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Glad to be useful for once, Katrin dashes over to the door. She accepts the tools from Lissa and very carefully reaches for the latch in the carved face's throat.
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
In an uncharacteristic bout of straightforwardness, Achkby swings the longspear from his back for the first time in a long time, and levels the haft at the mouth.
"Ah, can I just jab into it?"
__________________ DON'T PANIC
(Arthur Avatar by the Losar.)
GO BLUE
The biggest problem with the alignment system is that it encourages us to choose.
Katrin jams her arm into the face's throat up to her armpit. Her nimble fingers can feel the smooth metal of the override mechanism. She grabs a probe from Lissa's kit and pokes it into the device.
With a soft snick a dozen small blades slide out through the slits and pin Katrin's arm in place. The blades are angled so that, while they are causing minimal injury for the moment, they prevent Katrin from removing her arm. She is now trapped in place.
The grinding continues, though the face's laughing is now muffled by Katrin's arm.
The taller humans and elves now have to crouch down. Achkby looks for a way to use his longspear to help, but with Katrin's arm stuck in the hole, there is no room for the weapon.
OOC: Katrin takes 1 hp of damage. Katrin has four rounds to try to work the override mechanism (DC 20). If she tries to remove her arm, she will take 12d6 damage. The rest of you have four rounds to do ... something.
Katrin freezes as the blades trap her arm in place. She grits her teeth together and continues to poke around inside the face's throat with Lissa's lockpick, trying to move only her hand and fingers to manipulate the tool, so she won't injure her arm further.
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
It's an effort, but Lissa stays quiet. She knows from painful experience that the very last thing one needs when trying to pick a lock or disarm a trap is somebody at your elbow asking, "How ya doin'? Are you okay in there? Want me to help?" She can't help looking up at the ceiling nervously, though, and praying to Baravar in her head. Please, please, lend Katrin some of Your divine skill! I would've disarmed the trap myself, but the tallfolk made the hole too deep... we just can't have come all this way to get squished by a drop-ceiling trap!
Callos didn't say anything, he merely acted. Crawling/walking along the floor until he was close to the face in the wall, the necromancer glared at the laughing contraption before looking up at the descending ceiling once more.
"Listen up everyone, get as close over here as you possibly can. We'll give Katrin as much time as we can to stop that ceiling but if she can't then we're going to escape into the same kind of space that I made at the waterfall. Not all of us can get into it though. Eight of you, thats it as long as you don't pull the rope up. Everyone understand?"
__________________
I will be gone from the second to the 11th and be without any computer access. Games and recruitment will obviously be on pause. Warriors & Wuxia: A community world-building project focused on low-magic wuxia/kung-fu action using ToB.
With a shudder, the ceiling grinds to a halt. After a pause, there is a click and the ceiling slowly rises back up into position.
Gingerly, Katrin withdraws her arm. A series of small slits line her forearm where the "teeth" held her. Fortunately, they retracted along with the ceiling and she is not seriously injured.
The doors closes its eyes and mouth again, and the door swings upward, much as the entrance did.
The room beyond contains more stairs heading upward.
Lumpy nods appraisingly at the nature of the sprung trap. The rat always got it reaching for the food, he should have seen that coming.
It figured that the only way to go was further ahead though, rats trapped in some gauntlet. The burly orc follows Aeroz through, prefering to keep his dark-adapted eyes ahead of the others and their light sources for comfort's sake.
Katrin looks dumbly at the lines of small wounds along her arm, then shakes herself out of it. She looks behind her to see whether or not the stone slab is still blocking the stairway.
(OOC: If it is not Katrin will suggest that the party leave the tower, if it is she will follow Aeroz and Lumpy.)
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
Katrin considers leaving the way you came, but the others forge forward into the next room and up the stairs. She shrugs and follows after them.
The floor above is round, naturally, but has no supporting columns. A series of raised platforms is arranged in a circle. There are a dozen of the platforms. Each one is about six feet across. A rune or picture is inscribed on each one.
Tiriel grits her teeth and hunches over as the ceiling moves ever closer. She's never liked small spaces and she dislikes the idea of being smashed even less. She suppresses her urge to shout at Katrine and Lissa to do something. It's with an audible sound of relief that she stands back up after Katrine disarms the trap.
As the other's push on, she shares a look with Katrine, Are they nuts, we should be getting out of here! Tiriel shrugs and follows her companions into the next room, she's not sure they'd be able to leave without help anyhow.
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Characters:____Tiriel {Board Dice Roller} [Roll=name]#d+#[/roll]
Elthan continues to follow the group in silence, not daring to venture out of their sight lest Lumpy should take an initiative to find him. But, is it really so wise to head further?
I really don't see why they would want to head into danger if we only mean to spend the night. Perhaps if someone voiced an idea, that there might be something at the end. But no.
I can't be that different from them, can I? I'm part human, and so is almost half of the group. I have a tie to a full half of the group if one would count Aeroz, but I've never really heard much from him. Why would they climb this tower for no reason? Why did they want to kill me with no motivation save vengeance? Do these silly people even think at all?
Maybe the source of all these odd things is at the top. But why are they being odd? Why do Khazraels spells still work here, and Lissa's? I doubt she is involved in anything like I am, but this merits some small investigation. I don't believe I was correct in my initial observations. But then why the door?
Once on the new floor, Elthan steps forward to halt the group. "I think we should be a bit more cautious this time around. It wouldn't do to have more of us than necessary crushed."
"I've been having a few doubts about my previous assumption of this tower. Lissa, Katrins arm was slightly injured by the trap on the previous floor, and though has clotted has not fully healed. If you would be so kind as to say some minor orison for her to finish the healing process, I'd be very grateful."
__________________
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by erikun
Aww, a griffin! Cute!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Collin152
Heyheyheyheyheyhey.
If griffin-hugs are going around, I want in on them!
Quote:
Avery: What are you, some kind of grammar nazi?
Millie: Yep. I've just invaded Grammar Czechoslovakia and duped Grammar Neville Chamberlain, and now it's off to Grammar Poland and Grammar World Conquest!!
By now, Lissa has regained her icy demeanor. She merely gives Elthan a well-aren't-you-smart look. "It has only been a few minutes. Of course the wounds haven't fully healed." Nevertheless, she walks over to Katrin, gently lays a hand on her arm, and whispers a short prayer in Gnomish. Faint white light pools in the cuts, pulling them closed without a scar. Lissa pats the newly healed arm, looking up at Katrin. "Thank you. That was good work back there." Healing done, she continues to watch for danger.
Maybe I should've done that earlier, but hells, I could tell those were just surface cuts. Painful but not disabling; I've worked with worse, and Katrin probably has too. Darned if I'll let the shadow creep show me up, though!
Achkby does his best to steady his shaky knees by bracing himself with his spear, but doesn't manage to quell their trembling until he puts them to work scaling the enormous stairs. He stays right behind Elthan.
WOW.
Achkby takes in the next room with interest, wondering what peril might await them here. When Elthan makes his request, the halfling watches his sorcerous charge warily, but makes no remark.
Instead, to the entire group, he says, "Let's just stop here. If we haven't found any doors we can barricade so far, there aren't likely to be any more. I don't love the idea of staying the night in an unknown part of a dark magic tower, but we'll only wander into more danger if we try to keep going."
Idiot, you didn't need to reiterate what a terrible place this is.
__________________ DON'T PANIC
(Arthur Avatar by the Losar.)
GO BLUE
The biggest problem with the alignment system is that it encourages us to choose.
Uneasily, your party breaks for the night in the round chamber. There are no stairs leading upward, only the spiral of stairs leading back down into the room behind the mask.
The location appears to be secure in that anyone approaching from below would have to make their way up the narrow stairs. On the other hand, as Khazrael suggested, there is no evidence that anyone else has been in this tower for centuries, if not millenia.
The raised platforms have different symbols on them. Each is a different pictograph. Some look like dragons or wyverns. One looks like an ettin. Another perhaps a medusa. In the center of the floor is the image of the falling angel that was hidden on the outer door. This image is the only one not carved into a raised platform. Instead it lies in the middle of the floor.
As everyone settles down for some rest, Trinark crosses his legs and prepares to meditate. Squinting at Adalmar's and Katrin's torches, he quietly wonders whether it would be reasonable to turn out the lights for at least a few hours.
As the group breaks in to camp, Elthan makes himself comfortable at the far end of the room. He knew that the way the party felt towards him at the moment, it would be like children at the table; Unless the one child sat away from the others, the others would sit away from the one. All the better, though, as it gave him room to think.
My previous assumption is clearly incorrect; this tower is not appart of a dead magic area, and may not even have any important connection with the Shadow Weave at all. Somethign strage is in effect, but I have too little evidence to form another hypothesis.
Sitting agianst the wall, Elthan begins to pull at the cuff of his robe until it gives an uncomfortably loud rip. Avoiding any sudden gazes, he attempts to repair the tear, watching for anything perculiar to happen.
(OOC: Cast Mending)
__________________
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by erikun
Aww, a griffin! Cute!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Collin152
Heyheyheyheyheyhey.
If griffin-hugs are going around, I want in on them!
Quote:
Avery: What are you, some kind of grammar nazi?
Millie: Yep. I've just invaded Grammar Czechoslovakia and duped Grammar Neville Chamberlain, and now it's off to Grammar Poland and Grammar World Conquest!!
Owner of adorable Wayriltar
Last edited by King_of_GRiffins : 05-24-2007 at 10:28 AM.
Something seemed to have drained out of Callos after the falling ceiling trap. Now the necromancer seemed much less on edge and instead very...casual. A lazy eye turned over towards Tiriel and he said in a soft voice.
"This isn't the best place to do this. Ask Lissa about helping me once we're out of this tower."
__________________
I will be gone from the second to the 11th and be without any computer access. Games and recruitment will obviously be on pause. Warriors & Wuxia: A community world-building project focused on low-magic wuxia/kung-fu action using ToB.
Katrin, unlike Callos, is very nervous and suspicious after the falling ceiling trap. She keeps away from the raised platforms on the floor and leans against the wall instead, one hand holding her torch and one hand on the hilt of a weapon.
When Elthan rips his robe the noise catches Katrin's attention, she watches him briefly before returning her attention to the room in general.
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
After everyone settles into the new room Tiriel takes some time examining the platforms and their carvings. She spends some time looking at the central carving, frowning.
The picture feels like a personal, innate, warning. But from what, she's not sure. With a sigh she heads back to the room's perimeter and joins Katrine. After a few moments of silence she speaks quietly to her friend, "Callos wants to try to help Elthan when we leave the tower. I don't know what he can do, but it's worth trying before resorting to something more... final. We'll see."
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Characters:____Tiriel {Board Dice Roller} [Roll=name]#d+#[/roll]
There is little to "watch" for during the night as there are no other obvious entrances or exits to the room other than the stairway leading down. The thick black stone walls ensure that there is no sound other than the low breathing of your companions meditating or sleeping.
At some point, in the middle of the night when all of the torches are extinguished, a remarkable change occurs. The black walls and ceiling above seem to fade away and disappear until it seems as though you are standing on a round platform a hundred feet in the air.
You can see the stars above and the waxing moon, almost full. Thin clouds catch the moonlight. To the east lies the Lake of Tears, mirror calm, reflecting the stars and moon perfectly. Small waves break at the coast, thin parallel white lines, though you can hear nothing. To the north and south stand your sister watchtowers, straight and black.
The sudden vanishing of the tower snaps Khazrael away from his conversation with Lissa. A booted foot prods Elthan awake and Khazrael raises his voice for the benefit of the others.
Lissa yawns, admiring the display of moonlit landscape. Her reply is quiet, so as not to disturb anyone who hasn't already been awakened. "Oh, let them rest, Khazrael... it's not hurting anything. Looks like some archmage of old liked to watch the night sky without going outdoors, that's all." She doesn't look particularly fazed by the vertigo-inducing visual effect of being on a tower with invisible walls, but then gnomes are famous for their use of illusions. And Lissa has already proven both her ability and expertise at climbing; it doesn't look like heights scare her. "It is a spectacular illusion, though. Wonder if they just made the walls invisible, or projected an image of the outside onto the inner walls and ceiling?" Standing up, she pads quietly over to the eastern side to admire the moonlit Lake of Tears.
Khazrael's shout jerks Katrin awake; she stands carefully and inspects the floor and ceiling, taking in the situation. She is somewhat experienced at climbing but sitting on a floating platform many feet in the air unnerves her. "Lissa... or anyone else, really... can you tell if the walls are really gone, or if they're invisible, or whatever's actually going on with them?" She carefully approaches the end of the floor until she can reach out to touch the space where the wall used to be.
- Feud, the: The 'secret' plot to do something to BlackFox for some reason no one seems to really recall. Accusations of a government cover-up concerning the Feud remain unsubstantiated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoseki
Hoseki looks between Blackfox and El Jaspero. "...I think the Elemental Plane of Fire has frozen over."
Damn, I seem to have missed some posting. Subscriptions aren't all they used to be, ya know.
Achkby, Halfling Sorcerer
Achkby is slow to rise from his bedroll; his sleep was fitful, and seems loathe to release him. After a time, he comes to, rising groggily from his blankets near Elthan. Whether he had slept near the half-elf to keep an eye on him or to protect the fool from the others, Achkby wasn't sure, but fortunately neither had been necessary. Unless this new development was his doing...
"How did it happen?" he asks Khazrael quietly, looking up at the other standing over his bedroll. A moment later he flicks a divination about the room, curious if the tower's feel might have changed.
"Don't cast anything," he hisses to Elthan.
[OOC]Er, Detect Magic once again. I assume it doesn't feel like we're actually exposed to the outdoor climate, as we would have noticed that?[/OOC]
__________________ DON'T PANIC
(Arthur Avatar by the Losar.)
GO BLUE
The biggest problem with the alignment system is that it encourages us to choose.
For perhaps the first time in as long as he's travelled amongst the others, Lumpy doesn't fuss over setting watch, simply divesting his armor and slumping into a heap leaning against it. It had been another set of trying days and he found himself too sore, physically and mentally to bother with the hassle. He would simply have to trust himself to them now, as dangerous as that was proving to be.
The burly orc's breathing settles as he drifts off to sleep, though his eyes fail to close in a vain attempt to remain vigilant. The fact that the tower's transformation is completely lost upon him shows that the effort isn't nearly as effective as it appears.
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Re: The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide
Trog's Rendition of me, complete with a shirt reminding me who I am!
