Wizards: {The Graduates}

[KingRexII]

Veriben breathes deeply as he lands. He moves off the people he's fallen on top of, saying sheepishly, "Sorry."

At the sight of no Tristan, Veriben sighs quietly, but sadly -- yet another casualty of this attack. He takes little time to grieve as many lives are still at risk. He draws his quarterstaff and shakily makes his way to the end of the corridor to see what he can see.

Spoiler

Show

Balance - (1d20+2)[3], in case Veriben needs it to move
Spot - (1d20-1)[15], Listen - (1d20-1)[19]

[BlueWizard]

The corridors stretch over 200 feet in either direction into darkness. From there you will likely need light. The magical lighting of this underground turns off, and ends at this middle point in the hall.

[BlueWizard]

OOC- Just remember bored DMs like to make things exciting.

This does man one thing. Good XP for survivors.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Bel gets up once he is unburied from the others, and looks around, noticing the lack of light, and shakes his head.

Then, for lack of a current better idea, he looks around the vicinity to see if the current light source is coming from anything in particular, and if so, if it is movable.

[BlueWizard]

The light source here is like so many on the campus, and is merely a spot on the ceiling with continual light cast upon it. It is said it could burn up some day, but no wizard has ever been around to outlive their spell.

This light spot, now found could be covered if so desired, but not moved.

[AetherFox]

Tomas picks himself off of the pile, and seems a little withdrawn, trying to forget what just happens to Tristan. He turns twards the left passage, and as he walks, cracks a sunrod against his knee to activate it, and holds it high in the air to light the most area. He looks at the others behind him and says, "Come, lets keep moving, incase that gas doesn't stop..."

[Lochar]

Belsambor

"Tests, remember? It wouldn't be a good test, if the second one is affected by the first." Belsambor looks at the others. "Besides, does anyone have a light source? If we must go either way, I would much rather see where we go. We could use Prestidigitation to create a small flame, but that wouldn't give more light than a candle."

[AetherFox]

Spoiler

Show

Sorry for the double post. Tomas just activated a sunrod.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Noting the sunrod being activated even as he speaks, Bel grins slightly. "We brought some of the oddest things to the graduation party. I think I'm almost glad we ended up as we did, because it looks like it would have been a hell of a crash otherwise."

Bel then pulls a coin from his pocket. Heads left, tails right, since I don't think we care which way we go." and then flips the coin.

Spoiler

Show

(1d2)[1]

[BlueWizard]

Heads to the left?

With Tomas' sunrod the group is set to go, it bends to the right some distance ahead.

[KingRexII]

Veriben, with his weapon in hand, leads the group down the left corridor. ((Unless anyone objects.))

[BlueWizard]

There is an end to the hall after the corner. A room with another altar of sorts. This is a room carved from the dark stone earth rock. In the wall at the end of this hall is a bright ball of crackling white energy. All of you would've read about positive energy, but only in theory. This is an entire sphere, about 3 feet in diameter.

Below the sphere of positivity is a black button. And it looks as if it is a hemi-sphere of positive energy, but is actually a sphere mounted in the wall.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Bel nods at the dais. "Before we touch anything, we should go see what is down the other hall. I would guess that it would be either a duplicate of this, or the reverse."

[BlueWizard]

A quick examination will show Belsambor to be a seer.

There is a crackling black sphere of negative energy in the wall here with a white button below it.

[KingRexII]

Veriben

"I suppose there's not much to do now other than pressing the buttons. I'll do the honor here" -- he points to the black button with his staff -- "and perhaps someone else should watch the other end to see what happens there."

[Lochar]

Belsambor

"Or it could be possible both must be pressed at once. Balance positive and negative."

[KingRexII]

Veriben

He nods in Bel's direction, acknowledging the possible validity of his idea. He moves towards the black button and clenches his fist, poised to slam it down. "All right, then, Belsambor. Shout out the countdown when you get to the other side. Tomas, Princess -- watch our backs, won't you?"

[Lochar]

Belsambor

"I will give you a five count. On zero, hit the button."

Bel looks to the others. "In case our idea is flawed, would at least one of you stand back in the center area, where the continual light was? I do not think it will have a bad effect outside these two rooms."

If there is agreeance, Bel will borrow the second sunrod, with promises to pay it back, and then go to the positive energy sphere.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One. ZERO!"

[BlueWizard]

Belsambor stops Veriben from pushing the button too soon, and they get in place by either hall's button.

When the cues are sounded, you find that the sound travels pretty well this long distance. {a third person at center might even time the button push better on his voice} The buttons push in and there is a large click which seems to release the spheres of energy from their mounts. There are no passages behind the balls, except a depression in the rock.

You will need to duck as they slowly come toward you and head back in the direction toward the continual light area.

[KingRexII]

Veriben uses his staff as a poor man's shield as the sphere comes towards him before ducking and allowing it to pass by him. He follows it to the corner and watches both his sphere are the wall from which it came.

[BlueWizard]

Strolon who was in the middle and called out to the button pushers see the spheres turn the corner at the same time. They are coming straight for him and should reach the lit area at the same time.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Bel walks slowly behind the ball, and once he turns the corner calmly shouts out. "Back up, and let them touch each other. Stay as far back from their connection point as possible."

[BlueWizard]

Strolon and Tomas barely move out of the way of the spheres as they come at them. The two of them split up. As the orbs near, the group retreats around the corners. There is an explosion when they meet that none of you will witness. There is a flash of light that fills the main hall. It then turns dark again.

When you peek around the corner at the lit area, you will see another corridor in the wall now, across from the area you'd come in.

[AetherFox]

Tomas blinks a couple of times, trying to wipe the stars from his vision. "Dear gods, that was some explosion." Then his eyes fall on the new passage. "Hey, it actually worked! Yay for reckless behavior!"

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Bel smiles quietly. "I guess reckless evocation does have the occasional use."

He moves back around the corner. "Shall we continue on? We don't know how many more of these tests there are, and I'd rather not waste assistance on that question to find out."

[AetherFox]

"If she even knows. Yeah, come on, let's go..."
With a smile, Tomas begins to walk down the recently exposed path.

[BlueWizard]

The passage continues for 100 feet through the new opening that formed near the illuminated region. When all of you move on it shuts behind you. The sunrods are still needed as it is dark here. The corridor slopes down into the earth. The walls are carved out of the earth.

There seems to be a dark room with a fountain in it up ahead.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Bel continues moving forward, making sure he is with the group so the brightest light stays with him. He attempts to get the group to stop the moment what they think is the fountain comes into view, so they can look at it from a distance first.

[BlueWizard]

It seems to be a simple fountain with a few level, and a spurt at the top. Though no water spurts from it. As the group enters a magic mouth speaks from the wall.
"What carries water, but cannot be seen?"

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Bel thinks for a moment, then a grin touches his face. "The air we breathe."