Sinister Spire playtest

[Solo]

Oh, and by the way, does anyone have a way across the abyss?

[Illiterate Scribe]

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There is nothing really across the abyss. You seem to be in its only opening in the walls.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Oh, and by the way, does anyone have a way across the abyss?

Jones raises an Eyebrow.

Yes. It's not like anyone here is capable of magical flight, right? Then, he inspects the bodies.

Once we have checked up this guys, we can throw them into the abyss...of DOOM, in case we're expected to make a leap of faith across this abyss.

[Solo]

The faithful man will take a leap of faith. I am not such a man.

However, I do believe we have a man of faith here who is good at jumping.

[Sir Giacomo]

Shannow tries to figure out what kind active spell or unusual spell effect this "abyss" thing is since it is none of the known spells of Mr. Veidt.

spellcraft - (1d20+12)[26]

Otherwise, let us search this place thoroughly, including the bodies, before advancing for any remaining clues (taking 20 for total search check, 22).

ooc: will go to bed now...no, not Shannow...

[Solo]

I suspect either an illusionary terrain, or a really deep hole in the ground.

Veidt throws his rope over the edge from one side of the terrace and drags it to the other, testing for an invisible surface.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Well, if our friends here don't have anything interesting on them, nobody is hurt if we give them a use, Doctor Jones says as he grabs one of the bodies and throws it into the chasm.

[Solo]

Hey, I could have used that!

[Illiterate Scribe]

The body that Dr Jones pitches over the edge up feels oddly heavy - the reason for this becomes evident as it hits one of the walls (no, there's no invisible surface) Despite being, clothed - it ... well, it could only be said to have shattered against the walls of the well, scattering a fine stone dust that slowly drifts down.

The other body, that Shannow searches, is more conventionally corporeal - it is a dead halfling, his face half-chewed off. On his person are two large bags, now emptied, save for a letter, in a strange tongue - you might recognise it as Yuan-ti, but it's gibberish to you.

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V unir orra qrynlrq. Zl freinagf pneel gur xvat'f obarf naq nyy gur vgrzf bs uvf punzcvbaf gung V pbhyq svaq. Zreguhivny, pnaabg ybpngr. y funyy fcraq n ovg zber gvzr gelvat gb svaq vg, ohg V nz fraqvat gurfr ba fb gung bhe eraqrmibhf vf abg pbzcebzvfrq. Cyrnfr tvir gur Inathneq zl ertneqf. y funyy or nybat fubegyl.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Hmm. Seems like it's a deep fall, Indiana remarks, as he takes a look at the letter.

Meh, can't read this, boys. It reminds me of a phrase spoken by a madman, though: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

[Solo]

Knowledge: arcana , if applicable (1d20+5)[21]

Also, use Bag of Tricks to pitch animals over the edge of the abyss

Dr. Jones, if you could refrain from attracting the attention of dark and forgotten gods for a moment, could you perhaps assist me in finding a way to cross this accursed place? Otherwise, we will be forced to turn back and try the other route.

[Talic]

There is little I can do with the message right now, but in the morning, I may be able to offer insights into its meaning. Until then, more conventional means will have to suffice.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Dr. Jones, if you could refrain from attracting the attention of dark and forgotten gods for a moment, could you perhaps assist me in finding a way to cross this accursed place? Otherwise, we will be forced to turn back and try the other route.

It doesn't seem like we should cross the abyss. Much more likely that there's some kind of secret passage or something like that. Our Yuan Ti quarry seems to be the egomaniacal sort that would love secret passages.

[Illiterate Scribe]

Shannow, as he continues to search, reveals another interesting oddity - there are, in the fine layer of dust coating the floor, footprints - footprints that seem to lead off, straight over the edge.

The miscellaneous small animals pitch squealing to the floor below. What with various heretofore unknown laws governing kinetic energy, terminal velocity, and force, the fall doesn't kill the animals some 250ft below. The mice wander about squeaking below, until suddenly - all is silent again.

[Solo]

Assuming Shannow points out the footprints:

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Shannow, which do you think is more likely: There is something below us, or the person who made the footprints was forced to jump off in order to avoid some danger?

We could tie a rope around you and lower you down if you want to explore. Mr. Jones could search for traps.

Also, have Blackadder look for scents, especially around the walls. and floor, which could indicate secret passages or something.

[Sir Giacomo]

Well, some of the robbers apparently went down here. I have a 50ft rope, on which we can tie this everburning torch. We let it down to gauge how deep it is down there. In case we need more rope, we'll simply bind another one of yours (if any of you have one) on it, and so on.
In case it is too deep, we'll need some kind of magic to get down there. But let us check the depth first.

Shannow takes 20 to bind his everburning torch to the rope and gently lets down his rope.

[Solo]

Careful, Shannow, for when you stare at the abyss, the abyss stares back at you

Suddenly, an overhead trap is sprung and Veidt is pelted with a basketfull of rotten tomatoes.

[Illiterate Scribe]

There are no secret passages; there is only the abyss.

Shannow's rope is too short to reach all the way down; in fact, it looks as if it only stretches 50ft of the way. This is enough to illuminate the bottom, however - the everburning torch flickers, igniting electrical sparks of magic from the air. The base is covered in an exceedingly thick layer of dust - no, not dust, but rather, some more chitinous substance.

[Solo]

Veidt looks downwards.

Well, that seems safe enough. Shall we go down? The dust should leave footprints, so if anyone else went down there, we'd see them.

[Talic]

By all meanssss, Mr. Veidt. After you.

[Solo]

Send the mage to scout, feh feh


Veidt grabs the rope and slides down.

Making him roll a clomb check would likely cause him to fall and kill himself.

[Sir Giacomo]

Wait, Veidt! (no pun intended...).
The rope is likely not yet long enough for you - if you do not intend to use any magic. Does anyone else have a rope? Let's bind it to this one and fix it up here.
And since I'm possibly the fastest climbing up the rope again in case of trouble, I'd suggest I go first, while you cover me with ranged attacking options from above...
...I could also go first and catch you in case you slip...
Or in case our priest also has trouble climbing down, I'd suggest both Mr. Jones and myself combine our limited strength to lower you down there - but that could expose you to an ambush.

What will it be?

ooc: the climb DC with a rope down should be around 5.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Hmm...I'll go first, if you don't mind, Doctor Jones says as he descends down the rope. As he reaches the end of the rope, he jumps down, preparing his body to diminish the effects of his fall.

Spoiler

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Jumping down willfully reduces the effective distance by 10', and a successful Tumble check lowers it by another 10'.

Tumble: (1d20+11)[18]

And of course, this.

[Solo]

Good idea, Shannow.


(Let's assume the party makes it down and move on. The poking of the DM will ensue.)

[Sir Giacomo]

ooc: Azerian Kelimon, the distance jumped down is around 40ft. Jumping down deliberatly does not take off 10ft, but only turns the damage dealt to non-lethal. Provided you make the tumble check (as you did), that nets you 2d6 real and 1d6 non lethal damage. If anything would attack Dr. Jones down there, that would be quite bad (you being down by 10-11 hp).
What we COULD do is let Shannow go down first, he'll do the tumble check and can fall down the rest 30ft safely, due to his slow fall class ability.
Once down there, everyone just climbs down, jumps the rest (with Shannow catching them).
Dr. Jones then goes last, tying off the rope and using his regular rogue climb skill to get down. This way, we'd also keep the rope.
What do you think?
edit ooc2: Ach, what the heck - does noone have a 2nd rope? Would be hihgly unusual. This way, we'd just get down and be done with it. Let's not forget the everburning torch bound to the end of the 1st rope...

[Solo]

I have a rope.

Now, let us all engage in the ritual prodding of the DM.

[Talic]

ooc: Azerian Kelimon, the distance jumped down is around 40ft. Jumping down deliberatly does not take off 10ft, but only turns the damage dealt to non-lethal. Provided you make the tumble check (as you did), that nets you 2d6 real and 1d6 non lethal damage. If anything would attack Dr. Jones down there, that would be quite bad (you being down by 10-11 hp).
What we COULD do is let Shannow go down first, he'll do the tumble check and can fall down the rest 30ft safely, due to his slow fall class ability.
Once down there, everyone just climbs down, jumps the rest (with Shannow catching them).
Dr. Jones then goes last, tying off the rope and using his regular rogue climb skill to get down. This way, we'd also keep the rope.
What do you think?
edit ooc2: Ach, what the heck - does noone have a 2nd rope? Would be hihgly unusual. This way, we'd just get down and be done with it. Let's not forget the everburning torch bound to the end of the 1st rope...

OOC:

Jumping Down
If you intentionally jump from a height, you take less damage than you would if you just fell. The DC to jump down from a height is 15. You do not have to get a running start to jump down, so the DC is not doubled if you do not get a running start.

If you succeed on the check, you take falling damage as if you had dropped 10 fewer feet than you actually did.

While this typically is done from jumps of 20 feet, resulting in 2d6 being changed to 1d6 nonlethal (as 10 foot falls are treated as nonlethal damage, I believe), the jump check does indeed treat the fall as if it were 10 feet shorter.

Thus, a 40 foot fall, if you jumped intentionally, is treated as a 30 foot fall.
If you then tumbled, you would treat it as if it were a further 10 feet shorter, for a 20 foot fall.

Now that THAT's taken care of, and we know Azerion did apply his rules correctly...

*poke*

[Sir Giacomo]

Ah, another rope! That solves it nicely.
(pulls rope back up, ties other rope to it, lets it down again with the everburnign torch at the end).
So I guess, I'll go first, then our casters, and then Dr. Jones in the rear - possibly you can climb well enough that you take the rope with you and climb without it?

ooc: Probably we can all take ten in the climb checks.

ooc2:
Talic, you're wrong.

You EITHER do a jump OR tumble check when you jump down OR let yourself fall. Not both.
Check the SRD falling rules, not only the jump check rules:
Falling Damage: The basic rule is simple: 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet fallen, to a maximum of 20d6.
If a character deliberately jumps instead of merely slipping or falling, the damage is the same but the first 1d6 is nonlethal damage. A DC 15 Jump check or DC 15 Tumble check allows the character to avoid any damage from the first 10 feet fallen and converts any damage from the second 10 feet to nonlethal damage. Thus, a character who slips from a ledge 30 feet up takes 3d6 damage. If the same character deliberately jumped, he takes 1d6 points of nonlethal damage and 2d6 points of lethal damage. And if the character leaps down with a successful Jump or Tumble check, he takes only 1d6 points of nonlethal damage and 1d6 points of lethal damage from the plunge.

Anyhow, we now have a rope, so that's settled (and if all had been monks, they could just have slow falled/tumbled without any damaged....

[Talic]

Anyhow, we now have a rope, so that's settled (and if all had been monks, they could just have slow falled/tumbled without any damaged....

(and if all had been wizards/sorcerors, they could have Levitated or used Fly... and if all had been rogues, they could have all used their Climb skill... and if if if... doesn't really matter. These comments serve absolutely nothing, as a party of all one class is not balanced, and will not be able to handle as wide a variety of effects, showing the silliness of your comment)

[Sir Giacomo]

er...Illiterate Scribe?

Will there be any encounters for playtesting yet?

- Giacomo