DM Carl - 10 rounds d20+5=13 ; d20+5=17 ; Tuesday March 24th, 2020 12:29:26 PM Rill cools T1's jets. The triceratops blinks a few times, then lies down to watch what his friend is doing.
Terser lets T2 know he doesn't have time for it's nonsense. T2 turns tail and flees in terror.
Bralin moves to attack, but T2's already running away. T1 calmly looks at T2 panicking, then lowers its head and starts to nap.
With the way clear, everyone's able to make it to the button. When pressed, a loud horn goes off indicating the obstacle has been beaten. A door opens behind the button and our heroes are able to move through. It closes behind them.
The room them find themselves in is initially dark, but five lights quickly come on one at a time, illuminating 5 statues. Each statue holds a stone orb. They are as follows:
1: A slumbering dwarven monk. It holds an orb with a snowflake symbol. 2: A tall and powerful looking human covered in furs. It holds an orb with a group of evergreen trees. 3: A regal woman with fey wings. It holds an orb with a set of balanced scales. 4: A large mountain. It holds an orb with a tower. 5: A large tree. It holds an orb with a dragon.
I need everyone to give me 5 perception checks. They won't be used immediately, but I want them in advance.
***
Meanwhile, up in the tower, Aexana remains disgusted with Octavius. She accepts his bet, red faced and clenched hands staring down the much larger Octavius without fear.
Octavius shrugs. "Free her, adopt her, whatever. She'll be yours to do with as you like."
"Really, Octavius," starts Razma. "Try to show a little decency for once, will you?"
Gwendolyn's face is hard to read in all this. It's obvious she feels very out of place in a room full of very rich and very powerful people who can so easily decide her fate. Deep down, there's probably some anger there, but it's tempered with fear. Right now, it seems her fate is tied to which Sea Dragon team out performs the other. Let's hope this doesn't end in a tie; that could complicate things!
Bezos ignores all of this. "This obstacle is more suited to this group," he says, nodding. He continues staring intently.
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) d20+12=18 ; d20+12=28 ; d20+12=26 ; d20+12=18 ; d20+12=31 ; Tuesday March 24th, 2020 1:34:44 PM Perception x5 18 (or 20 if for stonework) 28 (or 30 if for stonework) 26 (or 28 if for stonework) 18 (or 20 if for stonework) 31 (or 33 if for stonework)
Terser looks around for anything resembling a button. Should nothing be obvious, he will approach the mountain statue to investigate it more closely.
Rill (MarkB) HP 148/152 - AC 28/20/26 d20+29=45 ; d20+29=42 ; d20+29=36 ; d20+29=32 ; d20+29=45 ; Tuesday March 24th, 2020 1:44:40 PM
Perception Checks: 45, 42, 36, 32, 45
As the door closes, Rill stops concentrating on the Calm Emotions spell. He looks carefully around the room for anything beyond the obvious.
"This is interesting. I wonder if some of these orbs may be misplaced. I'd normally think the scales go with the monk, and perhaps the snowflake is for the guy dressed in furs. Hmmm. Let's see if anything here is a construct or an outsider."
Rill will extend his senses, using his Sense Construct and Sense Outsider abilities. He will share what he learns. ----------------------------
Sense Construct - Sense direction and distance to any any construct, animated object, or golem within 1,080 ft., even through solid objects.
Sense Outsider - Sense direction and distance to any outsider, fey, demon, devil, or elemental within 1,080 ft., even through solid objects.
Bralin - MikeK - (AC26 T16 F21, CMD 37 HP 186/197) d20+14=19 ; d20+14=18 ; d20+14=29 ; d20+14=26 ; d20+14=32 ; Tuesday March 24th, 2020 8:29:05 PM Perception x5 19 (or 21 if for stonework) 18 (or 20 if for stonework) 29 (or 31 if for stonework) 26 (or 28 if for stonework) 32 (or 34 if for stonework)
-----------
"Aye," Bralin answers Rill. "This challenge is a puzzle."
The dwarf moves over to the statue of the woman, but doesn't touch anything pending Rill's findings.
-----------
IN EFFECT: Bulls Strength
Spell List Highlight to display spoiler: { 0 – Detect Magic, Detect Poison*, Resistance, Purify Food and Drink* 1 – Comprehend Languages, Divine Favor, Magic Weapon, Shield of Faith, Identify (d) 2 – Align Weapon, Bears Endurance, Bulls Strength*, Find Traps, Soften Earth and Stone (d) 3- Dispel Magic, Prayer, Stone Shape (d) }
(StevenVdB) Aexana Gnome (S) HP177/177 - AC29/21/24 - CMD 27 and LEAFY (L) - HP89/98 - AC34/27/31 - CMD 20 Wednesday March 25th, 2020 3:53:39 AM
It's obvious and very understandable that Gwendoly isn't happy with the current situation. Aex doesn't know what to do best but none the less she's pleased that at least one of the 1% is also appalled by Octavius's behavior.
The little greenmage is more concerned for Gwendolyn's sake rather than about her gold when Bezos claims the next room is more suited for the first group. She needs to turn her attention again to the game itself. She nods at Gwendolyn saying "Please apologize me M'lady"? Next she eyeballs Octavius... no nodding... no words... after a few seconds she just turns around and finds her place again next to Sir Bezos.
"What did I miss?"
DM Carl - 11 rounds Wednesday March 25th, 2020 12:29:17 PM Terser looks for a button. There is none. He approaches the mountain and investigates. The orb it holds is not part of the statue. It can be removed. A knowledge check may be helpful in figuring out what this statue is supposed to be (religion or history).
Rill lets the calm emotions spell drop. The door is closed, so he can no longer hear the triceratops. Maybe it stayed asleep? His senses probe for outsiders or constructs. There are none he can sense.
Bralin observes the statue of the woman with fey wings, coming to the same conclusion Terser did. The orbs can be moved.
*Rill, don't forget the 5 perception checks I asked for, please.
Aexana asks what she missed. "Your teammates have finished the more physical challenges and moved on to the puzzles. Your dwarven friends' natural stonework expertise may come in handy."
The whole room is on edge. Notwithstanding the wager of a human being, there's also tens of thousands of gold on the line. Sir Gallant is the exception; the man is completely at ease and snacks as he watches the events.
Bralin - MikeK - (AC26 T16 F21, CMD 37 HP 186/197) d20+4=11 ; d20+4=19 ; d20+10=23 ; Wednesday March 25th, 2020 12:47:22 PM
Bralin reaches up and takes the orb with a set of balanced scales from the statue of the regal woman with fey wings. The dwarf moves toward the center of the room while contemplating where to go.
-- [Knowledge History 11] [Knowledge Religion 19] [Knowledge Engineering 23] [i]Maybe the stones aren't identical in size/shape, indicating which set of hands they fit into best?
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) d20+8=12 ; d20+8=28 ; Wednesday March 25th, 2020 12:59:40 PM
Terser can't quite think up anything at first, but then has a sudden brainstorm. Hero point re-roll: Religion 28 (nat 20)
If his intuition doesn't tell him any different, he picks up the towers stone from the mountain statue.
Rill (MarkB) HP 148/152 - AC 28/20/26 d20+4=6 ; d20+9=29 ; Wednesday March 25th, 2020 3:29:23 PM
(From the previous post, Perception Checks were: 45, 42, 36, 32, 45)
"Well, as near as I can tell, there are no constructs or outsiders here. The question is what to do with these orbs? It certainly seems like some sort of matching puzzle - could it be as simple as shifting each orb one statue clockwise? A tree could be a tower, but a dragon is not really a fey. Unless it's a faerie dragon."
[Knowledge History 6] [Knowledge Religion 29 (nat 20)]
Rill will look at all the statues, and then move to the tree and look at the dragon in the orb. It is a faerie dragon? Is there more here that makes sense to him? He will remove the dragon orb. However, he has the spell Foresight running, and if this spell tells warns him of impending danger or tells him what actions he might take to best protect himself he will take that action and shout a warning the others.
--------------------------------------------------------- Foresight - This spell grants you a powerful sixth sense in relation to yourself or another. Once foresight is cast, you receive instantaneous warnings of impending danger or harm to the subject of the spell. You are never surprised or flat-footed. In addition, the spell gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself and gives you a +2 insight bonus to AC and on Reflex saves. This insight bonus is lost whenever you would lose a Dexterity bonus to AC.
(StevenVdB) Aexana Gnome (S) HP177/177 - AC29/21/24 - CMD 27 and LEAFY (L) - HP89/98 - AC34/27/31 - CMD 20 Thursday March 26th, 2020 4:21:47 AM
Aex wishes she could reach out to her friends through their rings but she dares not. What if they get disqualified for use of magic from outside... if she could she would ask them to go a bit slower... after all they are already well ahead of the previous teams and she wants the second team to win.
DM Carl - 12 rounds d6=6 ; Thursday March 26th, 2020 10:43:13 AM Bralin draws from his knowledge of history and religion, but can't connect the dots. He sees the orbs are all identical in size and shape, though.
He lifts the LAW orb from the statue of the woman, which triggers a hidden button the orb was holding down. A fine dart shoots from the statue's wrist.
Bralin must make a DC 26 reflex save to avoid the dart. If he fails, he is poisoned. A DC 26 fort save must be made or he takes 6 STR damage.
Terser can't makes heads or tails of this, until he suddenly can! He realizes all these statues represent minor Powers of the Wold.
The sleeping dwarf represents Boydoes, the sleeping demigod (Know DC 20). The human covered in furs represents Celsiun, the power of the Ice Vein (Know DC 24). The woman with fey wings represents Maab, the queen of the fey (Know DC 25). The mountain represents Burfell, a gigantic, sentient mountain (Know DC 26). The tree represents The Culverwood, the power behind a sentient forest (Know DC 22).
You know all the information on the Woldipedia pages for these entities
Terser goes to take the TOWER orb from Burfell's statue, but notices there's a tiny stone lever being held down by the orb. Removing it will trigger something.
OOC: You have the option of ignoring that and picking it up anyway, starting your next post with the orb in your posession.
Rill comes to the same conclusion regarding the identity of these statues. He goes to remove the DRAGON orb from the Culverwood statue, but his foresight spell dings. Removing the orb will result in danger. He looks, and notes the branch the orb rests on is on a cleverly disguised hinge. Removing the orb will trigger something.
OOC: Like Terser, you can ignore that and pick it up anyway, starting your next post with the orb in your posession.
Aexana wishes she could tell her friends to slow down. That's not possible at the moment, at least not through the rings since their magic is subdued.
OOC: Reminder that Aexana will be able to watch the 2nd team perform, and is welcome to peek in on The Black Tap room if she'd like.
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) Thursday March 26th, 2020 1:44:12 PM Bralin! Bring that Law Orb over here! This is Burfell, the lawful mountain.
I'll bring the Tower to the sleeping dwarf, Boydoes.
Rill - take the Dragon to Maab, but watch out for the dart!
After that, we just need to take Ice to Celsiun and the forest to the Culverwood tree. Any objections?
It seems like they'll have to trigger the traps regardless, so they'll just have to be careful. Trying to see how the dart came out at Bralin, Terser will try to tap the orb out of place with his glaive to drop into his hand while avoiding the trajectory of the trap. If the trap is the same, that is.
Rill (MarkB) HP 148/152 - AC 28/20/26 d20+15=32 ; Thursday March 26th, 2020 5:04:46 PM "Good job Terser! Are you and Bralin able to cast Slow Posion on yourselves? If not, I have another I can cast today."
Rill will cast Slow Poison on himself, and he'll then grab the Dragon Orb (like drawing a weapon as you move) as he moves to the Maab statue.
[Dex Save 32]
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) Thursday March 26th, 2020 5:12:34 PM I've just got one spell to deal with poison, no way to prevent it.
Bralin - MikeK - (AC26 T16 F21, CMD 37 HP 186/197) d20+7=23 ; d20+16=28 ; Thursday March 26th, 2020 5:18:22 PM
Bralin looks down in annoyance, as the dart strikes him in the hand. Casually, he flicks the offending missile away.
"I do not have Slow Poison," he answers Rill.
Following Terser's instructions, he runs over to the statue of the mountain.
----------- [Reflex 23 - fail Fort 28 - success]
Run to Mountain statue.
--------------
IN EFFECT: Bulls Strength
Spell List Highlight to display spoiler: { 0 – Detect Magic, Detect Poison*, Resistance, Purify Food and Drink* 1 – Comprehend Languages, Divine Favor, Magic Weapon, Shield of Faith, Identify (d) 2 – Align Weapon, Bears Endurance, Bulls Strength*, Find Traps, Soften Earth and Stone (d) 3- Dispel Magic, Prayer, Stone Shape (d) }
(StevenVdB) Aexana Gnome (S) HP177/177 - AC29/21/24 - CMD 27 and LEAFY (L) - HP89/98 - AC34/27/31 - CMD 20 Friday March 27th, 2020 5:25:44 AM
(OOC : I know Aex can have a look at the black tap, but that I cannot RP here at the moment as that's all happening in the future :-) - kudos dear DM's on how you are handling this madness.)
Given the bets that are on Aex hopes this first team slows down a little. She realizes in this challenge it will come down to wisdom and wits rather than muscle... she has the impression this challenge is better suited for this group... On the other hand the odds are pretty high that a loose cannon such as Fang will probably barge through this arena grabbing the orbs without thinking... who knows...
DM Carl - 13 rounds Friday March 27th, 2020 4:20:16 PM Terser calls out instructions and runs his own TOWER orb to Boydos. He attempts to push the orb out of place from a distance with his glaive. It works, but this one's not trapped with a dart. A burst of energy rushes out of the statue, threatening to scramble everyone's brain.
Everyone must make a DC25 Will save or be confused for two rounds. Roll your own D100 if you fail:
01-25 Acts normally 26-50 Does nothing but babble incoherently 51-75 Deals 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand 76-100 Attacks nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject’s self)
He's able to place the TOWER orb as a free action. The orb's runes glow a light blue.
Rill offers slow poison should anyone need it and books it to the Maab statue. The trap mechanisms are setup to go off when an orb is removed. Placing them is a free action that doesn't risk a trap. The orb's runes glow a light blue as it's placed.
Bralin casually tosses the dart that strikes him. He fights off the poison, but still feels it coursing through him. He'll need another DC26 fort save to officially be done with it. He runs to the mountain statue and is able to place the LAW orb. The orb's runes glow a light blue as it's placed.
Three orbs are placed, one is on the ground. Here's the map.
***
Aexana wonders if Fang's reckless disregard will trump this group's wisdom. "They acknowledge they lack the skill to disarm the traps, so they waste no time getting around them," observes Bezos. Then Terser moves the orb with his glaive. "Well, that hardly wasted any time."
"I wonder what would have happened if the orb shattered," wonders Captain Musk. "Probably end up giving them the max time for this event, all but guaranteeing a place on the bottom. That would be something after such a strong start!"
Lew speaks up. "Can you imagine? All those people who thought to bet against them, suddenly vindicated. You could probably watch the crowd's energy shift from here."
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) d20+14=22 ; d20+14=26 ; Friday March 27th, 2020 5:01:11 PM
Once Terser remembers that his rage and his mind blank give him extra protection against mind affecting spells, he easily shrugs off the confusion. double click - first one should be +8 and +3 for 33 total
He hustles the ice orb over to the Celsiun Statue, then quietly thinks better of hucking the last orb at Rill to speed up the transfer.
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) Friday March 27th, 2020 5:21:12 PM
He does then get the idea to roll it out towards Bralin at the mountain statue. Perhaps it'll get close enough that he can run it home.
Rill (MarkB) HP 148/152 - AC 28/20/26 d20+19=24 ; Saturday March 28th, 2020 12:58:53 AM
(Will save 24. Use retroactive hero point to make the save.)
Rill calls on his heroic reserves to resist the confusion.
Then he will cast another Slow Poison and hold the spell. "Bralin, if you can go by me with that last orb Terser rolled to you, give me a high five on the way so I can hit you with this slow poison spell."
If Bralin runs past, Rill will touch him as he does to impart the spell he has cast.
Bralin - MikeK - (AC26 T16 F21, CMD 37 HP 186/197) d20+18=35 ; d20+18=38 ; Saturday March 28th, 2020 9:52:38 AM [Will Save 35 Fort Save vs Poison 38]
The Stone Warden steels himself against confusion and poison, and endures both with equal success.
"I am uninjured," he tells Rill.
Nevertheless, as he passes his comrade, he slaps the man's hand.
--- Move to Tree Statue. If Terser rolled it to him, places Orb. If not, moves there anyway.
(StevenVdB) Aexana Gnome (S) HP177/177 - AC29/21/24 - CMD 27 and LEAFY (L) - HP89/98 - AC34/27/31 - CMD 20 Monday March 30th, 2020 7:04:21 AM "Now wouldn't that be something should this group come in last place! " Aex says in reply to Cpt. Musk and Lew's comments. But as she says it, she does not turn her eyes away from her friends. Casually she grabs a small pastry from her plate and brings it to her mouth... not taking her eyes of the game she holds the pastry there her mouth half open...
DM Carl - 14 rounds Monday March 30th, 2020 10:07:50 AM Terser has a mind not easily influenced. He places the ice orb on the Celsium statue. The orb's runes glow a light blue. He places a foot on top of the TREE orb and rolls it towards the Culverwood statue.
Rill offers to slow the poison Bralin was exposed to, but the dwarf's immune system has fought it all off.
Bralin high-fives his friend regardless on his way to the Culverwood statue. He arrives as the TREE orb is rolled over and is able to put it in place with a loud *CLICK* sound. The rune on the orb glows a light blue.
As the final orb is placed, three things happen quickly:
1. A loud horn sounds 2. A hidden door opens to the east. 3. A very angry treant is summoned right behind Bralin.
The treant roars...I think. Do treants roar? This one does, it turns out. Anyway, it roars and charges south, trampling Rill and Bralin for 23 bludgeoning damage. Both have a choice to either make an AoO at -4 to hit, or make a DC 25 reflex save for half damage.
The treant is stopped suddenly when it runs into the southern wall. It turns and gets ready to charge again.
Aexana wouldn't want her friends to lose, but it would certainly help her own wager!
Bezos nods in approval as the door opens. "Indeed, solid performance. The Last Whisper spent entirely too much time bickering until Xuffie pulled rank. Caisyth will get an earful later."
Aexana perception DC 27, Highlight to display spoiler: {Looking out, Aexana can see Caisyth, the tiefling member of The Last Whisper, sitting in the crowd.}
Rill (MarkB) HP 136/152 - AC 28/20/26 d20+13=30 ; d20+13=17 ; Monday March 30th, 2020 4:27:41 PM
(Reflex save made for half damage.)
Rill says, "Run for the door!" Which he then does. (We seem to have lost the grid here, so I moved as far as I think I can get in this round.)
As he goes, Rill will say in the Treant language, "We have no quarrel with you, O mighty guardian of the forests. We have not summoned you here nor set you to this task. We do not come to destroy, and we respect the power of the Culverwood. Let us leave in peace." (Diplomacy 17.)
Bralin - MikeK - (AC26 T16 F21, CMD 37 HP 163/197) d20+7=10 ; Monday March 30th, 2020 5:24:25 PM
[Reflex 10] Bralin barely has time to move before he's trampled on by the treant.
The dwarf instinctively turns to take on the creature, but Rill's words pierce his brain. "Aye!" he shouts/growls back.
Turning, he runs for the door.
-------------- Run. With Fleet Feat and Mithril armor 25' x 4 = 100' covered. Which I believe puts him through the door.
AC vs any AoO is 24
IN EFFECT: Bulls Strength
Spell List Highlight to display spoiler: { 0 – Detect Magic, Detect Poison*, Resistance, Purify Food and Drink* 1 – Comprehend Languages, Divine Favor, Magic Weapon, Shield of Faith, Identify (d) 2 – Align Weapon, Bears Endurance, Bulls Strength*, Find Traps, Soften Earth and Stone (d) 3- Dispel Magic, Prayer, Stone Shape (d) }
Terser (Warren) [AC22/13/19 - CMD 30 - HP 255/255, DR 4/-, Regen 1, Mind Blank] (SR21, 25% no crit, rage 38/43, channel 7/7) d20+22=24 ; Monday March 30th, 2020 6:17:58 PM
Terser moves up to Rill and tries to rush him through the door. Something must hold him back from being able to bull rush a friend though, since he has a hard go of it.
bull rush vs cmd 24
Rill (MarkB) HP 136/152 - AC 28/20/26 Monday March 30th, 2020 8:47:14 PM
And if we can actually use the full-round run action, Rill makes it through the door easily.
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