White Plume Mountain IC

[Orran]

Original Fluff:

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Several weeks ago, three highly valued magic weapons with the cryptic names Wave, Whelm, and Blackrazor disappeared from the vaults of their owners in the midst of the city. Rewards were posted, servants were hanged, and even the sanctuary of the Thieves' Guild was violated in the frantic search for these priceless arms, but not a single clue turned up until the weapons' former owners (all wealthy collectors) each received a copy of a strange note:

Search ye far or search ye near,
You'll find no trace of the three
Unless you follow instructions clear,
For the weapons abide with me.

North past forest, farm, and furrow
You must go to reach the feathered mound.
Then down away from the sun you'll burrow --
Forget life, forget light, forget sound.

To rescue Wave, you must do battle
With the Beast in the Boiling Bubble.
Crost cavern vast, where chain-links rattle
Lies Whelm, past waterspouts double.

Blackrazor yet remains to be won
Underneath inverted ziggurat.
That garnered, think not that you're done,
For now you'll find you are caught.

I care not, former owners brave,
What heroes you seek to hire.
Though mighty, each shall be my slave
Or vanish into the fire.

K

When Riikan Dack, a wealthy collector of rare art objects, hired you to recover a weapon stolen from his vault, he offered your group 10,000gp-a reward sizable enough to dissuade you from asking too many questions. He showed you the boastful note left by the thief-supposedly an ancient wizard named Keraptis- and told you that his sources had pinpointed your destination (the "feathered mound" named in the note) as a volcanic peak called White Plume Mountain.
Days Later you found yourselves scaling the south slope of the mountain. You soon located an entry tunnel leading into the rock and emerged in a cave tha actually seemed to breathe, exhaling a large cloud of steam and then slowly inhaling again, like a man breathing on a cold day.
Inside, the cavern floor was covered with muck-obviously a byproduct of the condensation dripping from the walls and ceiling. Hidden beneath this mud, near the back of the cavern, you discovered a simple trapdoor set with an iron ring. And now, below the opening, a square vertical shaft beckons. Inside it is a spiral staircase leading down into warm humid darkness. As you walk down them you feel them vibrate slightly with some innate subterranean rumbling.
At the bottom of the staircase is murky dark water, covered with floating patches of algae, around you the walls are damp and spotted with green and white patches of fungus and algae.

Map:

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[xPANCAKEx]

Torn Ear

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will write in present tense unless the DM prefers otherwise

Torn ear had kept himself to himself on the road to the cave, not even grunt an acknowledgement when asked if he would care to share a campfires warmth with the others, meerly sitting down near it. Now that he finds himself here, Torn Ear spits with disgust at all the floating algea, before turning to the rest of the hired band to speak the first words they've heard out of him since leaving the dack estate, "i'll see whats on ahead ahead - and keep your noise down." before briefly checking under the stairs and moving into the coridor

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are there any sources of light down here? dark vision in effect, no personal light sources

check around the stairs, then slowly move down the corridor ahead of the rest to c10- keeping an eye out for any movement/anything unusual

search (1d20+8)[24] - around stairs
move silent(1d20+13)[27]
search (1d20+8)[22] - as moving along corridor

dm spot rolls as appropriate please

[Pinnacle]

Nathaniel

The tall human man nods at Torn Ear's request. He considers reaching out mentally to sense the area ahead of them, but decides to conserve his energy and rely on the bugbear for now.

He stuffs his everburning torch back into his backpack to hide the light. Anyone with darkvision (or another light source) may notice what appears to be a small piece of crystal climb up to his shoulder on spindly legs.

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Nathaniel himself can't see in the dark, but his psicrystal can out to 40 ft and can telepathically warn everyone if it spots anything.

[wadledo]

Dain Deepeyes

The stocky Mountain Dwarf nods his agreement, returning to his history book.
Tall for his race, Dain's intelligent brown eyes skim the pages, his shield and waraxe at the ready in case of trouble.
Having to leave his mule at the nearest town forced him to carry all of his books with him, but dwarven tenacity prevailed.
"So," He whispers quietly, "Why did you all choose this job?"

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Assuming there is a town nearby.

Sigils already engraved/what activates them:
0 Level:
Detect Magic/Terran "Reveal to me, the magic."
Resistance/Terran "All things crumble. I do not!"
2 unused Sigils

1st Level:
Enlarge Person/Terran "How small you are."
True Strike/Dwarven "Stike true as always!"
1 unused Sigil

2nd Level:
Mirror Image/Dwarven "Can you deal with more than one of me?"
Scorching Ray/Terran "Burn!"
Spider Climb/Dwarven "Up the walls!"
1 unused Sigil

[Orran]

Along the walls are several burning torches providing enough light to see by, but many corners are dark.

Torn Ear moves into the water with a light slooshing noise, but otherwise moving silently enough that only the sharpest ears among you can hear him moving, he checks under the stairs and finds them to be in safe working order despite their weathered appearance. Moving halfway down the corridor Torn Ear looks out for traps or anything else of interest but finds nothing of note on the walls or floating around his feet. He beckons to you all to indicate it is safe.

It seems that the corridor makes a turn to the left roughly 40ft ahead of you.

[Thoranius]

Hextor

Along the road he had preached at you about Heironeous and all of the bonus's about following his path and fighting for glory and honour in his name. It got to the stage where most of you either diverted him by talking about something else, vaguely related or toning him out completley.

Arriving at the top of the staircase, he looks down and seeing the dark doesn't feel the compunction to go first, after seeing Torn-ear set off he is quite complacent to fall in behind.

[xPANCAKEx]

Torn Ear

The bugbear waits for his allies to reach him safely before carefully moving towards the bend to peer round and see what lies ahead

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move silent - (1d20+13)[22]
search - (1d20+8)[15]

and any spot checks as needed! ta!

[Pinnacle]

Nathaniel

Nathaniel nods at the dwarf. "I chose to be here because I have a feeling I'm supposed to be," he said as softly as he could, "I must admit that it's a trend with me."

Looking at the torches on the wall, he says, "Torches? Does that mean that somebody was here recently, or are these magical lights?"
He moves over and holds his hand near one to see if it's giving off heat.

[Orran]

OOC: There will be a map update later tonight/tomorrow morning.

The torches are giving off heat, they appear to be normal torches maintained to provide light in the cave.

Torn Ear advances around the corner and sees 50ft ahead of him a bedraggled creature resting on a 2-foot-high pile of bones that fills an intersection between 4 corridors, including the one he is in.. The creature's body looks like that of a mangy lion, and great, tattered wings lie folded at it's sides. A female humanoid face peers out from beneath the tangled mat of hair that covers it's head.

[xPANCAKEx]

Torn Ear

the bug bear moves back to the rest of the group to tell them what he has seen

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move silently - (1d20+13)[32]

"theres something up ahead and i doubt its too friendly. I think we could take it by suprise"

[wadledo]

Dain Deepeyes

"Then let us be off."
Dain heads into the blackness, letting the bug bear lead the way.

OOC:

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Are we missing someone?
Also, my 3 day warning, will be gone from the 6th to the 26th, don't expect much posting.

[Orran]

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New map is up, Boomwolf hasn't posted yet so I've put him where I'd expect him to be. I've rolled MS checks for all of you.

[boomwolf]

((sorry I'm late, had a finals test today....

I'm gray right?))

Irisal

A lightly armored human with long silver hair. nobody is sure if you are talking to a guy or a girl, nobody dares ask, the human has two swords in hands, and they are short. fitting of Irisal's temper.
Irisal says "I doubt we can sneak up on that, but its worth a shot.", then heads into the darkness, with both swords in hands, prepared to defend against attack if the creature notices.

move silently - (1d20+12)[32]
Edit: lower 5 from the roll, forgot I didn't give my armor "silent moves" in the end, so I got confused by it listed in my misc mod...still 2ed best sneaky...

((am I the only finding it ironic that the fighter, usually a walking drumming set, is the second best sneak around?))

[xPANCAKEx]

ooc

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I'll take your DM roll for my MS - live dangerously in not knowning.

nice roll on the sneak - seems i may have a partner in silent sneaky crime

The bugbear moves to within range of the creature, hoping to catch it by suprise

move to e17 - just have to wait for everyone else to move, to see if we get a suprise round now

[Orran]

You don't have to be grey if you don't want to. I chose gray because of the silversword's bit.

Anyone moving forward needs to say which square they're moving to, I've placed you just around the corner from the creature because you seemed to all be moving towards it in some way.

Edit: ninja'ed. Another post to respond to that coming right up.

[Orran]

As Torn ear creeps towards the creature you all notice a light above him glowing, it appears to be some kind of rune. All of you find it hard to move (will saves required).

The creature looks at all of you and says "You, intruders. You Will answer my riddles in order to pass, refuse and the other magical traps here will kill you all. Which path do you wish to follow?" As the creature says this you notice 3 paths leading away from the creature. One to the left, one to the right, and one going behind it.

[boomwolf]

((I like gray...))

Irisal

will - (1d20)[16]

"Dont riddle-monsters usually let you back off if you don't wish to answer?" asks Irisal, fully serious.

"As for what path we choose, I do believe we are given too little information on them at the moment to make such choice."

Irisal naturally stands on full defense jest in case the taunt annoy the beast too much.

[Pinnacle]

Nathaniel

If the creature could spot Torn Ear, Nathaniel felt there was little point in trying to evade notice; besides, it obviously wasn't immediately hostile.

"Is the path question the riddle, or are you going to ask a different riddle depending on our choice?
"In the latter case, I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell us which path leads where? Or do we just have to pick one?"

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Nathaniel Will - (1d20+8)[20]

[Thoranius]

Hextor

[Will Save]1D20+8[/roll]

I hate magic runes, so very much.

"Now then creature, what would these riddles be? And you have simply said we must choose a way, how are we to choose without knowing what is down these passages or if there is even an inkling, how do we know that 2 of the 3 don't have some form of magic shield on and will blow us to pieces as we walk through them?"

As he speaks the last string of words he pulls three copper pieces from his blet pouch and tosses one each through a doorway just to see if they do explode.

[Thoranius]

Messed up my save sorry

Will Save - (1D20+8)[11]

[xPANCAKEx]

torn ear

will save - (1d20+5)[18]

[Orran]

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As he speaks the last string of words he pulls three copper pieces from his blet pouch and tosses one each through a doorway just to see if they do explode.

No he doesn't, because he failed his will save and is rooted to the floor, unable to move apart from speech. NOTE: Everyone so far has failed the save.

"The riddle depends on which path you follow, and what guards the paths I do not know, but I do know that each leads to one of the weapons you seek. If you want to proceed you will have to answer a riddle, and leaving will get you no closer to them, but you are free to do so." The creature yawns and lifts its wings impatiently. "Now which riddle would you like to hear first?"

[boomwolf]

Irisal

"Damn, this means we will have to take all 3 riddles at the end of the day. well, screw. starting with the right path." says Irisal before anyone has a chance to speek. it does not really matter anyway.

[xPANCAKEx]

Torn Ear

"taking a flank? suits me"

[Orran]

The creature lifts its head and delivers its riddle;
"My creator wants me not,
And much in dread will I be bought.
My cold embrace is fiercely fought,
Most all who need me know it not."
It then smiles and patiently waits for an answer.

[boomwolf]

Irisal

"I've heard easier riddles before...but this gonna take a while..." says irisal, then mumbles, clearly not answering but more thinking. "death? probably not. white dragon? makes no sense...god I should have read more books..."

[Pinnacle]

Nathaniel

Nathaniel looks around at his companions, listening to the whisperings in his mind coming from the crystal fragment on his shoulder.

"Death doesn't sound right, because of the 'creator' part, but maybe something to do with death? Does anyone think it might be a coffin? Or a tomb?"

[xPANCAKEx]

Torn Ear

either that, or a grave

[boomwolf]

Irisal

"Grave sounds right...should we give that as our answer?"

[xPANCAKEx]

Torn Ear

"graves arn't built - a coffin would be nearer the mark"