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@Tarith: You place your monocle on and examine the items retrieved from the Shepherd's grove. This is what you gather:
Spoiler
- A scroll of Reincarnate
- A scroll of Antiplant Shell
- An amulet of natural armor +2
- The rune-etched gem has a transmutation property, which would allow animation to a specific item. Difficult to say which one, but the properties are clear.
- Each acorn crafted from gold is non-magical, but your surmise each must fetch 20 gp.
- You place your monocle on the lock of hair and almost go blind as the item attempts to analyze it. There is tremendous power in this strand. Of what kind. You cannot tell.
"I'm certain the arrow points in the direction of the Swan. We shouldn't be too far, hopefully."
Last edited by AlanBruce : 10-20-2012 at 12:07 PM.
"I identified the items we found at the Gnarled shepherd, but the only item of special interest currently is an Amulet of natural armor +2. Who wants it? I already have a nice amulet. The scroll is a Reincarnate, which might come in handy if someone else dies."
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The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
"Makes sense. Here.(Tarith tosses him the amulet). Do you want me to sell your old one, or can either Xander or Dantie use it?"
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
Bishop responds, "Dantie or Xander can use it if they want to, if not I'm going to put it on Jesus."
Spoiler
If neither want the amulet Bishop will put it on the statue of Jesus, which will resize to fit around her neck. -Trust me, magical items resize to fit their wielder, had an argument about it as I said they didn't and was proven wrong, Archmage1 might remember the cave troll trying to wear a medium sized ring.
@The Party: A few more hours go by and you see a massive wall of roots. The wall encompasses the entire forest. Climbing it or going through it would be impossible, due to the way the roots and vines intertwine. Before you stands an enormous gate made of roots and thorns. Three slots are carved into a wooden plate on the gate: One has a small quarter moon shape. Another has the shape of an acorn. The last slot is bigger than the other two and has a rose motif indentation. Next to the gate, stands a statue of a man in his prime. He wears a proud bearing and well kept hair. The statue looks upward, towards the sky, while holding a large scythe. An inscription reads at the base.
The Goddess I Swore to Keep
From Harm and Shade
So that She May never Cower
And Thus Depart
If You Are Worthy of Her
Retrieve the fang from her Glade
And the Beasts Flower
As well As her Father's Heart
Two paths lead in opposite directions. One to the left. another to the right, starting from the Gate itself.
Last edited by AlanBruce : 10-20-2012 at 12:32 PM.
"An impressive wall. I have 3 possible solutions: 1. Fire. 2. Get a very sharp weapon. 3. Actually get the required items. Any preferences?"
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
"But burning it down would be much more interesting. Also, the sharp weapon was to cut through it."
Tarith throws alchemists fire on the wall.
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
Bishop takes the sledge out of his backpack then starts chugging gross amounts of alcohol again. He then takes the sledge with both hands and swings at the roots.
Dantie watches as both bishop and Tarith try for no success to get through the wall. If it was something that anyone could get by people would have been to swans rest already. We need to go and collect alll the items. Its will also gain Balion's trust. This would be another one of the trials I am sure. Dantie says as he looks around at the great wall. The question is which way should we go first? Dantie says before looking at the new amulet he received from Bishop.
Spoiler
Saying so far Xander has done no actual fighting I see Dantie having more use out of it, if we want though Xander we can bid against each other.
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
@The Party: Following Tarith's suggestion, you take the left path from the Thorn Gate. The path winds around the trees, getting you further away from the great wall of roots until you find a tree of titantic proportions with a tunnel to walk through. You can see ample light coming in from the area beyond. Next to the tree is a statue of an elven maiden in robes. This one has been carved from exquisite marble. The woman is sitting on a pedestal and has a cornucopia filled with flowers being cradled in her arms. A text has been chiseled at its base.
And here Arrallae
Blessed the land
And from it,a Bounty was born unlike any other
In Her Unjust Imprsionment
The Great Guardian Prowls Among the Roses
The statue smiles silently at you.
Last edited by AlanBruce : 10-20-2012 at 05:51 PM.
"And another statue. This one has not been defaced, however. Gigglemug, where are we?"
Tarith, predictably enough, searches the area: 30(take 10)
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
Last edited by Archmage1 : 10-20-2012 at 06:23 PM.
@Tarith: "I have heard of this place. It was supposed to be Arrallae's garden. It was told that this place lay withered, as part of the village. However, when Arralle walked through the waste, roses came to bloom. Some say the roses have wondrous properties. In time, Balion fashioned a hedge maze out of the roses and placed one of his creations to guard it."
"And, of course, we need to get it's nose. Still, no time like right now, so time to get moving"
Tarith heads through the arch
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
Last edited by Archmage1 : 10-20-2012 at 06:43 PM.
@Tarith: You have seen many rose gardens before, but never one such as this. The roses have been grown on hedge walls, creating different paths around the garden. Each wall is 30ft. high by 10 ft. wide. The area you're in is 200ft. in diameter- basically, inside the giant tree. The ceiling is 30ft., effectively, using the hedges as pillars of sorts. The light that bathes the rose garden comes from above, where thousands of small gaps in the ceiling allow sunlight to come in. The roses themselves are in perfect bloom- with a bright crimson color and dripping in dew. You notice that nearby the hedges, man sized mushrooms have taken root. You also notice that at the base of some hedges, enormous bulbs have grown- enough to swallow a grown man. bees fly around the roses, creating a buzzing harmony. In the distance, hidden from view amongst the hedges, a deep breathing can be heard.
As they enter the rose garden Dntie can not help but be surprised at the sight he sees before him. By Pelors hand. Dantie says in amazement as he looks around. Dantie then asks Glimermug if he knows anything about the maze and how to get through it.
Spoiler
Anything that is done by magic or a spell like ability to change an appearance or is a illusion I can automatically see through. (1d20+4)[18] Spot (1d20+4)[6] listen (1d20+6)[22] survival If glimmermug says no he places his hand on the right wall and starts walking it.
@Dantie: You attempt to pierce any mirage the garden may cast. However, the garden is very real. Gigglemug looks at up at you.
"I heard the garden was not a maze originally. Old Balion worked on it for decades after she was spirited away to Swan's Rest. If I understand correctly, the point of the maze is to get lost finding the Rose Bearer, while this one hunts you down. I was once told by Uwellyn that she snuck in here once to try and steal the rose, as a game to play on Balion. She barely managed to escape. She told me the hedge maze is treacherous- it operates through a complicated root system that moves the walls in order to progress. She did advise against confronting the Rose Bearer and that when she found herself being pursued by him, that she would hide in the large bulbs, giving her some concealment from the guardian. What else did she mention...hmmm. Ah yes! She told me to beware the shrieking shrooms."
"So. This is Balion's test. We need to steal the rose to open the gate. To do that, we need to find it. Thus, we need to be certain that we are not covering ground we have already passed. We will also need a map, especially if the walls can shift. Does anyone have anything that would allow us to mark where we have been? Or a sheet of paper that won't blow up? The other solution would be to kill this rose bearer. If these shrieking shrooms are an alarm, we could trigger one to attract it, and then ambush it. Unfortunately, it is a plant, which makes me... less than useful, as I probably won't be able to find weak points in it to strike."
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
Dantie thinks for a moment and after thinking for a few seconds looks at Bishop and says Bishop saying you are the fastest I think I may have an idea. Dantie says looking to the walls. In a maze the point is to hide something in the middle while something hunts you down. If we keep one of our hands on the right wall, like so Dantie says as he puts his hand on the right wall. Though you may double back at times, you will eventually come to the center. Dantie then looks to Xander and says How long can you make Bishop invisible? If we can make it last a few hours Bishop could get through the maze while we try and distract this guardian. Then again... Dantie says thinking about how Bishop could continue to pour the continents of his flask out until the whole place was flooded. Though less likly to work we could try to fill the maze with ale until it can hold no more and then we light the place on fire. Which way does everyone think is the wisest? Dantie asks the group before him.
Spoiler
I would go with the first idea the only problem is that though bishop is faster then all of us, he is also our heavy hitter. It would be me against this plant if he left. Tarith is their any way we can increase your speed enough to match his?
"Dantie, of the four of us, I would be the weakest in a fight against this plant. It would make more sense for me to go, instead of bishop. I might be a bit slower than him, but, unlike him, I can sneak, and walk through walls. Ale is not flammable, so we can't use it to burn the place to the ground, and flooding it would probably be a bad idea. Also, if Gigglemug is right, and the walls do shift, then simply tracing your route out is insufficient. You need to know where you are, and where you have been. This takes a map. Essentially, I see 2 tactics: Either we work together to take out the creature, or we split up, and search the maze separately. Splitting up probably means either myself, or Bishop in one team, and everyone else in the other."
Spoiler
Tarith has expedious retreat, so he can move at 90 if needed, but I don't think this puzzle is about speed, it is about cunning, and stealth. Somehow, I think Tarith wins there.
To enumerate what I see as doable tactics:
1: we draw the creature out, and kill it.
2: Tarith goes in, relies on stealth to avoid notice
3: Split up, go separately, rely on the pods for concealment.
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
Hearing Tariths argument Dantie nods in understanding. I think your idea to go may be the best. If we all split up we would only all get lost and have to find a way out, and if we all go in together it will be harder to avoid this creature. Dantie looks to the others for support. Do you still have those ruins you showed me the other day. If so you could leave them here and we could drop them near one of these shrieking shrooms and draw the beast away from you so that your search goes a little easier. Dantie says happy about the spells he has chosen for the day. I think this may help us all today on our travels. Dantie says as he pulls out an owls feather and begins chanting. In a few short seconds he is done and says it is done. This should help us all with making sure we are always ready for whatever comes and that our wisdom does not betray us. Next he casts a spell all of you have heard many times now and in a few short seconds is done. Hopefully this will help us all. Dantie says once done with his spells.
Spoiler
Ok Dantie has cast Mass owl's wisdom using up his 6th level spell slot for the day, and made it permanent with the permanency spell, then used vigirous circle and persisted it to make it last all day. So fast healing 3 everyone, and +4 to wisdom.
@The Party: "Well, I suppose I can just wait here. I have heard enough tales about this place from Uwellyn. Besides, I'm not the giant monster fighting type. I gathered yesterday that's more of your thing. Good luck!"
Gigglemug leans against the entrance and waits for your actions.
"Well, if you are ready, I should probably gather up some spell's from you two, just in case things do not work out."
After he has stolen the spells, Tarith heads off into the maze, his pen and paper ready to map the place as he goes, and his ears and eyes peeled, to keep an eye out. He keeps well clear of the strange mushrooms, but is prepared to disappear rapidly if need by.
Spoiler
Probably best way here is to steal 6 levels from each caster.
general rolls:
hide(1d20+27)[33]
move silently(1d20+27)[42]
spot(1d20+16)[26]
listen(1d20+16)[23]
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
@Tarith: You take the only entrance into the hedge maze. Balion did a very good trimming job. The roses fill up most of the walls and the floor as well, leaving some thorny vines along the ground, but nothing boots can't overcome easily. The warm sun rays filtering through give a false sense of comfort as you notice a few feet away a group of purple mushrooms waving their caps rythmically as they chant somethng almost inaudible. Next to you, a belch and a burst of spores, as aone of the large bulbs shudders and releases a foul smelling gas. Akin to a gourmet mix of banana peels and parrot droppings.
Well, this is going to be fun. So far, Balion has mentioned that might makes right, so he probably created this maze so that the harder way is the right way
Tarith continues through the maze, trying to keep far away from the chanting shrooms.
(1d20+27)[43] hide
(1d20+27)[40] move silently
Also, activate ring
__________________
The difference between a party of adventurers and a ravenous horde of murderhobos: The hobos need that description. For adventurers, it is assumed.
Current Character List:
Spoiler
Characters Alexis, Kingdom of Arim Arianne, World's Transformation Erethiel, Shadows of the Past Eolande, Triple Threat
I'll give you all my 0 level spells but thats all I can do. There's 6 of them.
As Tarith begins to go into the maze Danite begins looking around for the best place to put the explosive ruins. Eventually he finds one of the shrieking shrooms and looks to see were Tarith is. He's still to close. If we set our trap off now and the beast comes Tarith will have no place to go. At least when he has taken a turn in this maze he is out of sight from us, so hopefully he will be finding another turn soon after the first. And so Dantie waits to watch Tarith take a turn so that they can begin their trap.
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Re: Shadows of the Past 2 (IC)
