Jason was unavailable for this session, so Karnak was left out of play.
<Bruce> What I'm going to do, given lack of word from Jason, is inflict Karnak with a relatively minor but hard-to-treat ailment. When Jason's free again, Karnak will promptly recover.
<iChris> So Karnak isn't with us when we return to the dungeon?
<Bruce> My impulse is to say "no" - though if someone wants ot handle him as a second character/NPC, I'm good with that, too.
<iChris> Sounds to me like Karnak is recovering from a sniffle in a room at Garon's inn in Roburcollis, then.
<Bruce> A touch of food poisoning or something of the sort - partaking of old dried fruit, which was yummy but didn't agree with him.
*** iChris is now known as Meridius.
<Meridius> We left off last time back at the entrance to the dungeon, IIRC.
*** Silana connected at Sat Mar 15 11:24 AM PST from conrail.cs.columbia.edu.
*** Silana has joined channel 11 [Saturday D&D Chatter].
*** Silana has joined channel 10 [Saturday D&D].
*** BAgame is now known as Liatus.
*** Bruce is now known as DM.
<DM> Right. Quick stop to refill drinks and all, and I'll be ready.
<DM> Dan, Karnak woke up with a seriously unsettled digestive tract, and whatever's ailing him is responding slowly to clerical ministrations. So he's waiting to recover in Roburcollis, for the moment.
<Liatus> But if Karnak isn't with us, can we say that I have a small hobbit child on a leash I can use to distract the monsters while I fight them?
<Liatus> I figure if I feed him lots of candy, he'll jump around a lot just like Karnak :)
* DM laughs.
* Silana giggles.
<DM> Okay, I'm set.
<DM> The map at http://www.baugh.info/citadel1.jpg hasn't been updated to show the room that Calcryx was in, but it's left of 35 and north of 39.
<Silana> Henceforth to be known as, "The Chamber Wherein Meepo Proved The Depths Of His Cluelessness." :)
<DM> And yes, the return to the dungeon was uneventful. You left after a good breakfast and are there not long after lunch. The village priest says that from time to time someone gets the kind of cramps and woe that Karnak has, by the way - he thinks that it's impurities in the soil from whenever the ashen valley was made. Happens a couple-three times a year, and rest plus prayer does cure it.
<DM> So Karnak will be up and jumping again soon.
* Having completed her study of the desired spell, Silana respectfully and gratefully pays a call to return the loaned book before setting off. [Silana]
<Meridius> Lets hunt up that secret door we spotted on the way out last time.
<DM> If you stare very closely at the map for room 4, you can just see part of the S set against the wall marking the secret door. 5 o'clock or so.
<Liatus> That would be room five?
<DM> It would indeed.
<DM> You can trace the outlines of the door pretyt clearly now that you know it's there.
* Liatus looks for a way to open the door.
<DM> Search roll, then. (Likewise for anyone else helping.)
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 4 (2).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 4 (2).
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 19 (18).
* Liatus facepalms.
<DM> Meridius successfully detects the wall. Likewise Liatus.
<Silana> "Hey, guys, I think there's something here..."
<DM> Silana, fortunately, notices not only the concealed lock, but the small needle _inside_ the lock.
* Silana peers closer. "Oh! And watch /that/."
<DM> Anyone got any Disable Device lore? Or just want to poke at it? :)
* 11: Liatus tells his hobbit child that its a fun toy to play with.
<Meridius> Disable Device rolls can be made by anyone.
* 11: DM laughs.
<DM> Yes, they can.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+1 = 4 (3).
<11: Silana> We are the Amazing Thiefless Party.
<Meridius> I'm unable to disable the device, though.
<DM> Meridius, now make a Reflex save.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 14 (12).
<Liatus> what do we need to roll for DD?
<DM> Shtunk! The needle just misses you, piecing your sleeve. Now the lock's open.
<Meridius> 1d20 + your INT, BA.
<Liatus> Never mind then.
* Silana jumps back. "Meridius, are you all right?"
<Meridius> "If one of you would open the door I'll make ready against what might be inside."
* Meridius draws his gladius.
<Meridius> "I'm fine."
<DM> On the other side, a hallway runs about 15' before ending in the now-familiar mass of rubble. The dust suggests that it's been undisturbed for quite a while; so does the condition of the three bodies still slumped against the far wall, where they once peered out arrow slits.
* Liatus readies his mornng star and prepairs to open the door. "Silana, ready your crossbow."
* Gnaea indignantly flutters back onto Silana's pack after being dislodged by her sudden jump. [Silana]
* Silana nods to Liatus, and loads one of her newly-restocked bolts. "Ready."
<DM> The clothing on the unfortunates is largely decayed, though their crossbows seem in surprisingly good shape.
<Liatus> "We should check for more possible traps."
<DM> Anyone who wishes to make a Search check and/or enter the alcove is welcome to.
* Meridius enters the corridor slowly, on the lookout for threats.
<Meridius> Here's a Search roll:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 16 (14).
<DM> As you step over the threshold, the skeletons start clattering in position, then stand up and turn around, points of red light glowing in their eye sockets. They prepare to attack.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 3 (1).
<DM> Initiative rolls would be in order.
<Liatus> Its going to be one of those sessions, I see.
## DM rolled 1d20+5 = 14 (9).
## Meridius rolled 1d20+4 = 21 (17).
## Silana rolled 1d20+2 = 11 (9).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+1 = 20 (19).
<DM> Wow.
<DM> So: Meridius, Liatus, skeletons, Silana.
<Meridius> "Liatus, try to turn the skeletons. Silana, hold your fire."
* Silana nods. "Right. Shooting these things didn't do much good the last time."
<Meridius> I'm going to step up in order to block the skeletons' path to get to Liatus and thrust at the nearest one.
<DM> BA, roll 1d20 + your Charisma modifier to determine the highest level you can effect, then 2d6 + level + Cha mod for how many hit dice worth you affect.
<DM> (When it's Liatus' turn,t hat is.)
<DM> Righto. Meridius, make your attack roll, then.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+4 = 23 (19).
<DM> Roll again to see if you critical. :)
<Meridius> Possible critical:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+4 = 21 (17).
<DM> Yup, that's a critical.
## Meridius rolled 2d6+4 = 8 (2 2).
<11: Silana> And the crowd goes wild!
<DM> With a literal bone-shattering crunch, the first skeleton goes down in a shower of fragments.
<11: Liatus> cleave?
<DM> Oh, right, you _are_ eligible for Cleave.
<Meridius> I'll press through to the second skeleton.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+4 = 14 (10).
<DM> That's a hit.
## Meridius rolled 1d6+2 = 5 (3).
<DM> Not quite enough to take it out, but there's now more of it spread over the floor than still standing upright.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+1 = 6 (5).
<Liatus> crap
## Liatus rolled 2d6+3 = 5 (1 1).
<DM> Unfortunately, Liatus' maximum level turned on that roll is, um, 0. So the skeletons are not turned. (You can try again next turn, of course.)
<11: Liatus> I'm going to go back to bed if this keeps up.
<DM> The skeletons claw at Meridius.
## DM rolled 1d20 = 12 (12).
## DM rolled 1d20 = 12 (12).
<DM> To no effect whatsoever.
<DM> Possibly scratching any lingering itches he may have.
<DM> Silana?
<Silana> Can I step in and get a swing at them with my staff?
<DM> Sure.
<DM> You'll be swining at the one Meridius already injured, since it's more toward the door.
## Silana rolled 1d20 = 6 (6).
<DM> Your staff whiffs through the space where its left side used to be before Meridius got there.
<DM> Round 2, and Meridius leads again.
<Meridius> I'll thrust at the undamaged skeleton.
<Meridius> And I'm using Power Attack, taking 2 off my attack roll and adding 2 to my damage roll if I hit.
<DM> Righto.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 13 (11).
<DM> That _is_ a hit.
## Meridius rolled 1d6+4 = 10 (6).
<DM> *smash* The undamaged skeleton also collapses. You may Cleave.
<Meridius> (If I'm reading the Power Attack rules, my Cleave attempt has to use the same Power Attack parameters my previous attack used, so...)
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 7 (5).
<DM> That one does not succeed.
<DM> There's one rather badly damaged skeleton left. Liatus?
<Meridius> (That would've been a miss even if I'd used my normal hit roll, I think.)
* Liatus attacks the last skeleton with his morning star.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 14 (12).
<DM> That's a hit!
## Liatus rolled 1d8+1 = 9 (8).
<DM> Wow. The last skeleton goes down in a hail of forelimbs.
<DM> That's 300 xp to divide among yourselves.
* Gnaea tugs at a lock of Silana's hair, trying to remind her of something. The sorceress erps, and says to the bird, "Oh, right. Sorry..." She's now not sure whether to turn red from embarrassment or white from fright at her oversight. [Silana]
<11: Liatus> How far are we from 3rd lvl?
<11: DM> I don't have the current tally at my fingertips. Chris?
<11: Meridius> Approximately 500XP away.
<11: DM> Joe Carricker had some advice for me about experience for you guys, by the way.
<11: Meridius> With minor variations for each character. Meridius has 2494XP as of the last game, frex.
<11: DM> Upon looking over the logs, he suggested that whenever one of you gets to 2700 xp, I should give all of you a Super Badass Good Roleplaying Bonus to take you all to third at that point. Because, he says, you are way way above the norm, and should be rewarded for it.
* Liatus raises an eyebrow as he peers at Silana.
<DM> As the skeletons fall to the ground, the red light goes out of their eyes, and the bones lay where they fell.
* Silana looks sheepishly at Liatus. "Forgot to cast Mage Armor before I went in there."
<11: Meridius> As of this encounter, Meridius is 106XP away from 2700.
<11: DM> Cool. :)
<11: Meridius> So perhaps we'll be leveling up soon.
<11: DM> Looks that way.
<DM> Anyone searching now?
<Meridius> Yes.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 17 (15).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 15 (13).
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 7 (6).
<DM> Meridius and Liatus are the observant ones this time.
## DM rolled 6d10 = 36 (5 9 6 7 1 8).
## DM rolled 3d10 = 13 (3 4 6).
* Silana is clearly still shaken by her moment of idiocy.
<DM> As nearly as you can tell from the remains, these three guys must have just been sealed in where they were on a sort of supernatural guard duty. In their wallets you find 36 sp and 13 gp. Also, the bolt each one has in its crossbow is very well made - it looks to Silana's appraising eye like they'd give her a bonus on attacks.
<11: Liatus> I bet that means they're cursed. :)
* 11: DM laughs.
<11: Meridius> I've written down the money, but figure Silana can just take the bolts.
* Silana looks at one of the bolts closely. "I'll carry these, if no one objects?"
<Meridius> "Go ahead."
<11: DM> They are in fact +1 bolts. Dan, make a note of when you use them - +1 to attack.
<Meridius> Do the crossbows themselves appear interesting?
<DM> The crossbows look well-kept but otherwise unremarkable.
<11: Meridius> I'll make a note that we'll pick them up on our way out so we might sell them upon return to town.
* Liatus looks at the crossbows. "Perhaps we could sell them?"
<DM> Great minds etc etc.
<Meridius> "Aye, lets leave them here for the moment and pick them up on our way out."
<Silana> "If neither of you wants one, that's a good idea. We can leave them for now, just close up this room again?"
<Liatus> (Is there another way out of the room?)
<DM> While you're thinking about it, I want to point out _without_ trying to force a direction on you that there's also the door to room 6 here, which you haven't investigated. Somewhere beyond that is a door that fits the key from Yusdrayl.
<DM> This little alcove has no other exists, no. Solid rubble at the far end, solid walls, floor, and ceiling. Just the secret door.
<Meridius> Sounds worth of investigation.
<11: Silana> 6 was about to be my suggestion, anyway. :)
* Liatus sets the crossbows outside the room before we reseal the room.
<DM> Ah, good thinking.
* Liatus investigates the door to room six.
* Silana will take a look, as well.
<Liatus> search rolls?
<DM> Search and Listen both, sure.
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 16 (15).
<Liatus> search
## Silana rolled 1d20+2 = 17 (15).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 21 (19).
<Liatus> amd listen
<Silana> (Search and Listen, respectively, for me)
## Liatus rolled 1d20+3 = 6 (3).
<11: Liatus> I must have a hobbit in my ear or something.
<11: DM> :)
<11: DM> Give it less candy next time.
<DM> You hear a very faint scrabbling from somewhere beyond the door. The door itself is a typical wooden thing, not obviously trapped or whatever.
<11: Liatus> Ooh! Ooh! More things to kill!
<DM> I've just updated http://www.baugh.info/citadel1.jpg , by the way.
* Silana steps back from the door and makes several quick gestures while speaking some arcane words. The air about her and her familiar shimmers for a moment. "There. Not forgetting /that/ again."
<DM> :)
* Liatus checks with Meridius before opening the door.
* Meridius readies himself and says to Liatus, "Open it."
* Silana then checks her crossbow again, making certain it's at the ready before raising it to her shoulder. She's using one of her own bolts, saving the 'special' ones for when they're needed.
* Liatus readies his morning star and pulls the door open
<DM> The door opens onto a 20' wide passage running due south. The masonry gets worse and worse as it goes, ending in a jumble of totally pasage-blocking stone blocks like the ones that the skeletal archers were guarding. The west wall's in much better shape, and there's a massive stone door carved with the design of a rearing dragon.
<DM> You see the very tip of a dire rat tail whisking out of sight underneath the rubble at the south end - you apparentl caught it off guard.
<Liatus> Is the dragon similar to the ones we've seen previously?
* Meridius throws a pilum at the rat once it exposes itself.
<DM> Same general style, yes. Looks like the keyhole is in its mouth.
<DM> Map update.
<DM> The rat - and any othes in there - shows no inclination to come out at the moment.
* Liatus moves carefully into the room, being warry of rats and looking for traps.
<Meridius> As do I.
<DM> You may Search to taste.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 21 (19).
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 2 (1).
<DM> Man, if there were traps here, Meridius would have found them.
<DM> Almost makes me want to invent some trouble for him. :)
* Silana bonks once again into a wall. "Ow."
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 21 (19).
<11: Meridius> You could always invent some treasure for me. :)
<DM> Liatus is also on the job, I see. You can make out, very faintly, the reflected torchlight in the rat's eyes. It chitters briefly at you and moves farther into the rubble field.
* Liatus moves to investigate the door.
<DM> You can now get a better look at the door. it is indeed the same style of architecture that you've seen before. It looks as though this dragon were intended to be singing or orating.
* Meridius keeps an eye (and a pilum) fixed on the rat warren.
* Liatus looks for more code words, as well as possible traps.
<DM> You can also see that, yes, the key from Yusdrayal fits this lock, or should.
<DM> There are no obvious words or inscriptions; you may search, as always.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 16 (14).
* Meridius swaps from a pilum to his shortbow.
* Silana checks the door, too, on the thought that she might see things Liatus wouldn't, and vice versa, given their different fields of knowledge.
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 14 (13).
<DM> There's a spot on the door frame where it looks like someone planned to carve an inscription - a scroll-edged oval space. But it's blank, and has apparently never been actually carved.
<Liatus> any sign of traps?
* Silana hmmmms, peering at that. "Odd. I wonder..."
<DM> Not a one.
<DM> The lock appears to be just an elaborate lock.
* Silana casts Read Magic and looks again at the uncarved space.
<DM> It is, in fact, blank. At least it seems so with Read Magic, too.
<Liatus> "I guess we try the key then."
* Silana shrugs. "Just an odd thought. And yes, we should. I can do the same as we did before, for safety's sake."
* Meridius takes up a position in the center of the room such that he can draw a bead on either the rats or what might be lurking behind the door.
<DM> The key fits the lock smoothly.
<Silana> (Well, it will. We didn't try it yet.) ;)
<DM> The door opens with a slight puff of escaping air and a stirring of dust - it has apparently not been opened in a long time.
<DM> Map update to show the new room. It's made of massive stone blocks like the hallway you're coming out of. Each of the alcoves - three on the north wall, one on the south - holds a stone pedastal supporting a fist-sized crystal ball. The northern ones are dull and cracked; the southern crystal globe glows faint blue and makes a tinkling sound like a music box.
<11: Silana> Okay, pause for a moment for confusion?
<DM> The air has a distinct stale odor, though there's no hint of anything actually harmful in it. It's just that unlike the goblin and kobold areas, nobody who cares about breathable air is going through here.
<11: DM> Sure. What's up?
<11: Silana> I read '<Liatus> "I guess we try the key then."' as being Liatus speaking that in character, hence the quotes. No one actually posed using the key yet that I saw.
<11: DM> Ah, I'm premature, perhaps. I took it to mean "okay, having searched, let's go ahead and see if the key works" with an implicit "if it does, now that Meridius is in position, let's open it".
<11: DM> If I've trodden on anyone's plans for preparation, I'll let you do that stuff now.
* 11: Liatus is good
* 11: Silana nods. My line after that was me suggesting that I use the key from a distance via Mage Hand like we did the last time (back when we opened the door where we found the prisoners). But not a problem at this point.
<11: DM> Ahhh.
<Meridius> If no threats appear in the new room and the rats seem quiescent, I'll switch back to pilum and shield.
<DM> The rats are staying at bay, and the only thing happening in the room is that music-box sound from the lighted globe.
* Silana moves slowly into the room, unable to fight down her curiosity about that globe. Gnaea makes some nervous quiet hootling sounds as she peers warily about from atop her mistress' pack.
* Meridius enters the globe room as well.
<DM> Nothing blows up as you enter.
<DM> The globe plays on, a simple snatch of melody repeating every few seconds. There's a plain stone door at the west end of the room.
<Liatus> can i use my arcana skill to try and identify the orbs?
<DM> Sure.
* Silana looks for any magical inscriptions as she advances toward the globe. She's got most of the duration still running on that Read Magic she cast.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+6 = 17 (11).
<DM> Silana, you don't see any writing on the pillar or the globe, though the dust makes it hard to see. But...
<11: Silana> Uh-oh...
<DM> when you get within about five feet of it, the music suddenly becomes much louder and more complex, a dark and dire tune. Everyone must make Will saves to avoid the urge to flee.
## Meridius rolled 1d20-1 = 2 (3).
## Silana rolled 1d20+3 = 18 (15).
* Meridius runs back the way we came in.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+5 = 18 (13).
<DM> Silana and Liatus are fine; Meridius feels that he'd be much more comfortable out in area 4. (You can check again in ten rounds.)
<11: Silana> Do I roll a separate check for Gnaea?
* Liatus grabs Meridius and slaps him. "Pull youself together man! You're disgracing your uniform."
<DM> The globes in the north wall alcoves remain inert.
<11: DM> Gnaea goes with you, I think.
* Silana shivers. "This is creepy..." She turns to look at her companions and gapes. "...Meridius?"
<Meridius> Does Liatus actually grab me?
<Liatus> more like chasing after you
<DM> Right.
* Liatus finishes smaking Meridius around and returns to the room to further investigate the globes. "I think it may be some sort of alarm system. Or possibly something of religious signifigance."
* Silana turns back to the globe, taking a step closer and furrowing her brow as she murmurs, "So how do we get you to stop...?"
<11: Silana> Knowledge (arcana) roll?
<11: DM> Sure.
## Silana rolled 1d20+4 = 12 (8).
<Liatus> "Well, we could break it. But that would mean we couldn't use it ourselves or at the very least sell it later."
* 11: Meridius notes that Liatus rolled a good Knowledge (arcana) roll that was never resolved.
<DM> About the best Silana's lore can suggest is "break it", too.
<11: DM> I whispered the results to BA.
<11: Meridius> Ah.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+6 = 11 (5).
* Silana peers around at the thing from different angles, puzzledly. Using her staff, she reaches forward and touches the sphere's surface, VERY lightly.
* Meridius sits out in room 4 trying to shrug off the cold sweats.
<DM> Silana, you find it cool to the touch and slightly loose in the pedastal.
<11: Liatus> Suddenly the orb starts playing "Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead"
## Liatus rolled 1d20+6 = 26 (20).
<11: Liatus> Yes! I rule!
<11: DM> BA just criticaled a Knowledge (Arcane) roll. :)
<11: Liatus> f33r my m1tey bra1n, l00z0r
* 11: DM beats BA.
<Liatus> "We need a command word."
* Liatus searches the room for any sign of recorded command words or other writings.
<DM> Make ye roll.
* Silana looks at Liatus as the light goes on. "You're probably right." She starts to search for one as well, Read Magic still in operation.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 12 (10).
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 16 (15).
<DM> No sign of a suitable word of command alas.
* Liatus double checks the pillar, wiping away any dust that's built up.
* Silana sets her staff aside. "Liatus, if what I'm about to try turns out to be really stupid, I hope you'll fix me up afterward?" She steps up to the sphere and places her hands firmly on either side of it, about to try to lift it from its pedestal.
<Liatus> "Don't!"
<Liatus> (ignore that)
<Liatus> (carry on)
* 11: Liatus didn't see Bruce's follow up comment.
<11: Liatus> Otherwise, I'd have picked the damn thing up myself.
<DM> Silana finds that the globe isn't very heavy - it might be filled with liquid or something other than solid crystal. iN any event, as she lifts it, it suddenly begins to play more loudly. Will saves from Liatus and Silana.
## Silana rolled 1d20+3 = 17 (14).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+5 = 17 (12).
<DM> Both of you succumb to the same dread that overcame Meridius.
<11: Silana> WOW.
<DM> In a bout of ironic time, Meridius has himself back under control just as you two all but flee.
<Liatus> Does Silana keep hold of the globe as she runs out of the room?
<DM> Not with the failed save, no. She drops it the few inches back into its resting spot before fleeing.
<Liatus> damn it
* Silana feels an icy chill of panic run down her spine as the urge to flee overcomes her will. She lets go of the sphere, which drops back into its place as she turns and goes.
* Meridius decides not to slap Liatus around and insult his manhood, but just watches with a small measure of amusement as Liatus runs around.
<11: Silana> That's a nasty effect. I saw the pair of 17s and thought we were probably safe. :)
<11: DM> It's stronger once someone picks it up.
<11: Silana> Obviously. :)
<DM> The panic begins to ebb in Silana and Liatus after a minute or so.
<DM> Gradually you get to feeling "I could try to deal with that again."
<DM> After another minute or so, the volume goes back to where it was before Silana picked up the globe.
* Liatus plans to smash the orb with his morning star unless someone comes up with a better plan.
* Silana shivers again as she tries to shrug off the lingering effects. "It seems a shame to do that. We could just leave it for now. It didn't do anything until the first time I got close to it."
<DM> If the thing gets re-triggered by someone getting as close as Silana did, you _could_ make your way around it to the door at the other end of the room.
<Meridius> "Though I'm of a mind to destroy the orb myself, it might be better just to skirt around it and press on for the time being."
<Liatus> "Very well."
* Meridius stands up, arranges his accoutrements and moves back toward the orb room.
<DM> It's been about three and a half minutes by my informal tally since the thing went off. Meridius, as you enter the room again, you'll need to make another Will save.
## Meridius rolled 1d20-1 = 8 (9).
<DM> Well, there goes Meridius back out of the room again, filled with the same sense of dread. It took about a minute to recover from this last time...
* Liatus facepalms.
<DM> Either of you two doing anything while Meridius recovers?
* Silana hangs her head, looking embarrassed. "Sorry guys. If I hand't been so curious about that thing..."
<11: DM> Montano is perched here on the desk peering at the screen, looking adorable. He forgives you, Dan.
<11: Silana> Gnaea eyes the cat warily.
* Meridius is sitting in room 4 hyperventilating a bit.
<DM> I presume that Meridius isn't used to feeling fear-driven compulsion.
* Meridius is the one who's supposed to kill cowards who don't advance on the enemy.
<DM> :)
* Silana draws herself back up, and heads back into the room, looking determined. "I'm going to check something." And she heads for the other side of the room, where the cracked spheres are. Or at least that's her intent, if she doesn't run away again.
<DM> A Will save, as you enter the room.
## Silana rolled 1d20+3 = 15 (12).
<DM> That doesn't work either.
<DM> You get further in than Meridius did, but the dread overwhelms you before you can get to the first of the pillars.
* Liatus tries again to enter the room.
* Silana shrieks, partly in fear and partly in frustration as she flees the room. "Minerva help me...," she mutters.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+5 = 15 (10).
<DM> Sorry, Liatus, you fare no better than Meridius.
* Liatus thinks better of it and goes back outside.
<DM> Finally, after about five minutes of this, there's a final chiming chord and the music stops, except for the music-box tinkle.
<11: Meridius> Consulting the map, there may be another approach we can take to get by this room. There's a door in the south wall of room 15 which looks likely.
<11: DM> Acutally, you know from Meepo's account that that's just the alcove where he keeps dragon food. Though of course it may have a south opening he didn't mention.
<Silana> "We should be able to move past it now, so long as none of us goes near it again. But another route would be good. I'd hate to be trapped on the other side of that."
<Meridius> "Lets try once more to pass it by, then."
* Meridius gathers himself for another try at getting through that room.
* Liatus enters the room, and then goes to look at the orbs on the other side of the room.
<DM> The orbs on the north wall prove to be crystal a few inches thick, with a hollow space int he center. Each of them has been cracked, it looks like by jostling around in their pedastals.
* Meridius enters the room and, assuming nothing goes wrong, gives the fearful orb a wide berth and moves to the door in the opposite wall.
<DM> Now you can pass freely through the room as long as you give the blue orb a wide berth.
* Liatus follows Meridius to the door, figuring we can solve this puzzle later.
* Meridius examines the next door. Here's a Search roll:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 15 (13).
<Meridius> And I'll try Listening to what's beyond the door as well:
<DM> It's a simple latched door, and shows no sign of trappage or other complications.
## Meridius rolled 1d20-1 = 2 (3).
<DM> All quiet beyond.
* Meridius motions Silana to the door and suggests she listen at the door to doublecheck him.
* Silana nods, and moves up to press her ear to the wood.
## Silana rolled 1d20+2 = 20 (18).
<DM> Silana doesn't hear anything, either.
* Silana shakes her head. "Nothing there I can hear."
* Meridius readies a pilum and checks to see what Liatus is doing.
* Liatus opens the door as soon as we're all ready.
<11: Meridius> I'm listening to the Conan soundtrack and the orgy scene music is playing. I'm figuring that when we open the door we'll find a big cauldron of eyeball and hand soup, a bunch of people screwing, and a sorceror transforming into a snake. :)
* Silana raises her crossbow to the ready and nods.
* Meridius says to Liatus, "Open it."
* Liatus pulls the door open.
<DM> There's another rush of stale air as you open this door. On the far side is an empty 20' corridor, with a matching stone door at the far end.
<Meridius> I'll advance slowly, with a Search roll to look for traps and such.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 19 (17).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 5 (3).
<11: DM> Oh, 300 XP for the encounter with the gallery of forlorn music. That's a toughie.
<11: Meridius> 300XP divided three ways?
<11: DM> Right.
<DM> Meridius, you spot a slightly rececessed area in the middle 10' of this hallway. Looks like it could be the cover for a trap door or pressure plate.
<Meridius> Can it be maneuvered around?
* Meridius points out the recessed area to the others.
<DM> Yes, there's a space a foot wide on each side.
* Liatus inches around the plate
* Meridius moves up and around the possible trap to the right side.
* Silana looks for any other problems before moving past the plate.
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 4 (3).
<11: DM> 150 XP for saving yourself a rather nasty little encounter there.
<11: Meridius> Divided by three again?
<11: DM> Yup.
<DM> Map update to incorporate this hallway, with trap.
* Silana then moves past the plate, her staff ready to prop against the opposite wall if she trips or does anything else ungraceful. :)
<11: Meridius> I just hit 2744XP. Should we level up now or later, assuming you're going with Joe's suggestion?
<11: DM> Let's handle leveling up at the end of the session. It takes time for Fate to realize that you have the bonus coming.
<11: Meridius> Okay.
<DM> All three of you can get past the trap section without much fuss, and now you're gathered around the door at the west end of the hall.
* Meridius will Search the door:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 11 (9).
<Meridius> And Listen at it:
## Meridius rolled 1d20-1 = 19 (20).
* Liatus also searches and listens, in that order
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 8 (6).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+3 = 6 (3).
<DM> No obvious traps, and it's quiet beyond.
<Liatus> Well, I'm just Johnny on the Spot aren't I.
<DM> Johanius on the Spot.
* Meridius preps weaponry once more. "Go ahead and open the door, Liatus."
* Silana readies herself as well, and nods.
* Liatus opens the door.
<11: Meridius> How are we on time, Dan? You have a commitment coming up?
<DM> The door opens onto a dusty floor. The chamber beyond (shown in map update) is 20' wide and twice that long, with a curving north end.
<11: Silana> I'm good to about 6 EST.
<DM> When you come in, for one terrible moment it looks like there's a dragon waiting for you in the arched end. It proves to be the most realistically painted statue you've ever seen.
* Meridius rears back to cast a pilum and then relaxes as he realizes what it is.
<DM> It's more than ten feet high, and you can see that something's written on the base of the platform supporting it.
<DM> Folks may also search and stuff.
* Meridius searches:
* Liatus goes to investigate, searching as he goes.
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 15 (13).
* Silana gasps, and Gnaea makes a startled noise none of you have ever heard an owl make before, before both realize it's not a real dragon. "Oh, my..."
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 12 (10).
* Silana searches:
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 8 (7).
* Silana goes to investigate the writing.
<11: Liatus> Can the owl make a search roll?
<DM> Silana is, to put it mildly, startled when the statue speaks. Its mouth moves, and what you can recognize as a permanent magic mouth spell says, in Common, "We come at night without being fetched; we disappear by day without being stolen."
<Liatus> "Ooh, a riddle."
<11: Liatus> My money is on either shadows or dreams as the answer.
<11: DM> Cant have a dungeon crawl without at least -one- riddle.
* Meridius is no expert at riddle games, but ponders the glass whistle...
<DM> If folks want to take a stab at solving it, that's cool. We can also resort to Int rolls.
* Silana picks herself up from where she fell on her butt when she jumped back... "Eep."
<11: Meridius> Silana's jumping back lacks the artistry of James Brown. :)
* 11: Liatus does the Hammer dance.
<11: DM> That'll cost you your XP bonus for the session... :)
* Assuming no more interruptions by the room's special effects interrupt, Silana goes back to looking at the writing at the statue's base, before making any attempt at the riddle. [Silana]
<11: Liatus> Just for that, I'm going to break out the leather pants.
<DM> The writing is the same text as what the statue spoke, in several different languages.
* Liatus tries to puzzle out the riddle also, and looks around for any clues in the room's decour.
* Meridius would like to make an Intelligence roll to ponder the answer.
* Silana hmmms. "Well, we have a riddle. There are a few different possible answers I can think of..."
* Silana looks around the room as well, in hope of a clue to narrow down her choices.
* Liatus searches the room for clues.
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 14 (13).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 8 (6).
<DM> The room is otherwise empty, with an even coating of thick dust.
* 11: Liatus beats his head against the floor.
* Meridius makes his Intelligence roll for riddle solution action:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+1 = 19 (18).
* Liatus also makes an Intel roll.
<DM> I'll wait on whispering possibilities until everyone who wishes to make an Int roll does.
* Silana will, too:
<Liatus> roll 1d20+2
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 13 (12).
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 15 (13).
*DM* The dragon statue looks up a bit. Perhaps "stars".
-> *DM* What do I see if I look up?
*DM* The ceiling. But it has a sort of watchful look. The statue, that is, not the ceiling. Free-association leads you to "stars" as things which come at night without being fetched and disappear by day without being stolen.
* Meridius addresses Liatus and Silana. "Do either of you have a thought as to the answer?"
* Liatus scratches his chin. "Dreams, perhaps. Or maybe Shadows. But I cannot say for certain either of those is the answer."
* Silana nods. "Those were my first two thoughts, too."
<Silana> "It could also be stars..."
<DM> At that, there's a sudden click from the west wall, and a secret door you'd missed earlier swings open.
* Meridius turns toward the secret door, pilum at hand.
* Silana blinks. "Looks like I'm right."
<11: Queensryche> Speak the word... [Meridius]
<DM> Beyond it there's a 20' wide hallway with narow alcoves on each side. At the far end there's a stone archway opening onto a room beyond; a faint green glow comes from somewhere in there. There's a dark pit just this side of the archway.
* Liatus peers in carefully.
<DM> Each of the alcoves holds the marble statue of a demonic humanoid figure, like the world's most evil elves, except for one on the south side that's empty.
<DM> Map update. :)
* Liatus makes an arcana roll to see if he can recognize them in anyway.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+6 = 25 (19).
<DM> Go for it.
<DM> Hot damn, man.
<DM> Search rolls, too, if you want, while BA assimilates his info dump.
* Silana shivers involuntarily on seeing the statues. "I don't like this... This isn't a good place. We need to be really careful here..."
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 20 (19).
* Meridius warily enters the room and makes a Search roll:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 4 (2).
<Meridius> (And barely finds the end of his pilum.)
<Liatus> "This is a dark and foul place."
* DM whispers a bit to Dan.
* Silana holds up a hand, gesturing her friends to silence.
<Liatus> "Those things are quasits. Demonic servents of black magicians and priests of fallen gods. I hope they are only statues...."
* Silana then crouches down and points out the faint footprints in the dust, leading from the empty alcove to the pit.
* Liatus quietes.
<DM> The pit's about 10 feet deep and filled with spikes, and ten feet wide. This is jumpable by D&D terms.
<Meridius> I don't see the pit on the map.
<DM> Oh, Silana notices one more thing: there's a secret door in the back of the middle south alcove.
<DM> The pit is that box thing.
<11: Liatus> "And now for my next impression, Jessie Owens."
<Meridius> Ah.
<Silana> "Either one of these things wasn't a statue, or we have to worry about more of them starting to walk around."
* Liatus looks to see fi anything has fallen into the pit.
<DM> Not in ages. The dust is even over the spikes.
* Silana keeps looking, very cautiously, Gnaea watching her back. "Psst. Guys, there's a door back here."
<Meridius> (Where is back here?)
<DM> Middle of the south wall.
<Silana> (Middle south alcove.)
<DM> Minor map update, but it's hard to maek out because of image size and quality or lack thereof in my scan.
* Meridius moves to examine the latest secret door with a Search roll:
## Meridius rolled 1d20+2 = 21 (19).
<DM> It's not trapped. There's a two-part latch to let you open it.
* Meridius steps back from the door. "If one of you would open it I'll prepare for what might be on the other side."
* Liatus searches the door.
## Liatus rolled 1d20+2 = 10 (8).
<DM> Looks okay to you.
* Silana takes a look as well, just to be thorough about it.
## Silana rolled 1d20+1 = 2 (1).
<Meridius> "Listen at it as well?"
<11: Silana> I thought I found a door here somewhere...
<DM> Sure.
* Liatus listens
## Liatus rolled 1d20+3 = 13 (10).
* Silana takes a listen:
<11: Liatus> damn it
## Silana rolled 1d20+2 = 3 (1).
<11: Liatus> for the love of ....
* Gnaea, being curious, listens as well: [Silana]
<DM> All quiet beyond there. And the statue has no heartbeat, you can verify by listening to it along the way.
## Silana rolled 1d20+14 = 15 (1).
* 11: Silana falls over.
<DM> Gnaea doesn't hear anything, either.
<Meridius> "Open the door."
* Silana gets her crossbow ready.
* Liatus opens the door.
<DM> Map update. The room's only about six feet tall. There's a trapdoor near the south end, and writing in Draconic on the south wall. Nothing moves.
<11: Silana> And I now have 10 minutes.
* Liatus reads the Draconic, but does not speak it aloud. (And will kill the first person who does.)
<11: Meridius> Shall we pause here, then?
<11: DM> Let's have BA do the transcription and pause here, then.
<Liatus> "This looks to be a tomb of some sort."
<11: Silana> So are we leveling up?
<11: DM> Yup!
<11: Meridius> I take it we reset XP for all our characters to 3000?
<11: DM> And BA, if you send your third-level stats to Dan or Chris, they can do up a pretty output for your reference and mine.
<11: DM> Yes, all of you hit 3000 XP even at this point.
<11: Silana> Okay. We can deal with other leveling stuff later, but I want to roll for hit points before I have to go.
<11: DM> So you feel a surge of mastery thanks to wading into the heart of the draconic worshippers' lair and dealing with the weird shit there.
## Silana rolled 1d4+1 = 3 (2).
<Silana> Oh, well, couldn't KEEP maxing out.
<DM> Not bad. :)
<11: Meridius> I'll roll my level 3 HP as well:
## Meridius rolled 1d10+2 = 6 (4).
<DM> As always, folks, thanks for a very enjoyable game.
<Meridius> Thank you, Bruce.
<DM> I was really curious about how that globe room thing would work in practice.
<11: Liatus> Clerics roll 1d8, yes?
* Silana now has 16 whole HP. :)
<11: DM> Yes, BA.
<11: DM> If you get a 1, I'll let you re-roll, though.
## 11: Liatus rolled 1d8-1 = 3 (4).
<11: Liatus> bleah
* Meridius has 30HP.
<Silana> Okay, I've got to go. I'll deal with other leveling issues later. And, oh! Wait!
<DM> Yes?
<Silana> Next Saturday is the middle of SIMCON. I'm going to be, um, occupied. A bit.
<DM> Okay. :)
<DM> So we've got a hiatus coming up next weekend.
<Silana> I'm open to playing some night the following week, but the weekend is right out.
* DM nods.
<Silana> (Nights this week are going to be busy, as well.)
<DM> We'll see how things go, then. And have a rad happ'nin' con, of course.
<DM> Busy for me, too, since I'll be redlining my ass off.
<Liatus> I need to go collapse now. I'm crashing really really hard.
<Silana> I'll say hi to the half ot Eyrie that'll be there. :)
<Meridius> 'Bye, BA. Thanks for hangin' in there. :)
* Silana nods. Thanks, BA.
*** Signoff: Liatus (Leaving) at Sat Mar 15 3:03 PM PST.
* Silana goes. *Poof*
<DM> I'm really glad BA stuck it out.
<Meridius> Me, too.
*** DM is now known as Bruce.
<Silana> Me, too.
*** Meridius is now known as iChris.
<carter@q7.com>