrod (about 30').

[Townopolis]

You find the crystal again without trouble. Nearing it, your impulse to head swiftly the other way increases, but with the knowledge that it is not your own, you are able to push the feeling aside.

The crystal glows softly in the relative darkness, desperately urging you to leave.

Xessalis

Spoiler

Show

((The missing sheet is a problem. Anyway, I'm going to just fiat you make this check since we can't get an accurate roll))
The crystal is, of course, creating an effect similar to that created by the Aversion power, targeting everyone that comes within its range and giving them an aversion to itself. You'd bet that that's the power used to create it.

The crystal has a limited life, and it's actually running out of juice. It's operating at full power right now, but you wouldn't expect it to last more than 12 hours.

[MorkaisChosen]

((Sheet isn't missing- I know exactly where it is, but Tangled Web is blocked at school. If the link in any other places isn't working, it'll be because they changed the format for the URLs))

Xessalis looks intently at the crystal, checking it for thought and casting a pair of spells to examine it.

"Interesting... This crystal seems to be designed to make people avoid it for some reason. I can see no other functions so far, but it may just be intended to stop us finding the entrance."

Spoiler

Show

The spells are Detect Evil and Detect Law, cast and concentrated on for long enough to find out if the crystal is Lawful of Evil.

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis says, "Interesting... It radiates a field intended to make us avoid it, but I cannot see any other functions of this crystal."

He continues to examine it, casting a pair of spells and looking for conciousness within it.

Spoiler

Show

Detect Evil and Law cast.

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis says, "Interesting... It radiates a field intended to make us avoid it, but I cannot see any other functions of this crystal."

He continues to examine it, casting a pair of spells and looking for conciousness within it.

Spoiler

Show

Detect Evil and Law cast.

Sheet isn't missing, but TTW is blocked at school.

[NobleSavage]

Aukan

"A wise suggestion, but perhaps we should stay a little farther back. They are able to see in the darkness, so the light will not benefit them, and may harm them if enemies are near by."

Waiting patiently, the goliath looks about, trying to get a sense of his surroundings and wary for any traps or hidden doors.

Spoiler

Show

Know:Nature (1d20+10)[28]
for anything unnatural, ie alterations such as traps and doors.
Spot(1d20+3)[10]

[Townopolis]

Xessalis

Spoiler

Show

You detect no consciousness in the crystal. It is simply affecting anyone within range.

[MorkaisChosen]

"It has no thought, it only affects anyone within range. I have one last thing to check- if it has no other purpose than repelling intruders, we can ignore this object- as long as we are aware that there might be others- but if it does something else, we may have to destroy or neutralise it."

Casting another spell, Xessalis stares intently, trying to spot any other abilities that the crystal may have.

Spoiler

Show

Detect Magic cast. Psicraft check for any other effects: (1d20+13)[26]

Spells left: 5 Level 0
6 Level 1
5 Level 2

[Townopolis]

Xessalis

Spoiler

Show

The crystal has no other properties.

[MorkaisChosen]

A peculiar flexing of the Illithid's tentacles reminds you a little of the smile of any other creature.

"No, this thing only has the ability to repel people. It must be guarding something- we should look out for anything out of place, because there is no reason for this to be here otherwise."

"It could simply be guiarding the back entrance to the Psion's stronghold, but I would not be surprised to find something more important even than that around here."

[KaganMonk]

Feldas nods, then starts to move forward again.

In that case, I'll begin scouting again. If I scream in horrifying agony, be careful when you come to rescue me.

He grins as he activates his ring again and begins moving.

Spoiler

Show

Scouting again.
Search - (d20+5)[17]
Spot - (d20+7)[21]
Listen - (d20+10)[13]
MS - (d20+18)[20]

[MorkaisChosen]

Xessalis

Another illithid smile, and Xessalis replies, "Don't worry. I can tell if you're actually dying or only being forced into it by Illithid mind-control."

Xessalis doesn't quite seem to have mastered the concept of "joke" as well as some of his compatriots...

[NobleSavage]

Aukan

Peering through the gloom after his allies the goliath grunts disapprovingly. "Shouldn't be chattin' if they're really expecting danger. Wish we'd get goin' soon, I don't particularly like all this slow movin' and talkin'. Beggin' for an ambush." Looking uneasily around, Aukan shifts under his armor, links clanking mutely in the damp air.

[Townopolis]

Heading down the tunnel, past the crystal, Feldas passes by another fifty or so feet of natural tunnel before an unnatural shape comes into view of his darkvision. The tunnel is cut off by a large, circular door set into an artificial wall.

Coming up to investigate the door, it seems to be made of steel, and is large enough to allow something fairly big through, a troll, for example. It hinges on the back and doesn't show any locking mechanism, but rather seems to be barred from the other side in some way. Some brief investigation shows little else, it seems to be only a mundane barrier.

[KaganMonk]

Coming to the physical barrier, Feldas immediately brings back his companions to examine the door for a way past.

When he brings the others back, he examines the area for any way past he missed.

Spoiler

Show

Search - (d20+5)[18]