Book One: Chapter Four: "Plots Unearthed"

Malazek wrote:After examing Davin's Eye ...

At the end of the hall, Davin finds no signs of a trap on the flimsy wooden door ... and after several minutes of examining it, decides to open it. It's not locked, either.

On the other side of the door, he sees a narrow stone walkway stretching across deep chasms on either side. A section near the middle of the walkway seems to have broken away; and a bright light shines from high on the leftside wall.

At the other end of the walkway is another flimsy wooden door.


OOC: This is an aeriel view, looking down.

OCC: 42 Perception?! Let me add some details, then ...

The light seems to be emitting from a glass orb set into the left wall, near the center and just shy of the cieling.

On the right wall, Davin can see that SOME of the "bricks" near the top are not in fact bricks, but rather a few giant stones (a ton or so in mass) that've been carved to look like bricks. The top-center section of the right wall is "missing" and a gap (roughly the same size and shape as the giant stones) sits in its place.

Swifthand wrote:"Come on down here - don't step beyond the door."

Davin lets Alex and Straegis ahead of him and continues.

"The light is emitting from a glass orb set into the wall. There are camouflaged stone slabs hidden in the top of the north wall. There are no mechanical triggers at all. I'm betting the light is somehow a magic trigger."

"Oh, and that damage to the bridge?" The Ranger points up, at the missing ceiling piece. "It's from one of the slabs. Probably when Taalgarnak tested this beauty."

Davin shakes his head, staring up at the elaborate deathtrap.

Take 10 to aid in Arcana.

-Swift

Halcyon wrote:Verity scratches his chin. Then he touches his raven talisman to his forehead.

“Know ye the secrets of this passage Vangg?” Everyone hears in their mind.

Verity pays particular attention to Azzy’s thoughts hoping that a better understanding of the Herald will bring him closer to the Queen.

OCC: One Heart, One Mind – All aid actions are +4 for the encounter.
Aid Arcana: 19
Aid Dungeoneering: 10

151prooftattoos wrote:Vangg uses dungeoneering to see if he can discern of anything else about this passage.

"Hmms . . ."


Roll = 24(13+11)

Malazek wrote:

Verity wrote:Verity pays particular attention to Azzy’s thoughts hoping that a better understanding of the Herald will bring him closer to the Queen.

Azzy's thinks "... beset by trials laid forth by our allies, even as we wade into a sea of our enemies; meanwhile, or enemies dwell assuaged from adversity in our most sacred sanctum. The irony is palpable. Then, he turns to look at Verity and asks "Light bad?"

Vangg wrote:Vangg uses dungeoneering to see if he can discern of anything else about this passage.
Roll = 24(13+11)

It is obvious to Vangg that the stonework construction found in this room is not the work of dwarves, but is certianly the work of someone familiar with mining and underdark construction (probably Taalgarnuk). Examining the bridge, and what he can see of the brickwork underneath, he surmises that this walkway was built to traverse the chasm (the chasms were not dug-out to each side of it). It's difficult to see the damaged section of the bridge from so far away, but from what he can tell, the damage was caused by a heavy collision ... but there's no sign of debris from the impact (a fact that Davin also noticed).

So, what happened to the debris? Someone must have cleaned it up. If it was Taalgarnuk, then why didn't he repair the damage to the bridge? Why would he leave such glaring evidence that something was amiss?

Halcyon wrote:Verity succeeds in reaching a deeper understanding of his Goddess, accompanied by a sense of woe and the sudden onset of a raging headache.
"So that's irony. I can never tell.
"Yes Azzy, the light is most likely bad. Whether it is part of a simple decoy trap or something more formidible is yet to be determined."

magicspellz12 wrote:Alex extends his senses out to the world, probing magically with water coated hands in the air and his eyes closed.

"Hmm."

------------
Arcana: 30 + whatever anyone else gives me on an aid?

Malazek wrote:

Alex wrote:Alex extends his senses out to the world, probing magically with water coated hands in the air and his eyes closed.
"Hmm."
Arcana: 30 + Whatever anyone else gives me on an aid?

38 so far:

Alex senses that orb is magical (obviously) and identifies that it was most likely created with a simple item enchantment ritual (that's assuming that it's only magical effect is giving off light; if it does anything else, nobody has seen indication of it).

Alex also senses magic in the rightside wall. Based on the evidence at hand (the light, the missing slab, the fake slabs, the damaged walkway), Alex concludes that casting a shadow (by breaking the light) probably causes one or more slabs to shoot out at the wall, crushing anyone unfortunate enough to get caught by it. Anyone unlucky enough to survive such a collision would likely to fall to their death in the chasms on either side.

Note: The walkway is probably 5 feet wide and 100 feet across. The chasms are atleast 70 feet deep. Davin has indicated that the slabs probably weigh a ton or more.

macksgarageusa wrote:Straegis tries to get a good look around to see if he recognizes or notices anything that may help. "Davin, you don't see any way to disable this do you?" He kicks some loose dirt and pebbles over the ledge to make sure it is a chasm and not an illusion, then says "Azzy...can you make us invisible? Or teach us to fly?"

History: 1d20=10+15=25
Arcana(to Assist): 1d20=15+15=30

O.O.C.: Hmm, anyone got a big mirror?

151prooftattoos wrote:OOC: That's a lot of . . . hmms . . . !

Malazek wrote:

Straegis wrote: "Azzy...can you make us invisible? Or teach us to fly?"
History: 1d20=10+15=25
Arcana(to Assist): 1d20=15+15=30

Straegis considers all of the lore he knows, wondering if he's ever heard of anything like this; but as far as he's ever read, nothing quite like this has been recorded in Eladrin history books. Either it's never been done before, or nobody has ever survived it.

Conferring with Alex, you quickly decide that "flying" would still trigger the trap. "Invisibility," on the other hand, might not; but none of you have the ability to make others invisible.

magicspellz12 wrote:"Ok...so the slabs require light to stay put...well...I can make one of those?" Alex sets a globe light spinning on the end of his finger. "Anyone wanting to try it out first? If we keep the light on the right side of us, shadow won't reach the slabs and they won't come out."

"We have a few options. We could break the light and set off all the slabs just to see if we could traverse this room without the danger of all of them going off. A possibly difficult task, but less dangerous than dealing with the slabs perhaps. Or we can try to cross without breaking the light, or replacing it with our own. Or we can try to disable the slabs."

Alex looks at the orb of light. Would it be possible to remove it with a mage hand spell so that its on the other side of the bridge and then we can cross safely?

151prooftattoos wrote:The dwarf shrugs.

"Whathaps ye toss an bedamned torch down inta da pit der an' w' ye new keen looker, ye see what bedowns below? Or lowers one o' we down ta da bottom w' an rope an's trieth ta get across dat ways an' what nots?"

The Witch-King wrote:Mordax watches the interplay in silence, brooding.

Halcyon wrote:"I don't trust the floor below. I think Staegis and Vangg are right to suspect it be illusion, or trapped itself. That Kobold was a wily one."

"Whether we try the bridge or the pit, best we send forth a scout first to clear the way. It must be someone stout of heart, keen of eye and fleet of foot. But who? Who?"

He grins at Davin and offers him an end of the rope.

Malazek wrote:

Straegis wrote:He kicks some loose dirt and pebbles over the ledge to make sure it is a chasm and not an illusion

Little pebbles are difficult to see from so high up, especially in the dark; but everyone is fairly sure they can see them on the floor below. Davin can easily see them.

Alex wrote:"If we keep the light on the right side of us, shadow won't reach the slabs and they won't come out. ... We have a few options. We could break the light and set off all the slabs just to see if we could traverse this room without the danger of all of them going off. A possibly difficult task, but less dangerous than dealing with the slabs perhaps. Or we can try to cross without breaking the light, or replacing it with our own. Or we can try to disable the slabs." Alex looks at the orb of light. Would it be possible to remove it with a mage hand spell so that its on the other side of the bridge and then we can cross safely?

Vangg wrote:"Whathaps ye toss an bedamned torch down inta da pit der an' w' ye new keen looker, ye see what bedowns below? Or lowers one o' we down ta da bottom w' an rope an's trieth ta get across dat ways an' what nots?"

All of these seem like "potentially" decent ideas, but at this point it's difficult to tell which will work and which won't. You could try to test one of these theories, or you could just pick a plan and run with it.

Verity wrote:"I don't trust the floor below. I think Staegis and Vangg are right to suspect it be illusion, or trapped itself. That Kobold was a wily one. "Whether we try the bridge or the pit, best we send forth a scout first to clear the way ..."

Also, good points.

Swifthand wrote:Davin nods to Verity, stows his Greatbow, ties the rope around his waist, and opens the pouch with his climbing gear.

Slowly, he descends into the pit below.

Move - Climb (Take 10 for a 21 good enough?)
Standard - Total Defense (+2 to all Defenses)

O.O.C. - Post 666! Davin's toast! Ready the Raise Dead components!

-Swift

Malazek wrote:OOC: Halcyon told me (in person) that he'd like to ready an action: Pull Davin up if anything jumps out at him.
OOC: Mack is having computer problems, and asked me to post for him until it's fixed. I think assisting Verity is a reasonable action.

Davin easily descends into the pit, and nothing bad happens. Until he reaches the bottom and sets foot on the floor below ... at which point, he hears a rumbling, and immediately, three giant stone men crash through the brick wall!

Verity and Straegis pull on the rope, lifting Davin nearly 15 feet off the ground (still within arms' reach of the stone attackers, but that much closer to safety).

Roll Initiative?

Straegis, Alex, and Davin immediately recognize these things as Stone Golems!
BUT, there's something unusual about them ...

Swifthand wrote:Davin: HP 66/66; AC 21 Fort 19 Ref 22 Will 21; Healing Surges=7/8, SV:16, Action Points=0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hound: HP 105/105; AC 20 Fort 17 Ref 17 Will 15; Healing Surges=8/8 SV:26, Action Points=1
Days in Underdark=1

Move - Climb up rope
Standard - Climb up rope

Initiative=31(natch!)
Athletics=14
Athletics=23

-Swift

Malazek wrote:OOC: That will allow him to move up another 30 feet, putting him 45 feet above the chasm floor, and 25 feet below the level of the walkway (where everyone else is standing).

Of course, the closest one is going to get an OA. Since Davin's Init is so high, and because I know that a successful hit could very well change people's actions, I went ahead and rolled the OA. 21 vs Reflex: Miss.

Halcyon wrote:Init: 24 also Natch (weirdly timely...)
Standard: Haul ranger
Move: Haul ranger
Minor: [conditional] Offer immediate saving throw if necessary w/+5 bonus

151prooftattoos wrote:Initiative: 26 (Natch~)

Laying on his belly and looking over the ledge, Vangg sanctifies the ground.

WoeVangg: HP: 71/71 AC:20 Fort:18 Ref:16 Will:23 Healing Surges:11/11 AP:1

Standard: Cast Consecrated Ground on 3-B

Move: Move origin square down until it reaches the bottom

OOC: Natch day! . . . and I'll be "sustaining minor" on this spell

magicspellz12 wrote:With no spells of the correct range, Alex simply glances over the edge.

"I hope they can't fly."

Halcyon wrote:"Methinks your double-light, no shadow idea may prove the healthier way to cross, Alex," says Verity, voice strained with exertion.

Malazek wrote:Quickly, Davin climbs as his comrades hurry to pull him to safety. Vangg sends crackling veins of radiant energy toward the cavern floor below, as the stone guardians retreat back into the hiding spots. Mordax, Alex, and Juugug watch, helpess to do much in this situation.


Round 1ish?

Init 31
Davin climbs up the rope. up 15' to 45' above the pitfloor.
One of the Golems takes a swing at him, but the elf deftly avoids the blow.

Init 26
Laying on his belly, Vangg consecrates the ground rea around him ...
... and then lowers the effect as far into the pit as he can.
(the origin square descends 15 feet this round).

Init 24
Verity and Straegis continue to pull Davin up. up 15' to 60' above the pitfloor.

Init 23
The Golems retreat, back into their cubbies.

Init 21
Mordax watches the interplay in silence, brooding.

Init 16
Alex & Juugug simply glance over the edge.

The Witch-King wrote:Mordax muses "I wonder if I could outrun tha' trap?"

151prooftattoos wrote:Vangg sustains his spell and lowers it further.

"Me gonna keel dese bedamned Rockhumpers if'n me kins."

Minor: Sustain
Move: Lower Spell
Standard: Lower Spell

DM EDIT: On "round 2" it drops another 30 feet, putting it 45 feet down (and 25 feet above the chasm floor).

Malazek wrote:Posting for Straegis & Verity ...

Straegis and Verity pull Davin to the top.
Athletics 23 & 29.

Swifthand wrote:"I don't think running across will work - the slabs are probably timed to take account for that."

Now standing at the door of the chamber, Davin takes the sunrod off of Hound's back and tries some experiments with the light and his shadow.

First, I place the sunrod in my right hand, and wave my left behind it in the room, to see if the light emanating from the rod stops my shadow from triggering the slab's fall.

If that seems to work, I do the opposite, to see if my shadow does indeed set off the trap.

Nature=34

-Swift