thuryl:
OK. Anyone want to make with the recap?
Phulax:
We passed through the trials of Korossos and Liea.
Lephista:
We nearly drowned, nearly got clawed to death, and then nearly baked.
Phulax:
And we ate fruit.
thuryl:
Yup, that's about the size of it.
Jarrox:
Everyone lived dispite my best to kill us all.
thuryl:
You descend down another long flight of stairs cut into the rock. As you continue down, you reach an area where the walls and floor are covered in large, metal plates. The sound of clanking and grinding that you heard before is still coming from ahead of you, loud and clear.
thuryl:
Begin.
Lephista:
I move forward carefully.
Dyen:
I move forward as well.
Phulax:
I follow cautiously.
Lephista:
Oh, and I cast Illumination.
thuryl:
OK. You taking 10 on it?
Phulax:
(Is my lantern still going?)
Lephista:
Sure.
thuryl:
(Phulax: yes)
thuryl:
A glowing ball of light blinks into existence above Lephista's head.
Jarrox:
Jarrox takes a swig from his ale-skin.
Phulax:
I look around curiously.
thuryl:
So noted. Jarrox remains stupendously drunk.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 10
Jarrox:
I follow after the others.
thuryl:
As you look around, you see that you are on a metal catwalk suspended in the middle of an enormous, open cavern, with the ceiling and floor both outside the range of your light. Phulax thinks that the grinding noise you can hear is loudest to the east.
Lephista:
Is there any way to go other than forward?
Phulax:
(so if we walk off the catwalk we fall a boocoos long way?)
Lephista:
Or back, I guess?
Jarrox:
I look over the edge.
thuryl:
Down in the darkness below you, you can barely make out strange piping and machinery. You can't see any safe footholds, even if you could get down there in the first place.
Lephista:
"Be careful, guys."
Phulax:
"Hey guys! There's a machine down here!" I gesture to the south end of the walkway.
Phulax:
I look at the thing without touching it.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 11
thuryl:
At the end of the walkway is a large platform, somewhat more solid-looking than the rest of the catwalk. Near the south end of the platform is a single lever, in a cross-shaped mount that allows it to be pulled either north, south, east or west.
Meredith:
I look too, seeing if I can figure out what it controls.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 3
Meredith:
Bah
Jarrox:
I spit ove the edge to see if I can here it splat on the floor.
Phulax:
"Don't you know all about old machines, Mere?"
thuryl:
Meredith looks at the lever, but can't work out what, if anything, it's connected to.
Phulax:
"Jarrox, that's rude! There might be someone down there!"
Jarrox:
"I didn't do anything," I mumble and shuffle over to the others to see what everyone is looking at.
Lephista:
"I think this lever makes the platform move somehow, and controls its direction."
Jarrox:
(Can I combine Artifice and History in one roll?)
thuryl:
Sure, why not.
Phulax:
"Ooh. Which way should we go? The noises are coming from the east..."
Jarrox:
I take a long look at the lever, the platform and try to figure out what I am seeing in relation to what I learned in my elite studies back home. (Artifice and History)
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 20
Phulax:
Phulax nearly falls off the platform marveling at the fact that Jarrox was competent about something!!!
Dyen:
(Hang on... we don't know if that crit can overcome his drunkeness yet )
thuryl:
Jarrox examines the lever carefully, and confirms Lephista's guess: it's connected to a series of chains that feed into a pole at the base of the platform, probably moving the whole thing around along tracks far below. He also notices that the mechanism is looser than it should be, and tightens up a couple of screws at the base; it should run faster and more smoothly now.
Lephista:
"The exit is probably south, but we might as well check east first."
Jarrox:
I sit down after my work and dangle my feet over the edge. "Take us to where you want us to go guys."
Phulax:
"Jarrox, that's amazing! I had no idea you were so knowledgeable. Cool!"
Jarrox:
"I try no to impress, people just don't care these days like they used to."
Meredith:
"...yeah, you're still an idiot."
Lephista:
I gently move the lever east.
thuryl:
Lephista pulls the lever, and the platform pulls away to the east, surprisingly quietly and smoothly.
Jarrox:
I take a look at the platform nest to us. "5 gold says that this place is like a maze of some sort, kinda like a blacksmith's puzzle."
thuryl:
Lephista keeps pulling, and with a metallic clang, the platform makes contact with another suspended section of walkway.
In the southeast corner of the platform, you can see a series of chains rotating along a pulley, forming a kind of moving belt. The belt is moving to the south at a slow walking pace; you could probably stand on it, if you were careful.
Phulax:
I cast Le Couran’s Spyglass, and try to see what's at the end of the belt.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 16
thuryl:
Phulax casts his spell, and in the darkness he can just make out a small humanoid shape standing very still on a platform at the far end of the belt.
Phulax:
To the others, I quietly say "There's... someone, a person of some sort, down at the far end."
thuryl:
That's a conveyor belt you just moved onto. Do you in fact want to stand on it?
Meredith:
"Could you see who it was - another of the other party, perhaps?"
Phulax:
"No, it's too dark. Small figure, standing very still. I suppose it could even be a statue."
Dyen:
Oh. Yeah, I'll stay on the conveyor.
Lephista:
"Well, if he's alone, how bad can he be?"
Meredith:
"Well, we've no choice but to press on and find out."
Lephista:
I join Dyen on the conveyor.
thuryl:
Okay. Dyen and Lephista both stand on the conveyor belt. It's stable enough that you can stand on it safely, but the chains are a little slippery: if you want to walk along it to move faster, that will require a roll.
Phulax:
I look around at the platform we're on very intently, trying to get a strong sense of its appearance and position.
Lephista:
I'll take it slow.
Dyen:
Me too.
thuryl:
Okay. Meredith, I take it you're also going to stand on the conveyor belt behind Dyen and Lephista?
Meredith:
Yes, please.
thuryl:
OK.
Phulax:
"Do you want me to follow, or wait here?"
thuryl:
The conveyor belt does what it does best, which is to say, conveying you to the south.
Meredith:
"No point in us splitting up."
Lephista:
"Yeah, come along."
Phulax:
I wait until the others are safely out of the way, then board the belt.
Jarrox:
"We lit all the fires because we split up!" I call out after the others.
Phulax:
"But there's nothing to set on fire here."
Meredith:
"We'd have got around to them all anyway!"
Lephista:
I'm still getting conveyed south.
Jarrox:
"Yeah, I'm not a big fan of ladders and that chain belt is even worse than a ladder."
thuryl:
Phulax also boards the belt, and it begins to carry you all to the south. From the darkness to the south, you see a small bottle flying at your group. It goes wide, and falls to the ground far below, somewhere to the east.
Baxa:
"Hirst! Ilestro! Now!"
Dyen:
I look to see what happens when it landed.
Jarrox:
"I think now would be when I say 'told you so.'"
thuryl:
Dyen looks, but it's too far below to see anything. All he hears is the sound of breaking glass.
thuryl:
The lacewing runs to the south, and as she does so, the conveyor belt gives a sudden jerk.
Phulax:
I use Can't Stop the Rock on Jarrox, to move him to the platform at the end of the conveyor belt.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 7
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 19
Dyen:
For moving on the conveyor.
thuryl:
hold on
Lephista:
Yeah, what Nalyd said.
Dyen:
I am not a very coordinated monk. :|
Jarrox:
(No! You big bully )
thuryl:
I was going to ask for saving throws from everyone on the belt, but since Lephista and Dyen already gave me theirs, I just need them from Phulax and Meredith.
Phulax:
(Dyen, stop monk-eying around!)
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 2
Phulax:
...
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 6
Meredith:
(phulax, you deserve it for that pun)
Phulax:
(Tries to look cute and innocent)
Dyen:
(You fail miserably.)
thuryl:
The belt abruptly reverses direction, and starts moving to the north at an alarming pace. Lephista nimbly leaps across to the other side, heedless of the danger, but it's all Meredith and Dyen can do to maintain their footing. Phulax is not so lucky: he slips and barely manages to grab onto a chain as he falls: he's now hanging down from the belt and being dragged along with it to the north.
Dyen:
(Minus seven to your charisma for the next hour.)
Meredith:
I spend a stamina to run across to the other side.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 7
Phulax:
(So I'm dangling below the belt?)
thuryl:
(Correct.)
On the bright side, he at least managed to get his spell off before falling, teleporting Jarrox across to the other side.
Jarrox:
I run over to Phulax and grab him and pull him up.
Phulax:
(You can't)
(You're at the other end)
thuryl:
Possibly not a bright side after all, then.
Phulax:
Strength to try to pull myself up?
thuryl:
Sure.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 7
Lephista:
"Dyen, get Phulax!"
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 18
thuryl:
Phulax barely manages to scramble up to safety before getting caught in the pulley. He's now standing safely on the northern platform, but that's all he can do this round.
Jarrox:
"Oh Koro no you didn't!" I yell as find myself on the other side the chain belt.
Dyen:
Oh, never mind, then.
Lephista:
I attack Baxa.
Phulax:
"Jarrox, squish the lacewing!!"
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 3
Phulax:
I then pause to breath heavily, shocked by my narrow escape of falling to death.
thuryl:
Lephista swings her axe in a wide horizontal arc, trying to take off Baxa's head, but the lacewing nimbly ducks under the blade.
Jarrox:
"Then I'm coming for you!" I bellow as I lash out at Baxa with my axe.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 19
Phulax:
Yes!
Jarrox:
(I'm a mad drunk, lol)
Phulax:
(Can't Stop Jar-rocks?)
Meredith:
(...)
thuryl:
Jarrox's mighty overhead swing hits its mark, cutting a deep gash into Baxa's shoulder. He withdraws his axe, covered in brownish lacewing blood.
Dyen:
Can I move here?
thuryl:
Dyen: yeah, I'll let you use that 18 you rolled for it :v
Dyen:
Nifty. I smash his face.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 9
thuryl:
With great effort, Meredith manages to run against the belt. Unfortunately, she can't quite get all the way off it.
Meredith:
*** Meredith loses 1 stamina.***
thuryl:
Dyen swings his fist at Baxa, but she barely manages to dodge back out of the way of the attack.
OK, enemy turn.
Baxa:
"Little help here, guys!"
thuryl:
Baxa takes a careful step back and flings another potion bottle at you. Saving throws from Dyen, Jarrox and Lephista.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 4
Dyen:
Bugger.
Jarrox:
(Can I try to catch the bottle from the air?)
thuryl:
... you can *try*.
thuryl:
Although I'm not sure what you want to catch it with, since you have an axe in one hand and a shield in the other.
Dyen:
Catch it in the shield.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 3
Jarrox:
(Errr, in the shield? Sniped)
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 16
thuryl:
Thinking quickly, Jarrox deflects the flying bottle onto the floor with the edge of his shield; it cracks, but does not completely shatter. A thick white gas seeps out, and Lephista and Dyen's eyes begin to water.
thuryl:
Perception rolls, everyone.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 6
Jarrox:
"I got some help for you right here pal," I wave my axe at Baxa.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 14
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 12
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 11
thuryl:
From somewhere to the west, Dyen hears a buzzing noise, almost like a swarm of insects.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 20
Phulax:
...
thuryl:
Phulax also hears the noise, and is pretty sure it sounds like wasps.
Party turn.
Jarrox:
I charge Baxa with my shield and body slam him.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 10
Lephista:
I follow up with my axe.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 16
thuryl:
Jarrox charges Baxa through the growing cloud of gas, striking her a glancing blow with his shield. She reels back.
Phulax:
(Can I try move down the conveyor belt, and do anything else too?)
thuryl:
(You can if you roll well.)
Lephista also strikes, cutting deeply into one of her arms.
Meredith:
I try to make it to the other side and run Baxa through with my sword.
(do you need a roll to make it across?)
Dyen:
Kick her legs out from under her.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 14
thuryl:
(Yes, the conveyor belt is still moving backwards at a running pace.)
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 7
Meredith:
Oh, come on.
thuryl:
Dyen trips up Baxa, knocking her off her feet. Meredith tries to run against the conveyor belt, but gets nowhere.
Phulax:
(So can I try to cross and still try to do something else, or will trying to cross be my entire action?)
thuryl:
(You can try to cross and do something else, but it will increase the danger of crossing.)
Phulax:
(hmm...)
Lephista:
(Play it safe, I say. We're doing okay on this end for now.)
Jarrox:
(Don't worry, we got this taken care of.)
Phulax:
(Has everyone else gone?)
Lephista:
Yep
Phulax:
I try to teleport Baxa west, into the air, toward the buzzings.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 20
Phulax:
...
WHAT.
Jarrox:
"Where did he go?"
thuryl:
Phulax successfully teleports Baxa far to the west, out of sight.
Phulax:
"Baxa went to the buzzing place."
Baxa:
"Ow ow ow! Not me, you stupid things! Hirst, get them away from me!"
Phulax:
"It sounds very happy there." I chuckle.
Phulax:
(LOL!)
Lephista:
"It's not funny, Phulax." I laugh.
thuryl:
End combat, for now.
Jarrox:
"I'm coming for you now Phulax," I look back at him and grin.
Phulax:
"Then why are you laughing, Leph?"
"Jarrox, you are tremendous asset in battle. I helped you get closer to the enemy. What is there to complain about?"
Phulax:
Now that we are out of battle, I try to carefully move up (down?) the conveyor.
(roll?)
Lephista:
Is this lever by me the same as the first one?
Jarrox:
"Now I have to go across that chain belt to get back to out platform. I seen what it did to you. Its going to eat me."
thuryl:
(Phulax: yes.)
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 13
Jarrox:
I take a swig from my ale skin.
thuryl:
(Meredith will also need to roll, if she wants to run against the conveyor belt.)
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 13
thuryl:
Meredith gets off the conveyor belt, while Phulax successfully makes some headway against it.
Meredith:
WHen I'm on this side, can I see a way to turn it off, or jam it, or slow it down?
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 1
Phulax:
(Now now, it's not that bad)
(Do I have to roll again?)
thuryl:
(If you want to keep moving.)
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 11
Dyen:
(Am I the only one without a light?)
thuryl:
It turns out the toxic gas from the bottle Baxa threw hadn't quite finished dispersing. As Meredith wanders around, she catches a deep breath of it and has a coughing fit, losing 1 stamina.
Meredith:
*** Meredith loses 1 stamina.***
Meredith:
(I don't have one, Nalyd)
Jarrox:
When Phulax gets near me I reach out and grab him and pull him onto the platform. "At least give me warning next time."
thuryl:
Phulax nearly manages to get to the end of the belt.
Jarrox, roll to pull him in if you want.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 18
thuryl:
Jarrox reaches over and easily grabs Phulax, dragging him onto the platform.
Lephista:
"Come on, guys! I'll drive!"
Jarrox:
"Lets go get that lacewing, west-oh."
Phulax:
"Any get cut up in that little skirmish and need some tending?" (i.e. First Aid?)
thuryl:
Nobody was actually *injured*.
Dyen:
Cept the poor antlady.
Jarrox:
"Baxa needs some loving I imagine. Did you see what my axe did to his shoulder?"
Lephista:
"Meredith, Dyen, get on!"
Phulax:
(Well I couldn't tell - I was busy dangling over a giant chasm of doom! )
Dyen:
"Get on what now?"
Lephista:
(The bottom left quadrant of this thing we're standing on.)
Jarrox:
"On to this platform, just come stand by me and I'll hold your hand if you need me to."
Lephista:
(We did it once before you got here.)
Meredith:
"I'm on. Hurry up already."
Lephista:
I push the lever west.
Jarrox:
I take a look at the lever as we move to make sure it's not a trap. (Artifice)
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 14
thuryl:
OK. Lephista pushes the lever, and with a harsh grinding noise the platform slowly disengages itself from its neighbours and slides off to the west.
Jarrox examines the lever: it looks a little bit rusty, but not malicious.
Lephista:
I keep going west.
thuryl:
Perception rolls, everyone.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 18
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 12
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 18
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 18
thuryl:
Lephista, Phulax and Jarrox hear other grinding noises from the north and further to the west.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 13
thuryl:
And so does Dyen.
The platform continues to move to the west, beginning to dock with a much larger, solid metal platform. At its centre you can see some kind of large stone table, bristling with levers.
Ilestro:
"Don't come any closer! We're ready for you!"
Dyen:
I cast Glimpse of Oblivion on the bugger.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 13
thuryl:
Ilestro reels back, stunned.
Phulax:
"Ho there, Ilestro! Do we really need to fight? You're losing time waiting for us when we could all be advancing together!"
Jarrox:
"I do that to people."
Lephista:
"You can still make peace with us."
Phulax:
(Composure)
Hirst:
"You don't understand anything! I'm only doing what I have to do!"
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 18
Lephista:
"Oh, hi, Hirst. You can explain it to me, or I can slice you in half. Either way works for me."
Phulax:
"It's true. We DON'T understand. So tell us! Help us understand!"
Phulax:
"We have no reason to be your enemies."
thuryl:
After recovering his composure somewhat, Ilestro seems to hesitate at Phulax's words, as does Hirst.
Jarrox:
I take a drink as I listen.
Hirst:
"Why have you come here? What is it that you seek? Are you really just trying to 'save' the people of this island, out of the goodness of your own hearts?"
Lephista:
"Yes. Is that so strange?"
Hirst:
"Then... are you so sure that what you're doing is right?"
Phulax:
"That is why we came. We don't plan to do anything to interfere with you making your own wishes."
Dyen:
"I seek my fate. Nothing more."
Lephista:
"We're willing to listen to reason."
Lephista:
(Hey, who's the new girl?)
Jarrox:
"I'm looking for gold."
thuryl:
(That's Siana, the elf. You've seen her before.)
Lephista:
(Oh, right.)
(I forgot about her.)
Phulax:
"I remain uncertain. I suspect few on this island have been truthful with us so far. Do you something about the conflicts among its inhabitants?"
Jarrox:
"But hey, not everyone can be a saint."
Phulax:
"Is the king really oppressing the dwarves? Or do you know another side to the tale?"
Hirst:
"Consider. Mote is a dying world -- at least, as far as land-dwellers are concerned. And this city has been ruined twice already: once when it sank, and again when it resurfaced."
"Even if you find a way to restore its people to their original forms, do you think there is any future for them?"
"Might some not say that they are better off the way they are, if only they could return to their natural environment?"
Dyen:
"I can think of better wishes than 'Make all as it has been', no matter whose welfare you seek."
Lephista:
"It's possible. If you had the choice, would you become one of them or remain a human?"
Phulax:
"Better to give them their own free choice of how to live, how to face the future, than compel them all to remain trapped in forms they didn't choose."
"I seek to give the island's people their own choice, rather than thinking myself to have the wisdom and clairvoyance to make it for them."
thuryl:
Hirst laughs bitterly.
Hirst:
"Remain a human, you say..."
"I don't claim to know what is right and what is wrong."
Phulax:
"Do YOU know the future, Hirst? I do not."
Jarrox:
"Cause there aint no thing as right and wrong." I mumble.
Siana:
"Oh, cut the crap already."
Meredith:
"Finally, somebody with sense."
Phulax:
"Why, Siana? So we can pointlessly fling ourselves at each other in frivolous battle?"
Meredith:
"This amateur philosophising is pointless."
Siana:
"It's not like you're actually planning to let us make any wishes. We're on to you. You just want to use us to get to the temple, and then use its power for your own ends."
Jarrox:
"This is why I drink." I take a drink.
Lephista:
"Hey, look, they have a Meredith in their party, too!"
Dyen:
"Are our ends so at odds with yours?"
"I would not waste such an opportunity on petty vengeance."
Ilestro:
"Just how much did King Zellak tell you about how this city came to be as it is?"
Meredith:
"Honestly, make your wishes, just do not get in our way, or prevent us from making them. We've no quarrel with you."
Jarrox:
"He rambled on for some bit, I didn't listen much."
Lephista:
"He said the island started to sink, so he went to the temple and wished his people could survive or something like that."
Phulax:
"Little enough. That he wished them all into sea creatures to save their lives as the island sank."
thuryl:
Ilestro laughs.
Ilestro:
"He's a wise king indeed. I knew he wouldn't trust you with the truth."
Meredith:
"Yes, he's the villain of the piece. We know that much. Your point?"
Lephista:
"How do you know the story he told you is the true one?"
Phulax:
"Perhaps if he'd told us the truth we wouldn't be working against him."
"But as best we can see, whatever he once was, he now oppresses and takes advantage of his people, people who were involuntarily transformed. As I said, we seek only to give them the choice of how to live, rather than condemning forever to a miserable existence."
Ilestro:
"He never wished to save his people. As his city sank, his only wish was that he himself could live forever. Everything you have seen above the surface is a consequence of his wish."
Phulax:
"I have no desire to abet a tyrant, and that is what the king appears to be."
Dyen:
"How do you know that?"
Phulax:
"Indeed? Please tell us more."
Ilestro:
"He knew we could be trusted. We understand how he thinks. Unlike you, we know what we are willing to sacrifice for our goals."
Phulax:
"Not all sacrifices are bad. Some are noble. But some things cannot be sacrificed."
Hirst:
"What would you know of sacrifice?"
Jarrox:
"I like your talking Ilestro, got any ale that you can share?"
Lephista:
"This is a waste of our time. We clearly don't see eye to eye, and we're ignoring the most important facts."
Hirst:
"Tell me, is it truly your greatest wish to return the people of this city to their original forms? Would you not rather have wealth, or power, or fame?"
Jarrox:
"Is that a trick question?"
Meredith:
"I would, but the do-gooders in my group outnumber me, I'm ashamed to say"
Hirst:
"Whatever you seek, somebody will pay the price for it."
Lephista:
"Also, even if we suddenly turned selfish right now, you would just think it was a trick."
Phulax:
"Truly, MY greatest wish is to do what is right. As far as I can see, to return the people of this city to their original forms is what is right."
Dyen:
"I saw my home, my city, and my family sacrificed to war and greed. I have sacrificed my will to Imaunte. I will sacrifice my life to the will of Fate."
Lephista:
"What's important is that there are five of us and four of you. Three and a half, really, after what we just did to Baxa."
Dyen:
"And I would sacrifice the life of any other on that same altar."
Lephista:
"So you're going to start seeing things our way, and the sooner you do it the happier you'll come out of this."
Jarrox:
"If we turned selfish? I thought we were selfish. I guess I got stuck with the wrong group."
Meredith:
"No Jarrox, we're just not being loud enough."
Hirst:
"What are you proposing, then?"
Meredith:
"...oh Gods. Did I just pal up with Jarrox?"
Hirst:
"I cannot surrender, and clearly you will not."
Jarrox:
"I say I get to wish for booze and gold!"
Dyen:
"Let us by. We shall all make what wishes that we make. No surrender. Only reason. Truce."
Lephista:
"Well, we can work out some compromise in which all our wishes are possible, or my bearded associate can show you why we keep him around."
Siana:
"So you're not gonna try to stop us?"
Phulax:
"I still don't understand why we must fight! Where are we in conflict?"
Lephista:
"Not unless we have to."
Dyen:
"You have quarrels with how wishes are spent? Resolve them with those that oppose you."
"I am not one of them."
Phulax:
"The fact that our goals are different does not mean we are enemies!"
Jarrox:
"I'd rather not die in here."
Baxa:
"I don't wanna fight you guys either. But Zellak said you'd stop us if you found us. You're really just gonna trust us to do our own thing?"
Dyen:
"I will not stand against you."
Phulax:
"Why not? He lied to us. He lied to you. We're even."
Jarrox:
"As long as I get my gold and booze, you can wish for the end of the world for all I care."
Meredith:
"Zellak who wished he could live forever at the cost of his subjects? Yeah, he's the sort of character to trust..."
Phulax:
"You clearly don't share the king's goals. "
Hirst:
"No. We all have our own goals."
"I'm surprised that anyone would risk their lives for the sake of a city of strangers..."
Meredith:
"Isn't that what you're doing, Hirst?"
Hirst:
"No. I have my own, personal goals. We agreed to aid Zellak in exchange for his assistance. That is all."
Lephista:
"I'm still going to restore the people here. Is that all right with you four?"
Phulax:
"Once many pilgrims came to the this shrine to make wishes. They were not all in conflict. Why should we be different?"
Jarrox:
"Anyone got some booze, I'm kinda running dry at the moment." I lift my ale-skin that is nearing empty.
Phulax:
"But you can't trust the king, and you don't need his assistance. You know that!"
Phulax:
"Do you really want to fight us, and risk your own goals, for the sake of a man you know was lying to you?"
Hirst:
"Of course not. If you will allow us to continue, then we will not seek to obstruct you further -- on one condition."
Phulax:
"And that is?"
Hirst:
"We will not stop you, but we will not help you, either. You must allow us to make our wishes before you make yours. I cannot take the risk that you will cause some catastrophe that will kill us or otherwise prevent us from using the temple's power. My wish is too important."
Dyen:
"Are you sure? One of them may make a wish that contradicts one of your previous ones."
Phulax:
"What is your wish? We may find that we not only would not prevent you, but might want to aid you! But you have to share with us."
"We have been open with you."
"Reciprocate."
Hirst:
"I doubt that it will concern you in any way. My wish is my own. But if you insist..."
Phulax:
"Further, we have told you our wishes."
"You know that they will not interfere."
"Besides, you are obviously quite skilled, and mananged to remain ahead of us all at points, except when you stopped to fight us."
"I suspect that if you wished, you could easily reach the temple before we do anyway. You have nothing to fear from us."
Hirst:
"My wife, Arielle, has been ill for many years. I studied many schools of healing magic, hoping to find some way to help her as she wasted away, all to no avail."
Jarrox:
I sit down cause I'm sick of standing for so long.
Hirst:
"She can barely walk now. I do not know how much longer she has. This temple's power is my last hope."
Phulax:
"I promise I will not stand in the way if you wish her to be cured."
Lephista:
"THAT'S IT? Your wife is sick? You had to kill us because you thought we'd stop you from SAVING YOUR WIFE?"
"Sweet Mariona, you people. Go do it already. We won't stop you."
Dyen:
"Shut up, Lephista."
Hirst:
"Ilestro and Siana have their own wishes. I am sure Baxa does as well."
Dyen:
"We will not lose our accord to an outburst."
Phulax:
"You are welcome to go on ahead of us and make such a wish."
"Or along with us, if you prefer."
Dyen:
"My wish is to stand before Imaunte."
Jarrox:
"Just don't take all the gold."
Dyen:
"And to know Fate."
Phulax:
"Please, let us end this destructive conflict."
Jarrox:
"And share some booze if you have some," I give my best flashy smile.
Siana:
"So that's it, huh? A truce? Well, that was easy."
Dyen:
I take my half-full bottle and sniff it a bit.
Lephista:
"Yes. If only we'd done it days ago."
"Now, let's get a move on, shall we?"
Baxa:
"Hey, some free advice for you before we go."
Lephista:
"Oh?"
Baxa:
"Watch out for traps on the platform to the southeast, when you go there. I saw a whole mess of 'em."
Jarrox:
"Uhmm, sorry about that shoulder. No hard feelings? Or at least not too hard?"
Baxa:
"Aw, I'll live."
Phulax:
"Thank you, Baxa. Would you like me to tend to your wounds before you leave?"
Baxa:
"Really? You'd do that? No tricks?"
Phulax:
"I'd be happy to."
Meredith:
I roll my eyes
Siana:
"Watch out, Baxa. Do you really trust them THAT much?"
Dyen:
"Will the rest of us be going, then?"
Phulax:
"It's your choice. You are free go or stay as you judge fit."
thuryl:
Baxa steps blithely off the central platform, while the rest of her party watches over her.
Phulax:
(Take 10 on FA in the non-combat situation)
Meredith:
"Don't worry, these lot aren't intelligent enough to double-cross you."
Jarrox:
"So, no one have any booze? I got some gold I'll pay for it."
thuryl:
Baxa is seriously wounded, but Phulax manages to bind her wounds and bring her back into reasonable condition.
Phulax:
"There you go. Safe journeys."
Baxa:
"Gee, thanks. You a healer?"
Phulax:
"I am."
Baxa:
"Nice."
Dyen:
"SHALL WE BE GOING, THEN?!"
Baxa:
"Well, see you. Like I said, watch out on the southeast platform. I'm pretty sure the southeastern set of levers somehow control the traps there, for what it's worth."
Ilestro:
"Ahem. If that's all, we'll be going now."
Jarrox:
"I'm good with these levers, I'll take a look at them and try not to get us killed." I smile.
Phulax:
"Farewell!"
I bow as they depart.
Jarrox:
"Don't wish for all the gold, save some for me." I call out.
thuryl:
Ilestro pulls a lever, and you hear a grinding noise from the south.
Phulax:
I wait patiently for the other party to depart.
Baxa:
"And there's our ride. See you!"
Jarrox:
I wander to the platform to check out the levers and to get on top if I can.
Phulax:
"Wow. That went well! Spiffy!"
Jarrox:
(Can I get onto the lever platform or do I need to roll to climb up?)
thuryl:
No, you can get on. It's only elevated by a couple of feet.
Phulax:
I look around.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 8
thuryl:
Phulax sees a lot of levers.
Jarrox:
I start examining the levers with Artifice and try to use my religion to put this maze with one of the gods.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 1
Meredith:
I also look over the levers.
Jarrox:
(Lightning strikes in the distance.)
Meredith:
Artifice « d20 = 15 »
thuryl:
Jarrox leans a little too hard on one of the levers while examining it, and hears an unhealthy cracking noise from somewhere in its mechanism.
Phulax:
"From what I recall of the glyphs we saw at the start of the old city, this is perhaps the test of Kyrophius?"
Dyen:
I idly sniff at my unidentified bottle.
Jarrox:
"Hmm, seems this one was rusted out." I try to cover.
Lephista:
"This place is more black than blue."
Phulax:
"Ah but the order of the gods was green, red, and then blue. Green for Korossos, red, for Liea, and now...?"
Jarrox:
(Can I try Artifice a second time or will i get a penalty for doing it twice in a row?)
Phulax:
"Does anyone else know how machines and traps and such work?"
Meredith:
"I'm already looking."
thuryl:
Meredith examines the levers closely, and sees that each set of three levers in the corners connects to a set of gears and chains leading out away from the central platform. The northeastern levers seem to connect to the conveyor belt platform, unless she's mistaken.
Meredith:
"Maybe you could show a little patience."
thuryl:
The brass lever set apart from the other two is connected to a steam valve: it might be some kind of power switch.
As you all examine the levers, you hear a grinding noise from the platform to the east, and notice that it's receding away from you.
Phulax:
(Could you point on the map to which groups of three and which set-apart lever you mean?)
Meredith:
"Somebody following us?"
Phulax:
I try to use spyglass to look back where we came.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 9
thuryl:
The brass levers in the corners seem to be power switches, while the pairs of grey levers... do something else.
Jarrox:
I pull the lever to make the platform come back to the center where we are.
thuryl:
And the copper levers seem to be connected to another mechanism entirely.
thuryl:
Jarrox pulls the copper lever to the east, and the eastern platform slowly returns.
Jarrox:
"Hehehe," I giggle.
Dyen:
I pull the southern copper lever.
thuryl:
Meanwhile, you notice that the southern platform is also gradually returning. Once Dyen pulls the lever, though, it stops and turns back around in the other direction.
Dyen:
I pull it again, then.
Phulax:
"Jarrox and Mere, I trust you with this challenge. I'm a healer and portal mage, not an artificer. Which way do we go?"
thuryl:
After a little while, the southern platform once again returns to dock with the control centre.
Dyen:
I pull this brass lever.
Jarrox:
"East and then south I would guess. I can go ahead and look for the traps Baxa spoke of."
Meredith:
"Wait."
"We were told that the south-eastern levers control them?"
I look over those levers and see if I can figure out how to turn them off, if thats even possible.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 7
thuryl:
Dyen pulls the southwestern lever. A few seconds later, he hears a series of clicks and sees a flare of light from the southwest.
Jarrox:
I look to the southwest at the lights.
Dyen:
Also, I'm going to try and sniff my unidentified bottle for the third time.
thuryl:
The best idea Meredith can come up with to turn the levers off is to switch off the power to each set of them. Of course, that means whatever they're powering won't work. Probably.
Dyen:
I'm gonna pull the iron lever to the right of me.
Jarrox:
"Be back in a swig." I pull the lever on the platform to the west.
thuryl:
Dyen pulls the heavy iron lever and hears a loud grinding from the southwest.
Dyen:
Huh.
Dyen:
I pull both of these levers.
Or push, I guess.
thuryl:
Both of the southeastern ones?
Dyen:
Yeah.
thuryl:
Okay. Dyen pulls both of the southeastern levers. Perception roll, please.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 19
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 6
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 20
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 15
Dyen:
I think roll was singular.
Meredith:
(dont say I wasted my one good roll of the night )
Jarrox:
(I rolled to pull my lever )
thuryl:
Dyen hears a few clicks from the levers, but nothing else seems to happen. Jarrox thinks he heard a faint hiss of steam from the southeastern pipes, followed by silence.
Dyen:
I pull this brass one.
thuryl:
Dyen pulls the brass lever, and immediately hears grinding and clanking noises from the southeast for a few seconds.
Meredith:
"So are you just randomly pulling levers?"
Jarrox:
(Is my lever not working then?)
Phulax:
(Are there any levers we haven't pulled?)
thuryl:
You haven't messed around with the northwestern ones yet.
Dyen:
"I am amassing data."
Pull this brass one again.
Phulax:
I pull the one west of me.
Meredith:
"Oh, because it looks like you're just pulling levers."
thuryl:
Dyen pulls the southwestern lever, and the braziers to the southwest go out.
Jarrox:
"Thats what sh..."
Dyen:
"It is data about levers."
I pull both of these iron levers.
Phulax:
"Turn the lights back on."
Dyen:
And then the brass one again, unless something funky happens.
Phulax:
I pull the two levers to which I am adjacent.
thuryl:
Phulax hears faint whirring noises from the west and northwest.
Jarrox:
I keep pulling my lever to the west.
Phulax:
I pull the lever I'm beside now.
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Dyen pulls both of the southwestern levers, but nothing happens. He pulls the brass lever, and the braziers spring back to life.
Phulax:
"Let's see if this helps, Jarrox."
Dyen:
Well.
"Anyone wanna get moving?"
Phulax:
(My lever pull result?)
thuryl:
Oh, okay. Phulax pulls the copper lever to the west, and hears the western mobile platform dock securely with the central platform.
Phulax:
"Now will your platform go, Jarrox? Try it."
Jarrox:
I try west again.
thuryl:
Jarrox pulls the lever on his platform, and it grinds merrily away to the west.
Phulax:
"Score!"
Jarrox:
I whistle as I go.
"Holy vortex of death."
thuryl:
Jarrox sees a runic circle in the floor, with a glowing field of magical energy contained inside it.
Jarrox:
I take a drink and then use my shovel to poke the magical evergy field of death and doom.
thuryl:
The end of the shovel disappears into the vortex, but when Jarrox pulls it out it seems none the worse for wear.
Jarrox:
"I'm going do someting dumber than I noramly do, so it should make Meredith happy."
Phulax:
I cast Gatesense, trying to analyze the vortex.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 8
Phulax:
...
Jarrox:
I step into it.
thuryl:
Jarrox vanishes, and reappears somewhere else. Phulax is too far away to tell much about the portal, except that it is, in fact, a portal, and doesn't seem to be deadly. Also, it's probably one-way.
Phulax:
Phulax blinks.
Dyen:
I pull the copper lever.
Phulax:
"How irresponsible! I must get a closer look."
thuryl:
Jarrox notices something odd about the metal wall to the east: it seems transparent, as if it's not really there.
Jarrox:
I take a long look around me to see where I am.
Meredith:
"Don't get too excited, he'll probably turn up again."
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 12
Phulax:
(does the moving platform come back automatically?)
thuryl:
He also sees an enormous water wheel to his north: it's a fair bet that this is where the water from the waterfall above goes. It might even be powering this whole place.
(Just a second, I'm multitasking here.)
Phulax:
(No problem!)
thuryl:
Dyen pulls the western lever, and hears a clang from the western platform. It doesn't seem to be returning.
Dyen:
I pull the iron lever to the left of me.
thuryl:
As Dyen pulls the lever, the runic circle to the west of Jarrox flares to life.
Jarrox:
I look at this wall a bit closer.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 13
thuryl:
Jarrox touches the wall, and his hand passes straight through it.
Dyen:
"Pff. Magical machinery. Mixing such things is to the detriment of both."
Jarrox:
I walk through
thuryl:
There doesn't seem to be awfully much on the other side.
Phulax:
I pull the lever I'm beside.
thuryl:
Phulax pulls the western copper lever, and hears a slow grinding noise from the west.
Jarrox:
Is the waterwheel moving right now?
thuryl:
It certainly is, since there's a waterfall pushing down on it.
Jarrox:
Is it rotating down on the south side or the north side?
thuryl:
The water is falling down the side closer to you.
Lephista:
(Do we have a plan or something?)
Jarrox:
I look at the floor again to see what is down there.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 1
Phulax:
...
Jarrox:
(Over I go I guess.)
Phulax:
Jarrox misses the floor and falls upward?
thuryl:
The edge of the platform is quite slippery from stray drops of water falling on it. Jarrox notices this a little too late, and slips, barely catching himself. He is now dangling by his hands from the edge of the platform.
Phulax:
I board the platform. "Anyone want to come with me to southwest?"
Lephista:
"Sure."
Phulax:
(I assume we are all ignorant of Jarrox's status in-character?)
thuryl:
Well, if he starts yelling, you'll be able to hear him.
Phulax:
I pull my lever west.
Jarrox:
I grunt and try to pull myself up. "Mer is going to be so happy."
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 4
Phulax:
(Shh. Be vewy vewy quiet.)
Phulax:
"First I want to check out this portal."
thuryl:
The platform moves to the west. Meanwhile, Jarrox tries and fails to scramble back up onto the ledge. He's still dangling.
Phulax:
I approach and try to analyze the portal, learning all I can.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 19
Meredith:
(I just noticed. Meredith and Dyen now have no light.)
Lephista:
(It's not like anything in here is moving."
thuryl:
It's a one-way portal, but its direction can be switched. Right now, this side of the portal is inactive. By feeding energy into one of two runic circles, the direction of the portal can be controlled. That's probably what those levers back on the central platform did.
Jarrox:
I try again hoping my fingers don't slip.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 11
thuryl:
With a great effort, Jarrox manages to pull himself back up, at the cost of 1 stamina.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 1 stamina.***
Phulax:
"Astounding! I had no idea this would be such an educational experience... A working, safe portal system built by ancient masters... Hoggle would be intrigued, I'm sure..." I mutter to myself as I examine the system.
"Well, off we go, south now. I almost hate to leave this."
Jarrox:
I lay on my back and breath.
Phulax:
Lever to the south.
Jarrox:
Once I have my breath back I step into the portal of doom.
Meredith:
Feeling my way around the platform, I move to the south. (Do I need to roll, because its dark?)
thuryl:
OK. The platform begins grinding its way over to the south, just as Jarrox appears out of the portal.
Phulax:
"Woah!"
thuryl:
Naw. There's enough ambient light from people's torches that you can just barely sorta kinda see around you.
Jarrox:
"Platform thieves!" I call out at them.
Phulax:
I halt the platform and move back.
thuryl:
OK. The platform moves back.
Meredith:
"Dyen, coming?"
Phulax:
"Come on aboard. Where have you been?"
Phulax:
Now I go south.
Dyen:
"I'm kinda over here..."
Jarrox:
"I've been learning where the power for this stuff comes from. Seems that one test powers the next test and so forth."
Dyen:
Meh.
Meredith:
(you're on the same platform as me...)
Dyen:
I go this way, then.
I was referring to the other platform.
Meredith:
I push the lever on our platform south.
thuryl:
Meredith does still have some of the sticks from Liea's trial, if she wants a little light. It won't be as strong as a lantern, but it'll be something.
Meredith:
Oh, cool. I'll use one - I thought they were just burning sticks, and that they'd have gone out.
thuryl:
Yeah, they would have, but I'm feeling generous and I don't really want to deal with the party messing about just for the sake of getting you a torch.
Jarrox:
I try to walk through the wall here.
Lephista:
"What now, Phulax?"
Phulax:
I look around.
thuryl:
Jarrox finds that the wall seems quite solid.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 1
Phulax:
...
I die.
Blind.
Jarrox:
I examine the big bright light.
Meredith:
I move up to the entrance ahead and peer in.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 20
thuryl:
Phulax slips and nearly falls off the edge of the platform, losing 1 stamina to catch himself.
Phulax:
*** Phulax loses 1 stamina.***
Meredith:
Perception: « d20 = 19 »
Dyen:
(this is a door, I presume?)
Phulax:
I would have expected some kind of test here.
thuryl:
(yes)
Meanwhile, Jarrox examines the brazier. It's full of some kind of volatile, burning liquid, being piped into it from the northeast.
Phulax:
(Can I walk like this?)
thuryl:
He's pretty sure it's alcohol, in fact.
thuryl:
(Fun fact: I could have given the same result if Jarrox had rolled a 1 on that check.)
Dyen:
I cast Feeling the Way on this surely easily opened door.
thuryl:
Phulax: yes, you can carefully hop between platforms like that.
* Dyen rolls: 1d20 => 6
Dyen:
(Damn.)
Jarrox:
"Sweet morning glory of the almighty fire breather Farrox. My wish came true!"
thuryl:
Meredith and Dyen examine the gate to the south. It's large, forbidding and made of steel: breaking it down probably won't work very well. It's also got a large, sturdy lock with two keyholes, one made of brass and one made of tin.
Meredith:
(morning glory... really?)
Phulax:
I pick up the ring of keys I find.
Jarrox:
"Phulax! I need you, quick. Please help me."
Phulax:
"Yes, Jarrox? What's wrong?"
Jarrox:
"I need you to teleport this liquid into my cooking pot." I pull my cooking pot from my pack.
thuryl:
Okay. Phulax carefully makes his way across the platforms, and teleports into the small room on the other side, where he finds a keyring bolted to the wall. There are a large number of identical-looking tin keys on it.
Jarrox:
"As much as you can, please" I look very happy.
Dyen:
I cast a spell, DM dear.
Meredith:
I return to the platform and move my lever to the north, back to the central island.
Phulax:
I take 10 to get back to where Jarrox is.
thuryl:
Dyen detects a faint sense of danger from the gate. Attempting to open it without the proper keys might be a bad idea in some way. Then again, maybe not.
thuryl:
Okay. Phulax takes a key from the keyring and returns to Jarrox.
Jarrox:
I try using my pot to scoop out some of the liquid.
thuryl:
Okay, Jarrox. Roll it.
* Jarrox rolls: 1d20 => 8
Phulax:
"Jarrox, remember, a lever turned the fire on. Maybe we can switch off the fire and make this a little safer?"
Lephista:
"Too late."
Dyen:
I try and open the door!
thuryl:
Jarrox dips his cooking pot into the brazier of flaming alcohol, and just as quickly pulls it out as the hair on his hands and arms catches fire.
Jarrox:
*** Jarrox loses 4 hit points.***
Phulax:
"Stop, drop and roll, old lad."
Jarrox:
"Hot, hot, hot, hot."
thuryl:
You're just going to grab onto the gate and pull it open, Dyen?
Jarrox:
"Put me out, put me out."
I hold on to the pot.
Phulax:
I take 10 to help smoother the flames.
Lephista:
"Jarrox, you idiot!" I assist Phulax.
thuryl:
The fire is easily put out, leaving Jarrox with only minor burns.
Phulax:
I tend to the burn (FA - take 10 again?)
thuryl:
Sure, why not.
Jarrox:
***Jarrox is healed and gains 2 hit points.***
Phulax:
"There are more important things in life than drink, Jarrox. Like life."
Jarrox:
Is the liquid in the pot on fire?
Phulax:
(LOL!!!)
thuryl:
Yes. It is on fire. That is what it means for something to be burning.
Lephista:
"And not catching fire." I help Phulax with his FA.
Lephista:
(Take 10)
Dyen:
Yeah, I just pull the gate.
Jarrox:
"Now any ideas on how to put out the fire in the pot?"
thuryl:
Jarrox is as healed as he's going to get for now.
Meredith:
(can i go back north, or not?)
thuryl:
Dyen pulls on the gate handle, but it's securely locked.
thuryl:
Meredith: sure, if you want
Phulax:
"Jarrox, if you really want this, wait here; we'll go back and try to put out the fires, and see if you can get some then."
Jarrox:
"Okay, I'll wait."
Phulax:
"Coming, Leph?"
Lephista:
"Come with us. We might run into an enemy."
Meredith:
Now I attempt to go east.
thuryl:
You all know how to operate the levers and platforms by now, so to save time just move where you're moving and I'll do the needful.
Dyen:
Regrettably, I am trapped.
That's what I get for watching Donnie Darko at the same time.
Meredith:
Can that platform also go south, or just east-west?
Phulax:
Push the lever south so it goes to Dyen.
thuryl:
Well, the lever can go to the south.
Jarrox:
I keep looking at my pot and back to the bigger one with all the liquid in it.
Meredith:
Okay, south!
Phulax:
I get the lever to turn off braziers.
Dyen:
Up I go.
thuryl:
OK, give me a sec to process everyone's actions.
thuryl:
Phulax turns off the braziers.
Phulax:
"How's that, Jarrox?"
Jarrox:
(Going to wait for Lilith before I doing anything else.)
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Meredith is at the entrance to a small building on the southeastern platform. There's a dead body just inside, and two solid metal gates blocking the way further in.
thuryl:
OK, you can keep going now.
Jarrox:
I reach out and test the liquid to see if it is still hot.
thuryl:
It's quite hot, but not dangerously so. Evaporation has cooled it down quickly.
Jarrox:
I taste it.
Phulax:
"Dyen, what did you find to the south?"
thuryl:
It tastes like pure, hot alcohol.
Dyen:
" A door."
Meredith:
Examine the body for useful stuff.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 11
Dyen:
"Locked, ominous."
"Prolly the way out."
"Last party probably locked it."
Phulax:
"Locked? I found a tin key over yonder by the bar." I point sw.
Jarrox:
I gag, "This stuff is horrible, but its got a hard kick."
Dyen:
"We need tin and brass."
thuryl:
Meredith searches the body. It's a goblin, with no obvious injuries besides some burns on its feet. It already seems to have been looted of its useful gear, if it had any: all Meredith finds is clothing and a small notebook.
Dyen:
"If they match the locks, anyways."
Jarrox:
Once the liquid has cooled I fill all my ale-skins to the top.
Meredith:
I'll take the notebook and flip through it.
Phulax:
"Interesting. Well, we'll once we finished glancing around."
Phulax:
(Can the platform go north from here?)
thuryl:
(Just a second)
OK. Hang on, Phulax, where were you trying to go?
Phulax:
(Well, a platform can dock just to my left. Can it go north from there? If it can, there's where I explore).
Meredith:
I'll look over the two gates, trying to find an opening mechanism. « d20 = 15 »
thuryl:
OK. Phulax maneuvers a platform over to the northeast corner, but finds that it refuses to go any further north from there.
Phulax:
Cool.
I go to the southeast then.
Perception.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 10
thuryl:
Meredith thinks that the gates are probably controlled by a mechanism somewhere else. While searching, she also notices some strange, thin wires stretched across the floor to the east, and a small hole in the western wall to the south.
Lephista:
"Need any help over there?"
thuryl:
Phulax doesn't notice anything that Meredith didn't already.
Phulax:
"Try the southeast levers, like we were told."
Meredith:
"There are some gates here - I think they need opening from the main island."
Dyen:
I wave enthusiastically across the gap.
Meredith:
"Also, I think I can see some kind of trap - there's a goblin here with burnt feet, and wires on the floor."
Phulax:
(I was speaking to Leph, by the way)
Phulax:
I pull, one at a time, the three levers around me.
thuryl:
OK. In any particular order?
Meredith:
(please say "the correct order")
Phulax:
The one west of me first.
thuryl:
OK. Phulax pulls the western lever. Meredith, roll a saving throw.
Phulax:
...
Phulax:
"Anything happen, Mere?"
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 17

Meredith:
(I also already stepped back, DM!!)
thuryl:
Yes, I know. That's WHY you had to roll a save. Wait for the text.
Meredith hears a loud noise to her side, and jumps back out of the way just in time as a gate slides rapidly out from the wall where she was. Meanwhile, the other two gates slide up into the ceiling, out of the way.
Meredith:
"Blast it. Pull that one again!"
Phulax:
I pull the lever again.
thuryl:
The entrance gate slides back into the wall, while the other two gates slam down.
Meredith:
"Once more, please!"
Phulax:
I pull the lever a third time.
"With enough practice, I'll be a true lever-pulling master! Gotta pull 'em all!"
thuryl:
So you're going through the southern path?
Meredith:
I head south, keeping an eye out for traps « d20 = 14 »
Yes, sorry
Phulax:
Yelling across the gap, I call to Meredith "Should I pull another?"
Meredith:
"Wait for me to say so!"
Phulax:
"Aye aye!"
thuryl:
Meredith notices a tripwire in her path as she passes, but there's no tension on it and it hangs slack along the floor. She easily steps over it.
Meredith:
"Okay, pull that same lever again, Phulax!"
Phulax:
I pull it for a fourth time.
thuryl:
Sure enough, the gates once again shift.
Meredith:
Keep heading south, still watching for traps. « d20 = 10 »
thuryl:
Hold on a minute.
Phulax:
"This is SO Kyrophius."
thuryl:
As Meredith is about to move on, she notices a large, concealed pressure plate on the floor where the gate was.
Meredith:
I pull my bedroll out of my pack and drop it on the pressure plate. Then I attempt to step/jump over it to the south
thuryl:
You're going to jump over the pressure plate? OK, roll.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 20
Meredith:
Huzzah.
Phulax:
Meredith, Master Jumper.
thuryl:
Meredith leaps flawlessly over the plate. As she turns around to retrieve her bedroll, she notices that the plate is connected to mechanisms leading into the ceiling. It seems to open some kind of a hatch directly above.
Meredith:
Heading east, still watching for traps
(Im just gonna let you move me, since you know where everything is )
thuryl:
OK.
Meredith:
"Phulax, pull!"
Phulax:
I pull the lever for the FIFTH time.
thuryl:
Done.
thuryl:
Meredith notices a badly-burned body in the next room.
Meredith:
I'll check the body for loots/stuffs, being careful to avoid traps « d20 = 3 »
Meredith:
(eep)
thuryl:
Meredith moves through the open gate in a rather ungainly fashion, but no harm comes to her. The body is almost unrecognisable: there doesn't seem to be anything of value left on it.
Meredith:
Is that a lever to the north? If so, I'll move over to it and pull it.
thuryl:
OK. Roll a save.
* Meredith rolls: d20 => 4
thuryl:
Oh dear.
Phulax:
...
The DM is NOT supposed to say that.
thuryl:
As Meredith walks toward the lever, great pillars of flame rise from concealed holes in the floor all around her. Acting desperately on instinct, she sprints through them, getting to the other side but not without serious burns.
Meredith:
*** Meredith loses 7 hit points.***
thuryl:
The flames die down again once she reaches the lever.
Lephista:
"Meredith? Are you all right?"
Meredith:
Okay, I check the lever. Do I have any clue what it might do?
Meredith:
« d20 = 9 »
thuryl:
The lever's connected to some kind of mechanism on the other side of the wall, you think.
Meredith:
"Do I sound all right?" I shout back.
Meredith:
Taking a deep breath, I pull the lever.
thuryl:
Meredith grabs hold of the lever, pulls on it and hears a loud metallic grinding noise from the other side of the wall.
Nothing fatal seems to happen.
Phulax:
(Can we assume Meredith makes it back to the entrance without pulling the lever 25 million more times? )
Meredith:
Okay. Now that that's out of the way, I check for a way past the flame trap without setting it off. « d20 = 15 »
thuryl:
Meredith notices that the lever seems to be pulling back, as if it wants to return to its original position. As she lets go of it to examine the fire trap, it starts to do so, and the grinding noise starts up again.
Meredith:
(On a side note, do I have any potions or anything that could be immediately useful to me not dying?)
thuryl:
(Well, you used to have a healing fruit.)
Phulax:
(Hahaha!)
"Meredith, call out again! I need to get a fix on your location."
thuryl:
The flame trap seems to be triggered by a large pressure plate set into the floor between the lever and the exit from this area. It's too big to easily jump over.
Meredith:
"Why?!" I shout back
thuryl:
Meredith also notices a number of small holes in the walls.
Phulax:
(Okay, so someone - Dyen - needs to enter the area and go east while Meredith holds the lever)
"Thanks!"
I try to teleport one of my healing potions to Meredith (take 10?)
thuryl:
Hmm, sure, I'm in a good mood and it's a small object with a clear location and willing recipient. Phulax teleports a healing potion over to Meredith.
Meredith:
I drink the potion immediately.
Phulax:
"There!!!" I yell. "Happy???"
Dyen:
I'm a bit too blind for that.
Meredith:
***Meredith is healed and gains 6 hit points.***
Phulax:
I also pull the gate lever.
"Dyen, go inside to explore that area!"
Phulax:
Once he's in, I pull the lever again.
thuryl:
OK, so you're going to pull the lever again, Phulax, and Dyen is going to go east?
Phulax:
Yes, so I pull it so he could enter, but then it blocked from going further, so I pull it again. Like I did with Meredith.
thuryl:
Right.
OK. Dyen, am I to assume by your movements that you want to head straight to the east right now?
Dyen:
Yes.
thuryl:
OK. Roll a save.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 1
Dyen:
Oh hell.
Phulax:
...
thuryl:
Well, I tried to warn you and so did Meredith. Dyen steps straight into the middle of the criss-crossing wires under where the gate was. He immediately feels an intense electric shock and drops to the ground, where he touches even more wires and is shocked again. Eventually, he manages to drag himself away to safety.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 6 hit points.***
*** Dyen loses 1 stamina.***
thuryl:
Dyen, you going to continue moving, with Phulax opening and closing gates as needed to get you through?
Dyen:
Yeah.
thuryl:
OK. Is anyone else going to do anything?
Meredith:
At the moment? No.
Jarrox:
I'm just waiting for the booze to cool off so I can fill my ale-skins.
Lephista:
I'm good for now.
Phulax:
I'm playing gate troll (or is troll gate?) for now.
thuryl:
OK. Dyen continues on along the path and rounds the corner. I'll need another save from him.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 18
thuryl:
Along the way, he notices a pressure plate in the floor and deftly steps over it without triggering it.
Going to keep on keeping on?
Phulax:
(Would any of Dyen's spells help him with traps?)
Dyen:
Quite possibly.
I can think of an easy way to abuse one.
But that's not very nice.
thuryl:
Naw, go ahead. I'll just require a super high roll if you try something unreasonable.
Lephista:
(It's not possible to get from the center to the SE right ow, right? The platform is with Dyen and Mer and they're both busy.)
Phulax:
(Yes it is! You can recall it to the center island)
thuryl:
You could use the lever on the main board -- yeah, that.
Dyen:
... Very well.
I cast Fate Never Lies.
Dyen:
"I will be hurt by a trap in this corridor at some point in the future."
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 10
Lephista:
(Oh, right.)
thuryl:
It's a distinct possibility.
Phulax:
(Hahahaha! Thank you Captain Obvious.)
Dyen:
"Helpful as always, Fate."
Can I keep going?
thuryl:
Sure, if you want.
Dyen:
Weee...
thuryl:
Time for another save.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 5
thuryl:
Ooh. Not the best time to roll one of those.
Dyen:
Hurr. Imaunte is testing me.
Phulax:
...
thuryl:
Wandering through the corridor in near-darkness, Dyen triggers a pressure plate. A hatch in the ceiling opens, and a sharp axe blade swings down on a long pendulum to impale him. He tries to twist out of the way, but it hooks him just under his shoulder blade, causing considerable injury before he manages to extricate himself.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 5 hit points.***
thuryl:
OK, *now* you can keep going.
Phulax:
You know, I had forgotten, what with getting so obsessed with the gate-lever, but I want to try something.
"Heads up, Dyen and Mere!"
I pull the lever north of me.
Meredith:
"Oh gods..."
Dyen:
You had better not pull a lever that turns all the traps off.
Phulax:
"One of these MUST turn off the traps!"
Dyen:
Because I was going to try that.
thuryl:
Phulax pulls the lever. You hear a loud click, but nothing else obvious happens.
Dyen:
But I figured everyone else had been paying much more attention than I.
Dyen:
And would have tried that.
Phulax:
"Did anything happen?"
Dyen:
"Huh? I'm closer to dying, but that's all."
Meredith:
"Something went click, but that's it!"
Phulax:
Now I pull the funny looking lever SE of me.
thuryl:
As Phulax pulls the southeastern brass lever, all the gates that Meredith and Dyen can see immediately slam shut.
Phulax:
I pull the lever the other way.
thuryl:
Phulax returns the lever to its original position, and the gates return as well.
Meredith:
I sit down and rest for a bit while Dyen does whatever Dyen is doing.
Dyen:
Well, I keep going.
Phulax:
"Well, maybe that first lever will help you!"
thuryl:
OK. Roll a save.
Phulax:
Hmm... apparently not, if he still has to roll a save.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 5
Phulax:
...
Dyen:
I will happily continue to die.
Dyen:
Nobody offer help. . .
thuryl:
As he moves further down the spiralling corridor, Dyen trips a tripwire. He hears a soft hissing noise from the walls.
Dyen:
Well.
Onward, then.
Meredith:
Do I hear the hissing?
thuryl:
You can roll a Perception check to try to hear it, but it's not very loud.
Meredith:
Oh, I was just wondering if it was hissing near me as well.
thuryl:
It's not.
Dyen notices a faint, unpleasant smell in the air, like rotting garlic. Heedless, he continues on and enters the central chamber, where he sees a keyring bolted to the wall, with numerous identical brass keys on it.
Dyen:
I take that.
thuryl:
Dyen grabs a brass key off the ring.
Phulax:
I try to teleport Meredith to my location.
thuryl:
Wait, right now?
Meredith:
(...what.)
Phulax:
(Well, I can wait)
thuryl:
At least wait until Dyen gets out with the key. Don't lock the poor man in.
Dyen:
Well, I'm going to go back out, then.
Phulax:
(I just thought it might be safer to at least try than braving numerous deathtraps again)
(Oh, I forgot about that)
Lephista:
(It won't matter if you 'port him, too.)
thuryl:
Okay. The foul gas in the air is starting to take its toll on Dyen, and he feels somewhat weak and light-headed.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 1 stamina.***
Phulax:
I try to teleport Dyen.
* Phulax rolls: d20 => 5
thuryl:
Dyen is too big a target and too far away for the spell to work.
At least, not without a better roll.
Phulax:
Of course.
thuryl:
OK. Dyen, you just going to keep moving out while Phulax opens the path for you?
Dyen:
Onwards and outwards.
thuryl:
No problem. Dyen moves back past the pendulum blade trap without further incident and continues on.
thuryl:
Going to need another save, Dyen.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 8
Phulax:
"Lephista, will you be ready to give first aid when Dyen gets out of there?"
"IF he gets out?"
Lephista:
"Of course."
thuryl:
Dyen triggers a tripwire on the way out, and a small black ball falls from a hole in the ceiling. As Dyen jumps out of the way, the ball explodes, showering him with shrapnel.
Dyen:
*** Dyen loses 3 hit points.***
thuryl:
Going to keep on keepin' on?
Dyen:
Yup.
thuryl:
Dyen continues on out of the building without further incident. The pressure plate he passed by earlier doesn't trigger, and the electrified floor doesn't appear to be electrified any more.
Dyen:
Huzzah.
Phulax:
I cheer when I see him emerge. "Huzzah!!!"
Dyen:
Now, can I please sniff my unidentified liquid, hopefully gaining some manner of information this time?
Meredith:
"...my turn. Phulax! Pull that lever again!"
Phulax:
"Meredith, some of the traps seemed to be off! Throw some on your flame trap."
thuryl:
The unidentified liquid from last session? Sure. It's got a strong herbal scent to it -- do you want to taste it, or roll Nature or Divination to try and identify it?
Meredith:
I brace myself, let go of the lever I'm hanging onto, then try and leap across the pressure plate. « d20 = 20 »
(Woo!)
Phulax:
Yay!
Dyen:
Nah, I'll throw it at something later.
Phulax:
I do the requisite gate-opening again.
thuryl:
Meredith successfully leaps right across the pressure plate. She snags a tripwire in the air with her foot at the end of her jump, sending darts flying from the walls, but Meredith miraculously dodges every one of them.
thuryl:
She also notices another tripwire stretched tight in her path to the west.
Meredith:
An idea hits me. "Phulax, do whatever you did earlier that made that click! I think you've activated more traps!"
Phulax:
I pull the north lever again.
thuryl:
Phulax pulls the northern lever, and the tripwire in front of Meredith goes slack immediately.
Phulax:
"Done as you requested!"
Dyen:
"I hate you."
thuryl:
Well, at least you worked out the point of that puzzle EVENTUALLY.
Meredith:
"Yes!" I proceed forward, watching for and attempting to bypass the next trap (which was a pressure plate if I recall).
(Roll?)
thuryl:
Yeah, unless you have a specific idea on how to bypass it.
Meredith:
I was thinking step over it. Is it too large to step over?
thuryl:
It's pretty big. You could try to jump it, though.
Phulax:
"Wait!"
"Let me pull the lever again!"
Meredith:
"Wait what?"
Phulax:
"When Dyen went out, the floor traps seemed to be off"
"But the tripwires were up."
I pull the north lever again. "Watch the floor and nearby trip wires."
thuryl:
As Phulax pulls the lever, Meredith notices the pressure plate in front of her shift slightly.
Meredith:
I nod. "That seems to do it!"
I step over it.
Phulax:
"Tell me when you are past."
Then I pull the lever again to turn off the trip wires.
thuryl:
Meredith carefully tests the pressure plate. It supports her weight without shifting at all. She walks over it safely.
Meredith:
"Okay, I'm past it!"
Lephista:
I perform First Aid on Dyen.
thuryl:
Phulax pulls the lever again.
* Lephista rolls: d20 => 10
thuryl:
Meanwhile, Lephista bandages some of Dyen's more serious wounds.
Dyen:
***Dyen is healed and gains 7 hit points.***
Meredith:
I continue forward, watching out for that last trap...
Dyen:
"Nnh."
thuryl:
Meredith sees one last slack tripwire in front of her: she steps daintily over it and walks out unharmed.
Lephista:
"Hold still, you."
Phulax:
"Whew. Glad that's over."
Meredith:
"...Well. Glad that's over. So, find anything?"
Phulax:
I head to the south now, awaiting the others.
Lephista:
"Come on, let's get out of here."
thuryl:
OK. I take it you're all regrouping in front of the gate?
Dyen:
I try and find any discernable difference in my keys.
Meredith:
I join the others.
* Dyen rolls: d20 => 3
Dyen:
And I don't.
Phulax:
Is there a tin lock?
thuryl:
Yup, there's a tin lock and a brass lock.
All of the tin keys seemed identical to each other, as did all of the brass keys.
Phulax:
I unlock the tin lock with my tin key.
Lephista:
"Hey, you know what's weird?"
thuryl:
Phulax puts his tin key in the tin lock and turns it. He hears a click from the locking mechanism, but the gate still won't open.
Phulax:
"What?"
Meredith:
"What?"
Phulax:
I look to Dyen.
Lephista:
"Ilestro and his crew got their keys before we even entered this area, right? So they knew we were somewhere behind them, and that we'd have to get our own keys to follow them."
Meredith:
"Yeah..."
Lephista:
"So why didn't they throw all the extras off a catwalk?"
Phulax:
"This whole area seems to be magically sustained."
thuryl:
(Incidentally, Jarrox now has three waterskins filled entirely with pure alcohol. I'm just sayin'.)
Phulax:
"Think about the last area. Only by magic could there be multple pits full of dry firewood in an area that used to be underwater."
Lephista:
(No wonder we haven't heard from him in a while.)
Jarrox:
(Jarrox is happy.)
Lephista:
"Hmm. So the keys are magically generated or something?"
Phulax:
"That's what I'd guess."
Lephista:
"I guess that makes sense."
Phulax:
"Mine disappear, but maybe these rooms regenerate more?"
Lephista:
"Hey, what happened to Jarrox?"
Dyen:
Well, I stick in one of my keys.
Phulax:
"Oh, Meredith, would like this key? I'm sure it would be a nice artifact for your collection." I offer the tin key.
Meredith:
I take the key. "Sure. Why not."
thuryl:
Dyen inserts the brass key in the brass lock. He hears another click from the locking mechanism.
Lephista:
"Uh, Jarrox? Are you all right?"
Phulax:
"Also, you look exhausted. Take one of these nuts and eat it." I give her one of my stamina restoring nuts.
Dyen:
(I would think those deplete stamina. . .)
Meredith:
I take it. "Thanks." And then I eat it.
Meredith:
***Meredith gains 1 stamina.***
Jarrox:
Lephista finds me drinking from the big pool of liquid.
Phulax:
...Oh dear.
thuryl:
Meredith feels slightly invigorated after chewing on the seed.
Phulax:
I try to open the gate.
thuryl:
I literally have no words for how drunk Jarrox is any more.
Lephista:
"Jarrox!" I run over and try to pull him up.
thuryl:
Phulax turns the handles and pulls on the gate, and it swings wide open.
Dyen:
Woot.
Phulax:
Considering that this is the SAME DAY that we began back in session 2...
Phulax:
"Forward, comrades."
Meredith:
I follow behind Phulax
Jarrox:
I let Lephista guide me due to me being in a huge drunken stupor.
Lephista:
I guide Jarrox back to the others.
"Hey, wait up! Jarrox can't walk so good."
Phulax:
(You dun got yerself scuppered, eh, Jarrox? Hydrogen Jarroxide?)
Meredith:
(...)
Jarrox:
(ha)
thuryl:
Eventually, after rounding up Jarrox, the party regroups at the gate and passes through. On the other side, the harsh metallic surroundings give way to a tunnel lined on the floors, walls and ceiling with stone blocks, and gradually sloping downwards, even further beneath the city. After the constant sounds of machinery from Kyrophius' trial, the silence in this new tunnel seems almost unnatural.
End session.